Merchiston Castle School is situated in Colinton on the south-west side of Edinburgh. It is one of the strengths of the Independent sector that all schools are different and only you will know what suits your needs.

When it arrived here in 1998, it was especially struck by the friendliness of everyone it met, and the sheer amount of activity that goes on here. It likes to feel that it is part of a large family, who all share the same high standards and aspirations.

As the only independent boys' boarding and day school in Scotland, Merchiston is unique. The fact that boys in boys-only schools out-perform boys in co-educational schools is confirmed by a glance at the League Tables. However, Merchiston also enjoys close links with several girls' schools.

The School is set in beautiful grounds that give the boys wonderful opportunities to make the most of their talents outside the classroom. This plays an important part in the ethos of the School.

Merchiston has many international links with schools and other educational establishments across the globe including Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, India, China, Japan, Fiji. GAP years and exchanges are popular. Boys can also take part in overseas community project trips such as their Millennium 3 Project Group to Fiji. They also run teacher exchanges to share best practice and enhance their professional skills.

Achievements

Academic

• 5 offers of places at Oxford/Cambridge
• 2 Pupils awarded Arkwright Scholarships
• UK Senior Mathematics Challenge 2005: 4 Gold certificates
• International Chemistry Olympiad 2005: Gold certificate winner
• UK Young Engineer for Britain Award
• Regional Final of the Royal Society of Chemistry's 'Top of the Bench' competition
• British Physics Olympiad Finalist
• Audi Young Designer for Scotland – Winner

Cultural

• English Speaking Board Examinations 2005: 55 distinctions, 62 merits
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
• Edinburgh University Schools' Debating Competition: reached semi-finals
• 47 Lower Sixth pupils involved in play written by themselves

Sporting

• Pupil represented Scotland in Cricket at U15 level, and captained West of Scotland U15 team; 2 pupils in Scottish Schools U16 Cricket Team
• Pupil represented Scotland in Tennis in U13 team
• 2 Pupils selected for the Youth Commonwealth Games U18 Sevens Preparation Squad
• Pupil in national/British Fencing teams
• Pupil won Gold medal in Scottish Rowing Championships
• Scottish Schools' Athletics 2004: 3 Gold, 4 Silver medals
• Pupil won Junior High Gun Trophhy in Scottish Schools Clay Shooting Competition
• 2 Pupils selected for Scotland U18 Rugby squad; 5 Pupils selected for Edinburgh Schools U16 Rugby squad
• Edinburgh Schools' Swimming: Gold medal in O16 relay, 4 silver, 4 bronze medals

The Spawforth Library

In October 1997 discussions began to explore the possibility of a new School Library (designated solely for Library usage) to house all the book collections in one place. The former Music Auditorium (which had been vacated on the completion of a new Auditorium in May 1998) was selected as the site for the new facility. This room wasnd a new PSE Classroom.

The Library was opened in January 2000 and named The Spawforth Library in honor of a former Headmaster. Since that time the quality of the stock has improved considerably, central funding has enabled opening-hours to be extended, and 'library literacy' has progressively been developed among teachers and pupils.

The Spawforth Library strives to be a vibrant, orderly, and welcoming facility which promotes the School's academic ethos and seeks to impart a love of reading, in all its forms. The Library aims to provide stock that is regularly updated, is relevant to the School's academic curricula, and is appropriate for a pupil readership. They seek to ensure that all pupils, regardless of their age or ability, feel able to make the most of the Library and its resources, helping them to:

• become confident in finding, evaluating, and using information,

• develop patterns of effective independent study which they will carry with them for the rest of their lives

• raise their own academic expectations.