What's so special about our Senior School?

Merchiston is the only boys' independent boarding school in Scotland. As such we stand out - we are unique in Scotland - and can never be accused of 'going with the flow' (and we have no intention of changing to become a co-educational school).

The Governors, Headmaster and all staff at Merchiston are united in one goal: to offer the best possible all-round education for all boys who attend the School. In doing this we are focused on a fundamental belief - a belief that boys thrive and learn better in a boys only environment. Our belief in (and passion for) this principle is supported by a growing body of academic research, but also by the consistency and quality of the School's results over the last ten years.

At Merchiston, our boys have the freedom and security to develop and learn without the added competition from girls (who will often be academically more able at the same age) - and they will also benefit from teachers who are experts in understanding, mentoring and teaching boys, as that is all they do. In many cases they have been teaching boys for over ten years.

Thus, our mantra is "Boys first". Everything - from the classroom to the sports field, from the boarding house to the structure of the school day and our facilities - is 100% focused on doing what's best for the boys.

Our Senior School, where the boys start very much as 'boys' at 13, and mature into young men taking their GCSE examinations at 16, and then move on to Sixth Form for their A levels, lies at the heart of our mission. This is where our ability to temper the exuberance of young teenagers is matched with our understanding of how to motivate them and our skill in helping them discover their talents. It is where we help them to play hard and work hard, and ultimately where we prepare them for the first major academic challenge in their lives, their GCSEs.

University places take into account the quality of the GCSE results, and so we leave no stone unturned in getting the C student to a B, the B student to an A, and the A student to an A*. Over the last five years, 97% (or more) of results have been A*, A, B or C.

Academic results across all subjects have been excellent over the last ten years.

On this benchmark alone, prospective parents can see some of the benefits of Merchiston. There is, of course, so much more to the School than academic results, as can be seen from the rest of this site. An education is not complete without cultural, sporting, and other opportunities - however, we know that the heart of our mission is to deliver the academic education parents seek.

If you would like to see more information on Merchiston's results, please visit the Academic Results page.