Dr Murray takes you through the school's history and the achievements of some FPs
Although its origins are unknown, The Royal High School can justly claim to be one of the oldest schools in Britain.
Its history can certainly be traced to 1128 when the Abbey of Holyrood was founded. Within the abbey there was a school which served mainly as a seminary. After the Reformation the new lay school was established with its endowments from Mary Queen of Scots. It was at this time that the management of the Royal High School was transferred to the Town Council.
Down through the ages The Royal High School has been a mirror to the life of the capital. The old school reflected the turbulence of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries, the classical spirit of the Eighteenth and the expansionary optimism of the Nineteenth. Today the school can be seen to express the technological and social changes that are taking place not only in Edinburgh but throughout Europe and the Western World.
Over the centuries The Royal High School has produced outstanding pupils, who have excelled in every area of human endeavour and enterprise, pupils who have gone out to all parts of the world to make their reputation and special contribution to mankind.
We are proud of such achievements and of our history. However The Royal High School of today has much to celebrate and it is with confidence in our current achievements that we now approach the challenge of the twenty-first century.
Our principal aim at The Royal High School is to help develop young people committed to excellence and life-long learning.
We aim to achieve this for each of our pupils by:
These aims are summarised for our pupils as follows:
The school is very conscious of its position in the local community. Senior pupils help in the local primary schools and there is a significant involvement with those in society who are in need of help and care.
Assistance with flag days, donations to charities, participation in sponsored events are regular features of the community serving effort.
Activities in this area of school life are coordinated by our Charities Committee, which comprises staff, pupils and members of the local community including the School Chaplain.
These primary schools are designated as in our catchment area:
BLACKHALL, CLERMISTON, CRAMOND, DAVIDSON'S MAINS
Although our first obligation is to the four associated primaries above, an additional number of pupils join us from other primary schools.
Our four associated primary schools have close contact with us throughout the academic year.
This contact includes:
Good relationships have existed with our associated primaries – Blackhall, Clermiston, Cramond and Davidson's Mains – for many years. The Rector and Depute Rector (5-14) meet regularly with the Primary Headteachers to discuss matters of common concern and plan for joint initiatives across the cluster. This includes transfer arrangements as well as cross-sector curriculum and staff development projects.
In the summer term, immediately prior to the move from Primary 7 to secondary school, the Support For Pupils staff responsible for the new S1 intake visit the primary schools. The pupils then spend 3 days in the High School following their S1 timetable and taking part in the whole range of usual daily activities.
This means that when they join S1 in August, they will be familiar with the physical layout of the school and will have met Support For Pupils staff, Form teachers, most subject teachers and some senior pupils. A group of our S6 pupils are specially trained to act as “Befrienders” to our new S1 to help them settle into school.
Introduction : Prospectus Table of Contents : More: Enrolment, School Council, PTA
