- This is the only remaining all-boys boarding and day school in Scotland. It was founded in Edinburgh in 1828. This year it appointed a new headmaster, Huw Jones, the former deputy head of Warminster School.
- Its 100 acres of parkland open up access to outdoor activities such as target rifle shooting, sailing and hill running. Students can also join in with a drama club, pipe and drum groups, and charitable work.
- Sport can be played for fun or to compete at the highest level: more than 60 Merchistonians have played senior international rugby and 24 have played international cricket. The school also runs specialist academy programmes in tennis and golf.
- Merchiston holds a gold accreditation from Unicef’s Rights Respecting Schools programme in recognition of its commitment to promoting children’s rights at all levels of school life.
- Merchiston Castle School opened the Forest Nursery and Forest Junior School in 2024 to meet demand for outdoor learning.
- There are means-tested bursaries, covering up to 100 per cent of fees, and various scholarships available.
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