On Tuesday the P2 children arrived dressed in medieval attire for the P2 Castle Day. Our magnificently dressed Lords and Ladies (including our mighty steed!) were expertly taken through their dance steps by Lady Brockbank in the first of many dances performed in medieval style. We then practised some jester skills such as juggling with scarves and some quite tricky acrobatic feats. Carrying on the jester theme, we then returned to one of the rooms in our castle to make our own jester hats. Meanwhile the cooks were busy in the castle kitchen preparing a scrumptious banquet for us in the ‘banqueting hall’. We feasted on numerous courses starting with a tasty vegetable broth served with chunks of crusty bread. This was followed by an assortment of meats such as wild boar, pigeon pie, chicken drumsticks and quails’ eggs! 

We ate vegetables from the castle gardens and drank ‘wine’ crushed from the grapes. Dessert followed with delicious berry tarts as well as jellied and candied fruit. We ate off ‘trenchers’ – slices of bread and ate with our fingers. There were no forks in the Middle Ages! During our feast we welcomed Lord Taylor of Cargilfield who had just returned from a morning of hunting in the forest, and entertained him with our jester jokes. The afternoon saw us in training to be knights and performing various challenges. Each required strength, accuracy, bravery and a lot of perseverance! We used catapults to fire ‘rocks’ at the castle walls, threw ‘spears’ at increasing distances, and practised our jousting skills aiming our ‘lances’ through rings while riding on our hobby horses! We concluded our excellent and highly entertaining day with a jousting tournament bravely fought by those participating. A huge thank you to all those who helped make our first P2 medieval day at Cargilfield such a memorable one!   

On Tuesday the P2 children arrived dressed in medieval attire for the P2 Castle Day. Our magnificently dressed Lords and Ladies (including our mighty steed!) were expertly taken through their dance steps by Lady Brockbank in the first of many dances performed in medieval style. We then practised some jester skills such as juggling with scarves and some quite tricky acrobatic feats. Carrying on the jester theme, we then returned to one of the rooms in our castle to make our own jester hats. Meanwhile the cooks were busy in the castle kitchen preparing a scrumptious banquet for us in the ‘banqueting hall’. We feasted on numerous courses starting with a tasty vegetable broth served with chunks of crusty bread. This was followed by an assortment of meats such as wild boar, pigeon pie, chicken drumsticks and quails’ eggs! 

We ate vegetables from the castle gardens and drank ‘wine’ crushed from the grapes. Dessert followed with delicious berry tarts as well as jellied and candied fruit. We ate off ‘trenchers’ – slices of bread and ate with our fingers. There were no forks in the Middle Ages! During our feast we welcomed Lord Taylor of Cargilfield who had just returned from a morning of hunting in the forest, and entertained him with our jester jokes. The afternoon saw us in training to be knights and performing various challenges. Each required strength, accuracy, bravery and a lot of perseverance! We used catapults to fire ‘rocks’ at the castle walls, threw ‘spears’ at increasing distances, and practised our jousting skills aiming our ‘lances’ through rings while riding on our hobby horses! We concluded our excellent and highly entertaining day with a jousting tournament bravely fought by those participating. A huge thank you to all those who helped make our first P2 medieval day at Cargilfield such a memorable one!   

Nursery usually invite parents to come and read stories to the children throughout the week. To ensure that we continue with our close home- school links we are using our new webcam to continue with this tradition #cargilfield #storytime

Nursery usually invite parents to come and read stories to the children throughout the week. To ensure that we continue with our close home- school links we are using our new webcam to continue with this tradition #cargilfield #storytime

In P3, the children learn how to code simple computer programmes. We started today and have had a wonderful time!creating simple animations!

The children have also been following the procedures for cleaning the computer equipment before and after use in line with current Covid guidance! Well done on a super afternoon.

In P3, the children learn how to code simple computer programmes. We started today and have had a wonderful time!creating simple animations!

The children have also been following the procedures for cleaning the computer equipment before and after use in line with current Covid guidance! Well done on a super afternoon.

In P3, the children learn how to code simple computer programmes. We started today and have had a wonderful time!creating simple animations!

The children have also been following the procedures for cleaning the computer equipment before and after use in line with current Covid guidance! Well done on a super afternoon.

In P3, the children learn how to code simple computer programmes. We started today and have had a wonderful time!creating simple animations!

The children have also been following the procedures for cleaning the computer equipment before and after use in line with current Covid guidance! Well done on a super afternoon.

On this day in 1825, passengers travelled for the first time on Stevenson's Locomotive One, the first passenger train! This morning, the Headmaster talks about this amazing moment in History and how it transformed travel throughout the county.

Watch it here.

On this day in 1825, passengers travelled for the first time on Stevenson's Locomotive One, the first passenger train! This morning, the Headmaster talks about this amazing moment in History and how it transformed travel throughout the county.

Watch it here.

As I wrote my grades again, and for the first time this academic year, I realised that I had been completing similar short reports for nearly 30 years in a number of different schools (as well as receiving such assessments for all three of my children from Cargilfield and other schools). In that time,I have come to realise that while they are a very useful part of communication between teachers, children and parents, they do have their limitations.

From a starting point in September, those numbers and letters may move up and down and we can quickly see how a child is faring over time and relative to others. As a parent, however, these grades can seem relatively opaque, even when you apply the descriptors listed on the form. For that reason, the accompanying comments are important.

Try as any school might, this system of grades involves individual teachers, each applying them in different ways: sometimes cautious to start the year; sometimes more or less generous with the letters or numbers. I have been part of various school management teams that have tried to counter these issues in different ways but we rarely find effective alternatives.

My advice would be that parents look to get the best out of these assessments but don’t place too much emphasis on any one set of grades. Use them as a starting point for a conversation with your child about how they are finding their lessons and their learning. Pick the time for that conversation so that the responses are a little more fulsome and reflective rather than dismissive and negative. Use them as an opportunity to catch up with your child’s form teacher who will have reviewed these grades in the context of the other children in the class and may have had a conversation (or be planning to) with your child about them.

Remember that teachers tend not to spend a long time soul searching about the difference between a 2 and a 3 or a B and a C: that is not a productive use of time. Sometimes one aspect of your child’s learning will be emphasised in the use of a particular letter or number and the written comment will help you towards that. Grades can be used to encourage and boost confidence and sometimes to ask for more – a bit of carrot and stick, I suppose.

As a parent, you may recognise the discrepancy between a grade and a comment – that isn’t unusual – but use your own judgement to make sense of that. Where you aren’t sure, do ask a question of your child and/or your child’s form teacher as this is what the grades are intended to achieve…but do so sensitively. Do you really want a teacher spending hours over the minutiae of a specific grade rather than dealing with the children in the class? Do you want to discourage your child or a teacher from giving honest feedback (when non-specificpositive comments are so easily reverted to!)

As a teacher, I welcome the opportunity that grades offer to start a conversation with a child I am teaching and I hope that parents enjoy being party to that.

As I wrote my grades again, and for the first time this academic year, I realised that I had been completing similar short reports for nearly 30 years in a number of different schools (as well as receiving such assessments for all three of my children from Cargilfield and other schools). In that time,I have come to realise that while they are a very useful part of communication between teachers, children and parents, they do have their limitations.

From a starting point in September, those numbers and letters may move up and down and we can quickly see how a child is faring over time and relative to others. As a parent, however, these grades can seem relatively opaque, even when you apply the descriptors listed on the form. For that reason, the accompanying comments are important.

Try as any school might, this system of grades involves individual teachers, each applying them in different ways: sometimes cautious to start the year; sometimes more or less generous with the letters or numbers. I have been part of various school management teams that have tried to counter these issues in different ways but we rarely find effective alternatives.

My advice would be that parents look to get the best out of these assessments but don’t place too much emphasis on any one set of grades. Use them as a starting point for a conversation with your child about how they are finding their lessons and their learning. Pick the time for that conversation so that the responses are a little more fulsome and reflective rather than dismissive and negative. Use them as an opportunity to catch up with your child’s form teacher who will have reviewed these grades in the context of the other children in the class and may have had a conversation (or be planning to) with your child about them.

Remember that teachers tend not to spend a long time soul searching about the difference between a 2 and a 3 or a B and a C: that is not a productive use of time. Sometimes one aspect of your child’s learning will be emphasised in the use of a particular letter or number and the written comment will help you towards that. Grades can be used to encourage and boost confidence and sometimes to ask for more – a bit of carrot and stick, I suppose.

As a parent, you may recognise the discrepancy between a grade and a comment – that isn’t unusual – but use your own judgement to make sense of that. Where you aren’t sure, do ask a question of your child and/or your child’s form teacher as this is what the grades are intended to achieve…but do so sensitively. Do you really want a teacher spending hours over the minutiae of a specific grade rather than dealing with the children in the class? Do you want to discourage your child or a teacher from giving honest feedback (when non-specificpositive comments are so easily reverted to!)

As a teacher, I welcome the opportunity that grades offer to start a conversation with a child I am teaching and I hope that parents enjoy being party to that.

This week in Nursery the children have been learning all about emotions and feelings. To support their understanding, they have made emotion puppets, cupcakes, books and played lots of games. They created a daily emotions board and pulled lots of funny faces!

This week in Nursery the children have been learning all about emotions and feelings. To support their understanding, they have made emotion puppets, cupcakes, books and played lots of games. They created a daily emotions board and pulled lots of funny faces!

Over the summer members of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland would normally expect to be taking part in their summer course and concerts. These could not happen because of Covid-19, so instead they got together remotely to take part in a series of digital coaching and mentoring workshops.  Daniel (Yr 6) is involved at 2m01s and from 2m30ish onwards. 

Watch the performance here. 

Over the summer members of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland would normally expect to be taking part in their summer course and concerts. These could not happen because of Covid-19, so instead they got together remotely to take part in a series of digital coaching and mentoring workshops.  Daniel (Yr 6) is involved at 2m01s and from 2m30ish onwards. 

Watch the performance here. 

Many congratulations to all those children who performed in today's mini concert. There were some excellent performances and it is lovely to see so many children enjoying making music once again in school!  If you would like to play in next week's concert, speak to Dr Allsop!

You can watch the concert here.

Many congratulations to all those children who performed in today's mini concert. There were some excellent performances and it is lovely to see so many children enjoying making music once again in school!  If you would like to play in next week's concert, speak to Dr Allsop!

You can watch the concert here.

We have our Open Morning events on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October. Register here https://cargilfield.com/open-morning to find out more about what makes Cargilfield different. 

Click the link below for some videos which give an insight in to the busy lives of children here. 

https://www.cargilfield.com/about-cargilfield/galleries

We have our Open Morning events on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October. Register here https://cargilfield.com/open-morning to find out more about what makes Cargilfield different. 

Click the link below for some videos which give an insight in to the busy lives of children here. 

https://www.cargilfield.com/about-cargilfield/galleries

8L and 8M enjoyed two lovely mornings down on the River Almond this week to investigate erosion and disposition on a meander as part of their Common Entrance Geography work. Having made some floats beforehand, they were able to measure water speed and managed to take lots of useful readings which will prove useful when they write up their fieldwork enquiry which is then submitted to their senior schools. It was great to be out in the fresh air and doing some outdoor learning!

Read more here.

8L and 8M enjoyed two lovely mornings down on the River Almond this week to investigate erosion and disposition on a meander as part of their Common Entrance Geography work. Having made some floats beforehand, they were able to measure water speed and managed to take lots of useful readings which will prove useful when they write up their fieldwork enquiry which is then submitted to their senior schools. It was great to be out in the fresh air and doing some outdoor learning!

Read more here.

After finding lots of worms in the mud pit, the Nursery children have decided to extend their learning by creating their very own wormery. They used sand and soil from different locations in the school and managed to find lots of worms to put inside. They’re now going to observe the worms over the next few weeks and see what happens under the ground. 

Read more here.

After finding lots of worms in the mud pit, the Nursery children have decided to extend their learning by creating their very own wormery. They used sand and soil from different locations in the school and managed to find lots of worms to put inside. They’re now going to observe the worms over the next few weeks and see what happens under the ground. 

Read more here.

After finding lots of worms in the mud pit, the Nursery children have decided to extend their learning by creating their very own wormery. They used sand and soil from different locations in the school and managed to find lots of worms to put inside. They’re now going to observe the worms over the next few weeks and see what happens under the ground. 

Read more here.

After finding lots of worms in the mud pit, the Nursery children have decided to extend their learning by creating their very own wormery. They used sand and soil from different locations in the school and managed to find lots of worms to put inside. They’re now going to observe the worms over the next few weeks and see what happens under the ground. 

Read more here.

51 years ago today, one of the most famous moments of the Ryder Cup took place between Jack Nicklaus, the best golfer in the world, and Britain’s, Tony Jacklin in 1969 at Royal Birkdale. The Ryder Cup is one of the fiercest competitions in golf, and yet despite this, important sporting values that we hold dear still remain even in the heat of battle. In the deciding singles match, between Nicklaus and Jacklin, the scores were tied going down the 18th and final hole, with the destiny of the Ryder Cup in their hands. Nicklaus holed out, and yet with Jacklin left with a short three foot putt to halve the match and so tie the Ryder Cup, Jack Nicklaus conceded the putt and so saved Jacklin the pressure of having to hole it. “ I don't think you would have missed that putt, but I didn't want to give you the chance”, Nicklaus is reported to have said to Jacklin.This gesture by Nicklaus has been hailed as one of the greatest moment of sportsmanship in sport. The result is not as important as how you play the game, as this is what will be remembered: how you make them feel, not what you achieved. “If you can meet triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same, you’ll be a man, my son”, as Kipling aptly put it.

Watch it here.

51 years ago today, one of the most famous moments of the Ryder Cup took place between Jack Nicklaus, the best golfer in the world, and Britain’s, Tony Jacklin in 1969 at Royal Birkdale. The Ryder Cup is one of the fiercest competitions in golf, and yet despite this, important sporting values that we hold dear still remain even in the heat of battle. In the deciding singles match, between Nicklaus and Jacklin, the scores were tied going down the 18th and final hole, with the destiny of the Ryder Cup in their hands. Nicklaus holed out, and yet with Jacklin left with a short three foot putt to halve the match and so tie the Ryder Cup, Jack Nicklaus conceded the putt and so saved Jacklin the pressure of having to hole it. “ I don't think you would have missed that putt, but I didn't want to give you the chance”, Nicklaus is reported to have said to Jacklin.This gesture by Nicklaus has been hailed as one of the greatest moment of sportsmanship in sport. The result is not as important as how you play the game, as this is what will be remembered: how you make them feel, not what you achieved. “If you can meet triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same, you’ll be a man, my son”, as Kipling aptly put it.

Watch it here.

After making pretend pizzas in the garden the Nursery children decided to create a pizza parlour in the Nursery home corner. They have been using their mark making skills to take orders and the chip and pin machine and the till to support them with their number and coin recognition. As a special treat they had a Toni Macaroni delivery for their Friday afternoon snack. Mamma Mia, it was deliziosa!

Read more here. 

After making pretend pizzas in the garden the Nursery children decided to create a pizza parlour in the Nursery home corner. They have been using their mark making skills to take orders and the chip and pin machine and the till to support them with their number and coin recognition. As a special treat they had a Toni Macaroni delivery for their Friday afternoon snack. Mamma Mia, it was deliziosa!

Read more here. 

Logie Bruce-Lockhart died last week aged 98, and not only was he the oldest surviving Scotland cap (he won 5 caps between 1948 and 1953 at fly half), but he was also the oldest living rugby internationalist in the World. He was a boy at Cargilfield before moving on to Sedbergh in 1935 when his father, John, who was Headmaster at Cargilfield, was appointed Headmaster at Sedbergh.  He was a true polymath and Renaissance Man: he was one of the first soldiers who liberated Belsen concentration camp during WW2, before later going on to become a great reforming Headmaster of Greshams School in Norfolk for 27 years, until his retirement in 1982.  He was a prolific writer, and regularly wrote lengthy letters to Cargilfield giving his views on education and many other matters!

Read more here and here.

Logie Bruce-Lockhart died last week aged 98, and not only was he the oldest surviving Scotland cap (he won 5 caps between 1948 and 1953 at fly half), but he was also the oldest living rugby internationalist in the World. He was a boy at Cargilfield before moving on to Sedbergh in 1935 when his father, John, who was Headmaster at Cargilfield, was appointed Headmaster at Sedbergh.  He was a true polymath and Renaissance Man: he was one of the first soldiers who liberated Belsen concentration camp during WW2, before later going on to become a great reforming Headmaster of Greshams School in Norfolk for 27 years, until his retirement in 1982.  He was a prolific writer, and regularly wrote lengthy letters to Cargilfield giving his views on education and many other matters!

Read more here and here.

A warm welcome to all those children to who started at Cargilfield this term! They have all settled in remarkably well given the new and different routines we are all having to follow at the moment, and we wish them the best of luck as they begin their new adventures at Cargilfield!

A warm welcome to all those children to who started at Cargilfield this term! They have all settled in remarkably well given the new and different routines we are all having to follow at the moment, and we wish them the best of luck as they begin their new adventures at Cargilfield!

What a fantastic cricket session the senior girls and boys enjoyed today as we welcomed Stevie Gilmour from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh and Carlton Cricket Club to our Wednesday morning games session. Lots of great coaching advice and we look forward to his weekly visits through until half term!

Due to Government restrictions, we are playing a mixture of summer and winter sports at the start of term and it is wonderful to see the children outside and enjoying their cricket! The lovely mild weather has certainly helped too!

Read more here. 

What a fantastic cricket session the senior girls and boys enjoyed today as we welcomed Stevie Gilmour from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh and Carlton Cricket Club to our Wednesday morning games session. Lots of great coaching advice and we look forward to his weekly visits through until half term!

Due to Government restrictions, we are playing a mixture of summer and winter sports at the start of term and it is wonderful to see the children outside and enjoying their cricket! The lovely mild weather has certainly helped too!

Read more here. 

Over the last few weeks In P3 we have been learning all about Ancient Rome and the spread of the Roman Empire! We have done some some detailed drawings of Roman houses in the last few days including insulae, domus, villas and mud huts. Now we are creating our very own models of them!

Read more here.

Over the last few weeks In P3 we have been learning all about Ancient Rome and the spread of the Roman Empire! We have done some some detailed drawings of Roman houses in the last few days including insulae, domus, villas and mud huts. Now we are creating our very own models of them!

Read more here.

Over the last few weeks In P3 we have been learning all about Ancient Rome and the spread of the Roman Empire! We have done some some detailed drawings of Roman houses in the last few days including insulae, domus, villas and mud huts. Now we are creating our very own models of them!

Read more here.

Over the last few weeks In P3 we have been learning all about Ancient Rome and the spread of the Roman Empire! We have done some some detailed drawings of Roman houses in the last few days including insulae, domus, villas and mud huts. Now we are creating our very own models of them!

Read more here.

A Prep School Education – there is nothing quite like it!

A strong foundation for learning up to age 13

Giving children a strong background and foundation for learning and preserving childhood until they reach their teens is an essential aspect of a prep school education. At Cargilfield, we feel strongly that children should remain in a nurturing environment until the end of Year 8, allowing them to stay younger for longer and build their confidence and resilience before moving on happily to Senior School at 13, well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

During the last two years at Prep, pupils have the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility such as prefects or captains in sports teams, roles that are much harder to get when in a larger pupil cohort in a senior school. Qualities such as maturity and independence are encouraged when pupils are in the top year of school at age 12/13 rather than being the youngest in a large senior school. Expectations are high for academic attainment, responsibility and leadership. 

Development of study skills are established within the children from a young age and children are encouraged ask questions to expand their knowledge and speak up if they have new ideas; our small class sizes allow every child to find their voice and to speak up and question within a nurturing and supportive environment. Our staff are experts in teaching children up to age 13, and often specialists in their fields, and their focus is most definitely on ensuring the children are moving on confidently and well prepared to the senior school of their choice.

Learning Support

Cargilfield offer small class sizes, meaning that individuals get significantly more attention than they would in a class of 30+. With class sizes rarely exceeding 16, teachers can give their full attention to teaching each child as an individual. Our experienced staff in the Support for Learning department offer additional support to assist those who have learning differences in a variety of areas. Alongside the core topics, access to specific outside agencies, including educational psychologists are readily available for children and with targeted support, the children make excellent progress and achieve top results at Common Entrance.

Recognising potential

At Cargilfield, we look potential from an early age and celebrate these talents in academics, art, drama, music, and sport.  Acknowledging these areas of skill from an early age allows the children to excel where they are most passionate. We know that everyone is different and we encourage children to pursue their interests and passions wherever these may lie. We have a ‘Sport for All’ policy which ensures all children are coached at the appropriate level, with opportunities for regional and even national honours for the most able; however, engendering a love of physical exercise and learning good sportsmanship and the importance of the team are more important than winning.  

We have a thriving and busy Music Department with lots of ensembles and opportunities for performance from those just having started in our regular mini concerts, through to our major termly concerts and performances.  Our Pipe Band rehearse and perform throughout the year and we regularly win music awards to Senior Schools thanks to our talented team of instrument teachers.  Music and Drama are important components of a Cargilfield education, and all children are encouraged to play an instrument where appropriate.  The creative curriculum, including our very busy Art department, is central to life here, and our 50 minute morning break and club time after supper provide lots of opportunities for children to be creative, to practise and hone their skills in these areas.

We have an extensive activity programme which sees over 40 clubs operate from 645pm to 8pm throughout the week, from fencing to fly tying, pentanque to pizza making, coding to chess and everything else in between.  This means that our boarding culture is very strong, with over 100 children staying until at least 8pm, before either going home or heading upstairs.  The importance of these activities cannot be under estimated with children learning new skills, learning team work and cementing friendships across the year groups.  It is something that really makes Cargilfield stand out from the crowd, an 8am to 8pm day available to all with children going home tired, happy and with a real sense of achievement every evening.

Outdoor Education

Education is not confined to results in the classroom and despite being a city school, we are fortunate to be just 5 minutes from the Bridge, and in to Fife and rural Perthshire and all the opportunities for outdoor education that this provides.  These experiences outside the classroom build trust, teamwork and empathy, and urge the children to explore and try new things.  

Although some of the team building activities will take place on the school site, we regularly use local venues such as the Dalmeny Estate, Cammo Estate, Union Canal, Ratho Climbing Centre and parts of the Almond Valley and Forth shoreline, including Cramond Island, and these activities are designed to promote team work, communication, leadership, resilience and fitness in a variety of outdoor environments.  We hope that this programme will offer a challenging alternative to traditional team games and be available to all those who are interested in trying something different.

Responsibility

Responsibility is instilled into prep school pupils early on, setting them on the pathway to senior education. Pupils are expected to contribute to the school community and this high expectation is practised from Nursery through to Year 8. Children can become committee members for groups focusing on topics such as eco food and school council; in Form 8, pupils are selected to become prefects and divisional leaders as well as taking on other important leadership roles within the school.  

Boarding

Boarding is a great way to develop children’s social skills and independence and allows them to benefit from the very busy extra-curricular programme in the evenings, make full use of on-site facilities and be immersed in the school community. Boarding at Cargilfield is very flexible with many options to board weekly or for individual regular nights.  Boarders enjoy the ‘family feel’ of the boys’ and girls’ accommodation, overseen by houseparent, matrons and our team of Graduate Assistants and GAP students all housed within the main school building.  The school is a hive of activity in the evenings and we also run four or five boarding weekends each term for specific year groups, which are full of lots of activities, trips and fun experiences, including lots of residential camps and trips away from school.

Community

Community spirit is an important part of school life at Cargilfield. As a school, we support a diverse range of local charities that are close to our hearts. Fundraising initiatives see children get involved in cake sales, home clothes days, ceilidhs, the Pentland Round whole school charity walk and a variety of events which they help to organise. Our relationships within our local community are a great way to make the children aware of the wider issues in the world and educate them on how they can help to make a difference.  We have close links with the local church at Cramond Kirk, performing there at various times throughout the year, and Dr Barr, the Minister, visits the school each week in Chapel.  Our Chapel Choir perform at local residential homes and at local nurseries and the Pipe Band perform at local venues throughout the year.

Cargilfield is Scotland’s first and oldest Prep School, and as we approach our 150^th Anniversary in 2023, and having been through the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months, the school has reopened with a new sense of purpose as we ensure that all of our children find something that they are good at, ignite that passion and enthusiasm for learning in whatever field that is, and then move on confidently at 13 to schools right across the UK, well prepared and excited about their new adventures which lie ahead at Senior School.

A Prep School education….there really is nothing quite like it!

A Prep School Education – there is nothing quite like it!

A strong foundation for learning up to age 13

Giving children a strong background and foundation for learning and preserving childhood until they reach their teens is an essential aspect of a prep school education. At Cargilfield, we feel strongly that children should remain in a nurturing environment until the end of Year 8, allowing them to stay younger for longer and build their confidence and resilience before moving on happily to Senior School at 13, well prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

During the last two years at Prep, pupils have the opportunity to take on roles of responsibility such as prefects or captains in sports teams, roles that are much harder to get when in a larger pupil cohort in a senior school. Qualities such as maturity and independence are encouraged when pupils are in the top year of school at age 12/13 rather than being the youngest in a large senior school. Expectations are high for academic attainment, responsibility and leadership. 

Development of study skills are established within the children from a young age and children are encouraged ask questions to expand their knowledge and speak up if they have new ideas; our small class sizes allow every child to find their voice and to speak up and question within a nurturing and supportive environment. Our staff are experts in teaching children up to age 13, and often specialists in their fields, and their focus is most definitely on ensuring the children are moving on confidently and well prepared to the senior school of their choice.

Learning Support

Cargilfield offer small class sizes, meaning that individuals get significantly more attention than they would in a class of 30+. With class sizes rarely exceeding 16, teachers can give their full attention to teaching each child as an individual. Our experienced staff in the Support for Learning department offer additional support to assist those who have learning differences in a variety of areas. Alongside the core topics, access to specific outside agencies, including educational psychologists are readily available for children and with targeted support, the children make excellent progress and achieve top results at Common Entrance.

Recognising potential

At Cargilfield, we look potential from an early age and celebrate these talents in academics, art, drama, music, and sport.  Acknowledging these areas of skill from an early age allows the children to excel where they are most passionate. We know that everyone is different and we encourage children to pursue their interests and passions wherever these may lie. We have a ‘Sport for All’ policy which ensures all children are coached at the appropriate level, with opportunities for regional and even national honours for the most able; however, engendering a love of physical exercise and learning good sportsmanship and the importance of the team are more important than winning.  

We have a thriving and busy Music Department with lots of ensembles and opportunities for performance from those just having started in our regular mini concerts, through to our major termly concerts and performances.  Our Pipe Band rehearse and perform throughout the year and we regularly win music awards to Senior Schools thanks to our talented team of instrument teachers.  Music and Drama are important components of a Cargilfield education, and all children are encouraged to play an instrument where appropriate.  The creative curriculum, including our very busy Art department, is central to life here, and our 50 minute morning break and club time after supper provide lots of opportunities for children to be creative, to practise and hone their skills in these areas.

We have an extensive activity programme which sees over 40 clubs operate from 645pm to 8pm throughout the week, from fencing to fly tying, pentanque to pizza making, coding to chess and everything else in between.  This means that our boarding culture is very strong, with over 100 children staying until at least 8pm, before either going home or heading upstairs.  The importance of these activities cannot be under estimated with children learning new skills, learning team work and cementing friendships across the year groups.  It is something that really makes Cargilfield stand out from the crowd, an 8am to 8pm day available to all with children going home tired, happy and with a real sense of achievement every evening.

Outdoor Education

Education is not confined to results in the classroom and despite being a city school, we are fortunate to be just 5 minutes from the Bridge, and in to Fife and rural Perthshire and all the opportunities for outdoor education that this provides.  These experiences outside the classroom build trust, teamwork and empathy, and urge the children to explore and try new things.  

Although some of the team building activities will take place on the school site, we regularly use local venues such as the Dalmeny Estate, Cammo Estate, Union Canal, Ratho Climbing Centre and parts of the Almond Valley and Forth shoreline, including Cramond Island, and these activities are designed to promote team work, communication, leadership, resilience and fitness in a variety of outdoor environments.  We hope that this programme will offer a challenging alternative to traditional team games and be available to all those who are interested in trying something different.

Responsibility

Responsibility is instilled into prep school pupils early on, setting them on the pathway to senior education. Pupils are expected to contribute to the school community and this high expectation is practised from Nursery through to Year 8. Children can become committee members for groups focusing on topics such as eco food and school council; in Form 8, pupils are selected to become prefects and divisional leaders as well as taking on other important leadership roles within the school.  

Boarding

Boarding is a great way to develop children’s social skills and independence and allows them to benefit from the very busy extra-curricular programme in the evenings, make full use of on-site facilities and be immersed in the school community. Boarding at Cargilfield is very flexible with many options to board weekly or for individual regular nights.  Boarders enjoy the ‘family feel’ of the boys’ and girls’ accommodation, overseen by houseparent, matrons and our team of Graduate Assistants and GAP students all housed within the main school building.  The school is a hive of activity in the evenings and we also run four or five boarding weekends each term for specific year groups, which are full of lots of activities, trips and fun experiences, including lots of residential camps and trips away from school.

Community

Community spirit is an important part of school life at Cargilfield. As a school, we support a diverse range of local charities that are close to our hearts. Fundraising initiatives see children get involved in cake sales, home clothes days, ceilidhs, the Pentland Round whole school charity walk and a variety of events which they help to organise. Our relationships within our local community are a great way to make the children aware of the wider issues in the world and educate them on how they can help to make a difference.  We have close links with the local church at Cramond Kirk, performing there at various times throughout the year, and Dr Barr, the Minister, visits the school each week in Chapel.  Our Chapel Choir perform at local residential homes and at local nurseries and the Pipe Band perform at local venues throughout the year.

Cargilfield is Scotland’s first and oldest Prep School, and as we approach our 150^th Anniversary in 2023, and having been through the COVID-19 pandemic over the past few months, the school has reopened with a new sense of purpose as we ensure that all of our children find something that they are good at, ignite that passion and enthusiasm for learning in whatever field that is, and then move on confidently at 13 to schools right across the UK, well prepared and excited about their new adventures which lie ahead at Senior School.

A Prep School education….there really is nothing quite like it!

At the weekend, former pupil, Louis Hall, arrived at Land’s End having ridden over 1000 miles on his horse since setting out from John O’Groats a few weeks ago. He was raising money for Cystic Fibrosis and raised an amazing £32,000 through his efforts. 

Louis moves on to Ampleforth after leaving Cargilfield and is now an aspiring actor. 

Read more here. 

At the weekend, former pupil, Louis Hall, arrived at Land’s End having ridden over 1000 miles on his horse since setting out from John O’Groats a few weeks ago. He was raising money for Cystic Fibrosis and raised an amazing £32,000 through his efforts. 

Louis moves on to Ampleforth after leaving Cargilfield and is now an aspiring actor. 

Read more here. 

One of the Form 4 sets using numicon to learn their tables in Maths!  Lots of great teamwork on show. 

One of the Form 4 sets using numicon to learn their tables in Maths!  Lots of great teamwork on show. 

It's been a busy week in Nursery. The children have spent lots of time exploring and investigating the outdoors in our garden and Enchanted Forest. 

Watch video highlights here. 

It's been a busy week in Nursery. The children have spent lots of time exploring and investigating the outdoors in our garden and Enchanted Forest. 

Watch video highlights here.