At St Margaret’s, they have a distinctive and strong ethos, which is wholly focused on the education of girls.
In an environment free from gender stereotypes, they encourage independent thought and spirit, facilitating dialogue and debate. Students are encouraged to seize opportunities and the unique blend of challenge and support allows individuals to flourish.
The school’s strong sense of purpose is underpinned by shared values – respect, hard work, community, equality and ambition – which are held in high regard by girls and staff alike, not least because they were chosen by the girls themselves.
Inspired by the birds on the school crest, and the knowledge that they were originally symbolic of the values of Queen Margaret’s relative, Edward the Confessor, pupils debated their top values for school life. While many of the values discussed were highly prized, these five were the most popular. They are St Margaret’s guiding principles and the foundations on which the community is built.
St Margaret’s has been educating girls for 175 years, and is the oldest all-through girls’ school in Scotland. With around 370 pupils, ranging in age from three to 18, they pride themselves on being large enough to offer flexibility and choice in terms of the curriculum and extracurricular activities, but small enough to ensure that each girl is well known within a friendly and family atmosphere.
Pupils learn and play in bright, spacious well-equipped buildings with secure and attractive grassed playground facilities, meeting all the requirements of a modern and forward-looking education, while simultaneously retaining the traditions and values held over many years.
Junior school pupils at St Margaret’s benefit from the wider opportunities and role models which abound in the school, as well as the small class sizes, the specialist teaching in a range of subjects and the many opportunities offered in PE, music, outdoor learning and extra-curricular activities.
In the upper stages of senior school, girls may benefit from classes of perhaps fewer than 10 pupils, depending on their subject options, which allows the individual personalities, talents and learning styles of each girl to be identified and nurtured under a bespoke educational programme.
From the earliest years, strong student leadership prepares girls for the world beyond school, encouraging them to be socially aware and responsible; they are prepared to cope with the challenges of the competitive world beyond school, while at the same time taught to value themselves as individuals and to show respect and consideration to others.
St Margaret’s is pleased to be able to offer girls the opportunity to sit eight National 5 qualifications, taken over two years in III and IV Senior; all subjects offered at National 5 may also be taken at Higher and Advanced Higher level, and some additional subjects are also offered with no prior knowledge in V and VI Senior. The consistently outstanding pass rates in the SQA examinations at all levels reflect both the dedication of the teaching staff and the hard work of the pupils.
Of course, they don’t just believe in hard work. Staff provide pupils at all ages and stages with a rich variety of extracurricular opportunities, from music, sport, debating, drama, dance, to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and many other activities, all of which help girls to develop the skills and qualities they will require to be successful and happy beyond school.
At St Margaret’s, they are continually refining and developing their provision to meet the changing needs of pupils and the demanding world of the 21st Century. It is
the school’s aim to support the development of well-rounded, socially responsible individuals who are ready to both enjoy their own life and enrich that of others, whatever path they may choose.
To find out more about what St Margaret’s can offer your daughter, or to register for the next virtual open day on Saturday September 18, contact the admissions office on 01224 584466 or email admissions@st-margaret.uk
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.