Community Update 23 January 2025

I hope this message finds you well. Although we are only a few weeks into the second term, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of the exciting developments as we continue preparations for Erskine Stewart Melville.

Facilities & Accommodation 

One of the opportunities that the restructuring of our school has given us is the chance to carefully review our facilities and think about what we will need moving forward. As part of this process, we have decided to sell Erskine House (5-9 Queensferry Terrace), which was previously one of our boarding facilities and is currently home to some of our support staff offices and the Thrift Shop.

This decision allows us to be more financially efficient and reinvest in the areas that matter most – the educational resources and opportunities that benefit our students. Just to reassure you, Dean Park House (also previously home to our boarders) is not included in the sale.

We have appointed a solicitor to oversee the sale, and as part of the agreement, the future use of Erskine House will be considered carefully to ensure the safety of our students. In the meantime, we are working on reorganising spaces across the campus to relocate our support teams and the Thrift Shop. We will provide more information about the Thrift Shop in the months ahead.

Recognising the important place Erskine House holds in the memories of many former Mary Erskine boarders, we plan to invite them back for a final tour, giving them the chance to say farewell and share their stories.

Student Engagement 

As I mentioned in December, we have been listening carefully to our students as we shape the future of our school. Feedback from our Senior School student survey has been invaluable, and we are now looking at ways to ensure our Junior School students have the same opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas.

To support this, we are forming a Student Engagement Workstream with leaders from both the Senior and Junior Schools. The aim is to ensure students are not only involved in the ongoing changes but also have a voice in shaping the school they will be proud to call their own. We are excited to encourage open dialogue and hear what matters most to them.

Culture 

One thing that has shone through in every conversation we have had – whether with students, staff, parents, or alumni – is the pride in the unique traditions and character of each of our schools. These traditions have been built over many years and mean so much to so many.

To ensure we honour what makes each school special while creating a shared identity for the future, we are launching a Culture Workstream. This group will include academic leaders, teaching staff, and members of our professional service teams, working hand-in-hand with the Student Engagement and Alumni & Heritage Workstreams. Together, we will blend our much-loved traditions with our aspirations for the future.

We have already had some lovely feedback from Senior School students about their favourite traditions, and we are looking forward to hearing more – including from our Junior School students – as we work together to build a school that respects where we have come from and is ambitious about where we are going.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support as we move through this important period of change.  There is so much to look forward to and I am grateful to everyone in our school community for their hard work in helping to shape plans for the new School. If you have any questions or ideas, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Warm regards

Anthony Simpson

Principal