From the headmaster

Cricket: 

The Cricket Club at Fettes purchased a new 

batting cage last year, which provides top players the 

opportunity to train on the 1st XI pitch and enables the 

type of preparation which proved invaluable to the boys 

in their successful season last summer.

Callover Archive Cabinets

Thanks to donations from the parents of 2015 Leavers, 

Charles Taylor Woodwork has been commissioned to 

construct two beautiful matching solid wood archive 

display cabinets to stand in Callover Hall. These will 

exhibit a variety of archive memorabilia spanning the 

history of Fettes College and celebrating the people 

that have passed through it. Previous Charles Taylor 

commissions for Fettes include the scroll panelwork and 

chancel pews in Chapel and the restoration of the Old 

Library.

2016 Leavers

At the end of each academic year, we ask parents of 

Leavers to donate the deposit they paid when their son 

or daughter started their Fettes journey to the Fettes 

Foundation. This year we asked parents to support the 

Pavilion Restoration or to entrust Foundation Trustees  

to direct their gifts to where the College needs them most.  

As ever we received a fantastic response and are grateful 

to everyone who helped us in this way.

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Donations to The Prep School

Prep School Lighting: 

The Prep School Hall has been 

fitted with wall mounted stage-lighting. Previously, 

lighting had to be hired for events so this is a wonderful 

investment. It has proven very beneficial for Drama 

lessons for a range of age groups and has been a great 

addition to Assemblies too. The lighting provides an 

important focal point for presentations and theatrical 

performances as well as being an invaluable addition for 

learning and teaching in this space. 

Prep School Science: 

This year, donations to Prep 

Science went towards purchasing compost for the two 

new raised beds to create a fertile area to expand the 

range and type of plants prep pupils will cultivate this 

spring. They will be planting and harvesting a herb garden, 

alongside some larger root vegetables. Raised beds 

provide a space for the children to work whilst teachers 

can access all sides of them to assist during lessons. 

This year, the Prep School Greenhouse has been an 

ideal space to engage children in the ‘Rocket Science 

experiment’ run nationally with Tim Peake and the Royal 

Horticultural Society. The impact of this space has been 

most noticeable in encouraging healthy eating of the 

fresh tomatoes, courgettes and herbs produced and 

gardening among Prep pupils has become a favourite 

extracurricular activity. 

Scottish Prep Schools Athletics Championships: 

Savills 

very kindly sponsored the 2016 Scottish Independent 

Association of Prep Schools Athletics Championship 

again this year. Many schools took part on the day and 

Fettesians performed very well. 

Savills Edinburgh Directors, Jamie Macnab and Ben Fox, 

said: 

“Savills is proud to sponsor the Scottish IAPS Athletics 

Championships at Fettes. We have a long-standing 

association with the school, with Fettes parents and 

former pupils working at Savills. Many Fettes parents 

are past and current Savills clients.”

We have continued to receive generous donations for 

various Houses and departments since 1st September 

2016. As a result, many projects and plans are already 

underway for this academic year. We look forward to 

sharing these stories with you in due course.

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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT: 

REFLECTIONS ON YEAR ONE 

It is hard to believe that I took up my post as Director of Development at Fettes 

College 18 months ago. Time has flown by and been filled with much excitement. 

Members of the Fettes Community have made me feel 

very welcome wherever I have gone, both at home and 

abroad. I have been struck by the overwhelming sense of 

passion and enthusiasm so many have for Fettes College. 

Fettes is not just a brilliant school, but a home where 

lifetime friendships are built upon a shared respect and 

fondness for a truly remarkable place.

When I joined Fettes the Spens Building was in the 

final stages of construction and the Fettes Foundation 

Trustees, along with my predecessor Elisabeth 

Anderson, had very nearly completed fundraising for 

this transformational project, which opened its doors in 

January 2016. Today, Fettesians are relishing opportunities 

to learn, discover and create in the magnificent Salvesen 

Art School, Culachy Music School and in the new modern 

Maths, Economics, Geography and Modern Languages 

classrooms. 

“The Culachy Music School has elevated my level of 

musical satisfaction at Fettes tenfold. From practising 

the Steinway in the main auditorium to exploring 

musical ideas on the midi keyboards and iMacs, it is 

safe to say the new music school has transformed what 

is possible for me.”

Pupil

“Natural light combined with spacious classrooms have 

made teaching a delight. We are finding pupils using 

the department far more out of class time as it is such a 

calming environment. The ability to store equipment 

out of sight has allowed a minimalist feel where the 

focus is very much on the pupils and their work 

displayed on the walls.”

Hannah Cockburn 

Head of Geography

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