Sports Day 2021 The legendary Ardvreck Sports Day returned on Friday, 11th June. Although we missed having our wonderfully supportive parents there, the children from Little Ardvreck up to Form 6 belted round the pitches doing Scott, Buchan, Burns and Barrie proud. The final champions were Barrie but a huge well done to everyone for a marvellous spectacle of athleticism and team spirit. Little Ardvreck Races Junior Races [...]
Let Them Play By Sarah Mannion The restorative and therapeutic effects of spending time in greenspace for mental health and wellbeing purposes has become more widely understood and valued in recent years. Ardvreck School, set in 40 acres, surrounded by stunning views of high mountains, fields and ancient woodland, is incomparable in its location. It has greenspace by the bucketload and every single pupil uses it on a daily basis. Let the children play? We certainly do! Unstructured play is vital for children’s mental health and wellbeing. There are current concerns [...]
Fresh Air, Friendship and Financial Sense Reasons To Choose Ardvreck School Our idyllic countryside setting, surrounded by awe-inspiring Munros and peaceful lochs, are just a few of the reasons many families choose Ardvreck School, not to mention the abundant fresh air and the extraordinary academic and adventurous education we provide. Daily lessons in core curriculum subjects with exceptional provision for Music, Art and Drama are all a given and, in addition, children regularly enjoy adventures including white water rafting on our local rivers, rock climbing at a nearby crag or summiting Munros on our doorstep, [...]
21st Century Latin at Ardvreck School By Annie-Sophie Bulder To some, studying Latin may seem outdated and they struggle to see the relevance of it today. However, at Ardvreck School, we take a creative approach to teaching Latin; it is far from dull and demonstrates to pupils why studying the Classical past matters. Naturally, we want our pupils to excel in Latin, and this requires them to master complicated grammar rules and an extensive vocabulary list. In our modern classroom, we want to inspire and motivate our pupils to engage fully with Latin. We do this by focusing [...]
Over hill, over dale, on the Headmistress’ lawn By Peter Grant The announcement of any school production is always an eagerly anticipated event, and this year, despite lockdown and all the related challenges, our young Ardvreckians have been as excited as ever by the prospect of this summer’s show. I’m sure many of us will remember the thrill of being involved in a school production, be it as a member of the tech crew, the band, the ensemble, or as a soloist. Indeed, the only time I was cast as the romantic lead was when [...]
Resilience: the ability to cope mentally or emotionally By Sarah Mannion In my 25 years of teaching, many things have changed - but the one thing that crops up more and more is how to ensure the wellbeing of children. Wellbeing covers many things, but ‘resilience’ - which plays a large part - is really important and is something that we, at Ardvreck, value very highly. With resilience, some of our past pupils have gone on to conquer some of the world's highest mountains, win medals in the olympic games and set up successful businesses [...]
The Importance of Learning Outdoors By Andy Robertson When I think back to my own school days, it’s not the lessons in the classroom that I remember much about. The ones that really stand out were the times when we were lucky enough to explore beyond the school gates under the guise of History outings, Geography fieldwork projects or Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions. These were few and far between but they certainly stick in my mind as opportunities to bond with classmates that you didn’t always play with at break times, see a teacher [...]
Ard-e Education Revisited By Peter Banks After an amazing final term in school in 2020, we finished the year on a high, we waved goodbye to the pupils, the staff celebrated another successful term and we all went on our way to enjoy some much needed downtime over the Christmas Holidays. It wasn't long before the news came out that we would be returning to our Ard-e Education... Friends and fellow teachers continue to ask us, what makes Ardvreck School so successful at online education? On paper, we shouldn’t be leading [...]
Introducing Ardvreck's Nursery Manager When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen. A.A. Milne As the proud manager of Ardvreck Nursery, I am delighted to welcome you and your family to our wild, wonderful 42 acres of Scottish woodland. A place that promises to provide ample space in the great outdoors where your children can play, learn, and explore with friends. Similar to Ardvreck School’s ethos, I believe in a blended approach to learning from inside [...]
Why Target Shooting is so much more than, well… Target Shooting! by Amelia Murray Lindsay It had been over 30 years since I had seen Ardvreck School at 8.25am. The last time would have been my final day as a pupil at the school. Astonishingly I have a photograph taken on that very day. I was taken into the dining room to have a photo taken with all the trophies and shields that I had either won individually that year, or won as part of a team. I knew that it was in a box [...]
Fantastic Fundraising For Crieff Community Food Bank Little Ardvreck, pupils from Ardvreck School, raised the spectacular amount of £1274.37 for their charity of the year, the Crieff Community Food Bank, by successfully completing a 5km sponsored walk. The group of 5-7 year olds from Ardvreck School completed their 5km walk in the wind and rain last week. They all got rather wet but kept on smiling and enjoyed every step! The younger pupils were wonderfully supported by Ardvreck Fifth formers who were the embodiment of true Ardvreckians with their positive [...]
The Future of Boarding By David Knock, Head of Boarding “Children are our greatest treasure. They are our future.” Nelson Mandela Here at Ardvreck we pride ourselves on giving our pupils, and particularly our boarders, responsibility and confidence within a safe and homely atmosphere so that they can develop seeds of independence and be prepared for senior schools and beyond as adults. There is an exciting change and future ahead for boarding at Ardvreck as we refurbish and rebrand the main school boarding house as Dalvreck House. We are blending the 19th century building with [...]
Ardvreck Embarks on a New Adventure Ardvreck School, a long established independent boarding and day prep school for boys and girls aged 3–13, is expanding its Nursery to provide an exceptional educational start for more children. The school, known for its sense of adventure and creativity, has announced its expansion plans to open a new, specially designed Nursery school within its campus of over 40 stunning acres. The child-focused Nursery building will provide a unique educational space for up to 30 children, due to open next term. Children who attend this [...]
The Art of Building a Person by Zazie Mackintosh ‘Ardvreck isn’t very academic.’ Or so I’ve been told. In fact, our results speak for themselves: this year’s sixth formers have gained entry to ten different senior schools, including Eton College and St Mary’s School Ascot. But grades should not be the only measure of success. Straight A’s will only take a child so far; without strength of character, his or her academic brilliance has been built on shaky ground. Let me share a true story*: in 1995, a young man [...]
Introducing our most recent and hugely anticipated Ard movie! Featuring Ard pupils, parents and teachers, it is proof that during hard times, the Ard family does not get down but will GIT UP! #workhardplayhard #familyfun #onlyatardvreck #elearning
The Most Brilliant Education An insight into Ardvreck School by Headmistress Ali Kinge The scrumptious smell of a delicious cooked breakfast creeps up the oak staircase to the dorms where its tantalising aroma helps the Gappies to awaken the tousled, drowsy boarders. The possibilities and excitement of another joyful and busy day in our exceptional prep school begin. Tucked away from the stresses and strains of modern life, in breathtaking Scottish countryside, Ardvreck Preparatory School nurtures and educates your children in a caring, and loving, family environment. Visitors gasp at [...]
Ardvreck’s film stars (AKA Form 3) recently presented their first history documentary: The Scottish Wars of Independence. Our dramatic reconstruction featured the heroes (Wallace and Robert the Bruce) as well as the villains (Edwards I and II). Please be aware this film contains some violence! #ardproductions #ardbattles #historyinaction #onlyatardvreck
The children and staff were bursting with excitement ahead of the school’s production of the Lion King (18th & 19th March). Do watch this wee snippet of a day at Ardvreck, we all had such fun filming this little film - and check out Mr Gibson’s maracas!
The Relationship Between Chemistry and Music An interview with Peter Banks Our Director of Studies and Head of Science, Mr Peter Banks, was invited to be a keynote speaker at the American Chemical Society's National Conference, which was held in Orlando this year. It was attended by nearly 20,000 chemists from all over the world and other keynote speakers included two Nobel prize winners, senior NASA scientists and Buzz Alrdin. Mr Banks returned to America following last year’s highly successful lectures in Indianapolis where he gave the James J. Woods [...]
An Interview With Paddy Duff Name Paddy James Duff School Dates 2004-2009 Senior School Glenalmond College University and what you studied 1st Class BA Hons Degree in Actor Musicianship from the Rose Bruford college of Theatre and Performance Where are you now? London What are you up too? I’m about to embark on my first major UK tour as part of the cast of the ‘Stick Man’. Was what you are doing now (either career or hobby) inspired by your time (or a teacher) at Ardvreck? Absolutely!! I didn’t [...]
Making our Dining Room Great Again By The Friends of Ardvreck Not long after Ali Kinge took over the headship of our school, we had our first Friends of Ardvreck meeting of the academic year. The first one is always a fun and exciting meeting. We greet new volunteers and welcome them onto the team. We brain storm new and exciting ideas for fundraising events and projects that we can run or help with that add something extra to the wonderful experience our children are having at Ardvreck. One of the first things [...]
An Adventure of a Lifetime - 6th Form Leavers’ Camp 2019 By Andy Robertson ‘This is so cool!’ exclaimed Henri as yet another seal head bobbed up in front of our sea kayaks. Behind us, a string of brightly coloured boats delicately danced on the waves as they made their way to the shore and the waiting minibus. This was Day 7 of the Ardvreck 6th Form Leavers’ Camp and the adventure was still far from over. Over the previous few days, this group of 18, 12 and 13 year olds had taken part in [...]
Reflections on My First Year as Director of Music By Peter Grant February 2018 and I am sitting in my Wiltshire kitchen longing to return to Scotland when a job advert for one of Scotland’s top Prep Schools, Ardvreck, jumps out at me from my laptop screen. Application submitted and interview offered but the beast from the east scuppers my flight plans as even South West England is knee deep in snow but nonetheless an 850 mile round trip in my car was hastily arranged and the offer of Director of Music led me to [...]
An Interview With David Nicholas Henderson James Name: David Nicholas Henderson James School Dates: 1940 to 1946 Senior School: Loretto University and what you studied: National Service then Peterhouse Cambridge to study Economics What are you up to now? I live in Edinburgh and am now retired. I enjoy all manner of outdoor activities such as golf, fishing and shooting. And of course some brain busting Sudokus! Is what you are doing now (either career or hobby) inspired by your time (or a teacher) at Ardvreck? I love to fish, this was definitely [...]
An Interview With Sandy Trust Name: Sandy Trust School Dates: Ardvreck 1984 - 1989 Senior School: Glenalmond University and what you studied: Newcastle Uni, Pure Maths, 1st class honours Where are you now? I live and work in the beautiful city of Edinburgh, where I’m lucky enough to be the father of 2 (Digby 6 and Rosie 5), married to my lovely and exceptionally patient wife Jo. What are you up? Life is busy but brilliant. I feel very lucky to be able to be able to work on the climate [...]
An Interview With Molly Brocklehurst Name: Molly Brocklehurst School Dates: 2004-2007 Senior School: Glenalmond 2007-2010, Uppingham 2010-2012 University and what you studied: Leeds Art University: Fine Art Where are you now? I am living in London. What are you up to? I am currently completing my masters in fine art at University of arts London (at the Wimbledon College). Was what you are doing now (either career or hobby)inspired by your time (or a teacher) at Ardvreck? Yes. Art was my favourite subject at Ardvreck. I spent all the time [...]
An Interview With Pollyanna Murray Name: Pollyanna Murray School Dates: 1981 - 1987 Senior School: Gordonstoun What are you up now? I currently live in Kirkmichael, Perthshire in a log cabin at the top of a hill with my husband Rich and two boys Jamie and Finton. I am a full time mum to my boys are 8 and 6. I do get away to work occasionally. I am an ambassador for the outdoor retail store Tiso. I also do motivational presentations. I love interiors so I spend a lot of time up -cycling furniture and painting, my [...]
An Interview With Charles Bushby Name: Charles Bushby School Dates: I reckon I did five years and left in the summer of 1977. Senior School: Glenalmond University and what you studied: Mature student after leaving the army at Bangor (University College of North Wales). Surprised myself with a First! Where are you now? Alyth, Perthshire What are you up to? Forestry. I am often referred to as ‘Mr Maps’ (a useful skill in the army and in forestry!) and I'm sure these map reading skills started at Ardvreck. What is [...]
An Interview With Florence Griffiths Name: Florence Griffiths School Dates: 1979 - 1985 Senior School: Morrison's Academy and then Sixth Form at Strathallan University and what you studied? Cardiff University Law Degree then worked in Financial PR for 3 years before doing my PGCE (Primary Teaching) at Roehampton. What are you up to? Busy teaching at Ardvreck and persuading 3 teenage daughters to revise for their exams! Was what you are doing now (either career or hobby)inspired by your time (or a teacher) at Ardvreck? Yes! Some of my fondest [...]
An Interview With Finn Mannion Name: Finn Mannion School Dates: 2006-2012 Senior School: St Mary‘s Music School Where are you now? S5 in St Mary‘s Music School What are you up to? I am studying Music (Cello) at St Mary’s Music School in Edinburgh. I‘m currently preparing to leave school this year and have been investigating possibilities for future studies in the UK and abroad. I‘ve been participating in various masterclasses with some well known teachers and will start audition preparation in September. Recently, I was awarded the Julius Isserlis [...]
Early Years Learning By Steven White As an Outdoor Education Consultant in my previous role, while managing a Forest Kindergarten I was always on the look out for similar-minded practitioners and facilities. I was intrigued by Ardvreck's rural setting with their ethos of adventurous play and second to none pastoral care, which inspires their pupils to develop their sense of self while preparing them for their next educational stage. Discovering fun and engaging ways to nurture a child's natural curiosity so that a life-long love of learning is rooted should [...]
Maths Challenge June 2019 By Zazie Mackintosh Maths is one of my favourite subjects and yet it is guaranteed to elicit a groan out of most pupils. A conversation with a parent recently reminded me that many adults feel the same. Parents are often at a loss as to how to help a child who is struggling with Maths; I hope what follows might help in a small way. I’m a big fan of the work of British-born Stanford University professor Jo Boaler. (If you have a spare 15 minutes, [...]
Teaching By Example Press Release Ardvreck School Teachers cycled The North Coast 500 route to raise funds for charity. A team of intrepid Ardvreck School teachers cycled the equivalent of the height of Everest over the course of their North Coast 500 challenge to raise money for Scottish Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA). Pupils at Ardvreck Preparatory School in Crieff, Perthshire, are known for their adventurous spirit, but this time it is their inspiring teachers who have wowed them, as they cycled into Inverness Castle, on the evening of 31st May 2019, triumphant and a little soggy after [...]
Reflections on My First Year of Headship By Headmistress, Ali Kinge It’s difficult to believe that on the 30th June, it will be one year since I took on the role of Ardvreck’s first Headmistress since its founding in 1883. Many of you will know that I have a long standing connection with this little belter of a Scottish Boarding Prep School, in that I was appointed as a part time teacher of music here 13 years ago. Having ‘moved up through the ranks’, filling numerous roles and teaching many subjects, Ardvreck has become very [...]
