The Edinburgh Academy
 The Edinburgh Academy

Academy News 5 October 2005

jvl

Rector's Notes

As Open Day approaches, one final request to all parents and friends of the Academy to spread the good word about the school. I hope that we will be able to welcome many new visitors to the Junior School and/or the Senior School, and that they will feel the warmth and the purpose of the community. Thank you to all who support in this way - and to the many pupils who will be giving their time and energies in preparation and on the day.
Turning to a different theme, may I repeat my recent Assembly words to the senior pupils, concerning the use of cars. We want to give a message of caution as they pass their driving test, and to emphasise safety at all times. I remind parents respectfully that no pupil may drive to or from school, or to school events, unless parents have requested and received written permission from the Rector. Similarly, we discourage pupils from travelling with other pupil drivers unless permission has been sought. Please support this steady rule; we seek to avoid problems by foreseeing the potential causes.
JV Light

csbJUNIOR SCHOOL

The 6s arrived home on Friday afternoon, definitely none the worse from having survived the deluges which they endured, but there were some signs of weariness from those who had to appear first thing on Saturday morning to face Stewart's Melville on the rugby pitch. A mixed bag of results, but it was great to see such team spirit in the face of adversity. The camp itself had been a great success: a big thank to Mr Wilson and his team for all their hard work.
Today, as I write this, it is Denham Green's official 60th birthday. We are looking forward to welcoming guests who have had a strong link with the Early Years Department over the past 60 years. If you have the opportunity, do come and visit the Department and see the wonderful wall displays of 'old and new' and judge for yourself whether progress has indeed been made! Certainly, the fashions have raised an eyebrow or two!
Finally, we look forward to seeing many of you at our forthcoming Open Day and do hope that you are able to extend the invitation to friends, who might be thinking of a change of school for their offspring.
Caroline Bashford, Headteacher

PARENTS' ASSOCIATION

AGM

All parents and friends of the Edinburgh Academy are warmly invited to attend our AGM which will be held in the Robertson Room, Henderson Row at 7.30pm on Monday 10th October. Refreshments will be served. The Robertson Room is part of the music suite and is indicated on the map inside the school diary.

REVIEWS

CCF Military Skills Competition

During the weekend of 30th September-2nd October a team of 10 cadets travelled to Barry Buddon Military Training Camp for two days of intensive competition in military skills against other CCF contingents from across Scotland.
The team, led by Nick Boni and Ramsay MacNeill had a good two days with the weather thankfully holding out despite the forecast. The team achieved a creditable 3rd position out of 17.
The camp consisted of many military activities from obstacle courses to section attacks. As usual the Academy pulled well together as a team to achieve their objectives.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and the exhausted team are looking forward to returning next year.
The elite team consisted of Nick Boni, Ramsay MacNeill, Monty d‘Inverno, John Tait, Andrew Ross, Andrew Forbes, Alasdair Armstrong, Alasdair MacGregor, Cospatric d‘Inverno, and Harry Campbell.
John Tait 6EKS

Mountaineering Club Junior Meet

The Ochils meet is the nearest to Edinburgh, which was just as well as we needed six vehicles to transport our party of 34. We walked in two groups, one including a good number of newly-recruited Geits, from Tillicoultry up the Mill Glen at a high speed which soon saw the adults left behind - but, hare-and-tortoise-wise, during the day they managed to work their way gradually to the front. It was a long first climb up the Law in good weather with wonderful views to the shining meanders of the Forth. After Ben Cleuch a small Front caught up with us and there was some real weather, cloudy and damp as we crossed Andrew Gannel Hill and climbed King's Seat Hill - neither of their owners at home. But conditions improved for the beautiful walk down to Dollar past Castle Campbell and into the ravine of Dollar Glen. The younger walkers perfected their grass-sliding techniques on the way down. A good day was capped by the discovery that Dollar has now developed its own chip shop.
JJC Fenton

NOTICES

Careers Department

5ths Morrisby Tests
All boys in the 5ths take part in the Morrisby profiling session this week. This is a series of psychometric tests which help identify aptitudes and abilities other than those normally tested under more academic assessments. They will spend the morning sorting out shapes, working out sequences and identifying relationships. They will have a debrief in November to help them interpret the findings once their report is published. A summary of the report will go home at that point, although the full report is retained in school where we will take some time to work through it with pupils and use it in the process of course choice for the 6th form.

From the Careers Library:
 University Open Days -
5 October Robert Gordon‘s, Northumbria
12 October Liverpool
28 October Edinburgh College of Art
5, 12, 19, 26 October St Andrews (Book at least one week in advance)
 Information available on scholarships for undergraduate studies at Australian and New Zealand universities.

Ladies Who Lunch

At the Balmoral: book ahead! The fabulous 'Ladies who Lunch' event is back at Hadrian's at the Balmoral, by popular demand! Highlights include: Champagne reception; delicious 2-course lunch and wine; fashion show and beauty tips from Lancome - £35pp. Saturday 5th November from 12 noon. Book now for this popular event: 0131 557 5000.

Field Day ESOL Trip

6ths and 7ths are warmly invited to join the ESOL trip on Field Day (11th Oct) to Abbotsford, Sir Walter Scott's country house, and Dryburgh Abbey in the Borders. There are a few seats still available in the bus and we would be very pleased to include any 6ths/7ths who are interested in learning more about one of the Academy's most famous founders - and having some fun too.
Times : 9am - 2pm. Cost: £15.
If interested see Mrs Gray in room 42 or e-mail sfg@edinburghacademy.org.uk.

Scotland Football Fans

This is what you‘ve been waiting for! Out 5 October - the first issue of the Famous Tartan Army Magazine, supported by the SFA - a new mag written and produced by Scotland‘s football Tartan Army fans, including our very own Academy Junior Correspondent, Iain Simpson (5T). Issue 1 features interviews with Joe Jordan, Nigel ”Mc•Quashie, and Chick Young together with articles by legendary Bob Crampsey and tartan army footsoldiers. Competitions, lots of prizes and much, much more. Visit our website at www.famoustartanarmy.com to order a copy. Available also from Morrisons, Borders Bookshops, independent newsagents or directly from Iain. Price £3. Don‘t miss your first edition collector‘s issue.

Christmas Sale

Thursday 6 October, 10.30-4.00pm and 6.00-8.00pm at Greenfield Lodge, Lasswade, Midlothian. In aid of WellBeing of Women funding vital health research. Christmas cards, home baking and craft stalls. Please come and bring your friends.
For directions and more information phone Sheila Murray on 440 0587 or e-mail sheila@wdsmurray.co.uk.

IN THE NEWS

With the sad death of Sandy Simson (42-53) last Friday, the Academy has lost a real friend and one of its staunchest supporters. At school he was a Senior Ephor, PSM in the CCF, and captained the XV and the Scottish Schools XV. He was a member of the Accies Championship winning side of 1955-56 and went on to captain the Accies in 1958-59, on at least one occasion turning down a call-up to representative level because of his commitment to that role. Sandy enjoyed a successful career at director and managing director level in industry. He enjoyed his golf with the Ancient Accies and served for a spell as Chairman of the Academical Club Council, but for all his involvement in matters Academical he still held the school in great affection and followed its fortunes closely. He will be much missed, and our warmest sympathy is extended to his wife Sarah and son David (71-85).

R M Ballantyne (1835-37) was the subject of a recent Lives & Times Daily Biography in the Scotsman. Aged 16 he signed on for five years with the Hudson Bay Company, travelling extensively in Canada by canoe and sleigh and trading with Indians for furs. His journal and letters home provided the basis for his first book, and for many of his later adventure stories for boys. The Coral Island was his best known story, much enjoyed and admired, when he was a boy, by Robert Louis Stevenson (1861-63).
It is good to see Mike Blair (86-99) and Stuart Moffat (82-95) both included in the initial Scotland rugby training squad for the autumn internationals. Commiserations to Phil Godman (90-95) who missed out this time, and to Donnie Macfadyen (84-97) and Tom Philip (88-01) who are still injured.

Memories of the Festival Fringe are now fading with the evening light but a
belated, brief mention is due to some of the Academy community who were involved. On the musical side, in addition to the a capella group which included Ed Brightman (92-02), already reported, there was an organ recital from Peter Backhouse (EA Staff), one in which he joined with trumpeter Gordon Richerby (99-00), a piano recital from Simon Coverdale (piano teacher), more piano from Sam Hutchings (87-00), an appearance in the Symphonia concert from Morven Bell (oboe teacher), and in the Really Terrible Orchestra from Peter Stevenson (52-63). Sightings were also reported of Neil Hamilton (clarinet and sax teacher) and Simon Rennard (bassoon teacher). Then there was the Soft Shoe Skiffle Group, led by Norman Maclean (father of Michael, 6JRC), and supported by Dougie Bonnyman (EA Staff) on mandolin, and Rod Tiplady (EA Staff) on banjo. Evergreen Theatrical Productions, co-founded by Richard Stirling (67-80) and others, were the producers of the highly successful Tomfoolery in the Academy's Main Hall. Sophie Wu (00-02), now studying at LAMDA, jointly wrote, directed and performed in Paddington's Crack, a series of satirical monologues at the Smirnoff Underbelly, and Clea Tammes (90-92) was involved in the Film Festival.

And finally, according to the Scotsman Diary, the Ladyboys of Bangkok made an appearance at the Edinburgh Academy - "but not to educate the schoolboys. It was for a Film Festival party."

SPORT

Hockey

Saturday 1st October v Balerno High School:
1st XI Lost 1-5, U15 XI Lost 0-6

P6 Rugby Results

Results against Stewart's Melville on Saturday were:
1st Team: Won 6-2
2nd Team: Lost 4-2
3rd Team: Won 6-1
4th Team: Lost 1-0
Well done to everyone especially after a long and tiring week away on P6 Camp: everyone did well to give their best. Many thanks again to all who attended and supported.
Mark Enos, Head of PE

Rugby

1st XV v Stewart's Melville: Won 12-7
This season sees the toughest fixture list at the Academy in recent history. Saturday fixtures against Linlithgow and Gordonstoun have been changed to blocks against Stewart's Melville and Dollar, followed by Durham and Merchiston. It doesn‘t get any harder on the Scottish Schools circuit. The fact that a total of 18 players were out from the senior practice (13 injured and 5 with the cadets) put pressure on the coaches to raise organised teams and added responsibility on the many players who had to step up a level. The results we achieved at the top end despite this handicap were extremely creditable.
The 1st XV win was the highlight of the season so far. The result was fully deserved and credit must go to whole XV who are one of only two schools on the circuit who remain unbeaten. This game was dominated by defence. Stewart's played most of the rugby in the first half and the Academy had nearly all the ball in the second half. However despite our efforts we could not break through to be sure of victory. The score at half time was 12-7 and remained the same at the end of a gripping and exciting match. Due to injury three players - Tom McLeod, Alex Macdonald and Tom Ford - all had their first run out for the XV and acquitted themselves well.
Tries - Macdonald, Budge. Conversions - Murray.
Our next match this Saturday is against Dollar: 2.30pm kick off. Dollar have not been beaten at home for a very long time.

National Sevens
A squad of ten boys lost by a score in the semi-final to Robert Gordons (the eventual champions) at the inaugural National Sevens last Wednesday. Another semi-final we have lost! The final was played on the main pitch at Murrayfield; one day we will get there!


The Edinburgh Academy
Site Map | Privacy Policy | Contact Us |
©2005 The Edinburgh Academy, 10 Arboretum Road, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 5PL.  
and 42 Henderson Row, EH3 5BL