Life @ EA
Rector's Blog
Thursday 13 June
The Weather App on my phone seems to be getting regular visits at the moment as we head into the season of cricket tournaments and Sports Days for the Junior School, which all seem to be arriving at the same time as the Edinburgh monsoon season. If I look at the forecast now it is telling me that next week, after seven days of solid rain, Saturday will be a day of sunshine…. For all those involved in the Big Picnic and The Games, I do hope that is the case but do pack an umbrella and a couple of layers of goretex just in case. I can’t believe the end of term is looming and, with a little over two weeks to go, there is still so much to do before the farewells and congratulations during Exhibition at the Assembly Hall. Next week sees the more formal return of our 7ths in preparation for their final week at EA, although it has been excellent to see so many coming in to take part in school events and to continue representing the school in sport. Certainly some have of our 6ths and 7ths have been using their time very wisely, with some very varied and useful work experience having been accomplished. Some have also been involved in some very exciting sporting events with Eloise Walker recently qualifying for the Euro U20 Championships in the 3000m, Rory Jackson playing for Scotland in the U20 Championships (including a start against the All Blacks) and Meryl Smith being selected for the Scotland Women Sevens rugby team to play in Biarritz this weekend. Meanwhile in other year groups, Rebecca Grieve continues to dominate the Scottish Athletics scene, becoming the Scottish Pentathlon Champion, as well as picking up gold and silver medals in the recent Scottish Athletics Schools Championships. Aidan S-C and Isabelle Murray also picked up medals in the javelin competitions. Congratulations to all those who took part. Ben Nussey recently competed in the Scottish Rowing Annual Championships and, despite only having started rowing a year ago, was placed 3rd in both his events. Well done to him also. Good luck to all our Duke of Edinburgh groups who are away on their Gold and Silver qualifying expeditions this week and next also - I do hope you find some dry weather!
Life as usual continues on at a pace in the Senior School and this week we were delighted to host members of the CTT Scotland and Lt. Col. Sheldrick, Commanding Officer of 7th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, who inspected members of the CCF during Field Day on Tuesday. It was a wonderful day and our CCF looked in very good heart. My sincere thanks have to go to Wing Commander Sarah Heintze and CSgt Nelson Bassett for all their work in making the day such a success. Members of the CCF and Pipe Band also recently took part in the commemoration of the D-Day landings at the French Consulate and our Pipe Band were joined by the Band of the HM Royal Marines to play at this 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Our Pipe Band have certainly been busy and were up at Strathallan on Sunday morning, competing in the Scottish Schools CCF Competition. Congratulations to Archie Ajayi who won the Drum Major Award.
It was a real honour to be at the Usher Hall on Sunday evening to enjoy the Choir and Choral Society Concert. How Mr Tully and his team manage to put all that together and combine orchestra, soloists, school choir and Choral Society is a mystery, especially given the only time they all rehearsed together was five hours before the evening actually began. It was a very impressive evening of music and I would very much like to thank Mr Tully and his team for all their hard work to make an event like that possible. It is quite a spectacle to see a combined choir of 300+ singing while Mr Tully conducts, although there are probably some of us who rather just enjoy watching Mr Tully perform! A reminder of the Summer Concert on Wednesday 20th June in the Main Hall.
With best wishes
Barry Welsh
Rector
