Headmaster's Blog

Friday 13 September 2024 HM Blog - 13th September 2024 With the excitement and anticipation of the new academic term being two and a half weeks old, hard work, routine, a drop in temperature and a noticeable fading of daylight hours, some may be inclined to be feeling less motivated and an instinct to prepare for winter hibernation.
Friday 6 September 2024 HM Blog - 6th September 2024 Miss McRae is renowned for pulling a rabbit out of the hat at this time of year, as excitement and anticipation builds towards songs being selected for Squad Singing. The now legendary draw took place on Monday in assembly and the Form 8 representatives looked somewhat confused as animations with a hint of tartan were pulled from the four coloured envelopes.
Friday 30 August 2024 HM Blog - 30th August 2024 The whirlwind that was the final two and a half weeks of last Summer Term seems a distant memory, but last year’s charismatic Form 8s are far from that. We have been thinking of all our leavers as they embark upon their senior school careers in a range of ten schools: six north and four south of the Border.
Friday 31 May 2024 HM Blog - Friday 31st May 2024 You will probably have heard of the famous Cherokee Native Indian proverb about each of us having two wolves inside of us; one that feeds off anger, jealousy, self-pity and resentment and the other that feeds off kindness, compassion, empathy, and joy. A wise Indian Chief is said to have warned his young Indian brave son that the dominant wolf in us is the one that is more often fed.
Friday 24 May 2024 HM Blog - Friday 24th May 2024 In Monday morning’s assembly we recalled the fun that was had at the Boarder’s disco last Friday and the beautiful summer evening that added to such festivities. On our trip back from the High Street Coop, Mrs Harvey, Cooper, Milo and I joined a group of interested and intrigued spectators, looking up the drive and into the Morrison Hall and the veranda garden where all the fun was being had.
Friday 17 May 2024 HM Blog - 17th May 2024 Many people have travelled thousands of miles to see the Aurora Borealis, many returning from Scandinavian or other northern hemisphere countries, unsuccessful in their quest.
Thursday 9 May 2024 HM Blog - 9th May 2024 Last week has morphed into a very busy nine school days which I will attempt to sum up in as succinct a way as I can.
Friday 26 April 2024 HM Blog - 26th April 2024 The cancer charity conversation that in part gained extra momentum through Miss Burn’s endeavours, has led on to the greater realisation that the St. Mary’s community cares so deeply about this topic that a calendared annual fundraising event for various cancer charities is a must, going forward. Miss Burn has raised £16,500 for Ovarian Cancer Action and almost a third of that donation has come from the St. Mary’s community, which is quite remarkable.
Friday 19 April 2024 HM Blog - week ending 19th April Yesterday’s squad-based charity, fancy dress obstacle run in aid of Ovarian Cancer Action provided a unique opportunity for pupils aged between four and thirteen years-old to participate together for a common cause greater than a school prize or a trophy. From our youngest to our oldest prep school pupils, it seemed this was entirely understood and the effort and endeavour on display showed a collective motivation I have not witnessed before. https://bit.ly/49DhRne
Friday 22 March 2024 HM's Blog 22rd March 2024
Friday 15 March 2024 HM Blog - 15th March 2024 HM’s Blog 15.03.24
Friday 8 March 2024 HM Blog - 8th March 2024 Since this time last week, pupils have enjoyed: last Friday night’s brilliant American themed boarding evening, St Mary's Melrose - Boarding Blog wc 26 Feb (stmarysmelrose.org.uk) the Scottish Prep Schools’ debating competition at Ardvreck, St Mary's Melrose - Scottish Prep Schools' Debating Competition (stmarysmelrose.org.uk) a boarders trip to Dunbar swimming pool, evening cricket nets, a raft of excellent fixtures on Wednesday (congratulations to the U11 girls on their latest netball tournament victory), World Book Day St Mary's Melrose - World Book Day - 7th March 2024 (stmarysmelrose.org.uk) with pupils dressing as a favourite book character and staff dressing up as a character from JM Barrie’s Peter Pan adventures (Mr P looked like Adam Ant!) a grand opening of the pre-prep library St Mary's Melrose - Grand Opening of Pre-Prep Library (stmarysmelrose.org.uk) (coordinated by Mrs Lewington and opened by ‘Ernie’ our office ‘therapist’), and
Friday 1 March 2024 HM Blog - 1st March 2024 Goals well within our reach are easily attained and provide the comfort zone that makes life, well…comfortable! Stretching and pushing oneself further can provide discomfort and decrease the chances of success. However, perhaps that ‘success’ is in the trying, not the winning.
Friday 23 February 2024 HM Blog - 23rd February 2024 The half-term break signals a welcome staging post in the calendar, as it is a time when the snowdrops are blooming, and the daffodil shoots start to reach out of their bulbs and push through the soil. Whilst challenging winter weather may still test us over the next month or two, half-term certainly feels like we are emerging from dark winter days once again.
Monday 5 February 2024 HM Blog - 9th February 2024 The power of song to lift the spirits should never be underestimated, and if ever a shining example was needed, this was on full display last Saturday at Cardiffs Principality Stadium when Wales played Scotland in the Six Nations international series.
Friday 2 February 2024 HM Blog 2nd February 2024 When inviting pupils to look to the nearest adult in their vicinity in assembly on Monday morning, I asked them to consider if they are people who live their lives striving to make a positive difference to others and those around them. The answer was unanimous and is a common them among people who work in schools. They tend to be ‘givers’: people who teach, offer in-class support, cook, clean, or maintain the grounds and buildings.
Friday 26 January 2024 HM Blog - 26th January 2024 ‘Running (cross-country) always hurts. Expect it to hurt. You don’t train so it doesn’t hurt, you train so you can tolerate it’. Mark Rowland
Friday 19 January 2024 HM Blog - 19th January 2024 Monday, the third in January, was what is now known as ‘Blue Monday’. This has become a recognised day when many feel at their lowest ebb as the happiness most feel over Christmas fades into memory and the cold months of the second half of winter seem to dominate the landscape.
Friday 12 January 2024 HM Blog - 12th January 2024 We wished each other a Happy New Year and warmly welcomed six new faces to the Morrison Hall in Monday morning’s assembly. Emilia and Chloe have settled into their respective classes very well, Mrs Hempenstall and Mr Outram have eased into the teaching team seamlessly and Gaps Russell and Rebecca have made an equally pleasing start. Russell has come from Harare in Zimbabwe, so his ensuite room was crammed with portable radiators last weekend. Rebecca has come from Greenock so is a few miles nearer the equator here in Melrose!
Monday 18 December 2023 HM Blog 18 December 2023 This really has been an extraordinary final week of term, with the contrast of intensifying excitement interspersed with calm, composed and skilful public performances of various types from our youngest to our oldest pupils.
Friday 8 December 2023 HM Blog 8th December 2023 As we edge closer to term concluding this time next week, there has been plenty of activity to keep this busy term’s momentum going. Monday’s arrival of construction work offices, vehicles and boundary fences, and an extremely friendly and organised site foreman Jason, has given us a feeling that Christmas is coming!
Friday 1 December 2023 HM Blog - 1st December 2023 Are you a ‘radiator’ or a ‘drain’? That is the question asked in Monday’s assembly and an explanation of the two analogies followed.
Friday 24 November 2023 HM Blog - 24th November 2023 As the intrusion of assessments reached fever-pitch this week, including all the overreactions typically associated with this necessary evil, Svetlana Norel our quiet and calm ‘artist in residence’ has peacefully gone about adding a few finishing touches the magnificent mural in the dining room.
Friday 17 November 2023 HM Blog - Friday 17th November 2023 The contest between light and darkness intensifies in November and on a wonderful autumn Remembrance Sunday the sun shone on a proud town parade here in Melrose. Amidst the marchers were seventeen smartly turned-out St. Mary’s pupils, four dedicated staff and numerous kind-hearted and conscientious parents. The town looked glorious and the service around the War Memorial was very moving.
Friday 10 November 2023 HM Blog - 10th November 2023 We all negotiate steep and shallow inclines in our weekly routines and at times these mole hills and mounds turn into mountains. November is mountain season with assessments looming. However, it is the overreaction, not the assessments themselves that create the mountains. The assessments are mole hills.
Friday 3 November 2023 HM Blog - 3rd November 2023 On Thursday a list of the weekly events appears on my desk with a note stating ‘reminder for your blog for the .Mail’. The list always appears when I am not at my desk because, despite my approachability best depicted in the photo ->, keeping up with all that is happening in this beehive of a school seems to get more complicated by the week. The note is never signed either!
Friday 27 October 2023 HM Blog - 27th October 2023 The much needed eleven-day half-term holiday soon flew by, and it has been a busy old start back since Wednesday morning when a few bleary-eyed souls walked onto campus.
Friday 13 October 2023 HM Blog - Friday 13th October 2023
Friday 6 October 2023 HM Blog - Friday 6th October 2023 When we send our Form 8s off into the wider world of senior school, we hope that they will go on to be happy, thrive and extend all their talents and best traits at the next ever-complex stage of their development. We believe we enhance their chances by providing a preparatory education purpose built to give them a long-lasting momentum, wherever they go onto beyond.
Friday 22 September 2023 HM Blog 22nd September 2023 One of the many senior school representatives who presented at last weekend’s Bang Goes the Borders Science festival commented that he could not believe how invested in the day the staff and parent helpers were. This served as a reminder of a team spirit and sense of community that is a stand-out feature of our proud place.

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