Headmaster's Blog

Friday 5 June 2026 Headmaster's Blog week ending 5th June 2026 Our P7 equivalent pupils entered the ‘big league' last Saturday, by competing in the South of Scotland round of the Rotary Quiz at Kirkintilloch. Our team of Anna, Harriet, Dhruv and Hugh finished with a commendable score of which they can be proud but missed out on a podium finish. Parents, Russell and James, accompanied the team, and we were grateful to all for their endeavours.

Friday 29 May 2026 Headmaster's Blog - 29th May 2026 Throughout the year here at Abbey Park, we welcome invited guests in many forms; visiting schools for fixtures, local schools and visitors for plays, the general public for Bang Goes the Borders, Book Festival parking for the disabled, our beloved Kith ‘n' Kin due to call in on us next week, and many other open events.

Friday 22 May 2026 Headmaster's Blog 22nd May 2026 ‘All joints on the table shall be carved' my father used to announce when we sat down for Sunday lunch. These Victorian words came flooding back when Form 4 took to the stage to offer a refresher on table manners. This included a demonstration of both good and bad manners by a group sat round the table, and all those good old-fashioned rules were expertly narrated by Hesper. A timely reminder to all that has improved the lot of dining room duty staff since Monday morning's assembly.

Friday 15 May 2026 Headmaster's Blog - 15th May 2026 Our strategically positioned long weekend provided a welcome break, but I will confess to feeling disproportionately out of my stride when school resumed on Tuesday. With no assembly to congratulate the previous week's stand-out performers, a pat on the back when passing in the corridor for our six brilliant senior cricketers was praise enough for these pre-occupied teenagers. They seemed pleased their undefeated runner-up position had been acknowledged.

Thursday 7 May 2026 Headmaster's Blog - week ending 7th May 2026 Any pupil who felt deprived of the national bank holiday on Monday, will presumably be feeling a little less aggrieved as we head to our strategically positioned long weekend. For those who pay little attention to our calendar, this break at the end of week 3 and the beginning of week 4 breaks up the seven week stretch to Common Entrance, which is followed by a half-term week, then three action packed weeks to the end of the academic year.

Friday 1 May 2026 Headmaster's Blog 1st May 2026 We see talent blossoming every day here at St. Mary's, whether that be in the classroom, on the games field, on the stage, in the art room, in the music rooms, in the boarding programme, amidst the beautiful surrounding scenery and in many other aspects of school life, and beyond the boundaries of school routine in their own chosen leisure pursuits and hobbies.

Friday 24 April 2026 Headmaster's Blog - 24th April 2026 It was a joy welcoming back well-rested staff on Monday, who experienced a rude awakening (!) from an inset on the forthcoming Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenting (RSHP) programme that has become compulsory in schools south of the border and likely to be so elsewhere in due course.

Thursday 26 March 2026 Headmaster's Blog - 26th March 2026 In a week where the natural inclination is to focus on a long-awaited break, and the level of fatigue being felt after a busy term, thinking about the needs of others and ensuring we still play our part in combined efforts can be less of a priority. However, this frenetic week has seen pupils and staff counter that natural and understandable tendency.

Friday 20 March 2026 Headmaster's Blog 20th March 2026 Last Saturday Melrose was bathed in spring sunshine, and the setting for the St. Mary's U13 sevens tournament on the Greenyards could not have been more picturesque. Mr Rooney rallied his team of staff to ensure a warm welcome was extended to eight squads from schools and local clubs.

Friday 13 March 2026 Headmaster's Blog - week ending 13th March 2026 HM's Blog 13.03.26

Friday 6 March 2026 Headmaster's Blog - Friday 6th March 2026 This summary of last week's activities begins last Friday when seventy people gathered at the Buccleuch Arms for the Former Pupil Association dinner, and what an enjoyable evening was had by all. The guests of honour were two times Grand National winner trainer and Champion trainer Lucinda Russell and her partner eight times national hunt Champion Jockey, Peter Scudamore. Both were welcomed warmly by the gathering led by President Ailsa Tweedie. St Mary's Melrose - Former Pupil Dinner Friday 27th February 2026

Friday 27 February 2026 HM Blog - Friday 27th February 2026 In Monday's assembly, the day after the BAFTAs we celebrated a most unexpected BAFTA for best actor Robert Aramayo for his portrayal of local man John Davidson MBE. This was quite a moment for the young actor who humbly pointed at Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio and said he (Aramayo) could not believe he was listed with him, let alone be awarded Best Actor ahead of him.

Friday 20 February 2026 Headmaster's Blog 20th February 2026 Whilst those of us enjoying a ‘staycation' may have felt deprived of sunlight, reasonable temperatures and dry weather over the half-term break, we were compensated with a fabulous Milano Cortina Winter Olympics and all the literal and metaphorical ups and downs that go hand in hand with elite competition on snow and ice.

Friday 6 February 2026 Headmaster's Blog 6th February 2026

Friday 30 January 2026 Headmaster's Blog 30th January 2026 Robert Burns would have been 267 years old last Sunday, and in keeping with proud tradition, we celebrated the great bard's birthday during Monday's assembly, and if ever one needs a boost in January, call upon Armel to play his pipes, Tilly T to play her fiddle and ask William G to address the Haggis. In the background supporting Armel was the wonderful Mr Hastie his tutor, and Miss McRae's gentle piano accompaniment of Tilly playing ‘A Man's a Man for a' That' resulted in a moving and an appropriate tribute to one of Scotland's finest. St Mary's Melrose - Burns Assembly 2026

Friday 23 January 2026 Headmaster's Blog - Friday 23rd January 26 It was mentioned in the staffroom a week ago today, that Monday was the now infamously titled ‘Blue Monday' a date in the calendar when, as the third Monday of the month of January following Christmas, morale for many can be at its lowest in the year…but not at St. Mary's!

Friday 16 January 2026 Headmaster's Blog - 16th January 2026 This time last week, I should have been sitting down to share thoughts on a very productive start to term, and to congratulate Ruary, Rocco, Odin, Maria and new Gap student Izzy on a fine start to their St. Mary's journeys. Instead, a hazardous and at times treacherous car journey to Buckie on the Morayshire coast to attend a much-loved, elderly uncle's funeral was the task in hand.

Friday 5 December 2025 Headmaster's Blog 5th December 2025 Last Friday's Winter Wonderland was thoroughly enjoyed by all and thank you to The Friends of St. Mary's and volunteers for all the hard work preparing and delivering the ‘sugar-fest' fueled spending frenzy. Thank you to parents for funding the stalls on display which included: attempts to guess the number of sweets, face painting, guess the name of the giant dachshund, decorate a cookie, tombola, estimate the weight of the cake, Magic Mog's Marvellous Magic Show, and my personal favourite - identify the Form 8 baby from an amusing montage of pictures.

Friday 28 November 2025 Headmaster's Blog 28th November 2025 Some people radiate positivity and genuine kindness from the moment you meet them. I shook the hands of two such gentlemen on Monday morning who had been invited by Chair of the Friends of St. Mary's Joanna Imray to come and talk to the school about their Borders Rotary charity work to support desperately poor children in rural northern Malawi.

Friday 21 November 2025 HM Blog - 21st November 2025 I am sat here with a depleted and exhausted looking Form 7, some of whom are either competing in the IAPS national hockey tournament in Berkshire or have fallen foul of injury or illness. It has been a testing week; not just because senior assessments have been in full flow, but the bitterly cold weather is testing everyone's resolve.

Friday 14 November 2025 Headmaster's Blog 14th November 2025 We are so grateful to the twenty-two pupils, seven staff and multiple parents who took part in the Town Parade on Remembrance Sunday last week. It is a proud moment when we as a school present a visual display of just how big a part of Melrose life St. Mary's plays, and how we alongside our fellow townsfolk place huge importance in remembering the fallen.

Friday 7 November 2025 HM Blog - 7th November 2025 It is that time of year when ‘keeping the heed' is the best advice on offer as exam, assessment and entrance exam processes approach. This guidance is as much for parents as it is pupils and increasingly busy staff.

Friday 31 October 2025 HM Blog - 31st October 2025 HM's Blog 31.10.25

Friday 24 October 2025 HM Blog - 24th October 2025 Two years ago, I was sat nervously attempting to write my post half-term blog with the rustling and gnawing of two ferrets, occasionally giving me devilish glances from the air holes in their box from the other side of my office table. Today I have a much more serene and gentle rabbit - Biscoff - looking back at me from its carry box, waiting to feature as the subject of Eliza's lecture.

Friday 10 October 2025 Headmaster's Blog week ending 10th October 2025 It was a pleasure welcoming Warden and Executive Principal of Glenalmond College, Mrs Lucy Elphinstone to St. Mary's on Monday, particularly after a storm induced power outage over the weekend that had stifled operations at the Perthshire campus.

Friday 3 October 2025 Headmaster's Blog 3rd October 2025 As European Day of Languages came and went last week, on Monday morning in assembly Madame Bruce and Madame Hutchison stepped forward to remind us all of the importance and life-enhancing benefits studying modern languages can provide.

Friday 26 September 2025 Headmaster's Blog 26th September 2025 ‘Real science can be far stranger than science fiction, and much more satisfying'

Friday 19 September 2025 Headmaster's Blog 19th September 2025 As part of our school value of making a positive difference to those around us, we place high importance on humility. This year we are blessed with talented senior rugby and hockey squads, which has led to increased anticipation and high expectations. The early part of the week saw the squads donning their super new kits so generously sponsored by Cleland's Volvo and we are grateful to John Cleland for coming along to take part in a photograph with our seniors.

Friday 12 September 2025 Headmaster's Blog 12th September 2025 It's not just pupils who get tired and hungry at the end of their busy September schooldays, it is also a symptom of male wasps (Vespula Vulgaris) after a busy summer of feeding thousands of larvae in the queen's nest, are more or less made redundant by a queen who is settling down for her winter hibernation.

Friday 5 September 2025 Headmaster's Blog 5th September 2025 Those unfamiliar with the passion pupils and staff demonstrate when building up to the Squad Singing competition scheduled for Thursday 9th October, might have been somewhat surprised at the energy evident in assembly when Monday's draw for ‘what theme' took place.