Sir Roger Young’s legacy was giving pupils valuable time in countryside

By Tom Peterkin
Published on 07/07/2012 00:27

From 1958 to 1985, Sir Roger Young, 88, was principal or headmaster of George Watson’s, one of Edinburgh’s most famous fee-paying schools.

It was in 1962, he introduced S3 Projects which made two weeks of residential outdoor education available to all Watson’s pupils.

He did so because of his passionately-held belief that the most valuable educational experiences are most often those which are found outside the classroom.

His own love of the countryside had its origins in childhood holidays to the Highlands and islands of Scotland.

His love of climbing was nurtured on trips to the Alps. On one occasion while teaching at Manchester Grammar School he, and some other members of staff, climbed Mont Blanc.

It was these Alpine trips before he went to Watson’s that gave him the idea of introducing the S3 Projects.

His distinguished career also included spells as a governor of the BBC, governor of Westminster School and chairman of the Headmasters’ Conference. Among his many achievements as principal was that he successfully over saw the amalgamation of George Watson’s College and George Watson’s Ladies’ College to form one co-educational school.

As well as producing The Inbetweeners, his son Christopher also produced the Gaelic film Seachd about the Inaccessible Pinnacle – the fabled climb in the Cuillins.