Experience life at one of the UK’s top day schools

One of Britain’s leading independent schools is giving parents of prospective pupils the chance to experience first-hand all that they offer.
The school's ethos has always emphasised the balanced development of the mind, body and spirit of its 600 pupilsThe school's ethos has always emphasised the balanced development of the mind, body and spirit of its 600 pupils
The school's ethos has always emphasised the balanced development of the mind, body and spirit of its 600 pupils

Loretto School, which was founded in 1827, has built a reputation for excellence among the country's top co-educational boarding and day schools.

And now it is throwing open the doors of its leafy 85-acre campus in Musselburgh, just outside Edinburgh, to give parents and prospective pupils the chance to find out what makes it so special.

The school's ethos has always emphasised the balanced development of the mind, body and spirit of its 600 pupils.

And as well as a staff to pupil ratio of 1:7, it boasts excellent sporting and creative arts facilities at both the junior and senior schools.

Loretto Junior School has around 200 girls and boys attending and is mainly a day school, with some boarders who join at the age of 11.

Its enclosed, green campus offers plenty of secure space to promote children’s exploration and discovery.

“We have built a community where every individual matters and our school offers the space and opportunity for everyone to find their own route to success, whether that's in academic achievement, sport, art, music, drama or other activities," says Andrew Dickenson, Head of the Junior School.

"We aim to be as flexible as possible – the school day is intended to fit in with parents’ busy schedules – and we run school minibus routes to and from North Berwick, Gullane, Haddington, Gifford, Earlston, Galashiels, Dunbar, Edinburgh and Roslin."

Loretto Senior School is made up of around 400 girls and boys, some 70 per cent of whom choose to board. It follows the English curriculum of A-levels and GCSEs and, like its sister school, teaching centres on the individual; pupils are encouraged to study independently, learn at their own pace and think for themselves.

It is also home to the Loretto Golf Academy, which was established in 2002 and attracts young golfers from around the world keen to develop their sporting talent in tandem with an all-round education. It boasts innovative practice facilities – including a ground-breaking indoor centre which opened in 2015 – and programmes for both beginners and advanced golfers, and works closely with Scottish Golf and the courses at Craigielaw and Archerfield, based in East Lothian.

"Our open days are the perfect opportunity for children and their parents to see behind the scenes and discover just how much we have to offer by meeting the teachers, house staff and current pupils," says Dr Graham Hawley, Loretto’s Headmaster. "Prospective day pupils will be matched with one of our pupils who has similar interests and given a bespoke tour of the campus to show them life at Loretto through our pupils’ eyes.”

Prospective families will be able to see for themselves on Saturday, 28 September, for those aged 12 and over, and on Saturday, 5 October, for those aged three to 12.

To book a place, see Loretto Open Day or call the school on 0131 653 4455.

In addition, a new pre-school will be opening its doors in September, offering structured, teacher-led provision for children aged three to five with access to the wider facilities on the campus. For more information, see Loretto Pre-School.