Edinburgh’s Old Town provides a singular setting for our unique school. Pupils are taught on the same campus, in a mixture of historic buildings and modern facilities set amid the lawns and trees which form Edinburgh’s very first botanical garden. Open views across the playground to Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile provide an inspiring outlook for learners of all ages.
A Heriot’s education can begin from Nursery and continue all the way through to Sixth Year. Junior School pupils start school in their own dedicated space, mixing more and more with the Senior School as they progress. Some Upper Primary classes are held in the Old Building, where Senior School pupils study English, Mathematics and Modern Languages. Familiarity with the campus and older year groups certainly eases the transition to Senior 1.
Elsewhere on campus, fully-equipped laboratories fuel scientific endeavour. A music suite caters to our music students as well as our symphony orchestra, swing band and everything in-between. Young artists create artworks in light-filled rooms that overlook the castle. Our drama studio and theatre spaces are in almost constant demand. In Sixth Year, pupils have the exclusive use of a base in the Grassmarket Campus, complete with common room, study area and café.
We continually update and develop our facilities to meet the needs of our school community. We invest heavily in information technology and offer a virtual learning environment that pupils and parents can access. In 2018, we opened our purpose-built Refectory, with a new home for Wrap Around Care located on the floor above. The Centre for Sport and Exercise provides a state-of-the-art space for sporting activities and is one of our facilities available for hire.
Just two miles north is our Goldenacre sports ground, with 24 acres of playing fields, pavilion and grandstand facilities, and views of the city skyline. Games practice and fixtures take place here year-round, from rugby, hockey and football in winter to cricket, tennis and athletics in summer.
Rowers are based at our boathouse on the Union Canal at Craiglockhart, while our cross-country runners have their pick of Edinburgh’s hills and green spaces.