The Voice of st leonards

Serenaded by the Slugs

SERENADED BY THE SLUGS | The St Leonards Ukulele Group (affectionately known as the SLUGs) took to the same stage as Skipinnish and other big name bands at the Anstruther Harbour Festival over the Jubilee weekend. The group performed a feel-good set of summer tunes which was enjoyed by all. The SLUG Club are already looking forward to performing together again next academic year.

Prizegiving Gallery

PRIZEGIVING GALLERY | Last month's Prizegiving was a wonderful afternoon of celebrations featuring speeches and prizes in the newly-refurbished University of St Andrews Younger Hall, followed by afternoon tea and live music back at school – including, of course, the famous St Leonards strawberry tarts.

We are pleased to be able to share a full gallery of photographs from the day with our school community. We wish our Year 13 leavers well as they move onto exciting new adventures. Here’s to the Class of 2022!

Creative Cape Competition

CREATIVE CAPE COMPETITION | Congratulations to St Leonards Senior Nerea Gómez Martin (2014-20) who recently won a competition to design the official ceremonial garment for the High Sheriffs of Greater London. The embellished cloak features Nerea’s illustrations alongside those of two other artists. It was worn by Heather Phillips, the new Lady High Sheriff, when she was installed into office, and the intention is that the heritage garment will be worn by all future office bearers in the coming century. The design was produced in response to a creative brief which asked for ideas that reflect the diverse culture and people of London, as well as the core behaviours that represent the city at its best!

Golfing Gold

GOLFING GOLD | At the start of this month, Harry M travelled to Edzell Golf Club to take on the top junior players from the St Andrews Golf Club at the Junior Outing event, and finished in gold medal position. Later in the month, together with fellow St Leonards pupil Harry J, he was selected to play in another golf tournament against senior members of the club. It's great to see our young golfers participate in and enjoy success at local competitions!

Business BBQ

BUSINESS BBQ | A few weeks ago, our budding Year 12 entrepreneurs gave their final presentations to a panel of judges at the annual St Leonards Enterprise Programme Finals. It’s been wonderful to see the companies grow from infant ideas to booming businesses over the past year. Congratulations to all involved, and special mention to the companies listed below who won prizes.

Finally, a round of applause for our panel of St Leonards judges - Mrs Prudencio-Aponte, Mr Funcasta, Mrs Stanfield, Ms Beck - and special thanks to guest judge Dr Eswar, Assistant Professor in Economics & Finance at the University of St Andrews, for taking the time to assess this year's companies. The afternoon was rounded off with a celebratory BBQ on Birdcage.

Stepping up to Sixth Form

STEPPING UP TO SIXTH FORM | Having completed their GCSE examinations, Year 11 and Pre-IB enjoyed learning more about the DP & CP courses that await them next academic year.

As part of their induction to Environmental Systems & Societies, one of the Group 4 (Science) options offered at St Leonards, the pupils headed out on a coastal walk with Rory Fyfe, co-owner of Kinkell Byre, along the Coastal Path. Kinkell used to be a working farm, but is now a wedding venue and has 100 acres of land which are being rewilded with highland cows, a small flock of sheep, and areas of newly-planted native trees. The pupils also discussed the issues of plastic pollution along the coastline. On their return journey, they picked up approximately 5 kilograms of litter and hunted for nurdles, small and potentially toxic plastic pellets which are mistaken for food by many animals meaning that they can enter the food chain.

Another highlight of the week was being immersed into the different Group 3 (Individuals & Societies) courses. In the Geography session, the pupils had great fun learning more about population trends through the jelly babies game!

Monthly Medal

MONTHLY MEDAL | As the academic year drew to a close, the St Leonards golfers headed up to the Castle Course for the final monthly medal competition. Congratulations to all who played the challenging course, and special mention to Ferdinand F who won the medal for the first time with a fantastic score of 42 points.

Head's Half Term Challenge

HEAD'S HALF TERM CHALLENGE | A few weeks ago, as pupils and staff enjoyed the summer half term holiday, Mr Brian, embarked upon an epic cycling challenge, aiming to cover the 500 miles of the iconic North Coast 500 by bike in just four days. Mr Brian successfully completed the challenge and, in doing so, raised over £800 for local charity Families First.

Reflecting upon the experience, Mr Brian said that his highlights were "climbing the Bealach ne Ba pass, cycling along Loch Assynt and Loch Eriboll, slowly scaling the hills around Drumbeg, and tucking into the biggest fish supper I can recall in Lybster on my final night.”

Moving Up Events

MOVING UP EVENTS | Over the past few weeks, it's been wonderful to welcome those joining our school community in August to St Leonards for our moving up events. Together with our current pupils, our visitors have enjoyed meeting their new teachers, hearing about the exciting inquiries and projects that they’ll be delving into next academic year, and taking part in a range of fun ‘getting to know you’ activities. There's lots to look forward to in the months ahead.

MYP, Complete!

MYP, COMPLETE! | On the penultimate day of term, Years 7-9 gathered in the School Hall for a special MYP Celebration assembly. The pupils were congratulated by Mr Brian, Miss McGregor and Mrs McGregor on their achievements and efforts over the past year, prizes and certificates were awarded, and there were some fantastic musical and spoken performances, too. Special mention to all those who performed - XiuRong G, Daisy D, Shreyas D, Archie B, Will B, Fiona del O B, Kayleigh N, Matilda Z, Muireann G, Emmy W - and also to this year's MYP Community Project winners.

• Community Project, Pupil Vote: Camryn S
• Community Project, Best Presentation: Jennifer N
• Community Project, Effort: Will B
• Community Project, Overall Prize for Best Project: Logan G

Having heard more about their next chapter in the GCSE years from Mr Blair and Mr Dick, the pupils then congregated in the Main School Quad for tutor group and year group photographs to mark the end of their chapter in the Middle Years Programme. Congratulations to all the Year 9 pupils on successfully completing the MYP!

Behind the Scenes

BEHIND THE SCENES | Over the past few weeks, we've been out and about with a videographer capturing school life in action for some new videos. We look forward to sharing the results with our St Leonards community in due course. Thanks to all those who have supported this exciting project.

Model United Nations

MODEL UNITED NATIONS | Earlier this month, Year 9 was immersed in the world of Model United Nations. The pupils assumed the role of delegates from countries across the globe and debated some of the most pressing environmental, political, social and economic issues of the present. Eloquent speeches were delivered and excellent resolutions put forward. Congratulations to all involved, and thanks to Mrs Samuel for spearheading the event!

Tennis Tournaments

TENNIS TOURNAMENT | Well done to the winners of the St Leonards Doubles and Mixed Doubles Tournaments: Ivan de K and Louis L, Fiona B and Heidi B, Fiona B and Sam G, and Charlotte P and Findlay P.

General Knowledge Geniuses

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE GENIUSES | Our Year 7 Quiz Team - Grace H, Rose H, Tristan C and George C - were bronze medallists at the Scotland Rotary Quiz Finals. The pupils took on 22 schools from across Scotland, working together to answer questions on topics such as the human body, the written word and everything in between. In doing so, they showed themselves to be knowledgeable, reflective, and risk-taking thinkers and communicators.

Scottish Schools Sailing

SCOTTISH SCHOOLS SAILING | Earlier this month, the St Leonards team of Thomas L, Phoebe F, Maddie F, Raf H, James D and Oscar M travelled to the Scottish Schools Sailing Championships at Loch Earn. The pupils finished in third place overall at the event, and sailed fantastically well in toppers and lasers given the windy conditions. Special mention to Thomas and Oscar who finished in silver medal position in the individual topper and laser races respectively.

Top of the Charts

TOP OF THE CHARTS | Very well done to Riya B who finished first in the U13 badminton rankings for the Glasgow and North Strathclyde group this month!

Celebrating Success

CELEBRATING SUCCESS | As term drew to a close, it was wonderful to gather Years 7-12 together in the Auditorium for a whole school assembly. All manner of achievements were celebrated, everything from LAMDA and music examination results to STEP company successes. Congratulations to all our certificate winners!

Pipes at the Palace

PIPES AT THE PALACE | As part of the nationwide celebrations to congratulate Her Majesty the Queen on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee, pipers and drummers from St Leonards – Andrew Maitland, Stuart Foggo and Winston Emmerson – performed with the Royal Air Force Pipes and Drums outside the broadcasting building at Salford Quays and at Buckingham Palace.

What's the Buzz?

WHAT'S THE BUZZ? | This year, as part of the Middle Years Programme Design course, the Year 8 pupils have been set the challenge of creating a new label for the next batch of honey, as part of their Unit of Inquiry entitled ‘What’s the Buzz?’. Throughout the project, the classes have learned about the use of typography, scale, composition, and colour in graphic design, and also researched honeybees and why they are important for the environment. Last week, the pupils headed out to the St Leonards hives to see the bees in action with apiculture guru Mrs Goodburn.

Congratulations to this year's winner, Rory M, whose label will feature on the 2022 batch of St Leonards Honey. Details about how to order jars of our delicious honey will follow in due course.

Track, Field and Sands

TRACK, FIELD AND SANDS | With the athletics season in full swing, there have been some excellent track and field performances by St Leonards pupils at local and national events, not forgetting an impressive performance at the Chariots of Fire beach race. Well done to all.

Reiss M (centre) won the Scottish Schools track and field 1500m steeplechase. His impressive finish time placed him 5th in the all time U17 rankings. He has now been selected to represent Scotland at the SIAB International in Belfast next month - we wish him all the best as he competes against athletes from England, Ireland and Wales.

Isla T-P (centre back) won the hurdles and 200m events at the East Scotland Clubs league match in Aberdeen, and Nahla T (right) won the B hurdles race at the same event.

At the Fife Schools Athletics, in the aged 15-17 category, Reiss M won the 1500m, Sarah L finished in gold medal position in the 300m and secured a silver medal in the 200m, Cameron P finished in third place in the 800m, and Alec G, Cameron P, Archie S, and Ewan H finished in silver medal position in the 4x100m. In the aged 13-15 category, Cody R won the Shot Putt, Alec G was bronze medallist in the 100m, and Eliza K, Logan G, and Camryn S finished in gold medal position in the 1500m and shot putt events respectively.

Last, but by no means least, Alastair M finished in 6th place (out of 531 total runners) at the Chariots of Fire beach race, and came top in the U15 category.

Outdoor Adventures

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES | The MYP pupils have enjoyed a series of exciting outdoor adventures this month! Two groups of Year 7 pupils put their orientation, leadership and teamwork skills into practice as they climbed the East Lomond Hill. The first group persevered through thick clouds and heavy rain to reach the summit, before heading back to Falkland for warming hot chocolates. A week later, the sun shone on the second group who enjoyed soaking up the spectacular views over Fife.

Later in the month, the whole year group headed to Willowgate Activity Centre for an action-packed day of activities, including whittling, slack lining and body boarding.

Finally, as June drew to a close, the Year 9 pupils headed down to the West Sands for a watersports workshop with Blown Away.

These outdoor adventures have not only given the pupils memories that will last a lifetime, but have also helped them to develop transferable skills, namely resilience, perseverance and communication, that will serve them well in the years to come.

Perform for Pride

PERFORM FOR PRIDE | Congratulations to all those who performed in the colourful and vibrant Pride Concert. The concert raised £115 for Stonewall Scotland, a charity which campaigns for all LGBTQ+ people to be free to be themselves. With speeches, a raffle, and some truly fabulous performances from song to dance, lip syncing, drama and ensemble pieces, the atmosphere was hard to beat! Please click the link below to view a full photo gallery.

Sunshine Snaps

SUNSHINE SNAPS | St Leonards is such a beautiful place to live and learn. Below are a few of our favourite sunny snaps from the campus and the town over the past month. We hope you enjoy some of the picture postcard views!

Edinburgh Examination

EDINBURGH EXAMINATION | At the start of this month, our bilingual learners headed to the Basil Paterson Centre in Edinburgh to sit their A2, B1 and B2 Cambridge English Language Examinations. It was a wonderful opportunity for the pupils to showcase their learning from the past year, and also to soak up the vibrant city centre of Scotland's capital.

Big Bag Trail

BIG BAG TRAIL | At the start of June, the Big Bag Trail was launched by Callaway Golf and the St Andrews Links, featuring ten sculpture bags around the town, five of which have been designed by St Leonards pupils. One of the designs will be announced as the winner of a town-wide competition for local school children, and will be the championship bag carried by world-class golfers at the 150th Open Championship. The trail will run until the week of 18 July, when the sculptures will be auctioned off to raise money for Scottish Sports Futures and Children's Hospices Across Scotland.

Congratulations to the St Leonards designers - Iona W, Faith M-P, Lily D, Lixi C and Andre M. More news on this to follow after the official tour bag launch with Callaway, St Andrews Links and the pros during Open Week!

Summer Term Socials

SUMMER TERM SOCIALS | As the academic year drew to a close, pupils enjoyed spending time with their friends at our series of year group socials. The year groups selected a wide range of activities - everything from homemade pizzas and film nights to sophisticated mocktail evenings, informal barbeques and ceilidhs. Great fun was had by all.

The Year 12 pupils enjoyed a mocktail party in the School Hall, which was organised by Keyuri A, Cameron A, Annika N, Xander M and Sara P. Having enjoyed cheese and crackers, pizza and delicious mocktails, the students donned glow sticks and danced away to some of their favourite tunes.

Year 11 and Pre-IB celebrated the end of their GCSE examinations with a barbeque and ceilidh on Birdcage. The pupils had a great time with their friends in the sunshine, and are excited to embark upon their chosen Sixth Form pathway at St Leonards in August.

As part of our 'give it a go' boarding weeks, Years 7, 8 and 9 enjoyed socials in St Rule complete with s'mores, pizza and a film night. What better way to round off busy weeks at school?

Sports Day Spotlight

SPORTS DAY SPOTLIGHT | There was an incredible buzz on Big Field as pupils in Years 7-12 threw themselves into track and field events at our annual Sports Day. It was wonderful to welcome parents back to campus again to cheer from the sidelines, enjoy family picnics, and serve delicious homemade snacks at the Parents Association stall. Congratulations to all who took part, and a special mention to our medal winners and record setters! To view a full photo gallery from the event, please click the link below.

Give it a Go

GIVE IT A GO | In June, we welcomed over 70 pupils to St Rule for our three 'give it a go' boarding weeks. The pupils had a wonderful time immersing themselves in boarding life, with an action-packed programme of activities including sandcastle building, pizza making, s'mores around the firepit, water fights, film nights, football matches and more. Thanks to Mrs Pennycook and her team for organising and running the weeks. To view a full photo gallery, please click the link below.

National Boarding Week

NATIONAL BOARDING WEEK | Our boarding community loved joining in the nationwide BSA National Boarding Week celebrations last week. From belting out classics at the boarding sing-along to inter-house baking challenges, a pizza party up town, and a sunny dip in the North Sea, it really was a fantastic conclusion to the academic year in boarding at St Leonards!