Edinburgh’s leading independent boarding and day school for boys, Merchiston has a long history of delivering the highest standards of education alongside a vibrant school experience.

Key to Merchiston’s enduring success is its genuine focus on the individual. With a high teacher-to-student ratio, Merchiston’s staff come to know each pupil personally, gaining a strong understanding of their unique strengths, motivations and ambitions. With this insight, teachers are able to provide a highly tailored education that addresses potential weaknesses and empowers each student to achieve his personal best, whatever that may look like.

Merchiston Castle SchoolMerchiston Castle School

From Merchiston’s pioneering Entrepreneurship Course for more business-minded students, to its first-class Tennis and Golf Academy, not forgetting the school’s award-winning STEM department, Merchiston’s facilities are designed to bring the most out of students, giving boys the tools and resources to advance their abilities and further their learning goals.

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Outside of the classroom, boys enjoy an extensive extra-curricular programme, ranging from popular sports clubs to specific interest groups. Merchiston’s world-class facilities accommodate a range of activities, be it the drama club that rehearses in the fully equipped modern theatre, or the school choir practising in the Memorial Hall. And, with a beautiful 100-acre woodland campus on their doorstep and the Pentland Hills just a stone’s throw away, pupils can engage in outdoor pastimes such as hiking, running and camping, taking full advantage of the physical and mental health benefits that embracing nature can bring.

Pupils see their full senior education out at Merchiston Pupils see their full senior education out at Merchiston

For boys from farming families, this connection to their rural roots is highly valued. Merchiston’s Young Farmers Society is a thriving club of boys from all year groups, each sharing an interest in agriculture. From volunteering at local farms to hearing from agricultural experts and taking part in agricultural projects, Merchiston offers boys a piece of farming life as they pursue a first-class education. In this way, students develop vital agricultural skills, without compromising their academic studies and all the while building a strong network of like-minded peers.

Studying at Merchiston offers your son a world-leading education, but more than that, it instils in him invaluable life skills and personal qualities that will prepare him for the future. The school's nurturing environment builds confidence, resilience and kindness in young boys, while the highly tailored approach sets students up to succeed in any field they choose. It is this unique combination of conditions that sets Merchiston apart in the independent school sector and positions it as one of Scotland’s top schools for boys.