The Opera Club

The Opera Club aims to introduce pupils to opera, chiefly through trips to Scottish Opera at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow and the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh. We also attend performances of visiting companies and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Dramatic Art; the latter occasion is often a highlight of the season and particularly inspiring in view of the youth, enthusiasm and talent of the cast. Members are usually Sixth Formers, although younger pupils are welcome.

Gladstone Society

The Gladstone Society is the College History Society. Invited speakers visit the College about once a term. Parents are also welcome and do attend. The Fourth and Fifth forms historians recently visited the Nicholas and Alexandra Exhibition in Edinburgh. There is a substantial annual prize offered for a project (which is also open to non-historians). This requires entrants to show initiative, foster their own research and to present an essay on an historical topic of their own choice. Junior entries (which have grown in the last few years) have included topics such as Victorian Britain, David Livingstone, Richard I, General Grant and the Conquest of Everest. Senior Prizes (VIth Form) have included Bloody Mary, Anne Boleyn, The Cold War and the History of Hong Kong.

Cultural Tours

On two or three Sunday afternoons each term a small band of explorers set out to discover Scotland's cultural history. Sometimes this may be physical (Pictish Stones at Meigle), sometimes academic (Innerpeffray Library), often historical (Slains Castle, Dunottar, Dunfermline Abbey, Hopetoun House) or military (Sherrifmuir, Doune Castle). Travellers are usually interested in history, architecture (Linlithgow Castle and Abbey) or the countryside (Dunkeld, Macpherson's Monument, Kingussie) and we often combine all three (as at Rosslyn Chapel). Sixth Formers take priority, but all are welcome.

Lecture Programme

Lectures on general themes take place in the Michaelmas and Lent terms, usually on Tuesday or Thursday evenings, directly after supper. Juniors (Fifth Form and below) generally have two lectures a term, the Sixth Form three or four. In a busy timetable it is better to have a few memorable ones than a routine lecture every week. Recent lectures have been by Murdo Fraser MSP, Dr Richard Simpson MSP, Lord Turner OG, Annabel Goldie the leader of the Scottish Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, Nicol Stephen, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament, Maureen Watt, Minister for Schools and Skills in the Scottish Government, Robin Harper, Co-convenor of the Scottish Green Party and Rory Stewart, author and traveller.

William Bright Society

The WBS was founded by the present Warden and met for the first time in September 2007. The society aims to develop intellectual curiosity and wider awareness, seeking to expand horizons for high-achieving pupils through regular lectures, discussions (which are held in 5 cross-year groups) and extended reading. Pupils join from the Third Form (S2 in Scotland) onwards: the membership list is reviewed termly in the light of the academic performance of all pupils in the College, so that there is a degree of elasticity: some pupils may leave because the additional challenge is proving too much, whilst others may join as they find their confidence and standard of work rising. Members are selected for proven achievement, such as the holding of an academic award or outstanding examination results, or following the advice of teachers or through other evidenced indications of clear potential, motivation and enthusiasm.

Essay Society

Restricted to the Sixth Form, this society is aimed at stimulating discussion at a level aimed at those pupils applying for Oxbridge or Russell Group Universities. Pupils discuss an essay on a specific topic written by one of the number in domestic surroundings. They are expected to argue cogently and coherently enough to contribute to an atmosphere of intellectual curiosity and sustained argument. Occasionally guests from universities are invited to contribute their ideas to a series of interesting topics. Participants are encouraged to read the national daily papers and take an interest in the articles. We aim to have about six to eight meetings a term.