George Watson's College

Today some of our P1s visited Preschool to showcase their excellent reading skills 📖 It was a wonderful way for both year groups to connect in a creative environment and our P1s certainly enjoyed showing their younger peers what they have been learning so far this academic session 🫶 Our Preschoolers will make their way up to P1 next session and loved getting a 'sneak peek' at what to expect! ❤️

Religion & Philosophy encourages pupils to respond to certain religious, moral and philosophical questions through a process of inquiry, debate, analysis and evaluation ⬇️

⛪ 100% A pass rate (N5, Higher & AH RMPS)
⛪ Highest scoring pupil nationally (N5 & Higher Philosophy)

How do we do it? ⬇️

🛕 Invite internationally recognised experts on site to support pupils' learning
🛕 Host a Medical Ethics elective for senior pupils where they meet a current specialist & collaborate with other schools

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

♻️ GREEN FLAG REACCREDITATION ♻️

As part of the initiative, pupils worked with various departments from Catering to Estates to help find solutions on climate action, energy, environmental impacts and food waste 🙌 Across both Junior and Senior Schools, we encourage our pupils to be mindful of the importance of sustainability and how we, as a school, can be as resourceful as possible 😀

Watson's are the only independent school in Edinburgh to offer all four main Business Education subjects: Accounting, Administration & IT, Business Management and Economics...with excellent results to boot! ⬇️

📁 70% A pass rate (Higher Business Management)
📁 95% pass rate (AH Business Management)
📁 100% pass rate (Higher & AH Economics)
📁 2 pupils attained top marks nationally

How do we do it? ⬇️

💼 Syllabus-driven trips to London and Paris
💼 National & regional competitions from Young Enterprise to Tycoon Club
💼 Student-led Politics, Philosophy & Economics Society, presenting and collaborating with guest speakers

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Next week our pupil-led production of 'Antigone' takes to the stage and there are only 20 tickets remaining! 🙌 Our S6 project gives pupils across senior year groups the chance to collaborate on a creative and social level whilst also allowing them a safe space outwith the classroom to build their confidence, self-discipline and leadership skills ⭐ To experience Antigone's story, head over to ➡️ https://bit.ly/AntigonePupilProduction

Music provides pupils with broad practical experience of performing, creating and understanding music - independently or in collaboration with others ⬇️

🎵95% A grades (N5, Higher, AH)
🎵100% A-B pass rate (N5, Higher, AH)
🎵1 pupil achieved the highest mark nationally (N5)

How do we do it? ⬇️

🎶 Opportunities in our Pipes & Drums - the Juvenile World Pipe Band Champions & Novice Juvenile A World Pipe Band Champions
🎶 A vast range of orchestras, bands & ensembles, performing regularly to live audiences
🎶 Involvement in our partnership with Edinburgh Youth Orchestra

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Some of our P2s visited our amazing Design, Technology & Engineering department, bringing to life their 'Magic Materials' topic 😀 They recycled old milk bottles and transformed them into sheets of plastic which they cut into bookmarks 📚 Not only was this a brilliant way for our younger pupils to understand the importance of recycling, it also offered another opportunity for them to experience our facilities across campus 🏫

Modern Studies & Politics follows a multidisciplinary approach to develop pupils' knowledge and understanding of contemporary political and social issues in a variety of contexts ⬇️

✍️ 77% A pass rate (N5 to Advanced Higher Modern Studies)
✍️ 86% A pass rate (Higher Politics)
✍️ 1 pupil achieved the highest mark nationally (Higher Modern Studies)
✍️ 30 pupils went on to study Politics, International Relations or Law related courses at University

How do we do it? ⬇️

📚 Host an annual Crime and Justice conference with 30 schools across Scotland
📚 Enrichment opportunities including Model United Nations, offering first-hand experience of coveted learning situations
📚 An eclectic mix of trips ranging from HMP to the USA

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

At Watson's we encourage our pupils to participate in poetry recitation which is vital for their creativity, confidence, emotional expression and public speaking skills 🙌 Recently, a number of our P7s competed in the Poetry Slam Grand Finals where they recited seven fantastic poems to an audience of over 200 👏 The overall winner was Rebecca, with her brilliant performance of 'Hyena' by Edwin Morgan ⭐ Well done to all our pupils who took part! ❤️

Mathematics is rich and stimulating, developing logical reasoning, analysis, problem solving skills, creativity and the ability to think in abstract ways ⬇️

📐Almost 500 pupils achieved an A-C pass in N5, Higher & AH Maths, AH Mechanics & AH Stats
📐74% achieved an A at Higher Maths
📐11 pupils attained full marks in N5 Math
📐2 pupils achieved the highest mark nationally in AH Maths & AH Statistics

How do we do it? ⬇️

➗ Encourage pupils to take part in external team challenges. This year, four pupils were the winners of the Enterprising Maths in Scotland Final.
➗ Enrichment opportunities beyond the classroom support numeracy & problem solving skills, such as the ever popular Mathleltes!

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Studying History allows pupils to better understand their own communities, their country and the wider world...not to mention some superb results too! ⬇️

📜 100% A-B Pass Rate at AH, with 85% achieved an A
📜 77% of pupils achieved an A at N5

How do we do it?

🏰 S1 workshop on the Scottish Wars of Independence at the Bannockburn Centre
🏰 S3 residential trip to Liverpool, visiting historic sites and the impact of the Atlantic trade
🏰 Invite external professors to lecture and run workshops, furthering knowledge on Japan: the Modernisation of a Nation

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Studying Geography fosters positive life-long attitudes of environmental stewardship, sustainability and global citizenship 👏

⛰️ 75% of pupils achieved an A or B in Higher Geography
⛰️ One of our pupils attained full marks in N5 (the top mark, nationally)

How do we do this? ⬇️

🗺️ S1 participation in map reading and orienteering
🗺️ 23 years of our much anticipated S3 Alps trip
🗺️ A variety of field trips at different levels to enhance practical learning

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

English provides our pupils with language and literacy skills that are of personal, social and economic importance 👏

📚 100% A-C pass rate at N5 (77% achieved an A)
📚 84% attained an A or B at Higher
📚 13 pupils achieved full marks for their Higher Writing Portfolio

How do we do this? ⬇️

📝 S1 participation in debating competitions
📝 Offer an eclectic range of enrichment opportunities focussed on creative writing, graphic novels, anime and even Star Wars!

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Design, Technology & Engineering is a high achieving department, offering 4 different SQA subjects 👏

🪛 Watson’s is one of the few schools to offer Engineering Science through to Advanced Higher
🪛 One pupil achieved the top mark nationally for Higher Design & Manufacture
🪛 Another pupil was the top performing AH Engineering candidate in Scotland

How do we do it? ⬇️

🏁 Participation in enrichment and extracurricular opportunities including Automotive Engineering & Upcycling Club
🏁 Involvement in the Greenpower Racing Team & vintage motorbike restoration project
🏁 Engagement in the First Lego League to support STEM learning and exploration
🏁 30 years of supporting pupils in their Arkwright Engineering Scholarships

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Drama is both practical and analytical with 99 pupils studying certificate drama this year. Our results last session showed ⬇️

🎭 100% A-C pass rate at AH
🎭 96% pass rate at Higher
🎭 76% A at N5 level
🎭 Pupils have gone on to study at RADA, RCS, Guildhall, LAMDA, LIPA, RWSMD & Mountview

How do we do it? ⬇️

⭐ Across our in-house productions, 400+ pupils performed in or crewed for 4 shows in P7-S6
⭐ S3-S6 attend various theatre trips throughout the year
⭐ Pupils have the opportunity to travel to Athens, Corinth and Tolo to take part in Greek Theatre workshops

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

Last week we marked Feel Good February - a week which promotes, supports and celebrates the importance of looking after our pupils' mental health and wellbeing 🫂 As a Rights Respecting School, pupils were encouraged to embody our motto - Ex Corde Caritas (Love from the Heart) and think about our values - Aim High, Be Kind, Respect All and Join In ❤️ Together, pupils immersed themselves in new activities and reflected on the health benefits, whether that be walking with alpacas, petting pygmy goats, embracing team games (including Capture the Flag & Staff vs Pupil Football) or exploring other cultures within our community at numerous pupil-led stalls, Feel Good February remains a highlight of the academic year 👏

Computing Science brings together technology, science & creative digital media with excellent results 👏

💻 83% of pupils achieved an A at Higher
💻 75% attained an A at Nat 5, Higher & AH
💻 14 went on to study computing related courses at university

How do we do it? ⬇️

✅ Offer opportunities in national initiatives including CyberFirst, British Informatics Olympiad & Cyber Advent Calendar
✅ Support additional enrichment activities including Web Development and Python Coding
✅ Enter pupils into the UK Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge to develop logical thinking & problem solving skills (542 participated this year)

Find out more about Academic Achievement at George Watson’s College here ➡️ https://www.gwc.org.uk/unwrappingpotential

We have been celebrating Lunar New Year across the school with various activities including Chinese calligraphy, jianzu (Chinese football) and dancing! 💃 It's been a superb time of celebration and learning, allowing our pupils to respect other cultures and understand the importance of the Year of the Snake 🐍

新年快乐 (Happy New Year!) 🎉