The Mary Erskine School
Encyclopedia
The Mary Erskine School, popularly known simply as "Mary Erskine's" or "MES" for short, paired with the all boys school Stewart's Melville College
is an all girls independent
secondary school in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. It has a roll of around 700 pupils.
The school was founded as a hospital school
in 1694 as the Merchant Maiden Hospital by Mary Erskine and the Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh
. In 1870, it was refounded as a day school
and renamed as the Edinburgh Educational Institution For Girls. The school was renamed again to Edinburgh Ladies' College in 1889, and to its present name, the Mary Erskine School, in 1944.
The majority of its pupils live in the surrounding area (Edinburgh
, Lothian
and Fife
) but boarding facilities are available. The school can cope with up to 40 boarders, including boys from Stewarts Melville College. The school is non-denominational but claims to have a broadly Christian
outlook.
The strong community sense and balanced education are two of the school's defining features. The pupils are encouraged to participate in some of the many extra-curricular activities, such as choir, hockey club and debating. Assemblies are held once a week in the main hall.
The school is linked with Stewart's Melville College
(SMC) – an all boys independent secondary school which is located approximately one mile (2 km) from the MES campus. Together MES and SMC have a co-educational Junior School which caters for pupils from 3 to 11 years old. The Junior School is split between the MES campus and the SMC campus. There is also a nursery school which feeds into the Junior School. Both MES and SMC are managed by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh
which is also responsible for the city's George Watson's College
.
Although the school is single sex, many activities, although not teaching, are carried out jointly with the boys from SMC. The sixth year of the school is largely co-educational, partially as an attempt to wean the children into a mixed sex world and partially to increase the pupil roll so a wider variety of subjects may be offered.
Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College is an all boys boarding and day private school situated in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland...
is an all girls independent
Independent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
secondary school in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It has a roll of around 700 pupils.
The school was founded as a hospital school
Hospital school
A hospital school is a school operated in a hospital, generally a children's hospital which provides instruction to all primary and secondary grade levels. These schools help children regain academic progress during periods of hospitalization or rehabilitation...
in 1694 as the Merchant Maiden Hospital by Mary Erskine and the Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh
Merchant Company of Edinburgh
The Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh, also known as the Merchant Company of Edinburgh or just the Merchant Company, is a livery company of the City of Edinburgh, originally founded in order to protect trading rights in the City of Edinburgh, which also carries out a significant amount...
. In 1870, it was refounded as a day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
and renamed as the Edinburgh Educational Institution For Girls. The school was renamed again to Edinburgh Ladies' College in 1889, and to its present name, the Mary Erskine School, in 1944.
The majority of its pupils live in the surrounding area (Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Lothian
Lothian
Lothian forms a traditional region of Scotland, lying between the southern shore of the Firth of Forth and the Lammermuir Hills....
and Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
) but boarding facilities are available. The school can cope with up to 40 boarders, including boys from Stewarts Melville College. The school is non-denominational but claims to have a broadly Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
outlook.
The strong community sense and balanced education are two of the school's defining features. The pupils are encouraged to participate in some of the many extra-curricular activities, such as choir, hockey club and debating. Assemblies are held once a week in the main hall.
The school is linked with Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College
Stewart's Melville College is an all boys boarding and day private school situated in the heart of Edinburgh, Scotland...
(SMC) – an all boys independent secondary school which is located approximately one mile (2 km) from the MES campus. Together MES and SMC have a co-educational Junior School which caters for pupils from 3 to 11 years old. The Junior School is split between the MES campus and the SMC campus. There is also a nursery school which feeds into the Junior School. Both MES and SMC are managed by the Merchant Company of Edinburgh
Merchant Company of Edinburgh
The Company of Merchants of the City of Edinburgh, also known as the Merchant Company of Edinburgh or just the Merchant Company, is a livery company of the City of Edinburgh, originally founded in order to protect trading rights in the City of Edinburgh, which also carries out a significant amount...
which is also responsible for the city's George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
.
Although the school is single sex, many activities, although not teaching, are carried out jointly with the boys from SMC. The sixth year of the school is largely co-educational, partially as an attempt to wean the children into a mixed sex world and partially to increase the pupil roll so a wider variety of subjects may be offered.