This was an unannounced inspection which took place onsite on 18 November 2025 between 12:00 and 19:30, 19 November between 08:50 and 19:30, 20 November between 08:50 and 14:00, 24 November between 08:50 and 19:30 and 25 November between 07:50 and 14:00. The inspection was carried out by six inspectors from the Care Inspectorate
Merchiston Castle School Board of Governors
“With the board of governors, I do not think that safeguarding and child protection assumed a high enough priority for some time. I think that would have been the case in quite a few independent schools especially boarding schools. I think boarding schools used to be unintentionally, quite inward looking places. You spend a lot of your time thinking about your colleagues and the students. It is a different ambience to a day school.”—Andrew Hunter, SCAI Witness Statement (17 November 2020)
Headmasters: Andrew Hunter – SCAI Witness Statement (17 November 2020)
Care Inspectorate – Merchiston External Inspection Report (19 September 2019)
All of the detail that is not present here is readily accessible to staff. Why not just have it ready to go in copy and paste format for official reports like this? The reports ask the same questions each time? The school calendar exists already and doesn’t change too much. This report does not put on the record how life at the school is organized, either hour by hour or day by day.
Secrecy row as teacher agrees to be struck off over sex with boys at residential school
A teacher at a £29,000 Scottish residential school has agreed to be struck off after having sex with pupils on the premises. But Scotland’s teaching watchdog has been criticised over the case after it agreed to keep the name of the teacher and school secret.
Care Inspectorate – Merchiston External Inspection Report (29 September 2016)
Care Inspectorate – Merchiston External Inspection Report (30 June 2016)
Merchiston Castle School has ‘room for improvement’
Merchiston Castle School, where the day pupil fees are £21,495 per year, requires additional support according to Education Scotland. The school’s Board of Governors with its newly appointed Chair, Gareth Baird, is to work with the Independent Schools Link Inspector to make further improvements and monitor progress. The latest inspection report demands that the school works on ensuring that pupils feel able to report concerns in a safe environment.
Police inquiry teacher leaves £1m to Edinburgh school
A TEACHER found dead as police investigated claims of “inappropriate conduct” towards pupils left £1 million to the private boys school where he worked. James Rainy Brown, 75, who had taught for 52 years at Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle School, hanged himself at his home after being told of the inquiry into his alleged actions.
Care Commission – Merchiston External Inspection Report (13 March 2007)
The school had recently reviewed their child protection policies and procedures. A governor will be nominated as the Child Protection Representative on the governing board in the near future.
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