Foundation

We are delighted to introduce you to The Compass School Foundation which has been established as a trust with charitable status. Its board and committee are representative of the whole Compass community: the parents; teaching staff; the Board of Governors and we hope, in time, former pupils.

The aim of the Foundation is to draw together all those who have affection for the School to share its vision for the future and to explore ways in which they can offer their support to continually develop the School.

The Compass is now almost forty years old and since its inception the School and its reputation has gone from strength to strength.

Academically, its pupils enjoy a wide-ranging and balanced curriculum achieving a high level of attainment which sees them welcomed at leading day and boarding schools throughout the country. Children enjoy ever-increasing opportunities in music, drama, art, sport and outdoor education as they progress through the school. Musical productions, competitive sport and expeditions within Scotland and beyond are all part of life at The Compass School.

However, The Compass School is one in which is continuously looking forward to the challenges of education in a new millennium. We continually have to improve our facilities as we aim to consistently provide the very best in primary education.

The Foundation aims to support the School financially to meet its long-term plans and ambitions, by assisting in capital projects which will enhance the quality of education for Compass pupils in the years to come. The School must continue to build on its reputation as a centre of excellence in education.

We also seek to ensure that the benefits of a Compass School education are not restricted to those families which can meet the financial commitment. There are many children who would positively contribute to and benefit form The Compass experience, yet their families would require assistance in terms of scholarships or bursary funding to allow them to attend. The Compass Foundation aims to help those pupils - and to offer temporary support to families who encounter financial difficulties during a pupil’s time at school.

Our hope is that The Compass School will continue to give children the same rich opportunities which it has offered to so many in the past. The Compass School Foundation will ensure that this continues to happen.

The Launch of The Compass School Foundation

Friday 11 May saw the official launch of The Compass School Foundation at Prestonhall and, during the months of planning, few could have imagined that we would have had such a perfect night for the occasion.


With Prestonhall looking at its magnificent best, guests were met by pipers from Loretto School who heralded them into the house and thereafter to the champagne reception in the garden at the rear where musicians from St George’s entertained the gathering. We were delighted to find so many Compass former pupils among our musicians for the night.

With the master of ceremonies, David Clark, setting the scene, speeches from Mr Salvesen, Chairman of the Board of Governors, and Mark Becher, the Headmaster, were followed by the main part of the evening - the dinner itself. The regal surroundings were complemented by the beautifully decorated tables.

A delicious meal was enjoyed by all and diners would have been most impressed by the incredibly efficient operation which was taking place behind the scenes.

Finally the main auction conducted by Leonard Harper-Gow, took place - by this time we had all moved into the one room as the bidding became fast and furious.

As the evening drew to a close we were able to reflect on a highly successful evening indeed - not only in financial terms but in the manner in which the evening brought together so many members of the school community in such happy and convivial circumstances.

The total of £15000, raised so far has exceeded all our expectations and has ensured that the Foundation has got off to a flying start. We are already able to contemplate the prospect of making early progress in one of the School development projects, information about which is contained in the Foundation folders copies of which are available from the School Office.

There are so many people to thank from our sponsors and those who contributed so kindly to our auction; to the committee who organised such a successful evening; to Major and Mrs Callander who provided us with a stunning venue for our launch; to all the many parents, friends and staff who supported the event and bid so generously at the auctions.

Having launched the Foundation on such a sound footing, we now look forward to the months ahead when future events and activities are planned.