McLaren High School

Former Pupils’ News September 2020

Message from the Headteacher

Dear Friends of McLaren High School Whilst I do not want to dwell too much upon the unprecedented challenges of recent months, I do want to share with you my admiration for the courage and resilience that all members of the McLaren High School community have demonstrated of late. As we now begin to emerge from the other side of this crisis, we do so in the sure knowledge that those bonds which have been forged in adversity have only served to enrich and intensify our relationships with one and other. We have inspired each other to live with hope and face the future in the sure knowledge that we will emerge from this in a stronger position than ever before. We have not simply survived; we have grown together and thrived together during these most testing of times. I am immeasurably proud of my colleagues and I marvel at their resourcefulness and the compassionate solicitude that they have demonstrated for all of our children. In countless ways, they have revealed the depth of their love for this School. They have moved proverbial mountains during recent months and have done so with grace and kindness. All our teachers have adapted to online teaching incredibly successfully – always seeking to ‘go the extra mile’ in order to maximise learning opportunities for our children. I am proud of them, grateful to them and humbled by them. McLaren High School’s strong academic success was recognised in our ranking of 32nd in the top 50 state secondary schools, published in the Sunday Times. As a small rural school, with a very wide catchment, our academic performance is something we are very proud of. This achievement has been down to the focus and determination of our pupils in the senior phase, furthermore, to the exceptional support provided by their teachers over the academic session. I am very proud of all of our pupils; both in terms of their National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher results, but also the life experiences and co-curricular enrichment activities they have gained whilst here at McLaren High School. We recently revisited our Vision, Values and Aims. In an extensive consultation with pupils, staff and parents we looked closely at what our ambitions were as a School. I am delighted to share these with you.

Our Vision Statement for McLaren High School

To be the very best school that it can be, where young people can learn and succeed; for everyone to be ambitious and to realise their full potential. We want our pupils to love coming to school, to see it as

worthwhile and as a place with excellent opportunities to learn and grow, equipping them with the life skills needed for a successful future.

Our Values: Opportunity; Achievement; Individuality; Community; Equity; Kindness

Our School Aims

Create a safe and happy learning environment that promotes excellence;

Create a climate where everyone is recognised and respected;

Promote Health & Well-being;

Create memories for life;

Promote partnerships with the wider school community. Whilst the closure of schools and the cancellation of exams were the most significant events during last session, there were many other highlights which I hope to give you a flavour of below. Our Annual Awards Ceremony took place in September 2019 and we were delighted to welcome Professor Vee Pollock, a Former Pupil and now Dean of Culture and Creative Arts at the University of Newcastle, who gave the keynote speech in which she encouraged the pupils of McLaren High to take

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agency of their lives, to believe in themselves. A profile of Vee is included later in the Newsletter. Two of our pupils, Flora Duff and Catriona Anderson, performed at the Scottish Association for Music conference, which is a professional body that represents all those involved within music education. Their performance was in opening for Nicola Benedetti. Our Annual Music Festival was a resounding success again this year with many outstanding performances. Sport continued to be a key feature of life at McLaren with pupils participating in swimming, golf, netball, badminton, snow sports, football, rugby, dance and cricket competitions. Pupils have continued to excel in Robotics Competitions. Last session two of our teams won places at International Finals in Thessaloniki, Greece and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Sadly, these competitions were unable to take place due to the ongoing pandemic. Pupils also had opportunities to compete in a range of other activities including debating and the Women in Digital Science competition. In a change to our timetable provision for S1, pupils now have the opportunity to participate in a number of new subjects, one of these being School of Archaeology. During the session, pupils attended a Neolithic dig site near Keltie Bridge where they saw a variety of artifacts and got to see how a real Archaeological dig site actually works. Another new subject is ‘School of Outdoors’ which gives pupils the opportunity to be part of some amazing experiences and connects them to the outdoors giving them an appreciation and respect for wild places. Three S6 pupils from each school in the Stirling Council district attended a Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA) event. The intensive 2-day course provided pupils with a strong understanding of mental health awareness, and a clear knowledge on practical use of Scottish Mental Health First Aid. Throughout February pupils also participated in various events related to ‘Breaking the Stigma’ as part of Children’s Mental Health Week. Sadly several key School excursions were cancelled due to the pandemic. However, earlier in the session pupils enjoyed the annual Outdoor Experience at Loch Eil Outward Bound Centre. This is an established event on our School calendar which pupils and staff look forward to every year. Participating in outdoor activities and working as part of a team, whatever the weather, to undertake challenges has proved to be an invaluable and rewarding experience for all involved. It’s a great way to build relationships between pupils and staff and we believe that everyone should experience life outside the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development. Two pupils from McLaren High School, Eloise Murray and Archie Farquharson, also travelled to Poland as part of an excursion to visit Auschwitz. This was in partnership with the ‘Holocaust Educational Trust’ who work alongside schools and colleges in order to educate about the Holocaust and its contemporary relevance. With very best wishes Marc Fleming Headteacher

Sadly, but for unprecedented reasons, 2020 will go down in history as the year of non-events with most things put on hold! However, the wonders of technology found me chatting on Facebook Messenger to my best friend from my McLaren days on the other side of the world – we would have not believed it was possible back in the day! And we didn’t look any older! As I tried to contact Former Pupils from the late ‘60’s to have a Reunion, it became increasingly obvious that it just wasn’t going to happen. With people emailing me from as far away as Australia, Norway, Falkland (Fife) and nearer to home, the powers that be stepped in and shut everything down. But I hope that we’ll meet again…. (great line for a song…) in 2021 but more likely 2022! Please feel free to email me if I don’t already have your email address and yours will be added to the list for future reunions – beth@pearlcottage.com Stay well and keep yourself safe – after all we’re the ones in the risky age group I’m told – but I for one, don’t feel it – trust you feel the same!

Beth Boyd (nee O’Hare) Class of ‘68

FP Reunions

Swinging classes of ’67, ’68, ‘69

Nancy Crook studied Piano at the RSAMD (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) where she won prizes for Piano, Lieder and Chamber Music and performed two concertos with orchestra. She accompanied in master-classes with Peter Pears and her Trio performed in “Music in Miniature” for BBC television. Later Nancy studied Organ in London, becoming an Associate of the Royal College of Organists. Nancy has appeared all over Scotland as soloist and accompanist to many artists including the vocal quartet Quatrain, and her late husband, Tenor Roger Crook, with whom she performed Arts Guild recitals and broadcasts. Currently Nancy gives organ recitals, most recently at Kirkcaldy Old Kirk and Ayr Town Hall and piano/voice recitals at the Edinburgh Fringe, is Organist at St Leonards Parish Church Dunfermline, Director of the Queen Anne Singers and the Kinghorn Singers. She acts as a freelance accompanist/repetiteur for many Choral Societies, Fife Opera and Music Theatre Companies. She accompanies emerging RCS Artists annually at Glamis Castle Musicale and is a member of the Edinburgh Festival Chorus. In October 2019 Nancy performed piano duets in Naples. In December she accompanied and performed solos for various choirs on organ and piano: Montrose Choral, Fife Opera, Edinburgh Grand Opera, Edinburgh Singers and Palmerston Place Church Choir. In her spare time she is Programme Organiser for the Edinburgh Society of Musicians and gave a piano recital there on 18 January which she was due to repeat at the Edinburgh Fringe to celebrate the 250th year of the birth of Beethoven. Her Queen Anne Singers performed John Cairney's Burns Sangfest in Dunfermline Carnegie Library on 22 January, which was recorded for local radio. To view some of Nancy’s performances please go to:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIibHprcxbjBbQqmv5KlQiw

Nancy Crook

Moira McCormack

I attended McLaren High School from 1967 to 1970 sitting ‘O’ Levels there. I had originally attended the Primary after my parents returned to Scotland from Africa (Zambia), where I was born. They had bought an idyllic little cottage in Kilmahog but a restless father uprooted us again for a spell in England before returning to Perthshire and I started at McLaren High. Not only did I have to deal with a return to Scottish education, I had to acquire a Scottish accent very quickly too. The constant family moves took their toll but I settled and made lifetime friends and did not perform too badly academically. Sheena Stark was our French teacher and our families became close friends. I’m not sure she was ever impressed by my language abilities, but in her retirement I was able to take her to our house in France which she loved. She would have been proud of me now – I got rather good at French. Mr Crichton was our Latin teacher. He was a delightful man – patient and gentle – too much so as I don’t remember being the best behaved, but I will forever be grateful for that firm grounding, with all the teaching of anatomy I have done since. I enjoyed a highlight with Mr Connell, our English teacher, after whom the library is named. I won joint first for the Sir Walter Scott prize with his son Douglas – a great achievement, I thought at the time. Mr Connell had shrewd ways of inspiring us now that I look back. Douglas and I have known each other since primary and remain firm friends. Bill Stark was Head of Art and while I did not choose the artistic route, I have two of his beautiful and gentle water colours which were given as a wedding present. Since my upbringing in Africa I had always studied classical ballet and although we lived in the countryside my mother drove me to Glasgow every Saturday afternoon for ballet classes. Although I couldn’t manage school sports as well, I did manage to fit in a riding lesson with Lesley Stark, another lifelong friend. I was encouraged to audition for the Royal Ballet School (RBS) in London which I did, thinking that I should at least take the chance. Mr Alexander, the Physics teacher, thought it was a ridiculous idea and could not see the point of ballet. Considering I was not very good at Physics, I was surprised he even had an opinion. I still regret not being able to let him know it was not all in vain and I eventually did choose Science. I was sad to hear when he died at such a young age. After two auditions, I was accepted at RBS and my school days ended. Suddenly I was living in London in a very different and international environment – very foreign to someone who only then started to appreciate the beauty and the peace of the Trossachs. I did go on to dance professionally with the Royal Ballet and travelled the world. However, my Scottish education never let me down as after my dance career I studied Physiotherapy and have been a dance specialist for many years now, working with professional and vocational dancers. I am currently completing a PhD at University College London. My years at McLaren High were formative and the teachers inspiring, but I have lost my Scottish accent which I very much regret.

It was a real honour to return to McLaren High last autumn to give the keynote speech at the Awards Ceremony. It was the first time I’d been back since leaving, and it was great to see all of the changes around the School and to hear about the amazing achievements of the students. I was there due to a rather serendipitous sequence of events – I had tweeted about my pride in attending a school that had encouraged and supported both artistic and scientific endeavours - and that still does. This matters to me because since leaving McLaren and doing an Art History degree at St Andrews, I’ve ended up as the Dean of Culture and Creative Arts at Newcastle University. The opportunity to work with incredibly talented colleagues, many of whom are world leaders in their fields, and to see curious, creative and immensely gifted students realise their potential is a real privilege but one, in the English education system at least, is under threat due to the approach to education put forward by the government. I strongly believe that all young people have the right to participate and enjoy cultural and creative activity whatever they end up doing in their lives, and that schools have a crucial role to play in enabling these opportunities. The tweet was picked up by the team at McLaren and the invitation followed. Sitting thinking about what to tell a group of young people making decisions that, at the time, seem pretty momentous, is a tough gig. I settled on what I, looking back, would have told my 14 year-old-self: to think possibility, to follow your heart, to never be afraid of hard work, to never be afraid of risk or failure, and to be bold. In many ways, the tide of influence now is with the teenage generation, and when they can wield that power wisely the world can change. It’s great now being in a position where I can help young people find their voices and encourage their passions. The journey to this point started when I was at McLaren – a values-led school, which encourages and enables its pupils, and in its walls has many influential role models amongst the students and staff.

More information about Vee can be found at https://netimesmagazine.co.uk/editorial/10-questions-vee-

pollock/

Vee Pollock

The Connell Carpe Diem Award was established in 2016 by Douglas Connell, a Former Pupil of McLaren High School. Douglas attended McLaren High School from 1966 until 1971 before studying law and having a 40 year career as a lawyer in Scotland. The purpose of the Connell Carpe Diem Award is to enable two S6 pupils each year to undertake a project which would in some way be life-changing or life-enhancing through a grant of £500 each. Items which would be considered for funding would include costs associated with:

undertaking work experience or voluntary work, including voluntary work overseas (for example transport costs/equipment costs)

implementing an enterprise activity

implementing a project to help an individual, the school or wider community

learning a new skill The successful applications in 2020 were:

To provide funding to a pupil to purchase IT equipment for a College course they are undertaking in

2020/21

To provide funding to a pupil looking to develop a business they have already set up and looking to

expand further whilst in S6

The Connell Carpe Diem Award

Brendan Adey

Some people grab life by the scruff of the neck and regard the journey as a chance to embrace any challenges in their path. Brendan Adey was one of these redoubtable characters who never stopped searching for adventures on and off the rugby pitch, whether foraging in the forwards with Aberdeen GSFP, teaching generations of youngsters in the Granite City, or jumping on his Harley Davidson and zooming into the great blue yonder. A natural born thrill-seeker, his friends and colleagues have been left shocked by the news of Adey’s death at just 65. But they have also painted a vivid picture of the manner in which the former Head Boy at McLaren High School in Callander made an immediate impression on his contempories at Jordanhill College in Glasgow and subsequently blazed a lustrous trail after arriving in the north east in the 1970s. His story is a throwback to the days before rugby embraced professionalism and it allowed Adey to pursue several different interests outside the classroom. A signed-up member of the have-passport-will-travel school of roaring boys, he had a passion for writing, exploring, occasionally indulging in white-knuckle experiences – including running with the bulls in Pamplona – and generally adhering to the philosophy that you only live once, so you might as well enjoy yourself. He joined the staff of Aberdeen Grammar School in 1976 as a PE teacher, a role which he fulfilled for more than two decades. With a passion for all sport, he excelled as a rugby and football mentor, and his talents were recognised in his appointment as head coach of the regional Caledonian schools rugby initiative, whereby he encouraged youngsters from all ages and backgrounds to pick up the ball and run with it. That enthusiasm for wider sport also led to several working trips to the United States during holiday periods and he participated in some basketball coaching in Ohio. Jim Rae, the immediate past president of Aberdeen Rugby, affectionately recalled his friend as a trailblazer who was more interested in the trail than the blazer. He said: “Brendan was fascinated by the impact of mindset on the performance of sportspersons and players. After leaving the school, his applied thinking and insights became the core of a career redirection. “As well as individual clients, he spent time with the juniors at Aberdeen FC, during the Jimmy Calderwood management era, and was ahead of his time in understanding the importance of sports psychology. “He was a keen rugby player at what was then the Aberdeen GSFP club at Rubislaw, and his favoured role was as a destructive back row forward. “With his professional background, he latterly also acted as coach, introducing new concepts prior to the arrival of All Black, John Fleming as head coach.

Obituaries

“He also particularly enjoyed the social side of rugby and was a key participant in the team’s tours, notably to Houston, Texas and Orkney Sevens. “His loss will be felt across a much wider sporting community, where his insights and irrepressible enthusiasm developed participants at all levels and age groups.” Adey’s inquisitive nature took him to all corners of the globe while he continually embraced physical challenges and broadened his knowledge. Latterly, he returned to secondary education in the City and Shire on a short-term contract basis, reigniting his passion for developing the potential of many youngsters, whilst maintaining his wider portfolio of social and business involvements. An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: “Brendan Adey was a highly respected professional teacher who was passionate about sport and passionate about learning. He devoted his career to developing and challenging his pupils to be all they could be. Throughout his distinguished career, he was a dedicated sports coach and provided countless opportunities for pupils to play and enjoy team sports such as rugby and basketball. He also loved to provide challenging extra-curricular activities such as juggling and unicycling.” There is no doubt that he will be missed by generations of youngsters who benefitted from his irrepressible, infectious attitude. Somebody remarked last week: “Brendan was 65, coming on 26 and so young at heart. There are so many of us who owe an awful lot to his efforts and expertise.” It’s a fitting tribute to a genuinely blithe spirit.

Thank you to Neil Drysdale of the Press & Journal for permission to reproduce this obituary,

which first appeared in the Press & Journal on 5 May 2020.

David Hay

David Hay passed away in early June 2020 as a result of the complications of a stroke. He had suffered from Multiple Sclerosis for many years. He was 67. David was initially raised in Eaglesham, Renfrewshire before his parents moved to Gartmore where they ran the post office. They later moved to Kinlochard. David and I were in the same year at McLaren 1966-1972 and we were to become life-long friends. At school, David was good at English, languages and geography. He was terrible at all sports and had no interest in them except Rugby. He also struggled with Maths and was always very appreciative of Mrs Tweedie who successfully steered him through the O Grade in 6th year. From 6th year he moved to London in August 1972 to undertake management training with the publisher Hodder & Stoughton. In the 4 years he did this, he worked at The Lancet and Punch among others while training as an editor. He loved living in London and many year later, he and I enjoyed several day trips “up to town” whenever he came to stay with us in Oxfordshire. One of the great hallmarks of David was that he loved to talk to everyone! So just going into a shop could take a considerable time! In 1976 he returned to Scotland to take an MA in English at Edinburgh University and decided to become a librarian. He retained a life-long love of Edinburgh. One of his highlights in Edinburgh was playing the part of an extra in the movie “Chariots of Fire”, he raked the long jump pit! Around 1984/5 David trained as a Librarian at Strathclyde University and as a part of this programme spent some time in Chicago. He then worked at Wolverhampton College of Further Education. By the 1990s his MS had become a real issue and he took early retirement, moving to Glasgow where he became a tenant of the Margaret Blackwood Housing Association. He continued this with his move to Netherton in the late 90s and was an active non-executive Director of the Association for a number of years. He was also involved in an adult literacy project for several years. David had a great sense of humour, a massive laugh and was addicted to drinking tea. He was interested in religion, literature, politics and travel. His love of travel was stimulated by Rambling Club trips to Switzerland and France. He was widely read and a general font of knowledge. He took great interest in the lives of others especially my children and was always interested to know about their studies and careers. He had an eclectic circle of friends and could spend hours on the phone to them. Before his health became poor, he and I used to chat for at least an hour every week. David always lived alone and is survived by his sister Joanne Scott.

Robert MacPherson

Alastair Thorburn

Imagine an ‘Understanding SQA Exam Standards’ event and there were, at least, 300 Art teachers from every part of Scotland in a giant auditorium. John Grant, who had been the Principal Assessor of the ‘Higher Art and Design’ marking team ‘forever’, ended the seminar with a set of slides. He believed that the project displayed exemplified everything that was special about the Art created within Scottish schools. There on the screen was a project from McLaren High School, not mine but Alastair’s. To paraphrase Grant’s description of the project on the screen. ‘The displayed work was a combination of Portraiture and Still Life and this, in itself, made it aspirational but it had more than that. There was an enquiring element within the outcomes, where every possibility within the use of materials and creative possibilities of composition had been explored within a controlled context. This had resulted in an outcome that was memorable and had the special magic that was ART.’ The entire ensemble applauded and I was disappointed for Alastair that he had not witnessed this accolade but it tells us everything about the man, quietly there, a support and also an inspiration. The McLaren student whose work had been showcased was super talented, and never to take away from her abilities, but it was Alastair’s direction that had developed her project into a 95% plus grade. Outwith his success within examination procedures, McLaren High School was the very fortunate recipient of his creative talents for around 40 years, 23 years of this working in a team with me. Another strong remembrance of Alistair’s dedication to ‘Art for Art’s sake’ was within my second round of McLaren’s production of ‘Les Miserables, However for Alastair, how many school shows had he seen? There he was, within the dress rehearsal, hanging upside down on a scaffold doing the final snagging paintwork. Alastair continually contributed to the extracurricular side of McLaren, giving and giving, right up and into his late 60s. Alistair came to the school as part of a particular set of very committed staff who arrived as young teachers and sustained the School throughout their entire teaching life. They have memories of him arriving into school as Crocodile Dundee at the very first Mufti days and the papier mache croc itself lived on for years, crushing an empty can of Castlemains XXXX within its jaws. Many pupils have memories of their first horse riding experiences with Alastair during Activities days, he continued to run this activity for around 20 years. I have memories of him being very proactive in all the School Shows, creating wonderful fantasy design units with senior pupils, playing his guitar at lunchtime, developing and sharing his computer graphics skills with our teaching team and students and making us laugh at graphic jokes created on his Apple Mac (including the image on the next page). An unsung hero at times and a man always consistent in his love for his subject. A brilliant Art Teacher, Mr Thorburn I commend you.

Aileen Green, former PT Art & Design, McLaren High School

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