Richard Girvan will become Head of Fettes College in September 2026. Discover his first impressions and future horizons as he reflects on his recent visit to Fettes, with his wife, Tessa, and three children.

“Returning to Fettes for Open Day on Saturday 4^th October was a special moment not only for me but also for my family. We were struck both by the warmth of the welcome and by the pride with which pupils, staff, and parents spoke about their school. There was an impressive conviction about the place — a sense of belonging that was both reassuring and inspiring – and it is so clearly a home from home for its pupils.

I had the great pleasure of speaking with a number of current parents who went out of their way to share their pride in the school and how it really is the place it promises to be.

For my three children, who will join Fettes in 2026, it was the day the idea of “moving to a new school” began to feel like the start of something exciting.

For Tessa and me, the day carried the perspective of parents seeing their children’s future unfolding — a day where we felt both reassurance and excitement in equal measure.

As the next Head, it also offered the chance to see the school’s purpose and promise afresh. What stood out most, in addition to the warmth of the welcome, was the absolute clarity of ethos: the commitment to academic excellence, breadth of opportunity, and the development of social responsibility that runs through everything at Fettes.

Everything I have seen of the school to date tells me that Fettes manages to balance ambition with kindness, tradition with progress, individuality with community. Those are qualities that don’t happen by chance; they are the product of culture, of care, and of leadership that knows what it stands for. As I look ahead to joining the school in 2026, I do so with a deepening sense of gratitude and anticipation. Fettes has an extraordinary history and a powerful sense of place, but it also has its eyes firmly on the future:  preparing young people not only for university or the world of work, but for lives of meaning, purpose and fulfilment in a fast-changing world.

The conversations I had on Open Day reminded me that great schools are built not only on fine buildings and strong results, but on shared values and a collective sense of responsibility and community. Fettes clearly has these qualities in abundance, maximising potential with stretch and challenge. As we look to future horizons, it will be a privilege to steer and contribute to the next chapter of its story — as a parent, as a Head, and as part of this remarkable community. I eagerly look forward to getting to know the pupils, parents and staff.”