Our summer term and academic year ended with a wonderful Founder’s Eve Concert and Founder’s Day celebrations - a fitting farewell to our 2024 leavers.

Those attending the Founder’s Eve Concert on Friday were treated to an evening of outstanding music and song, which included a solo rendition of ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’, the upbeat singing of Backstreet Boys and other music, and a range of musical instruments played with great skill.

In a packed marquee on the Queen’s Lawn on Saturday 29^th June our Head, Mrs Helen Harrison, gave her Founder’s Day address reflecting on an outstanding year of many successes and achievements for our students. Mrs Harrison also spoke about the core values of aiming high and giving back accompanied by attributes of curiosity, creativity and kindness examining what they look like when embodied in the lived experience of Fettesians today, especially the leavers of 2024, saying to them “As third formers you had no idea of your limits, no finished view of yourselves as fully-formed characters, and as you now leave Fettes - having embraced a wide range of opportunities and pushed yourselves beyond what you ever thought you could achieve – you are ready to trust yourselves  to go on aiming high in all aspects of your lives beyond school.”

The Rt Hon Lady Morag Wise, Chair of Governors,  introduced the Guest of the Day – OF Lorne Balfe (JS, GL 1987-1995) – who shared moving and motivational stories of his time at Fettes and how at a young age he realised his passion for music and a determination to practice and persist towards a career in music composition, which has included the music for blockbuster films such as Top Gun: Maverick, Mission Impossible: Fall Out and Black Widow. In bringing his speech to a close he reminded us all never to forget the importance of gratitude – for what we can achieve, and to tell others how much we appreciate them and the roles they play in our lives.

Following the presentation of prizes for outstanding achievements, and an entertaining rendition of The Vive-La by Heads of School Jayden A and Pippa K, all were in good voice in the singing of Floreas Fettesia which concluded the morning’s proceedings.

Founder’s Day 2024 came to a perfect close in the afternoon with our Pipe Band brilliantly Beating Retreat on the Head’s Lawn in glorious sunshine.

View official photographs (on Flickr) of the Founder’s Eve Concert here and Founder’s Day here