Welcome to the website of The Royal High School. We hope the contents will give you an insight into the activities and the values of the school.
The Royal High School is a unique school. Although its actual origins are unknown, the school can justly claim to be one of the oldest in Britain. Its history can certainly be traced back to 1128. Over time the school became identified with the city of Edinburgh and Mary Queen of Scots gave ownership of the school to Edinburgh Town Council. In 1590 James VI gave the school the title "Schola Regia Edinensis" - The Royal High School of Edinburgh.
Over the centuries, the school became known as the "Tounis Scule" and occupied various sites, including the famous building on Calton Hill. It came to its present site in Barnton in 1968.
The school's history has been linked for centuries with the history of Edinburgh and its former pupils number many eminent people, including Sir Walter Scott and Alexander Graham Bell, who have left their mark on Scottish history.
The school of today aims as ever to educate young people to the highest standards of excellence and to become full and active members of the community. We are committed to a positive learning environment where achieving to our potential is central to all we do. Academic attainment is obviously important but we also pride ourselves on creating opportunities for participation in a full range of extra-curricular activities in sport, drama and music.
We are proud of the support the school receives from our parents and the wider school community and do all we can to foster and develop this.
We hope you find our web pages to be informative and interesting. They have been prepared by pupils and staff and are accurate at the time of writing. They will be updated on an ongoing basis and we would appreciate your contributions as well. If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be pleased to help.
George Smuga
Rector