Robert Gordon's College
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| Robert Gordon's College | |
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| Rector | Mr Hugh Ouston |
| Type | Private independent coeducational |
| Location | Schoolhill, Aberdeen, Scotland |
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| Founded | 1750 |
| Motto | OMNI NUNC ARTE MAGISTRA (latin for 'Endowed with every mystery that maketh mastery' or 'Now you should use all your masterly skill') |
| Age Range | 5 - 18 years |
| Primary Years | P1 -P7 |
| Secondary Years | S1 -S6 |
| Pupils | 1500 (approx) |
| Website | rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk |
| enquiries@rgc.aberdeen.sch.uk | |
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Robert Gordon's College (known by the acronym RGC) is a private co-educational day school in Aberdeen, Scotland.
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[edit] History
It originally opened in 1750 as the result of a bequest by Robert Gordon, an Aberdeen merchant who made his fortune from trading with Baltic ports, and was known at foundation as Robert Gordon's Hospital. This was 19 years after Gordon had died and left his estate in a 'Deed of Mortification' to fund the foundation of the Hospital. The fine William Adam-designed building was in fact completed in 1732, but lay empty until 1745 until Gordon's foundation had sufficient funds to complete the interior. During the Jacobite Rising, in 1746 the buildings were commandeered by Hanoverian troops and named Fort Cumberland.
Gordon's aim was to give the poor boys of Aberdeen a firm education, or as he put it to "found a Hospital for the Maintenance, Aliment, Entertainment and Education of young boys from the city whose parents were poor and destitute". At this point all pupils at the school were boarders, but in 1881, the Hospital became a day school known as Robert Gordon's College. Boarding did not return until 1937 with the establishment of Sillerton House. In 1989 RGC became a co-educational school.[1]
The modern school is divided into a Nursery, Junior School, and Senior School, and caters for boys and girls from 4 to 18 years. RGC has long had a reputation as one of the stronger academic schools in Scotland, and follows the Scottish curriculum consisting of Standard Grades in the fourth year, Highers in the Fifth Year, and Advanced Highers in the Sixth Year. In 2006, there was a 90% pass rate at higher, and 35 pupils gained 5+ passes at A grade. 98% of leavers went on to higher education, the majority at Scottish Universities such as St. Andrews, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, but also 10 pupils gaining entry to Oxford and Cambridge.
[edit] Arms and Motto
The Latin motto at the bottom of the coat of arms, Omni nunc arte magistra, is variously translated as "Endowed with every mystery that maketh mastery"[citation needed] (translated by Professor Harrower)[citation needed], "Now you should use all your masterly skill"[citation needed] (perhaps the most straightforward), and more literally, "All now masters of art."[2]
This has been the motto of the College since 1881 when Robert Gordon's College superseded Robert Gordon's Hospital. It is taken from Virgil's Aeneid, Book VIII, line 441, where the words are spoken by the god Vulcan to encourage his workers.
The crest of the Gordons of Pitlurg is on the left of the coat of arms and the crest of the Burgh of Aberdeen is on the right.[3]
[edit] House system
The school operates four houses, to one of which each student is allocated upon entering the school. The houses compete for different sporting and academic trophies throughout the year, and determine each student's form class.
The four houses are:
- Blackfriars - named for the Dominican monks (or black friars due to their garb), that once had a convent adjacent to the school grounds.
- Collyhill - named for Alexander Simpson of Collyhill who bequeathed a large sum of money to the school, which allowed for more boys to join the school.
- Sillerton - The origin of the Sillerton house name is not clear, but it is believed that, in Robert Gordon's lifetime, he was known as Gordon of Silverton (siller being Scots for silver), and on a 1746 map, the school is identified as Sillerton Hospital.
- Straloch - named for Robert Gordon of Straloch, one of the first graduates of Marischal College, studying humanities, mathematics and philosophy.
[edit] Extra-curricular activities
During the 1980s and 1990s Robert Gordon's College developed a powerful reputation for its debating.
In 2002 the College achieved great success in hockey winning the Scottish Reserve Cup, the Scottish School's Cup and the North District League. The success continues at the college as the North District Under 16 and Under 18 squads are heavily made up of RGC players every year.
In golf they have also had considerable success.[citation needed]
RGC has the highest intake of the Duke of Edinburgh candidates in the whole of Scotland - more than twice as many as any other taking part in the award scheme. In 2006, 66 candidates are doing the Gold Award. In contrast, in 2005, Aberdeenshire Council produced only 6 Gold Candidates.[citation needed]
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is also renowned for being one of the best in Scotland[citation needed]. In 2004, the school won the Military Skills Competition in Barry Buddon. This competition allows the top 7 CCF Army sections in Scotland to compete for the trophy. In 2005, they came 2nd. In 2006, they came 3rd.In 2007 they came 2nd.
[edit] Notable alumni
Former pupils include:
- Politician Nicol Stephen[4]
- Journalist and politician Michael Gove[5]
- Two-thirds of Scottish comedy act Scotland the What?, Buff Hardie and George Donald[6]
- Singer Sandi Thom[7]
- Scottish rugby players Chris Cusiter and Stuart Grimes
- Commonwealth gold medal winner David Carry
- Former Manchester United, Aberdeen and Scotland captain Martin Buchan
- Ian Black was a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, and BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1958 at the age of only seventeen. He later returned to RGC as Headmaster of the Junior School.
- Sir Ian Wood, Scottish businessman and Chancellor of the Robert Gordon University
- BBC Radio Scotland presenter Robbie Shepherd
- More recently, former RGC pupil John West has caused a stir in the media by being elected as Depute Provost of Aberdeen at the age of 18.[8][9]
- Aberdeen City Councillor, Kirsty West, elder sister of John West (above). Elected to Aberdeen City Council in 2007, at age 21, and appointed as Education spokesperson. Attracted public notoriety for her involvement in Council funding cuts to local state schools in Aberdeen in 2008, whilst simultaneously holding a position on the Board of Governors at RGC.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ History of RGC
- ^ Webster, J. (2005) The Auld Hoose - The Story of Robert Gordon's College. ISBN 1-84502-051-0
- ^ Arms and Motto of Robert Gordon's College
- ^ Nicol Stephen's MSP site
- ^ '85-'85 Class list
- ^ Webster, J. (2005) The Auld Hoose - The Story of Robert Gordon's College. ISBN 1-84502-051-0
- ^ '97-'98 Class List
- ^ Councillor's Biography - John West
- ^ Guardian Unlimited - Fresh-faced challenge
- ^ Guardian Unlimited - Fresh-faced challenge
[edit] External links
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