Latest Additions - New Alumni E Newsletter - D.Dempster MBE - Burns Supper 2025 - School 120th Anniversary Event -
Welcome to the website for the Boroughmuir FPA
1913 to 2018
A tale of two buildings. The old and the new. The one below was opened in 1913 and has served the school well for 104 years. It has provided many fond memories for a lot of former pupils and staff. A fond farewell from all of us who passed through your hallowed gates.
2018 onwards
But times move on and a new generation of pupils and staff will experience the state of the art facilities of the new building below from 2018 onwards. No doubt they will continue to maintain the strong reputation that the school has earned over the past century.
New Alumni E Newsletter Launch
Our brand new Alumni Newsletter is out now!! Sign up for future editions to keep up with all of the gossip and hear about forthcoming events: https://tinyurl.com/bfpa-alumnisignup
You will find inside news and video clips about past events as well as details about proposed future events organised not only by the BFPA and the school but other groups and clubs within the Boroughmuir Family. We also encourage recipients to contribute news articles/videos for future editions which are hoped to be published quarterly. If this E Newsletter motivates you to put something back into the school that gave you a sound educational foundation then we would be delighted to welcome you as a member of the BFPA, the official FP link to the school. We have privileged access to school through allocated spaces at special events as well as being able to organise reunion event school tours and subsidise pupil attendance at specific events – see Membership tab on left hand side of this page.
We do hope you find this E Newsletter initiative very useful and informative. If you do, then please share this newsletter and spread the word amongst the classmates you are still in touch with and encourage them if they have not already done so to sign up to receive copies of future editions by sharing the above sign up link.
NB your details will not be used for any other purpose or shared with third parties.
David Dempster MBE
A proud moment for ex-Head Teacher, David Dempster, at the investiture for his MBE conducted by HRH, The Princess Royal, on the 4th March 2025 at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. He has also been invited to the King's Garden Party in May at Buckingham Palace. A great honour for him and the school.
David has been awarded the MBE for his services to Scottish Education. This followed a submission to the Scottish Honours Office by the BFPA in recognition of not only David’s service to Boroughmuir High School but also his service to Scottish Education in general.
120th School Anniversary Dinner - Friday, 29th November 2024
The School and the Former Pupils’ Association joined forces to organise the dinner to mark this momentous milestone, held at Canalside, Meggetland. Staff, pupils, parents, former pupils, and local councillor Christopher Cowdy assembled to enjoy an evening of reflection and conviviality.
New Headteacher, Kate Fraser, greeted the assembly with a warm welcome, The top team of pupils followed with short speeches echoing the Head Teacher’s sentiments about high academic standards, a spirit of mutual support and wide opportunity.
Douglas Johnston, FP Association Vice President, praised the teaching staff of the School, past and present, cited the names of many illustrious alumni, bemoaned the muddy pitches of Meggetland of yore and congratulated members of the Basketball Club of the 1960s, several present, for winning countless schools’ and men’s cups and representing Scotland and Great Britain.
Video messages were beamed in from far and wide including those from the BBC’s North America Editor Sarah Smith, former pupils from Canada and New Zealand, Dr Richard Henderson, 2017 Nobel Prize Winner for Chemistry, David Dempster previous Headteacher and Ken Edwards, President of the Boroughmuir FP Association. THe Head Girl read out a heartfelt written tribute to the School by 96-year-old William Duncan. Kate Fraser ended her speech with the call to arms “Together, we are creating something extraordinary”.
Head Teacher Kate Fraser with Councillor Christopher Cowdy
Sarah Smith video message from Washington
Senior Pupils' speeches
Former Head Tom Dalgleish with Senior pupils
Former pupil title winning Basketball players
Historic Photo of 4 Head Teachers of Boroughmuir High School
An historic photo of 4 generations Boroughmuir HS Head Teachers taken at the120th School Anniversary Event held in the school on Thursday, 26th September 2024. Right to left - Tom Dalgleish, Jack Hamilton, David Dempster and latest incumbent, Mrs Kate Fraser, who presented her predecessors with a commemorative medal. Historical list of the 10 Heads over the last 120 years are -
- John King, 1904-1906
- Alexander Hutcheson, 1906-1921 Bruntsfield (1906-13) and Viewforth, (1913-21)
- Donald Maclean, OBE, 1921-1943
- Thomas J. Cunnison, 1943-1946
- Robert L.S. Carswell, 1946-1967
- Lewis L. Romanis, 1967-1982
- T.W. Dalgleish, 1982-2000
- Jack Hamilton, 2000-2013
- David C. Dempster, 2013-2024
- Kate Fraser, 2024-
120th Anniversary Event of Boroughmuir High School
Head Teacher retiring - successor appointed
David Dempster
After 35 years of teaching at Boroughmuir High School including Head Teacher for 11 years plus 2 years Acting Head; 6 years depute/senior depute;16 years class teacher/head of department our long serving Head, David Dempster, has decided to call it a day and retire at the end of the 2023/4 Summer Term this August.
He will be sorely missed but leaves a tremendous legacy of success during his time at Boroughmuir and particularly as Head Teacher having to cope with not only the Covid crisis but also a very challenging school building move. We wish him a very long, happy and fulfilling retirement.
New Head Teacher
We are delighted to announce that Kate Fraser has been appointed as the new Headteacher of Boroughmuir High School. We congratulate her in becoming the first woman Head Teacher in Boroughmuir's illustrious history.
Mrs Fraser is a substantive Depute Headteacher at the Royal High School but has been acting Headteacher since January 2024 at Portobello High School. We look forward to welcoming Mrs Fraser to Boroughmuir as Head Teacher in August and to continuing to work with her in developing the BFPA for the benefit of current and former pupils.
2023 Edition of Old School Ties magazine
The latest issue of the FP magazine was sent out to all members at the beginning of 2024. It has great content and is free to all BFPA members. It was printed without the knowledge of Mr Dempster's impending retirement so was very timely to feature him on the front page.
If you’d like to have a copy and enjoy the other benefits of being a member of the association (only £15 p.a. at the moment) then click on the membership tab on the left of this page for details of how to join.
Grand FP OpenEvening 21st September 2023
Professor Alice Brown, CBE
Jim Fleming, MBE
Head Teacher David Dempster
BEST STATE SCHOOL IN EDINBURGH - S.TIMES GUIDE 2023
Extract from article in Edinburgh Evening News Feb '23.
"The Sunday Times has released a league table of the top achieving schools in Scotland. Eight schools in Edinburgh made the list, including one of the Capital’s oldest schools. The rankings were based on teacher assessed grade data from 2021. Here are the top eight schools in according to the Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2023.
No 1. Boroughmuir High School is the best state secondary in Edinburgh. The school, which moved to a new building in 2018, was ranked sixth overall in the 2023 Parent Power Schools Guide for Scotland.
BFPA Business Breakfast - 25th November 2022
Following the relaxation of Govt Covid guidelines we held, after a two year absence, the 2nd BFPA Business Breakfast event for around 100 economics pupils on Friday, 25th November 2022 in the school theatre. Our inspirational Guest Speaker was former pupil, Ally Scott, Head of Strategy and Transactions and UK&I Managing Partner for EY Scotland who gave our pupils some of his insights into business success. Ally then answered some insightful pupil questions from the floor There were 10 tables of 10 pupils each hosted by designated FPs who gave their own views on their career best practice. The event started at 7am and finished on time at 8.30am, allowing pupils to go to their classes fully nourished after a tasty breakfast.
Limited Print Offer of old School Building
The BFPA commissioned this limited edition print of the old school building by one of our members, Richard Digance, who attended Boroughmuir from 1958 to 1964. Richard wanted to attend Art School, however, he was directed towards a career in the financial sector, but his enjoyment of art never left him. When time permitted after retiral, Richard took the opportunity to develop his artistic talent and we are privileged to make available this example of his work, which we sincerely hope will be a popular purchase for our former pupils and others closely connected with the school. Richard has kindly agreed to donate the sale profits to the work of the BFPA in supporting school extra curricular projects.
Limited edition prints size A4 on A3 backing are available at a cost of £40. The painting can be viewed in a properly framed format on Richard’s website at www.richard-digance.pixels.com but if you would like to order an individually signed and numbered copy (limited to 100) of this special and unique print then please email Richard direct on rchdig@aol.com or ring him on 0131 574 5586.
Old School Bell saved for the new school
You may have seen this article in EEN about the old building school bell which was saved thanks to the efforts of the BFPA.
"Housebuilder Arrives with Bells On at Boroughmuir
- Small piece of history returned to Boroughmuir High School by CALA -
A local high school in Edinburgh has been presented with the original 1930s school bell discovered in the property restoration of its previous home in Viewforth. During the sensitive refurbishment of the former Boroughmuir High School building, the CALA Homes (East) construction team rescued the artefact and has now gifted it to the new school.
CALA delivered and presented the bell to pupils and David Dempster, Headteacher of Boroughmuir High School at the new premises, where it will sit pride of place in school’s display cabinet dedicated to the school’s history.
Speaking after receiving the bell, David Dempster, said: “We’re delighted that CALA has recognised and restored this significant part of our school’s long history. The bell will remain with us as a reminder to all of our staff and pupils of the past.”
A Grade B listed building, the former Boroughmuir High School was occupied from 1913 and was one of the first in Edinburgh to use steel frame architecture.
The large school bell was installed in the elevated tower and was used to mark the end of classes until February 2018 when the move was made to the new location at the bottom of Viewforth where the road meets Dundee Street.
The recovered bell was produced in 1938, as is inscribed around the body, by specialist bell casters and hangers in Glasgow and Edinburgh, John Bryden & Sons."
Boroughmuir High School – Sunday Times Scottish State Secondary School of the Year 2018
We are delighted that Boroughmuir has been named as the Sunday Times Scottish State Secondary School of the Year 2018. There are 360 state secondary schools in Scotland. To be named as Scottish State Secondary School of the Year for the 2nd time in 6 years is a wonderful accolade for the school and reflects on the incredible hard work and commitment that all our staff, pupils, parents, former pupils and partners put into making our school the great school that it is.
We should all be very proud indeed. Thank you all.
David Dempster
Head Teacher
Congratulatory letter from the Rt Hon Lord Provost of the City of Edinburgh attached.
Official Opening of New School Building by Scottish Higher and Further Education Minister
The formal opening of the new school took place on Wednesday, 13th June 2018 at 11am.
About This Article
EDINBURGHNEWS.SCOTSMAN.COM
New Boroughmuir High School officially opened
The new Boroughmuir High School was officially opened at a special ceremony by the Minister for Higher and Further Education and Science Shirley-Anne Somerville today.
Nobel Prize Winning Former Pupil conducts Masterclass for Science Pupils
On Thursday 7th June 2018, former pupil Dr Richard Henderson (leaver 1962) visited the school.
He is a joint recipient of the Nobel prize for Chemistry 2017.
Dr Henderson was given a tour of the new school and then had lunch with the Head teacher and some staff as well as members of the BFPA committee, one of whom was in his year group.
He then addressed some 240 senior science pupils about his journey to becoming a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry before conducting a science master class with about 50 Advanced Higher science pupils.
Dr Henderson was then invited to be the Head's guest of honour at the school's annual awards ceremony in the evening and as well as making an address to the audience, he presented the Molly T Hope award to the Senior School Champion.
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Year Group Champions
We are still looking for more Year Group champions to organise reunions with their classmates.
We currently have 8 “champions” and would be keen to hear from more FPs, particularly from the 1970s onwards. We can give help and guidance on how to go about tracing former Year Group classmates.
If you are interested please go to the Contact Us menu on the website.
