Famous British Boarding School searches for German child to take up scholarship

A famous British boarding school which has educated three generations of the UK Royal Family is offering a scholarship to an exceptional German school pupil who shows great potential to contribute to the world.

The right candidate will be offered the life-changing opportunity of a subsidised place at the £40,000-per-year boarding school. They will spend the last two years of their schooling (up to the age of 18) at the school which recently featured in the hit series ‘The Crown’ on Netflix.

The lucky pupil will not only be following in the footsteps of the British Royal Family, but also Nobel prize-winners, Olympians, business leaders and hundreds of influential alumni by attending the school which is situated in the Highlands of Scotland.

Principal of the school, Lisa Kerr, said,

“This is an incredible opportunity for a really exceptional young person. We are looking for someone who is not only academically gifted but who has a sense of adventure and is ready for a challenge. They should be compassionate and empathetic and have the potential to be able to make a difference in the world. They don’t have to be the finished article – we will develop their confidence, resilience, responsibility, teamworking skills and give them an international outlook – but they do need to have the right attitude to take advantage of the amazing opportunities on offer at Gordonstoun.”

kurt Hahn

Gordonstoun has chosen to launch its search for a star in Berlin, the home of its German founder, Kurt Hahn. Kurt Hahn was private secretary to Prince Max von Baden, the last Imperial Chancellor of Germany, before the pair founded Schule Schloss Salem. Mr Hahn was forced to leave Nazi Germany because he was Jewish and he opened a new school in the North of Scotland where access to the Scottish Highlands and coastline provided the ideal opportunity to build character outside the classroom. Gordonstoun opened its doors in 1934 with the ambition of creating young people who would become ideal world citizens through respect for the individual, responsibility to the community and personal strength of character. His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, the husband of HM Queen Elizabeth II, was one of his first pupils and the UK’s future king, HRH The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles also attended the school.

The bursary for a German child will be means-tested and will be completely free of charge if the child comes from a low-income household. It is being supported by the Neumayer Stiftung Foundation whose Chair, Felix Gutsche is an former pupil at the school. He said,

“There was a spark in me which was lit at Gordonstoun. By facing a wide range of challenges, I learned to just get on with it and give anything a go. I came out stronger, both mentally and physically. Having been tested I realised I was capable of more than I previously thought I was capable of. Gordonstoun changed my life and now I want to be able to change the life of another young person, especially someone who wouldn’t normally have this kind of opportunity open to them.”

The only pre-requisite for applicants is that they must be fluent in English because all lessons will be taught in the English language.

When they join the school, the lucky young person can expect amazing experiences to be part of every school term. They will spend at least a week learning how to sail the school’s 80-foot boat ‘Ocean Spirit’ and will also go on regular expeditions into the Scottish wilderness. They will regularly work in the community - the school is unique in the UK in having its own fire service where students form part of the national Fire and Rescue Service, attending genuine emergencies and rotating on-call duties. They will also have opportunities to take part in dance, drama and sport, including access to outstanding facilities in the on-site dance, music and sports centres. Studying alongside other students from around the world, they will benefit from personalised tuition in a wide range of subjects, all within a beautiful 200-acre woodland campus by the coast.

Anyone who is interested in applying for the scholarship or who wants to nominate an exceptional child should contact gordonstoun.org.uk/admissions

ENDS

For further information or to arrange an interview please contact Eleanor Bradford:

• Bradforde@gordonstoun.org.uk
• (+44) 1343 837763 or (+44) 7860 557682

About Gordonstoun:

Gordonstoun is an independent boarding school which was established in Moray in 1934 by Dr Kurt Hahn, a Jewish exile who fled Nazi Germany. He founded the school with the ideal of developing better world citizens equipped to contribute to society. Dr Kurt Hahn was the driving force behind the Outward-Bound Movement and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Gordonstoun has been a pioneer of character education which, as well as academic subjects, including outdoor education, athletics, projects and service to the community. Three generations of British royalty have been educated at Gordonstoun, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales. Approximately one third of the pupils at the co-educational boarding school receive financial help in order to attend and earlier this year HRH The Duke of Edinburgh lent his name to a foundation to provide life-changing bursaries for the school. The school was described as ‘outstanding’ and ‘sector-leading’ in its most recent inspection.

https://gordonstoun.org.uk/