| Merchiston International School | |
| Native Name: | 深圳曼彻斯通城堡学校 |
| Coordinates: | 22.7055°N 113.9821°W |
| Type: | Private boarding and day school |
| Head Label: | Headmaster |
| Head: | Chris Lynn[1] |
| Address: | No.12 Shilongzai Road, Dalang Sub-District, Longhua District, |
| Country: | China |
| Staff: | 66 (approx) full and part time |
| Gender: | Boys and girls |
| Lower Age: | 4 |
| Upper Age: | 18 |
| Fees: | £20,539-£37,257 per year[2] |
| Houses: | Pringle Chalmers Rogerson |
| Colours: | Navy, red & white |
| Motto: | Ready Ay Ready |
| Language: | English, Mandarin |
Merchiston International School is an independent boarding school for boys and girls in the Longhua District in Shenzhen, China. It is open to students aged 4 to 18 as either boarding or day students, though the senior school is only for boarding students; it was modelled after English public schools. It is affiliated with, and is the first overseas campus for Merchiston Castle School, in Edinburgh, Scotland.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
In 1828 Charles Chalmers started a small school in Park Place, Edinburgh, Scotland on a site now occupied by the McEwan Hall. In May 1833, Charles Chalmers took a lease of Merchiston Castle (the former home of John Napier, the inventor of logarithms) — which at that time stood in rural surroundings — and moved the school. It is from here that the school name is derived.[9]
Merchiston Castle School developed Merchiston International School after a year of collaboration with Chinese investor Lyu Jianjun, whose son attended the boarding school in Edinburgh.[3] [10] In 2016, Shenzhen Merchiston International Education Co. Ltd. was founded,[11] and in August 2018, Merchiston International School opened its doors to pupils as the first school in Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China.[12] On October 15, 2018, the school held its opening ceremony. The event attracted almost 1,000 attendees, including the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross.[5] [13]
The school offers student living arrangements along with a British education. The school can cater to 1,200 students aged 4–18.[14] Lessons are taught in English and pupils from grades 1 to 9 follow the English national curriculum, with additional access to Mandarin language learning. Senior students study for the IGCSE and A-levels. With accommodations for 600, the senior school is exclusively for boarding students. 80 percent of the teaching staff are from the United Kingdom.[12]