Life at EA
Student Leadership
All 7ths are expected to be leaders. The prefects at the Edinburgh Academy are known as Ephors, after the officials of ancient Sparta, and are expected to take a lead role in one area although these may also be taken by other 7ths who have a particular interest.
Areas of responsibility assumed by the Ephors include giving School tours to visitors, acting as heads of division, being class mentors, running the Charities and Eco Committees, serving as ‘front of house’ representatives at School events, leading community service (volunteering) projects, event and project organisation (Leavers’ Ball, Yearbook, Leavers’ Revue) and promoting Internationalism by leading, supporting and mentoring students for whom English is a second language.
Activities & Clubs
Pupils of all ages participate in a number of Activities & Clubs at the Academy. A few are listed below.
| Junior School | Senior School |
|---|---|
|
Eco Committee |
International Group Eco Committee Equalities Committee Charity Committee Public Speaking & Speakers’ Dinner Series Debating Model United Nations Mock Court Malala Group Friend Support Group 4x4 Challenge Water Sports Club Choir Jazz Band Edinburgh Choral Society |
Traditions at Edinburgh Academy
Like a lot of schools, there are many elements to life at the Academy that are part of the tight-knit community but which can look or sound odd to those not yet familiar. Our youngest pupils at the School are called ‘Geits’, a term from old Scots meaning ‘young child’. A lot of independent schools, especially boarding ones, organise their pupils into ‘vertical’ structures called ‘houses’. At EA, we call these vertical structures ‘Divisions.’ They are named Carmichael, Cockburn, Dundas and Kinross in the Junior School and Carmichael, Cockburn, Houses and Kinross in the Senior School.
One fiercely fought annual Division Competition is the Yards Race, a relay around the Senior School campus that sees one pupil from each year group run for their Division. Participants are enthusiastically cheered on by the rest of the School. At the end of the year, the leaving pupils play a ‘Hailes’ match in fancy dress. It is a bit like lacrosse but played with big wooden spoons called a ‘clackens’. The match is played between Ephors, our word for Prefects, and the rest of their year group.
Schools are nothing if they are not about education. At EA, the prize academic aim is to be a member of the Dux Club which is headed by the year’s ‘Dux.’ The Dux Club comprises those who achieve all A grades in their Higher exams and who achieve As in 3 (or more) Advanced Highers (or equivalent). The Dux is the person from that group with the highest academic achievement. 2023 saw a ground-breaking development: having achieved Dux for being the highest academic achiever while at the Junior School, our winner became the first female double-Dux in Academy history.
Weekends
The EA community extends beyond the walls of the School. On the weekends, academic endeavours give way to a range of sporting matches throughout the year. Pupils (and Academicals) vigorously support their student athletes in Athletics, Cricket, Cross Country, Fives, Football, Hockey, Netball, Rugby, Squash, Swimming & Tennis.
We have a proud sporting tradition at the Edinburgh Academy. Our annual Rugby match with Merchiston Castle School, first played in 1858, is the world’s oldest continual rugby fixture.
