Gordonstoun School to open in Canada

Gordonstoun is pleased to announce a Gordonstoun school will be built in Nova Scotia, a Canadian province with historic links to Gordonstoun.

A consortium led by Canadian businessman Edward Farren, with the cooperation of the local government, will build a 250- acre campus in Annapolis County, where pupils will be able to benefit from an education based on Gordonstoun’s world leading approach.

The Gordonstoun Nova Scotia campus lies between the sea and the hills, mirroring the stunning countryside setting of Gordonstoun in Scotland.

Gordonstoun’s links to Nova Scotia date back hundreds of years. The main building within the school, Gordonstoun House, was originally owned by Sir Robert Gordon who was the first Baronet of Nova Scotia and granted 16,000 acres on the coast of Nova Scotia for the Barony of Nova Scotia in 1625.

Site where the Gordonstoun School will be built in Nova Scotia

Principal of Gordonstoun, Lisa Kerr, said:

“This agreement will pave the way for more children to benefit from an education based on Gordonstoun’s unique ethos, which combines high academic achievement with exhilarating outdoor experiences and a strong commitment to service to the community.

“From our first meeting, we have been struck by how everyone involved in this exciting project shares our commitment to growing the reach and impact of Gordonstoun’s educational values. Edward Farren and other members of the project team have visited Gordonstoun many times and we were also delighted to welcome Stephen McNeil, Premier of Nova Scotia (who was born in Annapolis County), to Gordonstoun.

The Nova Scotia campus will have the Kurt Hahn philosophy at its core. Gordonstoun’s founder and visionary educationalist Kurt Hahn believed that young people flourish when their horizons are broadened beyond their academic potential. He set out to develop qualities of compassion, honesty, initiative, and a thirst for adventure and a sense of service to others in them.”

Annapolis County Warden Timothy Habinski added:

“Gordonstoun Nova Scotia promises to bring the world to our doorstep, and, in turn, to share the values of our County - compassion, volunteerism, creativity and persistence - with communities around the globe. That one of the most beautiful sites in Nova Scotia can be redeveloped for this project as a community anchor institution is a real cause for celebration.”

Gordonstoun will work with project managers E.A. Farren Limited to develop the school on the site of Upper Clements Park in Nova Scotia

Edward Farren, Managing Director and CEO of E.A. Farren, Limited said:

”We are excited to know as project Developer and Operator of Gordonstoun Nova Scotia, that through its oceanfront campus, caring teachers, outstanding classroom education, and Gordonstoun broad curriculum of challenge and service, that Gordonstoun Nova Scotia will create in young lives the belief that “Plus Est En Vous – there is more is in you than you think” to develop fascinating lives for themselves, their families, and communities.”

It is planned that Gordonstoun Nova Scotia will open in the Autumn of 2021. Last year Gordonstoun announced a long-term multi-school agreement to open Gordonstoun Schools in China, and this announcement is the next phase of its plan to develop a small network of franchise schools around the globe.

ENDS

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

• Bradforde@gordonstoun.org.uk
• 01343 837763 or 07860 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 Award. Gordonstoun has been a pioneer of character education which, as well as academic subjects, includes outdoor activities, sailing, athletics 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. The school was described as ‘outstanding’ and ‘sector-leading’ in its most recent inspection. The School Motto is: “Plus est en vous” (there is more in you.)

https://gordonstoun.org.uk/