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Facilities

Junior school pupils playing string instruments

George Watson’s College benefits from being based on a single 52 acre (21 hectare) site which is home to all our pupils as they make their educational journey from Preschool to Senior 6.

Many of our buildings are recognised as some of the most iconic educational buildings in the country, including the neo-classical Senior School building opened in 1932, a beautiful 1960s Music School, our Centre for Sport and the John Martin Building, a brilliant modern extension to our Junior School that was formally opened by HRH The Princess Royal in 2021.

Having all our facilities within easy walking distance for even our youngest pupils means that everyone gets the full benefit of being at Watson’s from the first day that they join us. A single campus also means that less time is spent moving to participate in sporting activities after lessons have finished, and for many families it makes the journey to and from school much more straightforward.

Facilities in the Junior School

Our Primary 1 to Primary 3 pupils are based in the cosy Lower Primary Building. Here individual classrooms are clustered around creative areas where groups of children are able to work collaboratively on practical activities from science to creative arts. There is only one class, from each year group, in each area so pupils rapidly feel at home and get to know children from other year groups as well as their own class. Each class is led by a teacher with the support of at least one teaching assistant.

When pupils reach Primary 4, they then make the short move across to the Upper Primary School, the spectacular John Martin Building. Here classes are organised in year groups and they all have easy access to an open plan library with stunning views and a Music hub with classrooms, individual practice rooms and a performance area. Our Primary 7 pupils enjoy a superb suite of classrooms and a curriculum carefully tailored for successful progression into our Senior School.

Pupils in Preschool to P6 have lunch in an airy modern Dining Hall where they enjoy a range of delicious and nutritious options every day. P7 take lunch in the Senior School as part of their preparation for progression into S1.

All the Junior School buildings are fully enabled for wifi connectivity in support of our digital learning strategy.

Outside spaces are important to life and learning in the Junior School. We make full use of our extensive campus in providing outdoor learning experiences for our pupils, this includes a number of outdoor classroom spaces around the site which provide sheltered locations for learning to take place. There are dedicated playground spaces for younger and older pupils which provide quiet zones as well as exciting adventure play equipment and areas for ball games.

Other Facilities used by Junior School Pupils include:

  • The Art School - provides a range of well equipped classrooms and studio spaces as well as exhibition space and specialist facilities.
  • Design, Technology and Engineering Centre - where pupils have access to dedicated spaces and specialist equipment for design and fabrication ranging from 3D printers to a metal forge.
  • The Music School - built in the 1960s and extensively upgraded in the last decade provides classrooms, individual tuition rooms, and an impressive 200-seat auditorium used by pupils from across the school.
  • The Centre for Sport - incorporates a superb swimming pool, two sports halls, three gym halls and a fitness suite with the latest equipment and a cafe area.
  • Outside sports facilities - includes the famous Grandstand Pitch at Myreside, a full scale artificial hockey facility, tennis courts, squash courts, and a boat house on the Union Canal.
view of the Lower Primary building

Lower Primary

Upper Primary  (John Martin Building)

Upper Primary  (John Martin Building)

Upper Primary Library

Upper Primary Library

Primary 7 Classroom

Primary 7 Classroom

Music Room

Music Room

Swimming Pool

Swimming Pool

Aerial View of GWC

Our Campus

View the full range of our impressive facilities on our interactive Campus Map.

Campus Map