Gordonstoun was founded in 1934 by the German Educationalist Dr Kurt Hahn.
Our forward-thinking School has a fascinating past and much of what has been pioneered here has become part of mainstream education. Gordonstoun was founded in 1934 by German educationalist Dr Kurt Hahn. Soon afterwards he decided that young people across the local area should have the opportunity to experience his uniquely broad educational model and he created the Moray Badge (which HRH The Duke of Edinburgh himself gained as a pupil at the school). Such was the success of this programme that Hahn had ambitions for it to be awarded nationally. He consulted with Prince Philip and persuaded him to give his name to what became the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 1956. Since then this award has spread across the world to over 140 countries and millions of young people have grown and developed through their participation.
Hahn’s ideals also led to the founding of Round Square by Jocelin Winthrop-Young, a world-wide association of 190 schools that all share our ethos of teaching social responsibility as well as academic excellence. Round Square provides pupils and staff with the opportunity to take part in global and regional conferences, go on international exchanges and volunteer for life-changing projects around the world.
We were one of the first public schools to go completely co-educational and we started one of the first, and most successful, summer school programmes. We are also the first to educate an heir to the British throne.