2009 - 2010
Leavers' Barbecue
After a glorious day of sunshine and mist for at the Regatta the Windmill girls headed home for the annual Leavers' BBQ. Unfortunately the heavens opened and it started to rain...more
Inter-House Regatta
On Sunday 23 May we took part in the inter-House Regatta. Everyone who was sailing had to wake up early, but everyone was looking forward to it...more
Scottish Schools' Equestrian Competition
Earlier in the month I competed in the Kilgraston Scottish Schools' Equestrian event at Gleneagles. I was on at a convenient time during the day so no early starts!...more
The Gordonstoun Triathlon
Last Sunday afternoon Windmill competed in a very competitive, hair-raising event…the Triathlon!!!!...more
Round Square Adventure Race
In the last week of April a team of six students went on the Round Square Adventure race in Snowdonia. I was lucky to be one of those students...more
A New Look for Windmill
When we last saw Windmill Lodge at the end of last term, it was with two large skips outside it as the workmen pulled out our furniture and prepared to completely change Windmill...more
Summer Term Expedition
Windmill Lodge decided to do something totally different for their summer 2010 expedition. We set out on Saturday afternoon for The Loft near Kinloss where we had hired wigwams for the night...more
Easter Sail Training Voyage
During the holidays I participated in the Easter Sail Training Voyage on the school yacht, Ocean Spirit of Moray...more
Back from Exchange
I went on exchange to Germany for the term, to learn German and to get to know the culture...more
Paris Language and Art Trip
During the Easter holidays I was fortunate to experience a five day school Language and Art trip to Paris. Maisie (another Windmill girl) and I travelled with ten other students...more
Sinai Project 2010
On Wednesday the 24 March fourteen students, including three Windmill girls - Kenna, Izzy and Sonja - set out for Aberdeen airport with the final destination being the Sinai desert...more
In-House DIY
Windmill Spring term In-House was a bit of a DIY effort - literally. As well as the normal brew, eating, DVD watching and general relaxing, the girls painted in the Mixed Comm - in thirty minutes flat...more
A Performance to Remember
This last week I was fortunate enough to be part of a small chamber ensemble of five singers to perform in London at none other than the St Paul’s Cathedral Music School and even more unbelievably: Buckingham Palace...more
Meet Ali
The following is an Interview with Ali, the newest member of the Windmill community.
How long have you been working in Windmill?
Mmm, let me think... around about 5 months...more
Windmill Dance Show 2010
Week One - Windmill Lodge is reminded of the Dance Show by Hannah the theme is announced “Pick ‘n’ Mix”, nobody does anything...more
Inter-House Badminton
It’s not about the winning it’s about the taking part that counts! And yes, Windmill didn’t win the Badminton. But we all did try very hard...more
Valentine's Ball
On Saturday night, two highly-anticipated Valentine’s Balls were held in the school - one for Years 9 and 10 in the Sixth Form Centre and one for the Seniors in the refectory...more
In-House Evenings
We have been having great fun at Windmill Lodge on the new in-House Thursday evenings...more
Inter-House Volleyball
I’d like to say that Sunday afternoon was a huge success! However, for all those who missed the Junior inter-House volleyball at the Sports Hall...more
Autumn Term In-House Weekend
On the last weekend of term the Windmill girls gathered in the Comm ready for the long-awaited In-House Weekend activities to begin...more
Round Square Conference to India
At the beginning of October three Windmill girls, Millie, Phoebe and Jenny, set off as part of a group of six for a trip of a lifetime. We were going to the Round Square Conference 2009 India!...more
Junior Inter-House Hockey
On Saturday the Windmill team and supporters strolled down boldly to the Astro where we would play Plewlands and Hopeman...more
Masquerade Ball
The Masquerade Ball took place last Saturday. It was an exciting occasion and is one of the many highlights of the term for Gordonstoun pupils. All the Windmill girls looked beautiful...more
A New Year 12 in Windmill
I moved to Scotland two years ago after a lot of travelling and heard about Gordonstoun through meeting friends of friends who were pupils at the school...more
Senior Inter-House Hockey
Saturday 10 October, the day of the Charity Ball, but also the Senior girls' inter-House hockey! ...more
Autumn Term House Expedition
This year’s Autumn Term House exped for Windmill Lodge started at Aberlour, at the lovely Aberlour Gardens Camp Site...more
Sixties Social
The “Sixties” themed social certainly caught the Windmill Sixth Former’s imaginations. Huge discussions and debates were held about the fashion of the time...more
Recipe for a Good Brew
WARNING: This recipe may induce toxic bursts of laughter, fits of hysteria and severe bloating and banter. Not suitable for anyone outside Windmill...more
Tall Ships Race
On the 19th of July Sophie, Beth and I joined eight others in Helsinki for the second leg of the Tall Ships Race...more
International Service Project to Romania
At the beginning of the summer holidays I took part in an international service project working in a Romanian Orphanage for two weeks...more
2008-2009
Farewell to Cilla
Cilla, one of the ladies who has cleaned the girls’ rooms in Windmill for many years has decided it is time to retire. We had a small celebration in the HM flat to say goodbye...more
A Game of French Cricket
With only sixteen of us in the House and having revised all day, we decided to have a break and headed for the field....more
Leavers' Ball
Windmill Year 13 once again raised the glamour stakes at this year’s Leaver's Ball. Dressed in a variety of colours and styles....more
Leavers' Barbecue
The annual Windmill leavers’ barbecue took place last Sunday. We cooked for over seventy people, students, tutors and House staff and then the celebrations began....more
Scottish Schools' Equestrian Championships
On Sunday Hermione and Charlotte, both in Windmill's Year 9, competed with their horses in the Kilgraston Scottish Schools' Equestrian event at Gleneagles....more
Inter-House Tennis Competition
On Sunday, Windmill participated in the inter-House tennis competition. The players were Lucilla, Iona, Belle, Clemmie, Hannah and Camilla....more
Summer Term House Expedition
Windmill Lodge Year 9 and 10 expedition 2009 was brilliant! On the first day we headed to Findhorn Village Hall where we were going to be staying overnight....more
St David's Day Chapel
Windmill celebrated St David’s Day on March 1st with a Chapel presentation based on Hiraeth, the Welsh for yearning...more
In-House Weekend
The girls of Windmill Lodge took a different approach to the in-House this weekend....more
Aberlour House Assembly
Tuesday 17 February brought another first for Windmill Lodge when they were invited to take an Assembly at Aberlour House....more
Inter-House Cross-Country
Despite the cold, teams of both junior and senior girls turned out to run the cross-country with many others coming dressed in yellow to support their Housemates....more
Dance Show
After a long Sunday with rehearsals beginning at 8.20am (a first for Windmill) the show finally began to take shape. By lunchtime we had a running order....more
Inter-House Volleyball Competition
On Sunday we had inter-House volley ball. The juniors had a really enthusiastic team and we had lots of Windmill supporters there to encourage us.....more
RSIS Thailand
What was the Project about?
The Project was about building water tanks and laying water pipes for a Karen village in North West Thailand....more
Kiddie's Swimming
Kiddie's swimming takes place every Tuesday during the Autumn and Spring terms after lessons and activities. The session starts at 4:30pm and lasts until 5:00pm and we will take the staff's children swimming with the help of Mrs Barton and a school lifeguard....more
Autumn Term House Expedition
On Friday at 4pm we left for house exped. We arrived at the campsite called Auchratillan. We put up our tents and it was to dark to make dinner so instead we went for fish and chips in Nairn...more
2007-2008
Race for Life Fun Run
One hundred and twenty students turned up to compete in the recent 5km Race for Life, an event to raise awareness and money for Cancer Research, which is organised every year at Gordonstoun...more
Dance Show
The Windmill Dance show was greatly anticipated this year as always. The entire house had been working hard all term to get the dances perfected and ready for the two shows....more
Autumn Term Exped
Years 9 and 10 recently set off to Aberlour for our House Exped. We set up camp and settled down for the night but rose bright and early the next morning and cooked a spectacular breakfast on our Trangias. We then headed off for Aberlour....more
House Barbecue
On the first Sunday of Term we all congregated at the back of Mrs. Beaumont’s flat in anticipation of the approaching House BBQ, always a source of great entertainment within the house!....more
2006 - 2007
House Barbecue
As one of the most important traditions in the house, we held the Windmill BBQ last Sunday. Everyone was very excited as we saw all the food that had arrived in Mrs Black’s car, the Pimms from Mrs D’s flat and most of all, the presents that Mrs B had previously taken so much time over for Mrs D, as she is leaving at the end of this term....more
Summer Term Expedition
The atmosphere was buzzing with the excitement from the year 9’s and 10’s as they boarded their mini-bus’s for the house expedition....more
In-House Evening
A great evening enjoyed by the whole House. It started with Pinata Games - the House divided into teams, bashing piñatas to gain all the goodies....more
Inter-House Tennis
The Inter-House Tennis competition took place on the first weekend of term. It was also the first nice day of the term and therefore a perfect beginning for the tennis season....more
On Exchange in New Zealand
From my arrival in New Zealand I was made to feel very at home and everyone was so friendly from the start. I flew in on 28th January and was met by my exchange family, with whom I’d be spending a lot of time as I was to be a day pupil at Rangi Ruru....more
Dance Show 2007
When we were told about the Dance Show, many of us were very excited but, as a new student to the Sixth Form, I and a few others were also a little apprehensive as we were not sure what to expect....more
Inter-House Cross-country
On the 30th January, the annual inter-House cross-country race took place. This was participated in by a variety of students -from those running the route seriously to those running in a lighter competitive spirit, oh and a few rather keen teachers....more
Impressions of Windmill
One of the pillars of education at Gordonstoun is Internationalism and therefore it is no wonder that our exchange students from New Zealand and Africa as well as two students from Germany wanted to share their impressions of Windmill Lodge....more
Hallowe'en Party
This October the In-House weekend in Windmill had a Hallowe'en theme. Many of us dressed up and the House meeting that started our Hallowe'en party was full of laughs....more
Canoeing
Two Windmill girls and members of the Canoe Lifeguards - Katie and Kate - have decided to branch out to the community side of service and are now taking a girl-only session on Friday evenings....more
Chapel Service Our Service in Sunday Chapel was a wonderful way to get together as a house. It was simple but meaningful with the message being the importantance of individuality....more
House Expedition We woke up at 6:45 and got ready to leave. We then drove to Roseisle Beach for a delicious cooked breakfast and a quick sand castle building competition....more
Year 9 Expedition
Last weekend the whole of Year 9 went on our first Expedition. We arrived on Friday and in our groups (with Year 9s from different Houses) we spent the afternoon pitching our tents and cooking supper....more