St Andrew’s Orthodox Church School became one of the first Orthodox Christian primary schools to open in Scotland when it welcomed pupils in September 2025.
The school, based at Craigmillar Park Church in Newington, offers a classical education designed to combine rigorous academics with daily physical activity and Christian values.
Fotini Hamplova, director of academics, told Premier Christian News: “He [God] died for every child, so if you don’t give them the highest standard of education, then you’re really letting them down”.
The school was established by a group of local parents with support from St Andrew’s Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain.
“The bishop came from London to visit us, and that gave us the encouragement we needed to start," Hamplova added.
The primary school aims to provide a knowledge-rich curriculum covering maths, science, history and languages including Latin, alongside daily prayer and celebration of Christian traditions.
Pupils do not receive homework as she said it’s only right that students “have some time to go home and spend time with their family”.
“You often find with homework that it's homework for the parents, really, than for the children, and it becomes a burden for families," Hamplova added.
The school also has daily PE lessons and uses screens only for weekly computer science classes.
Dr Hamplova, originally from Cyprus and holding a PhD in Socratic Education from the University of Edinburgh, explained the school grew from parish discussions.
“We noticed many parents shared the same worries and hopes about education, and we decided to jump in and make one of the first Orthodox Christian schools in Scotland," she said.
“We felt that every child is very important, and God created us… so it is our responsibility to offer them what is best."
The school currently has eleven pupils with a maximum of fifteen for its first year.
Dr Hamplova said the aim is to model a different approach that could inspire other schools, combining high academic standards with a joyful, inclusive learning environment.
The first open day will be held on Saturday 1st November.