Island after touting for new students.

Gordonstoun's marketing co-ordinator, David Monteith came to Bermuda at the beginning of the month with the school's two guardians head boy and girl James Smith and Lucy Carmichael.

Mr. Monteith said the school, which is based in Moray, Scotland, and has educated a number of Bermudian students and members of the British Royal Family, decided to return to the Island after the school received such a warm welcome when its Ocean Spirit vessel visited during last year's Tall Ships Race.

He said the staff and pupils sailing on board the vessel were so overcome with the hospitality they received from people on the Island, they decided to come back to visit the friends they had made, while also preaching the good name of the school.

He said: "When Ocean Spirit sailed into St. George's I don't think anybody on board could believe the welcome they received. It was tremendous.

"It has had a lasting effect on everyone at the school, so we decided to further strengthen our ties with Bermuda by coming back.'' After they arrived back on the Island, a short presentation and buffet lunch was held for ex-Gordonstoun pupils and friends of the school, which amounted to about 20 people gathering at Waterloo House.

A couple of days into their stay, Mr. Monteith and his students met with prospective parents at a presentation they gave about the school.

And before they left, they also re-kindled their nautical relationships with sailing groups and organisations in Bermuda.

Yesterday, the school's headmaster Mark Pyper said, as a result of the trip, he had written to a number of prospective parents on the Island.

Mr. Pyper said: "We were overwhelmed by the reception we received during the Tall Ships Race, and we decided Bermuda was certainly a place for us to go back and stay friends with, for a number of reasons.

"As a result of what Mr. Monteith came back with, I have written to several prospective parents, for both the near and distant future.

"We have definitely seen progress made and we are encouraged to come back.''