The Scots School Albury Pipe Band has entered the final week of playing with the massed bands at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the only school group in this year’s program.

Prince Charles and Prince William attended a performance last week while the BBC cameras have been filming for the annual television special.

The Scots School head of co-curricular Elizabeth Heitmeyer, now back in Albury after two weeks with the touring group, said the students knew the importance of playing well consistently.

“The people who run the Tattoo, if they see somebody who they feel just isn’t up to scratch with their marching or their playing, they remove them and that’s that,” she said.

“They remove individuals, so it’s pressure every night, you can’t have a bad show or that could be it.”

None of the Border players had experienced this but they were required to replace people from other bands who had been removed.

Mrs Heitmeyer said the excitement of being in Edinburgh and witnessing the popularity of the Tattoo was extraordinary.

The Scots pipe band stayed at Edinburgh University with 700 Tattoo performers from around the world.

“As we walked to dinner, we might pass the Indian naval band rehearsing with their Bollywood dancers or the Shetland fiddlers rehearsing their scene, it was just a really vibrant and incredible place to be,” she said.

During the opening three days of rehearsal, the band members practised at the castle until 11.30pm.

“They had to keep up with the Royal Marines, there’s no concession because we were a young group,” Mrs Heitmeyer said.

“I was just so impressed with the ability of our kids to get on with it and do their very best.”

Opening night on August 4 saw queues the width of the road for blocks, streets lined with people waving to performers and the audience of 9000 cheering every time the massed bands entered the arena.

The young Australian musicians who have travelled so far continue to be talked about during public appearances.

“I was overhearing with pride that everyone was very excited for us and thought we were quite impressive,” Mrs Heitmeyer said.

Now in a routine of Tattoo performances, the students have also been doing their online school work each day.

“They’re actually really enjoying it because it’s a settled time and it keeps them in touch with home,” she said.