Staffing
Laura Bates will do the acting Pupil Support Leader post until Iona Holmes starts with us on 18 May 2026. Ben Maxwell will also join us as our fourth Pupil Support Leader – date TBC.
Hannah McBride, who has been on secondment to DHT Outreach, will remain in this post at East Lothian Council. This means that her Modern Languages and her substantive PT Equity posts will be advertised (the PT Equity will be advertised within the school).
Modern Languages – an advert went live last Friday - permanent
PE post – interviews will take place on 12/13 May 2026.
Qualifications Scotland Exams
As you are well aware, the Qualification Scotland exams begin on Wednesday 22 April until Friday 29 May 2026. All young people have been issued with an individual timetable of their exams, before the Easter holidays, with specific timings, rooming and seating. If for any reason this has not been received, this can be collected from the school office. If they lose it please ask them to see Ms Machen.
Young people in S4-6 have had a face to face assembly around preparing for exams, the expectations in exams and coping with exam anxiety. Everything you and they need to know about exams can be accessed here.
What if a young person can’t sit the exam? (Exceptional Circumstances for Exams)
You or your parent or carer should contact Ms Machen as soon as possible, explaining what has happened.
She will be able to discuss your options and whether or not you would be entitled to use the Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service. If you are eligible for the service, we would need to contact Qualifications Scotland within 10 days after the exam.
Exam Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service
This service will support you if:
- you have been unable to attend the exam, or prevented from completing the exam, due to a personal circumstance beyond your control (such as a medical issue)
- you have been affected during the exam by a disruption, or other exam circumstance, reported by the chief invigilator
- your performance in the exam was affected by a personal circumstance, or an unplanned incident on the day, which was beyond your control.
Exam nerves, distraction or loss of concentration during an exam are not valid reasons to use this service.
We would request the service for you within 10 days after the exam, so it’s important that you speak to us as soon as possible after the exam, giving us the information about what happened. You must give us permission to request the service on your behalf.
We will then need to provide alternative evidence based on the assessments you completed throughout the year. This could be prelims, class tests, class work, records of performances (in some subjects). Qualification Scotland examiners will review this, and any exam materials that you completed, to decide your grade.
If you use the EECCS, the grade you are awarded may be different from the estimated grade provided by Knox Academy. You will not be able to appeal against your grade through the appeals service.
More on the exceptional circumstances service.
Exam Results
Pupils will get their results by post on Tuesday 4 August.
They can also get their results by text, email or both if they sign up to My Qualifications Scotland.
Knox Academy will also receive your results on 4 August.
If pupils have applied to a university or college through UCAS, they will also receive their results.
If pupils don’t receive their certificate on results day, you can contact us at the school on the 4 August. We will be able to tell you your results and will work with you to find out what has happened to your certificate.
If you think there’s a mistake on your certificate, or something looks wrong, also contact us.
Chromebooks
If your young person is in S4/5/6 and leaving school this year, they must return their Chromebook on the day of their last exam as part of the Leavers process (they do not get to keep them as they belong to ELC). They should return them, fully operational, with the charger, to Miss Patterson. These will then be passed on to other pupils. Thank you for your support in ensuring this. All parents/carers and pupils should have received a letter from me about this on 1 April 2026.
Uniform
Leisure Time Sports will provide a link (for those wishing to order the new zipped tops and sweatshirts) at the end of May/beginning of June.
Deaf Awareness
This week's BSL sign is understand. In BSL movement and facial expressions can determine the meaning of a sign so they are very important things to remember. Did you know that shouting at a deaf person makes it harder for them to understand? Shouting changes your lip patterns!
Events
Haddstock Workshops
GRAFT Street Art + Mural Workshop
Sun 24th May at MADE Arts Hub Forecourt
FREE but you must book a place!
Join GRAFT artists Rob Stevenson and Sleek to explore different methods and techniques of spray painting. This will take place outside, at the MADE Arts Hub forecourt. There are 2 workshop times 11-1pm and 2-4pm for ages 12-18. You will be provided with overalls, mask, goggles and gloves. No previous experience required, come and give it a go! Book here.
Creative Writing Workshop with Manjeet Mann
Sat 30th May at 12.30pm, Star Room at Haddington Library
FREE but you must book a place!
Join multi award winning author and playwright Manjeet Mann for a creative writing workshop. Learn about the creative writing process and work with Manjeet to develop your own work. For ages 14-18. Book here.
You can find more information about Haddstock including Trad, Digital music making and DJ workshops as well as performance events, including Battle of the Bands here.
Pupils’ Successes
Fund raising
A huge congratulations to Rory Mackay and Alexander McBain, both S4, who raised over £600 for the Chest, Heart and Stroke charity by undertaking a sponsored walk, on 29 March 2026, in torrential rain, from the Haddington Store to the Davidson Mains store - a distance of 20.5 miles. Sparked by the belief and values item in RMPS and wanting to do something tangible. Well done to both is raising money for such a worthy cause.
Please do contact admin@knox.elcschool.org.uk to tell us about your young people’s successes so we can share these with our school community.
Rugby
Congratulations to Matthew Cecil, Ruaridh Maidstone, Adam Bowsher who played for the Dunbar U16 rugby team, who won the East Cup final on Saturday 28th March. The final score was
Dunbar 50-5 (Melrose).
General Information
PTA Meeting - Tuesday 5th May Knox Academy Library
The next PTA meeting will take place on Tuesday 5th May in Knox Academy Library. We will begin with a Special Meeting at 6.30pm to vote on the charitable status of Knox Academy Support Group. All members who have previously signed up are entitled to vote. At 6.45pm, we will move into our PTA meeting to discuss and plan the role of the PTA for the next school year. We would love to see you there and encourage you to get involved.
PTA - Thank you
A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the PTA this year. Whether you donated raffle prizes, bought raffle tickets, took part in the East Lothian Community Lottery, came along to the family quiz night, or helped at the Christmas dances and Valentine’s disco, your generosity and enthusiasm has made an enormous difference.
Because of your support, we’ve been able to contribute to choir hoodies, a full set of ukuleles, costumes, makeup and microphones for the end‑of‑year musical, bus costs for school trips, and even a GoPro for the PE department. These extras enrich school life and create opportunities our young people wouldn’t otherwise have — and we simply couldn’t do it without you.
Thank you for being such an incredible school community and for helping us make a real impact.
Dates for your diary:
Wednesday 22 April – exam leave begins for S4-S6 pupils
5-8 May – S1-S3 activities week (including S3 PGL trip)
11 -15 May – S3 Work Experience
18 May – Pupils’ holiday and staff in-service day (note those doing their Qualifications Scotland exams this day must attend for these)
19 May – Parent Council, 6.30-8pm, School Library (all welcome)
30 May – BGE (S3) Graduation Ceremony
1 June - New Timetable starts
3 -5 June – School Show
9 June – P7 Information Evening
18 June – Evening of Celebration (Awards Evening)
Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.
