May 2023

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 26 MAY 2023
Published: 26 May 2023

Next week is the final week of the SQA exams and the new timetable starts the following Monday, 5 June 2023. The attendance at exams has continued to be excellent and we now just have to sit and wait to see what the August results bring. I have every faith in our young people that they will have all done as well as they could as they have invested well in their studies throughout the session and in their preparation for these.

If you have any time on Saturday or Sunday, it would be great if you go along to support our pupils, staff and parent running in the 10k (Saturday) and half-marathon (Sunday). It is always good to get some encouragement from the sidelines. A huge thank you to those running (hours of training preparation) and those who have donated to such a great cause – Teenage Cancer Trust.

Staffing

Tessa Martin (Music) leaves us today to take up a post at Castlebrae High School on Monday. We wish her all the very best in her new role.

We currently have adverts out for a Music teacher (1 FTE permanent) and a Technologies teacher (1FTE permanent).

Parents’ and Pupils’ Information

New Timetable and new S5 and S6 Induction (changed)

Our new timetable starts a week on Monday, 5 June. The new S5 and S6 Induction Programme has now been re-scheduled from Friday 2 June to Monday 5 June (period one). This is due to Battle of the Bands and the BGE Ceremony now taking place on Friday 2 June.

BGE Awards Ceremony

This will be held on Friday 2 June and is for S3 pupils. It is a ceremony that marks our young people’s achievements during the first three years at Knox Academy and outlines the exciting challenges ahead at Senior Phase (S4-S6).

Evening of Celebration

This will take place on Thursday 22 June 2023. Due to the success of last year’s ceremonies, which were split into S1-S2 and S3-S6, we are adopting the same set up this session. It allowed more parents/carers to attend due to the space available in the hall and to present all the Rotary Awards at these ceremonies too. More information will follow soon and those receiving awards will be sent a notification detailing their award.

Reconnecting at Knox Academy

We are keen, following the Covid years, to have a focus, next session, on reconnecting with our young people, and to ensure their undivided attention in classrooms so that teachers can teach and they can learn. Many lessons involve working with others and applying themselves to extended tasks. One of the ways that we can support our young people’s engagement in lessons is to ensure that smartphones are out of sight (in bags and switched off) during, and between lessons. The evidence is compelling as to why this is important for their learning and their mental health. We are not banning smartphones just looking to restrict their use. Pupils would be able to access their phones at break and lunch time (as in most work places) and if parents/carers needed to contact their young person in an emergency, the school office can be contacted. This will ensure that our young people can learn without distraction. If young people have their phones out in class, this is a distraction to them, others and the teacher and they will be asked to surrender their phone until break/lunch or the end of the day, when they will be returned. Parents/carers will be notified of this via text. We hope parents/carers will support our approach to ensuring the best learning environment for our all of our young people.

We will be doing a presentation on this, online, on Thursday 8 June from 6.30-7pm and would like to invite you along to hear why we are doing what we are doing, and the difference we believe it will make to learning and to the mental health and wellbeing of our young people. We presented on this topic to our Parent Council last week and they were very supportive of this approach after hearing the impact social media is having on young people’s learning and wellbeing.  Invitations to the presentation will be issued nearer the time. 

Edinburgh Marathon Festival Fundraiser

A group of staff, pupils and parents are running in the 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon, this Saturday and Sunday, for the Teenage Cancer Trust on the weekend of 27/28 May. This is a charity that is offering support for a pupil at Knox Academy and we wish to reach out as a community to offer our support. With only a few days to go we have nearly reached our target of £3000.00. The training has been really hard and challenged us all! We would appreciate any donations which can be given online. 

We are having a bake sale today and a number of teachers volunteering to be gunged at break time too – all in the spirit of raising money for a great cause. We greatly appreciate the entire communities support! (L Borwick, CL of HWB)

Pupils’ Achievements

Success Stories

If you have any success stories about your young person please send these in to our admin@knox.elc.school.org so we can share these with everyone in our school and community. Thank you.

Support

Please do not hesitate to contact our Pupil Support Team by emailing your young person’s House Team if you would like to discuss any support we can offer.

 

Dates for your diary:

Monday 5 June – New Timetable starts for all year groups

Thursday 8 June – Online Parents’ Info Evening on ‘Reconnecting and smartphones’ – 6.30pm

Thursday 22 June – S1/2 Awards Evening – 6-7pm; S3-S6 Awards Evening – 7.30-8.30pm

Wednesday 28 June – term ends 

Wednesday 16 August – new terms starts for pupils – 8.28am

Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.

Sue Cook

Parent Council

The Parent Council has requested a footer on my HT’s update that remains there year round and which offers quick links to remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages.

Please also look at our website for lots of other information. Please also follow us on Twitter for up-to-date news on a day to day basis.

Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk 84CEAEA2  (link is external) (link is external) for the latest information and updates.

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 19 MAY 2023
Published: 19 May 2023

Parents’ and Pupils’ Information

Activities Week (S1-S3)

All of our young people seem to have had a great week on the various activities they took part in and great to have some fun this morning, for our younger year groups, on the inflatable course on the playing fields. I also had the pleasure of going down to see the S3 in action at Ford Castle where they took part in some unusual activities such as axe throwing (with some very talented at this – including the staff)! It will be good, over the next week or so to get feedback from all of our young people about their experiences so we can start planning for next year. It was great for staff and pupils to spend some quality time building relationships, which translate back in to the classroom afterwards too. A huge thank you to all staff who planned and ran activities and for those on the residential trip who gave up their evenings too. It has been a memorable week for us all and, in particular, our young people who missed out during the Covid times.

SQA Exams

These continue to be really well attended and the comments about the exams pupils have sat this week is that they seem to have been ‘fair’ in terms of the words that the pupils have used to describe them.

West OS

West OS is offering a variety of live lessons during the exam leave and pupils can sign up for these here. These live lessons are a way of boosting skills and confidence across a wide variety of subjects (GLOW user name and password will be needed so ask any of your teachers if you don’t have these).

Edinburgh Marathon Festival Fundraiser

A group of staff, pupils and parents are running in the 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon for the Teenage Cancer Trust on the weekend of 27/28 May. This is a charity that is offering support for a pupil at Knox Academy and we wish to reach out as a community to offer our support. With only a week to go and we have now reached well over the halfway mark with our attempt to raise £3000.00. The training is reaching its peak and some of us are finding it extremely challenging. We would appreciate any donations which can be given online. 

We will also be taking part in more charity events the week beginning 22 May that pupils should also lookout for. We greatly appreciate the entire communities support! (L Borwick, CL of HWB)

Pupils’ Achievements

Athletics

Congratulations to Aoife Swan-Ashe and Morven Kenny who represented Team East Lothian last weekend at the East District Track and Field Championships and National Open Championships at Grangemouth Stadium. Aoife came first in 100m in a time of 12.82 seconds and first in the 200m in a time of 26.17 seconds (a new PB). Morven Kenny (S1) also won a gold medal in the 70m Hurdles and a silver in the Long jump. A phenomenal performance from both girls.

Success Stories

If you have any success stories about your young person please send these in to our admin@knox.elc.school.org so we can share these with everyone in our school and community. Thank you.

Support

Please do not hesitate to contact our Pupil Support Team by emailing your young person’s House Team if you would like to discuss any support we can offer.

 

Dates for your diary:

Monday 22 May – Pupils’ holiday and staff in-service day

Monday 5 June – New Timetable starts for all year groups

 

Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.

Sue Cook

Parent Council

The Parent Council has requested a footer on my HT’s update that remains there year round and which offers quick links to remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages.

Please also look at our website for lots of other information. Please also follow us on Twitter for up-to-date news on a day to day basis.

Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk 84CEAEA2  (link is external) (link is external) for the latest information and updates.

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 12 MAY 2023
Published: 12 May 2023

Staffing

On 17 May we look forward to welcoming Katy Gourley back to our Maths department following her maternity leave

Congratulations to Phil Gilholm, who will take up a Pupil Support Worker’s post Rosehill High School on 11 June 2023. Phil has been an amazing Pupil Support Worker in our Pupil Support Base for the last five years and made a huge impact with all the young people he has worked with. We will miss him greatly but wish him all the very best in his new post.

Karen Fraser, our Welfare Auxiliary has also been appointed at Rosehill High School as a Pupil Support Assistant and will start her new post there in August. Karen will be a huge loss to Knox Academy too as she has a wealth of experience in the nursing profession and we will miss her expertise.

Vacancies - We are currently advertising for a Permanent CDT teacher; a Biology teacher (0.35 permanent); a Pupil Support Worker (permanent) and an ASN Auxiliary.

Parents’ and Pupils’ Information

Activities Week (S1-S3)

All S1-S3 pupils will be involved in activities week next week. Most of our S3 will be away at PGL for the first half of the week and then on their return, all S3 will be engaging in a First Aid Course. S1 and S2 are involved in exciting local excursions. Great to have our activities week up and running this year!

SQA Exams

These continue to be really well attended and the comments about the exams pupils have sat this week is that they seem to have been ‘fair’ in terms of the words that the pupils have used to describe them.

West OS

West OS is offering a variety of live lessons during the exam leave and pupils can sign up for these here. These live lessons are a way of boosting skills and confidence across a wide variety of subjects (GLOW user name and password will be needed so ask any of your teachers if you don’t have these).

Edinburgh Marathon Festival Fundraiser

A group of staff, pupils and parents are running in the 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon for the Teenage Cancer Trust on the weekend of 27/28 May. This is a charity that is offering support for a pupil at Knox Academy and we wish to reach out as a community to offer our support. We are around 3 weeks out and have now reached the halfway mark with our attempt to raise £3000.00. The training is reaching its peak and some of us are finding it extremely challenging. We would appreciate any donations which can be given online. 

We will also be taking part in more charity events the week beginning 22 May that pupils should also look out for. We greatly appreciate the entire communities support! (L Borwick, CL of HWB)

Parents’ Information

Parent Council

A reminder that our final Parent Council Meeting of the year takes place this Thursday coming, 18 May, from 6.30-8pm, in the school library. All are welcome! Topics include our School Improvement Plan, The Knox Academy Way and Smartphone use in school.

Pupils’ Achievements

Success Stories

If you have any success stories about your young person please send these in to our admin@knox.elc.school.org so we can share these with everyone in our school and community. Thank you.

Support

Please do not hesitate to contact our Pupil Support Team by emailing your young person’s House Team if you would like to discuss any support we can offer.

 

Dates for your diary:

Monday 15 – Friday 19 May – S1-S3 Activities Week

Monday 22 – Pupils’ holiday and staff in-service day

Monday 5 June – New Timetable starts for all year groups

 

Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.

Sue Cook

Parent Council

The Parent Council has requested a footer on my HT’s update that remains there year round and which offers quick links to remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages.

Please also look at our website for lots of other information. Please also follow us on Twitter for up-to-date news on a day to day basis.

Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk 84CEAEA2  (link is external) (link is external) for the latest information and updates.

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 5 MAY 2023
Published: 05 May 2023

Staffing

On 17 May we look forward to welcoming Katy Gourley back to our Maths department following her maternity leave

Parents’ and Pupils’ Information

Activities Week (S1-S3)

This is the first one we have had since the pandemic and we are building towards establishing an annual programme of events for S1-3.

Eighty of our S3 are participating in a three-day residential with PGL in Ford. The other half of S3 will have activities in and around the school.

S1 and 2 will be undertaking a series of trips locally e.g. Yellowcraigs beach and the Seabird Centre as well as slightly further afield e.g. Blair Drummond Safari Park.

We hope that the week provides an opportunity for the pupils to re-connect with each other, learn new skills and have fun.

Thanks to all the staff who have made it possible in terms of the planning and preparation.

SQA Exam Leave

Pupils in S4 who are part of the Meaningful May programme, which takes place next week (Tuesday – Friday) have been contacted directly by their House Team with details of that week.  Staff will also be in touch with all individuals in S4/5/6 who still require to complete any aspect of their coursework and will invite them in during the exam leave to do this.

West OS

West OS is offering a variety of live lessons during the exam leave and pupils can sign up for these here. These live lessons are a way of boosting skills and confidence across a wide variety of subjects (GLOW user name and password will be needed so ask any of your teachers if you don’t have these).

Blazer Fittings for new S5/6 and School Uniform

This will take place, in the assembly hall, from 9.30-12.15 on Friday 9 June. If you are ordering these from Borders Embroidery, this must be done by 9 July to ensure that the blazer arrives in time for the August start. We also have a good number of recycled blazers should any seniors wish these – please just ask them to speak to their Pupil Support Leader.

School uniform

The school uniform remains the same for next session and can be purchased from any retailers. S1 is given a school tie as a welcome gift and this will be issued on the first day of the new session. If your young person has lost their tie these can be purchased from the school office prior to the end of this term.  We believe that wearing a school uniform promotes a sense of community and also equity. In a time where the cost of living is very high, it stops parents/carers feeling that they have to buy the latest fashions for their young people to wear to school and is clothing that is functional (even though perhaps not fashionable to pupils). It also makes their decision of what to wear every morning an easy one. We also have a fabulous uniform bank of new and preloved clothing should any pupils or parents/carers need any assistance with uniform – just ask their Pupil Support Leader  to access any of this. Our aim is to make school as affordable as possible for our families.

Parents’ Information

School Improvement Planning for Session 2023-24

Thank you to all parents/carers who took time out to respond to this survey. I sent home, via email, the overview of the main points from these surveys (parents/carers, staff and pupils) and we will be using these to support our School Improvement Planning for next session. We will share our School Improvement Plan with you just prior to the summer break. 

Clothing Grants and Free School Meals

The thresholds have changed as of April for Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants.  Paper application forms are available from our school office for those parents/carers who are unable to complete online ones and the school office can then assist in emailing these for you freeschoolmeals@eastlothian.gov.uk

Venturing Out

Venturing Out is offering a variety of activities for young people during the summer school holidays and these are available for booking now.

Pupils’ Achievements

Music

Congratulations to Bella Gold (S3) and Brodie Wallace (S3) who were part of a small string ensemble (9 young people in total from different East Lothian high schools) representing East Lothian in the young musician of the year competition recently. They won the regional finals and also the Scottish Final. They will perform at the Royal Conservatoire in Glasgow on the 21st May. Ben Gentil (S6) will also be competing on this day, having won the solo ELC Young Musician of the Year. We wish them all well and look forward to hearing how Ben gets on in the final.

William Gold (S1) recently came second in his age group for solo piping in the Royal pipe band association competition in Dumfries. A huge congratulations to him.

What talented musicians we have here at Knox Academy, and many more about to take to the stage at Haddstock.

Sea Cadets

Joshua and Connor Docherty in S3 both attend the Sea Cadets Dunbar twice a week.  Sea Cadet Units (approx. 400 in the UK) conduct an annual Drill and Piping Competition in which approximately 15,000 young people are invited to join in, and are judged at District, Area and then National levels.

On the 24th March Connor achieved 3rd Place (Bronze) as part of a team performing “Unarmed Drill” at HMS Caledonia, Rosyth. Northern Area Drill and Piping Competition (Covering all of Scotland, Northern Ireland, North of England).

On the same day Joshua (3L2) achieved 1st Place (Gold) as part of a team performing “Piping” at HMS Caledonia, Rosyth. Northern Area Drill and Piping Competition (Covering all of Scotland, Northern Ireland, North of England).

In addition on 22nd April Joshua was placed 5th as part of a team performing “Piping” at HMS Raleigh, Plymouth. National Sea Cadets Drill and Piping Competition (Whole of UK).

Both Joshua and Connor have also recently achieved their RYA Level 4 and RYA Seamanship qualifications in Dinghy Sailing which has been a multi-year commitment involving many days of training a Port Edgar Boating Station at South Queensferry as part of their ongoing Sea Cadet Studies.

Both boys have spent multiple weekends and many evenings practising their routines to take part in the competition. Knox Academy is very proud of their achievements.

Success Stories

If you have any success stories about your young person please send these in to our admin@knox.elc.school.org so we can share these with everyone in our school and community. Thank you.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and I know some of you will enjoy watching the Coronation and participating in events related to it - a historic event for us all.

Dates for your diary:

Monday 8 May – Holiday for King’s Coronation weekend

Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 May – Meaningful May (selected group)

Monday 15 – Friday 19 May – S1-S3 Activities Week

Monday 22 – Pupils’ holiday and staff in-service day

Monday 5 June – New Timetable starts for all year groups

 

Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.

Sue Cook

Parent Council

The Parent Council has requested a footer on my HT’s update that remains there year round and which offers quick links to remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages.

Please also look at our website for lots of other information. Please also follow us on Twitter for up-to-date news on a day to day basis.

Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk 84CEAEA2     for the latest information and updates.