Staffing

Congratulations to Steven Illingworth who will take up an acting Head Teacher post at Dalkeith High School for a year. This will start on 3 June 2024 and last until 31 May 2025. The acting position will be advertised today on My Job Scotland..

S4/5 Leavers

It was lovely to meet with those leaving in S4/5 this morning and to thank them for all they have done during their time at Knox Academy both in their studies and, for many, their commitment to the many clubs and societies at the school too. Each pupil was issued with a letter from me which wished them all the very best for their future and asked them to keep in touch with us in regard to their progress. I also asked them that if they did not yet have a positive destination to ensure that they made an appointment with Chris Trotter, our school’s Skills Development Scotland advisor, to ensure they got further support with this. Chris can be contacted on chris.trotter@sds.co.uk and parents/carers can also attend appointments with their young people too.

S6 Leavers’ Ceremony

This is taking place this morning and it will be a celebration of their time here at the school. After a formal ceremony at 9.30am, and a farewell from me on behalf of all staff, pupils will head off for activities and a ceilidh. We will all come back together afterwards for a buffet lunch with all staff and the S6 pupils invited to this. We wish them all the best for their exams and future. I am sure we will also see many of them adorn our stage at our Awards Evening in June. I do hope they will all keep in touch with us. They have been a truly amazing year group and I am sure I speak for all staff when I say I really will miss them. They have been great ambassadors for the school.

SQA Exam Leave

A reminder of the arrangements for S4 and S5/6 for exam leave this year. These letters also give information about our return to school dates. All pupils attending college courses should continue to do so during the exam leave unless they have an exam that day. Pupils in S4 who are part of the Meaningful May programme will be contacted directly by their House Team with details of that.  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.

Although the official leaving date for those in S4/S5 and S6 (who are over 16) is not until 31 May, I would like to take the opportunity on behalf of all staff at Knox Academy, to wish them all the very best for their exams and for their future. It is always great to hear about the progress of our former pupils so please do keep in touch with us.

SQA Exams

As you are well aware, the SQA exams begin on Monday 22 April until Friday 31 May 2024. 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 have lost it please ask them to see Mr Illingworth.

Prior to the Easter Holiday all young people were issued with a booklet from the SQA Your Exams 2024 (sqa.org.uk). This outlines all the expectations and supports for exams and is a useful read for both parents and young people.

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.

Exceptional Circumstances for Exams

The Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (EECCS) supports learners who have been:

• unable to attend the exam
• Or whose performance in an exam has been affected by a personal circumstance, or an unplanned incident on the day.

It is available for all exams that appear in the exam timetable. Non-question paper components are not eligible for this service.

The service will open on 22 April 2024 and the closing date is 10 working days after the exam for which the request is being made. Please contact the school (the Curricular Leader for the subject area or the Pupil Support Leader) either on the day of the exam or as close to the exam (before or after) as possible, if you feel this is necessary for your young person.

Full details are on this link.

Parents/Carers Information/Action

Blazer Fittings (S4 and S5)

On Tuesday, 30 April, Border Embroideries are hosting a Blazer Sales/Fitting Event for S4s and S5s. This will take place in Knox Academy Library from 2pm-7p.m. Orders of blazers and payment will be possible at this Event. For more information please contact Alison Swallow on 01620 823387.

Parent Council

Following on from the survey to parents/carers about planning for school improvement, parents/carers raised monitoring, tracking and reporting as an area they would like the school to take a look at and where we can make some improvements. This will be discussed as an agenda item at the May Parent Council, on Thursday 16 May (school library), so please come along to add in your ideas about how we can work together to improve this aspect. Thank you.

School Session Dates

The consultation on the draft School Session Dates for 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 will be open on the Council’s Consultation Hub from 17 April 2024 until 30 April 2024. Please do take the time to respond. Thank you.

H.P.V VACCINATIONS

The Community Vaccination Team will be in school on Tuesday 23^rd April from 9 am administering H.P.V vaccinations to all S1 pupils who have returned their consent forms. If your young person misses the vaccination this year, they will be offered it again next April. If you have any questions please contact Alison Swallow on the usual Knox Academy number. (Mrs Swallow, School Welfare)

Quadrant - reminder

Submissions (by email to njones@knox.elcschool.org.uk) for this should be made by Friday 26 April 2024. We are looking forward to see what amazing ideas out families come up with. 

Achievement Ties – Applications opening

These are now open and the deadline for nominations is today, Friday 19 April 2024. 

Active Schools

Free classes live to book 16th April from 6pm.

Paid classes live to book from 1st of May from 6pm.

www.eastlothian.gov.uk/activeschools

Football and Basketball unfortunately won’t run this term as coaches no longer available. We are looking for a coach or volunteer to take these sessions on.  

Successes

Bagpiping

Congratulations to William Gold who came 1st in his age category at the RSPBA piping competition in Dumfries at the end of March. William practices very diligently and it is his commitment to this and learning his pieces of music that ensured this winning performance. Well done!

Table Tennis

A huge well done to Toby Marcham (S1) and Jonah Pegg (S2) who came 1^st and 2^nd (respectively) in a recent East Lothian Table Tennis Tournament.

Squash

Congratulations to Phoebe Hamilton and Jamie Pearman who were selected to play for Scotland in the U15 Five Nations team in Cardiff during the Easter Holidays. The teams consisted of Scotland, Ireland, England, France & Wales.

Scotland managed to come third in both the U13 & U15 team events and won the bronze medals. Jamie won both of his matches 3-0 against Ireland and Wales but unfortunately lost both of his matches against England and France. These Nations are particularly strong but he gave his opponents a good challenge. Phoebe stepped up to U15's this season and played really well too.

Jamie has been selected to play for Scotland in the Junior European Championships in Porto in Portugal in May and we wish him well for in these champs.

Rugby

Our under 13s won a full sided (13 a side) tournament hosted by North Berwick on Sunday 14 April. They beat North Edinburgh Vikings, drew with London Scottish, beat North Berwick and then beat Musselburgh. They won a lovely trophy too! Another great achievement for the squad.

Squad: Robbie Hamilton, Edward Millar, George Herkes, Gray Logan, Harry Young, Louie Arnold, Nathan Paterson, Rhys Cowie, Harry Lewis, Owen Oliver, Kade Te Rito, Angus Morrison, Murdo Ash, Dylan Ramsay, Nicholai Furie, Ewan Forrest, Deacon Roberts, Hagan Connell, Logan Kirk, Dillon Burns, Elliot Huish.

Duke of Edinburgh

Congratulations to Andrew Larkman and Tom Kirkness (both S6) who have both completed their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Very well done to the whole Gold team in S6 - all 5 have stuck with it and completed their Gold awards, a brilliant effort!

Very well done to Freya Maycock (S5) who has completed her Silver DofE and has started her Gold Award.

This group is run out of school and a massive thank you goes to Debbie Riley, one of our parents, for leading this.

 

Dates for your diary:

22 April – SQA exam leave starts for S4/5/6 pupils

6 May - holiday (all pupils/staff)

16 May – Parent Council – 6.30-8pm (school library)

20 May - holiday (pupils only)

 

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   @knoxacademyHT for the latest information and updates.