February 2025

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 28 FEBRUARUY 2025
Published: 27 February 2025

Staffing

Following interviews yesterday, we have appointed Sophie Shorthouse to the position of acting DHT at Meadowpark during Mr Johnson’s secondment to acting Head Teacher at Kaimes. The start date has still to be confirmed.

Knox Academy’s Diversity Evening – Thursday 6 March 2025 (5-9.30pm)

A reminder that tickets are now available to buy, from the school office, for the show (7-9.30pm) and cost £5 (£3 concessions/school pupils). If you wish tickets put aside for collection please phone the school and we can do this for you too (Tel: 01620 823387).

There are still spaces in some of our workshops so please check these and book using the link sent again yesterday. Workshops are free!

Our International Market Place and Food Court – free and open to all – 5-6.45pm)

It will be cash only on the evening (please also bring some loose change) for any purchases at the various stalls and/or if you wish to purchase your dinner. Any money we do raise will go towards a variety of charitable causes and the school’s inclusion fund. Thank you for your support in making our Diversity Evening a great success and we look forward to seeing you next Thursday evening for all or part of it.  

A list of those attending the Market Place is below:

Chesterhall Honey - Honey products

Water Aid  - Water and display about transforming lives with clean water

Deli Francais - Quality French cuisine

Sight Scotland - Demonstration products used to support those with sight impairment

Guide dogs for the blind – dogs/puppies

Broes Oats - Milky Oat drinks

Lothian Pure Bees - Honey Products (Candles etc)

Seabuckthorne - Scottish sea buckthorn berry products

Jakes Street Food - Delicious Street Food

MYPAS - Midlothian Young Peoples Advice Service

East Lothian Young Carers

Beachcombe Jewellery - Custom handmade Jewellery made from sea glass and pottery

Wildside Adventure  

Can - Do – Additional needs Play Schemes and Youth clubs

Haddstock - Music and Arts festival

East Lothian Library Service – diverse books

Do Lil Things - Fair Trade Products

Beach and Birch - Scandinavian gifts and homeware 

Co-op - Fair trade Products

Cycling UK - Adaptive bike

Teenage Cancer Trust (S6's) – Raffle

Parent Council – Raffle and Refreshments

In the food court: Love Ice Cream; The Slice Girls (pizza); Curry and Haggis, Neeps and Tatties

Remember to bring cash (and change as well please).

Dates for your diary:

6 March – Diversity Evening (workshops, market place and food court – 5-7pm; show 7-9pm)

20 March – Parent Council 6.30-8pm – School Library – all welcome

There will be no Head Teacher's update next Friday - 7 March.

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

Quick Links:

Remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages. E-Sgoil also has some great resources.

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.

 

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 21 FEBRUARY 2025
Published: 21 February 2025

Staffing

The acting DHT vacancy at Meadowpark closes this Sunday. Interviews will take place next Thursday.

A huge thank you to Nick Ball (Pupil Support Assistant) for all the support he has given to young people at Knox Academy during his time here. He leaves us on 28 February to take up a post Harmeny.

A warm welcome to Judy Skinner who started as the Business Support Assistant at Meadowpark this week.

S3 Parents’ Evening

Thank you to all parents/carers who came along to last night’s consultation. I spoke to many parents/carers and young people who found the discussions with staff very useful in helping confirm subject choices for S4 and also their next steps in terms of progress. It was also good to pilot a QR code for signing in and ask a question as part of this to help support our school’s self-evaluation.

If you were unable to attend for any reason and wish to discuss your young person’s progress, please contact the House Team. Thank you.

Skills Development Scotland   

Parents and carers are key influencers over young people’s career ambitions and choices.

SDS work in close partnership with this school to support our young people to make informed career choices and they would value feedback from parents and carers on their services. You can do this by taking part in a short survey.   

All responses are confidential and anonymous, and the results will be used to inform SDS services.   

The survey should only take about 10 minutes to complete.  

Knox Academy’s Diversity Evening – Thursday 6 March 2025 (5-9.30pm)

This is a really exciting event for our school and community and it will be the second time we have run it. The evening will feature Workshops, an International Marketplace, Food Court and a Diversity Show.

Our Diversity Show will start at 7pm (seated by 6.50pm). Acts will include the Chinese Lions (and drums) – celebrating Chinese New Year and Year of the Snake. Other acts will include our very own dancers, singers, orchestra, Jazz Band, Haddington Pipe Band and a number of other acts with diverse themes. There will also be acts from each of our associated primary schools. Our guest speaker for the evening will be Stephen Clegg, a Paralympian who won Gold Medals in swimming. Tickets for the evening show will go on sale on Thursday 27 February and parents/carers, friends and members of the local community will be able to purchase these from the School Office, at a cost of £5 (£3 concessions/school pupils). If you wish tickets put aside for collection please phone the school and we can do this for you too (Tel: 01620 823387).

Our Workshops will run at 5-5.45pm and 6-6.45pm (these had to be pre-booked via a link sent to parents/carers/pupils and staff prior to the February break). Some of the workshops running on the evening are Chinese Calligraphy, Samba Drumming, Pasta Making and Zumba. There are still spaces available in most of these but ones with most spaces are Meditation and the Ceilidh. If you do book on one, please ensure you can be there or let us know if you cannot make it so we can offer the space to someone else - thanks. Families that came along last time had so much fun attending these together.

Our International Market Place and Food Court (open to all – 5-6.45pm)

Prior to the start of the evening show there will be an opportunity to visit our International Market Place. Many of our local businesses will support this venture and on the evening we will be serving curries, various pizzas and our famous Scottish dish of haggis, neeps and tatties. Love Ice Cream will also be present for those with a sweet tooth! This will allow everyone to taste a variety of foods from countries around the world and also to come and enjoy your evening meal. There will also be an opportunity to buy products from some of the stalls (jewellery, nature oils, crafts and produce grown or developed locally etc.), take part in games and purchase raffle tickets to win fantastic prizes. A number of charities will also be present to talk about their work, such as Water Aid and Guide Dogs for the Blind (and chance to meet some of the puppies and dogs who are being trained/are trained for this role).

It will be cash only on the evening (please also bring some loose change) for any purchases at the various stalls and/or if you wish to purchase your dinner. Any money we do raise will go towards a variety of charitable causes and the school’s inclusion fund. Thank you for your support in making our Diversity Evening a great success and celebrating the diversity that we have in our local and wider community. It will be great to have as many of you along as possible to the whole evening or to any aspect of it – it is going to be a memorable evening!

Pupils’ Successes

Scottish Schools Athletic Championships and Indoor Combined Events/Pentathlon

Morven Kenny (S3) represented the school at the Scottish Schools Indoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday 5 February. She competed in the 300m and won a bronze medal!

Morven’s success continued into the February break when she competed in the National Indoor Combined Events / Pentathlon at the Emirates Stadium in Glasgow. She earned another bronze medal there against some fierce competition. If competing in athletic wasn’t enough, she then hopped on a plane to attend an intense swimming camp in Torremolinos for the week. Brilliant performances all round Morven!

Work Experience

Rebecca Cecil, S5, spent her February break on work experience at the Sheriff Courts in Edinburgh. During her busy week Rebecca got the chance to shadow members of the court administration office and attend court, where she was able to observe the different cases being heard. Rebecca was also given an early morning tour of the cells! She had a fantastic and very interesting time and it was a great way to spend her holiday. 

Dates for your diary:

6 March – Diversity Evening (workshops, market place and food court – 5-7pm; show 7-9pm)

20 March – Parent Council 6.30-8pm – School Library – all welcome

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

Quick Links:

Remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages. E-Sgoil also has some great resources.

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.

 

 

 

 

 

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 7 FEBRUARY 2025
Published: 07 February 2025

Staffing

The acting Depute Head Teacher post, at Meadowpark, will go live today and will close on Sunday 23 February. Interviews will take place on Thursday 27 February.

Following the interviews held at Meadowpark on Friday 31st January, I am pleased to announce that Judi Skinner has been selected as our preferred candidate for the post of Senior Business Support Assistant. Ms Skinner will take over the administrative duties at Meadowpark as soon as all relevant recruitment check are complete.

Parents Portal – Reports

Yesterday we sent out the S2 Full Reports through the Parents Portal so if your young person is in S2 and you are signed up to the portal please do check it. On this occasion, those without access to the portal were issued with a paper copy of the report. Going forward we would like to use the Parents Portal as the main method for issuing reports, so we encourage everyone who hasn’t already done so, to sign up. If you require support in setting this up the office staff will be more than happy to assist you.

SQA Exam Timetable

This has been revised so pupils/parents/carers should refer to the latest SQA exam timetable to ensure they know of any changes to their exam diet.

East Lothian Works would like to offer pupils, parents, carers the opportunity to join an online course information session on either Wednesday 19th or Wednesday 26th February from 6:30pm using Google Classroom. 

ELW Course Information Evening

Wednesday, 19th OR 26th February · 6:30 – 7:30pm

Time zone: Europe/London

Google Meet joining info

Video call link

If you would like a reminder of the courses ELW offer click here

Leavers’ Ceremony (S6)

Due to a change in the SQA timetable and there now being an exam on Friday 25 April (which was our leavers’ ceremony) we have now changed this to Friday 4 April so everyone can attend.

S3 Parents’ Consultation Evening

The S3 Parents’ Consultation Evening is on Thursday 20 February 2025, and we will be registering attendance via a QR Code. Please arrive through the main entrance and complete the short Google Form using your smartphone. Senior pupils will be there to assist you if there are any issues.

Diversity Evening Workshops – Thursday 6 March 2025

We are excited to invite you to our Knox Academy Diversity Evening Workshops on Thursday 6th March! These free workshops offer a fantastic opportunity to try something new, from creative arts to fitness, music, and mindfulness. Spaces are limited and will fill up quickly, so be sure to book early! All parents/carers should have received an email about this on Tuesday/Wednesday this week and you can book for you and your young people – so please look through these together. Or come with your friends if your young person is going with their peers.

Workshop Options Include:

Chinese Calligraphy – Try your hand at traditional Chinese writing; Create Your Own Logo – Learn the basics of design and branding; Beginners Meditation – Find relaxation and mindfulness techniques; Pasta Making – Make fresh, homemade pasta from scratch;  Samba Drumming – Feel the rhythm in this high-energy drumming session; Ceilidh Dancing – Join the fun with traditional Scottish dances; Upcycle a Tote Bag – Turn an old t-shirt into a reusable bag; Lifestyle Medicine & the 6 Pillars – Learn key principles for better health; The Art of Origami – Fold intricate paper creations with step-by-step guidance; Growing Sustainable Veg in Small Spaces – Learn how to grow food in limited areas; Fix Clothes with Felt – Repair woollen garments with creative felt patching;  Zumba – Get moving with this energetic dance workout!

Workshop Details:
Time Slots: 5:00-5:45pm & 6:00-6:45pm (except Samba Drumming: 6:00-6:45pm & 7:00-7:45pm)
Booking: please see the email you were sent on Tuesday/Wednesday
Tickets: Once booked, you’ll receive a ticket via email—please show this on the night for entry.
Family/Group Booking: Each participant needs a ticket. You can add a limited number of group members to your booking or they can book separately.

Pupils’ Successes

Goat’s Toes

I received a lovely letter from the Chair of the Probus Club thanking our wonderful performers in the The Goat’s Toes who performed at their recent Burns Supper.

Scottish Squash – Nationals

Congratulations to Phoebe Hamilton (S3) who managed a 2nd place in the Under 15 category & 3rd place in the Under 17's. Although narrowly missing out on a national title she is now assured selection for Scotland in both the 5 Nations Tournament and European's later in the year. Very exciting!

Battle of the Bands 2025

On Thursday 30th January the nine S2 classes at Knox Academy performed on the stage with lights and mics! Each class chose a song in October and were then given at least 6 music lessons to practise:

2.1 Insomnia/Thick of It

2.2 Diamonds

2.3 I Want It That Way

2.4 All Star

2.5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World

2.6 There She Goes

2.7 Waka Waka

2.8 Thunderstruck

2.9 Riptide/Freed from Desire

Three competitive heats took place in house groups: Garleton (2.1, 2.2, 2.3), Lammerlaw (2.4, 2.5, 2.6) and Traprain (2.7, 2.8, 2.9). These heats were judged by a panel made up of the 2024 Battle of the Band winners (Gangsta’s Paradise) and the Forder Brothers who had been guest performers last year. A huge thank you to these wonderful judges! Thank you also to our talented third year student, Sam Maguire, who provided the stage lighting for each class so that it felt and looked like a professional show.

FINALISTS

2.3 I Want It That Way (Garleton)

2.5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Lammerlaw)

2.9 Riptide/Freed from Desire (Traprain)

The FINAL took place in the hall period 7 with all nine classes in the audience. The judging panel was made up of the class teachers, our Depute Headteacher Miss Machen and VIP Guest, Charlotte McMillan (Development Officer, Community Music). Judges marked the performances on melody, harmony, rhythm and our Music Department values of creativity, communication and confidence.

We are delighted to announce that the winners of the S2 Battle of the Bands 2025 were... 2.5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World

A huge well done to all our wonderful performers! What a joy to see you developing the valuable transferable skills of creativity, communication and confidence.

Mrs Loughrey & Mrs Middlemiss are incredibly proud of the way you pursued our school values of Ambition, Respect & Community.

East Lothian Schools Cross Country Champs (Foxlake)

Our magnificent team of 48 athletes, were well prepared and ready to take on the challenge of the 3.35km course around the stunning countryside of Fox Lake grounds. Keeping their cool along the first uphill section from the start and clever pacing through the mud and tree lined routes, our runners soon passed close to the beach and then returned into the sun, to finish just at the Fox Falls. Every one of our athletes were cheered into the finish funnel by the rest of the Knox team and all had with big smiles on their faces as they all did their absolute best. 

8 Individual medallists were: S1 – Branna K and Megan B; S2 – Calum H and Laurie S – Rosa M and Emily W; S3 – Freddie F; Senior – Connal Y

 The competition was fierce and we smashed our previous records for our team performances, combining all the team members’ scores we placed: - S1 girls – (1st) S1 boys (2nd); S2 girls – (2nd) S2 Boys (3rd); S3 girls (2nd), S3 boys (1st); Senior Boys - (1st). 

Overall, we came 2nd to Dunbar. Hopefully next year we may even get that 1st position as we were only 12 points behind – our best performance to date! A fantastic memorable day with outstanding effort from everyone, fabulous team spirit throughout. (By Thomas Salked). A huge thanks to the staff for training the young people in the school competition first and for taking them all to the event and cheering them on!

 

Dates for your diary:

February holiday (pupils); 10 -17 February (inclusive)

20 February – S3 Parents’ Evening – 4.30-6.30pm

6 March – Diversity Evening (workshops, market place and food court – 5-7pm; show 7-9pm)

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

Quick Links:

Remote learning resources, course choices, supported study and careers news. Clicking on these headings takes you straight to these pages. E-Sgoil also has some great resources.

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.