January 2026

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 22 JANUARY 2026
Published: 22 January 2026

Staffing 

Congratulations to Hannah Milligan who was appointed to our temporary teacher of English post.

We are currently advertising for a temporary Support for Learning teacher – this will close next Sunday. We are also advertising for a Senior Business Support Assistant (Guidance) 30 hours per week, 39 weeks per year, permanent. This also closes next Sunday.

Digital Devices

Any pupils who were absent or didn’t manage to pick up their devices can pick one up from Miss Patterson, in the Library, between 8.15 and 9.30am next week. This hopefully will be the final pick up arrangement and everyone will have one after this. Learners must have signed the Learner Promise to receive their device though.

Coursing Information Evening

A reminder that all coursing information, for parents/carers and pupils can be accessed

via the green ‘Course Choice’ button on the front page of the school website.

Study Support (Seniors)

Prelims are now over and we are heading at speed towards ‘Qualifications Scotland’ exams (SQA). S4-S6 pupils should be maximising support for their learning and studying by attending our supported study classes that take place at lunchtimes and after school. E-Sgoil also runs a fantastic programme of evening seminars, on specific topics, that pupils can join. They will need their Glow User Name and Password to join these session and can get their Glow User Name and Password from their teachers here if they don’t already know it. The E-Sgoil programme can be accessed here.

NHS Reminder: 

Teenage booster vaccinations for S3 will take place on the Monday 26thJanuary at Knox in the Library from 9am. Meadowpark vaccinations are on Tuesday 27th.  S3 registration classes will be informed of a time slot to attend by their registration teachers. 

For S4-S6 who have been contacted, and S3s who did not return a consent form, a drop-in clinic will take place on Tuesday 27th January from 0930-11:30 in the Library; a parent/carer must be contactable to help with completing the consent form.

Rights Respecting Schools (RRSA)

Our Article of focus this week is Article 20 Children without families

Every child who cannot be looked after by their own family has the right to be looked after properly by people who respect the child's religion, culture, language and other aspects of their life. 

Pupils’ Successes

Battle of the Bands 2026 – bits to be added

On Thursday 22nd January, our nine S2 practical classes performed on the stage with lights and mics!

Each class chose a song in October and were given at least 6 music lessons to practise it together:

2.1 With or Without You (U2)

2.2 Hard Times (Paramore)

2.3 Dancing Queen (ABBA)

2.4 Firework (Katy Perry)

2.5 Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand)

2.6 Wonderwall (Oasis)

2.7 12 to 12 (Sombr)

2.8 Valerie (Amy Winehouse)

2.9 Iris (Goo Goo Dolls)

3 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 of the 2025 Battle of the Band winners (2.5 Everybody Wants to Rule the World). A huge thank you to these wonderful judges! Thank you also to our talented fourth year student, Sam Maguire, who provided the stage lighting for each class so that it felt and looked like a professional show.

FINALISTS

2.1 With or Without You (U2)

2.5 Take Me Out (Franz Ferdinand)

2.8 Valerie (Amy Winehouse)

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, Emma Robertson (Librarian), Mr Russell (Depute Headteacher) and VIP Community Guest, John Arnold (Actor, ECFM Radio DJ). Judges marked the musical performances on melody, harmony & rhythm. Classes were also marked on our Music Department values of creativity, communication and confidence.

We are delighted to announce the WINNERS of the S2 Battle of the Bands 2026 was class 2.1 – With or Without You.

A huge well done to all our wonderful performers! What a joy to see you developing the invaluable 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.

Events/Trips:

S6 Burns Supper – Thursday 5 February – 6.30-8.30pm (Assembly Hall)

Dates for your diary:

27 January – Parent Council – Library – 6.30-8pm (all parents/carers welcome)

29 January – S3 Parent’s Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

10 February – S1 Parents’ Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

16-23 February – holiday for pupils (staff 16-20 February with 23 February in-service day)

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

 

 

 

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 15 JANUARY 2026
Published: 15 January 2026

Staffing 

Meadowpark appointed Ruby Ranu as a permanent Pupil Support Assistant.  The other post was not appointed and will be re-advertised in the coming weeks.

We are currently advertising for a temporary Support for Learning teacher – this will goes live today. We are also advertising for a Senior Business Support Assistant (Guidance) 30 hours per week, 39 weeks per year, permanent.

Digital Devices

It was great to be able to hand out Chromebooks to the majority of our young people this week. So many teachers and pupils are already using these devices to support learning, teaching and research. We would ask parents/carers to support their use at home for further learning and research. A Chromebook Accessibility Guide for Parents/Carers can be found here. Any pupils who were absent of didn’t manage to pick up their devices this week can get their new Chromebook on Monday, in the Library, between 9.30-11am. All pupils have been asked to retain the brown cardboard box it came in for a few days, although I am aware they have all been offered the chance to hand this in for recycling. 

Coursing Information Evening

Thank you to all the parents/carers and young people who came along to the coursing information last Wednesday evening.  I hope it has helped in explaining the process your young person is about to embark on and provided you with the necessary information to support them.  All the information that was covered can be accessed via this link – Coursing Presentation 2026. The presentation and all the coursing resources/ information can be accessed via the  green ‘Course Choice’ button on the front page of the school website. (By Mr Russell)

Rights Respecting Schools (RRSA)

Our Article of focus this week is Article 19 - - Protection from Violence

Governments must protect children from violence, abuse and being neglected by anyone who looks after them.

Skills Development Scotland (SDS)

SDS is keen to hear from Parents and Carers about their careers service as you 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 to 15 minutes to complete. Thank you for taking the time to   complete this.

Supporting Healthy Choices at School

We’ve noticed an increasing number of young people arriving at school with energy drinks, sometimes even as they arrive first thing in the morning and using it as their breakfast. These drinks are high in caffeine and sugar and are not recommended for children and young people. Retailers are asked not sell these energy drinks to under-16s.

At school, we provide a free, healthy breakfast every morning for anyone who would like one. This is a much better way to start the day, giving our young people the energy and nutrition they need to learn and thrive.

We kindly ask for your support in ensuring that energy drinks are not brought into school or consumed on site. A quick chat at home about healthier choices can make a big difference. Together, we can help our young people make positive decisions around their wellbeing.

Pupils’ Successes

National Youth Choir of Scotland

Yanis Wong auditioned for the National Youth Choir of Scotland on Sunday 23rd November with Caro Mio Ben - Giuseppe Giordani

We are delighted that he was subsequently offered a place! Yanis has been a core member of Knox Choir for the past few years and we all celebrate his success.

Events/Trips:

Dates for your diary:

27 January – Parent Council – Library – 6.30-8pm (all parents/carers welcome)

29 January – S3 Parent’s Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

10 February – S1 Parents’ Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

16-23 February – holiday for pupils (staff 16-20 February with 23 February in-service day)

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

 

 

 

HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 9 JANUARY 2026
Published: 08 January 2026

Happy New Year and welcome back to Term 2! After a fantastic end to last term with our Winter Balls, Festive Fayre and Christmas Concert, this term opens with our young people getting their digital devices next week. This should support both their learning and in and out of school and I am sure, given it is their own individual device, they will all look after it exceptionally well!

Staffing  

A warm welcome to Mark O’Neill who joined us as Pupil Support Leader (Inclusion).

Patrick McLaren will start with us on Monday as our new Pupil Support Worker.

Interviews will take place on 15 January for our temporary teacher of English.

Meadowpark is interviewing for 2 ASN auxiliaries today.

An advert will go live today for a temporary Support for Learning teacher – this will close two weeks on Sunday.

An advert for a Senior Business Support Assistant (Guidance) 30 hours per week, 39 weeks per year, permanent.

Digital Devices

All parents/carers should have received the letter about the Chromebooks and the Learner Promise.

We held a series of assemblies, for all year groups, on these digital devices earlier this week  (Tuesday/Wednesday) and spoke to pupils about the Learner Promise they must complete prior to receiving this (this is about using them responsibly). We also introduced them to the various apps/programmes they can access to support their learning at school and home.

All learners will be expected to bring their Chromebooks to school, everyday, charged and ready for use as they will be used in many classrooms to support learning and research. They will be used alongside other learning and teaching strategies and not as a standalone resource.

Rights Respecting Schools (RRSA)

Our Article of focus this week is Article 18 - Responsibility of parents

Parents are the main people responsible for bringing up a child.  When the child does not have any parents, another adult will have this responsibility and they are called a guardian or carer.  Parents and guardians/carers should always consider what is best for that child.  Governments should help them.  Where a child has both parents, both of them should be responsible for bringing up that child.  

About Children's Rights

S3 Teen Booster Vaccinations

All young people in S3 are offered the Teen Booster MenACWY and DTP vaccines on 26th and 27th January at Meadowpark and Knox Academy, which protect against meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus and polio. These vaccines are given as an injection in the upper arm and provide longer-term protection against these serious and, in some cases, life-threatening diseases. 

Young people who are eligible should have brought a consent pack home from school before the Christmas break. 

If your child was absent from school last term the form may have been posted home. Pupils can collect their consent pack at registration. If they did not receive a consent pack and were present at school, please ask them to speak to Alison Swallow, School Welfare Assistant.  

NHS Scotland encourages parents/carers and young people to chat about the vaccines using the enclosed information leaflet, before signing and returning their consent form to Alison in the envelope provided ASAP.

Please visit the nhs website for further information, including videos about why vaccines are offered to young people and what to expect at the vaccination session.

Pupils’ Successes

Achievement Ties – 

3 endeavour certificates, 2 half colour ties and one full colour tie were awarded for a variety of achievements from sport to commitment to helping and supporting others in the community.

Events/Trips:

S2 Battle of the Bands 2026

Competition is heating up in the Music Department this month! On Thursday 22nd January the nine S2 classes at Knox Academy will perform on the stage with lights and mics for our annual Battle of the Bands competition. We have embedded this experience into our curriculum as a fantastic way to develop the transferable skills of confidence, communication and creativity. Each class chose a song in October and will have had at least 6 music lessons to practise.

3 competitive heats will take 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 will be judged by a panel made up of the 2025 Battle of the Band winners (2.5 Everybody Wants To Rule The World)

The Final will take place period 7 in front of the entire S2. The judging panel will include Senior Leadership, teachers and a VIP Community Guest

Dates for your diary:

27 January – Parent Council – Library – 6.30-8pm (all parents/carers welcome)

29 January – S3 Parent’s Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

10 February – S1 Parents’ Evening – 4.30 -6.30pm

16-23 February – holiday for pupils (staff 16-20 February with 23 February in-service day)

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