Coursing Information Event
Monday 15 January 2024 – We will be holding a coursing information event on 15 January from 18:30-19:30 for parents/ carers of pupils in S2, S3, S4 and S5. The presentation will cover information around the curriculum and the course choice process.
Careers Event 17 January 2024
The Knox Academy Career Event takes place on Wednesday 17 Jan 2024, from 6- 8pm. This was a hugely successful and well attended event in 2023.
With 60 businesses attending and a series of presentations about Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships running alongside the main exhibition, there is something for everyone.
The extensive range of exhibitors will include universities/ colleges, training providers, as well as businesses involved in finance, gaming, food and drink, green technology, science, make up and textiles. We hope that you will take this opportunity to visit and speak with those who can help you make informed subject choices which will help you in the years ahead. Come along and be inspired:
- Learn how your interests, strengths and skills relate to specific job roles
- How the subjects you will select relate to jobs and careers
- How you can begin to build business networks, skills, confidence, knowledge and ideas for choices and next steps
Here are a couple of links with further details:
List of Exhibitors
Programme of presentations about Apprenticeships (Please note that some talk times are subject to change and will be confirmed in January).
For S1-3 pupils, attendance at the career fair will help you understand more about possible future career paths as well as the subjects you’ll need to gain qualifications in. The exhibitors are keen to share with you the opportunities that exist within their organisations/ companies and their own career journeys. They’d be delighted if you asked them about how they got into their role; what skills, qualifications they look for in their employees and applicants; what advice they could give you about what skills development to focus on at school.
For S4-6 pupils attendance at the career fair will help you learn more about routes into college, university, apprenticeships and employment. This might include details of specific jobs that are available and the application process for their business/ organisation. Some of you may be leaving school next summer, or may be available for part-time weekend work or volunteering before then, so come along and hear about the varied opportunities for you to become inspired and ultimately hired.
Parliamentary Visit
On Monday this week the Modern Studies department welcomed Parliamentary Business Minister George Adam MSP along to a question and answer session in the school library. The session, run by Miss Laing and Mr Miller, was attended by around 25 pupils who had prepared questions. Mr Adam answered questions from pupils about how the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament work, and they went on to discuss local issues such as social housing, free school meals, council budgets, poverty and reforming prisons. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience of having a cabinet minister in their school and, as always, showed themselves to be politically aware, mature and a credit to the school.
Mr Adam, MSP for Paisley, was in Haddington as part of the Travelling Cabinet who met in the town later in the day.
S2 and S3 History Pupils become Rebels of Time
Knox Academy was delighted to welcome Craig Andrew Mooney to the school on Tuesday 12th December. Craig is a talented author, artist, actor and producer and he was here to share his tips and experience with creating graphic novels. Using his new book ‘The Rebel of Time’ Craig was able to show our well attended workshops how to create scenes from text. Our pupils enjoyed creating their own comic strips and had plenty of questions for Craig about writing and acting. We’d also like to thank ‘Night Owl Books’ of East Linton who helped with the author signings. Many thanks to Ms Fry in the Library for hosting and organising and to the pupils for their enthusiasm (By Ms Anderson. History)
French Film Festival
The French Film Festival runs from November until the end of the year with screenings of Francophone cinema shown across the country. We are very lucky that the Fraser Centre in Tranent was an official venue this year and so we jumped at the opportunity to immerse our students in French language and culture! On Wednesday morning this week our S4-S6 pupils studying French enjoyed a trip to the centre where they were able to watch Les Deux Alfred, a recent French comedy about the pitfalls of a world reliant on modern technology. Students were able to recognise lots of vocabulary they have used in class and get insight into French culture and lifestyle. Merci beaucoup, the Fraser Centre, et à la prochaine fois! (By Ms Fletcher, Modern Languages)
Diligence Awards
These will be issued next week to pupils. These are to promote our value of ‘ambition’ and the need to work hard on a period by period, day by day basis. The aim is to be nominiated in all subjects and where a young person does not achieve a mention, that means they need to apply themselves more in that subject area next term.
SchoolPay Recurring Payments
Please be aware that SchoolPay has been experiencing problems setting up recurring payments, and parents/carers should not use this function until further notice. This is being investigated by SchoolPay systems suppliers, and an update will be provided once this is resolved.
S3 Christmas Cakes – competition
This year saw some of our best cake designs yet which made finding a winner particularly difficult!! However the staff who were able to judge did come to a decision .For the first time ever not one, not two, but three boys were the winners! In first place we had Jamie Leitch with a fantastic Father Christmas design. Second was Callum Blair with a tranquil snowman cake and, in third place, was Mesud Gopo, who designed a wonderful snowman sledging scene.
Congratulations to everyone who entered, you all put so much effort in and created some wonderful cakes (By Ms Shepherd, HE)
Christmas Dances
Our senior pupils were absolutely amazing at their Snowball on Wednesday evening. They certainly raised the roof with their singing along to the songs and danced just about every piece of music played. A truly enjoyable evening for pupils and staff alike. A huge thank you, again, to staff and parents/carers for giving up your evening to make this happen – your goodwill is very much appreciated.
Whole school Christmas Lunch
A huge thank you to our Food Court Team who put on a truly scrumptious Christmas lunch, for staff and pupils, on Wednesday. There were lots of full tummies in the afternoon but not time for that post-meal nap as back to lessons!
Success Stories
U13’s Football Team
It was great to receive an email from the North Berwick HS coach to commend our U113’s boys’ team for their impeccable conduct last weekend, following their match against NBHS. He said they were polite, engaging and a credit to themselves, their coaches and the school. Well done boys – great ambassadors for the school and showing our values of respect and community.
Dates for your diary:
21 December – Christmas Concert – 7pm
22 December – End of Term – 12.15pm
8 January 2024 – New Term – 8.25am
10 January 2024 – S4 Parents’ Evening – 4.30 – 6.30pm (at Knox Academy)
17 January 2024 – Careers Fayre – 6 – 8pm (at Knox Academy)
Our school calendar is updated regularly and should be used to access all information throughout the year and allows you to plan ahead too.
The final Haddington Farmers Market of the year takes place tomorrow so please go along to support our local producers if you can. Have a lovely weekend.
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
