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General News
Published: 20 December 2012
On Saturday 1st December, two Knox Academy teams took part in the YES Christmas Market 2012 on the Grassmarket, Edinburgh. Both teams were superb and impressed the judges with their commitment, enthusiasm and organisation.
Throughout the year there are several prizes that Companies can win, four to be won on the day:
- Best Sales and Marketing
- Best Product
- Best Display
- Best Overall
Team Bottle It Up received second place in the Best Display category. A record number of teams entered and a wide variety of products on sale so this was an excellent achievement. To find out more information about both our teams, you can follow the links below:
Published: 19 December 2012
Escape the madness of Christmas shopping and bring your family to experience a host of fun Christmas activities at the John Gray Centre, Lodge Street, Haddington. On Saturday, we'll have Santa outside greeting visitors, decorations you can make yourselves and take home, live Christmas music, mince pies, plus quizzes, games and plenty of festive cheer! Upstairs in the Archive, they’ll have a display of historical documents too. Then on Sunday, you’ll still be able to make some Christmas decorations, take part in a quiz, and it’ll also be your last chance to take part in our 12 days of Christmas competition.
Christmas Activity Times are:
10am-3pm, Saturday 22nd December
1pm-3pm, Sunday 23rd December
The John Gray Centre will close at 5pm on 24th December and reopen at 9.30 on 3rd January.
John Gray Centre would like to wish all their visitors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Published: 18 December 2012
If you haven't already seen the photographs taken at the school dance, they are on display outside Mrs Ball's office.
Photographs are available to order at a cost of 50p each to raise funds for KASG.
Published: 12 December 2012
To bring the school library in-line with East Lothian Libraries policy, from the 8th of January 2013 pupils must have their Young Scot entitlement card to borrow and reserve library materials.
By making the card part of a pupil’s everyday equipment they will be able to request resources to support studies and class projects from the online library catalogue; they will be secure in the knowledge that no other pupil can give their name and class to get books out on their record. They will have access while in school, at home and at local branch libraries to online resources to assist with research for class projects.
Pupils who currently have lost their card, or their card is damaged can collect an application form from Mr Plain in the school library for a new card.
Published: 12 December 2012
Dear Parents/Carers,
As promised – here is an update as regards the S3 curriculum and an explanation of the narrowing down of the curriculum in each of the Faculties. We are asking pupils to personalise their learning a bit more in preparation for the choices that they are going to make in March.
However, it should be noted, that even if a pupil chooses not to take a subject between January and May, that does not mean that they cannot choose to take it as a subject in S4 (all pupils should have reached a level of proficiency that would allow them to pick up a subject that they studied up until December of S3. It must be noted, though, that in such a case a pupil would possibly be recommended for a National 4 course).
The pupils are working towards making their final choices, and recommendations from departments and faculties will come out nearer to March. However, I thought it would be helpful if I started to familiarise you with the nature of the exam courses that will be available to most youngsters next session. Pupils will be recommended to sit subjects at either National 4 or National 5. National 4 is vaguely comparable with General Level at Standard Grade and will be internally assessed – there will be no final exam. Assessment will be done in school, throughout the course. This will be demanding as pupils will have to ensure that they are keeping up with the classwork, additional coursework and internal assessments to ensure that they reach the required standard. National 5 will be externally assessed and is roughly equivalent to Credit Level at Standard Grade. I hesitate to use the comparisons from Standard Grade as it is a bit like comparing apples and oranges – the “Nationals” are one-year courses whereas Standard Grades are two-year courses.
Pupils will be given the chance to opt for up to eight subjects in S4. For some pupils, eight subjects might be too onerous and therefore we are looking at options for general courses e.g. to enhance literacy and numeracy skills, opportunities for regular, weekly work experience, and outdoor education and teambuilding courses e.g. Princes’ Trust Award, and ASDAN awards. There should be something to suit every pupil’s ability and aptitudes.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents and carers for their support at this time of transition. It is never easy being the first group through any new system, but rest assured that we have done everything that we can to ensure that your youngster gets the best possible preparation for S4.
I wish you all the best for the festive season and 2013.
Yours,
Sarah Ingham
Head Teacher
Please find below a summary of the options that S3 pupils have been given:
|
Subject/Faculty |
Time Allocation |
Options |
|
Mathematics |
2 hours |
None
|
|
Communication & Literacy (English, French, Latin) |
... |
Published: 12 December 2012
S6 Panto "Aladdin" Dress Rehearsal performance for Parents, Family, Friends and Former Pupils of Knox Academy
6.30pm, Entry from 6.15pm, Tickets priced £2.
M Brown
Published: 11 December 2012
The Jericho Cafe is now closed for the Christmas period - reopens on Saturday 12 January 2013.
Published: 11 December 2012
Over the last couple of months, we have had a variety of different people in to speak to the class regarding our Advanced Higher Modern Studies dissertations. Our first visitors were PC Black and PC Gray from Lothian and Borders Police, who we quizzed on a variety of subjects including Scottish sectarianism and arming the police. Then John Thayers from MELDAP (Midlothian& East Lothian Drugs & Alcohol Partnership) kindly came in and discussed the influence that drugs and alcohol can have on levels of crime, particularly at a local level. In the next few weeks we were visited by three MSPs, firstly Paul Wheelhouse from the SNP, then Graeme Pearson and Iain Grey from the Labour Party; with them we talked a lot about reoffending and the methods used by the criminal justice system as alternatives to prisons. We were also able to visit Haddington Sheriff Court where we spoke to the Sheriff about sentencing and sat in on some cases. All of these experiences were hugely useful for our dissertations, and we would like to thank everyone who gave up their time for us.
Robin Stewart 6G1
Published: 11 December 2012
The following letter will be issued to pupils via "pupil post" at registration...
10 December 2012
Dear Parents and Carers,
Following a consultation on the Dress Code I have decided to make the following amendments to the extant rules. The changes have been made following the suggestions of parents, staff and pupils. 37% of pupils responded, 30% of staff and roughly 1.5% of parents responded.
This Dress Code will come into force on the 8th January 2013. I hope that you will be as supportive of this as possible. As ever, if there is going to be a situation where your youngster cannot wear Dress Code for whatever reason, please write to me at the school so that we can come to some arrangement that does not result in your child being penalised.
- Skirts and trousers must be made of dense black material and that if trousers are made of denim that they are not obviously jeans. Please ensure that these are black in colour, not faded black, navy or grey.
- Skirts must reach at least 2cm below the pupil’s middle finger when their arms are at their sides.
- Any form of footwear, including trainers, is acceptable as long as they are black with no other colours (not even piping or eyelets or fur) the only exception to this will be wellington boots on days when it is raining or snowing.
- Girls must wear shirts/blouses that have button at the neck.
- Ties are to be worn at the neck.
- Knitwear (sweaters, cardigans, waistcoats and tank tops) or sweatshirts must be black and may not have logo that could not be covered by the palm of the pupil’s hand. Black hoodies are acceptable but must be such that a pupil’s tie can be seen at the neck and any logos must be able to be covered by the pupil’s hand. Knitwear can also be navy but sweatshirts/hoodies must be black. The school will sell knitwear, hoodies and fleeces that have the school badge on them.
- Pupils not wearing black knitwear/sweatshirts must accept that they will be asked to remove these during class time.
- Strappy tops worn over shirts by girls are not acceptable.
- All accessories must be black (belts, scarves etc).
- Stud earrings only, necklaces to go inside shirts and no bangles.
- If a member of staff requests that a pupil removes any accessory or item of outerwear because of health and safety concerns the pupil must comply.
- A stock of suitable sweaters will be kept at school for pupils to borrow if they come to school inappropriately dressed.
-
If possible pupils who come to school inappropriately dressed will be asked to go home and change.
Yours faithfully,
Sarah Ingham
Remember the school website address: www.ka-net.org.uk
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