HEAD TEACHER'S UPDATE 2 JUNE 2023

We will look forward to welcoming all our senior pupils back to school on Monday as we start our new school timetable for Session 2023-24. All pupils will be given their timetables on Monday morning and there will be an induction session for the new S5 and S6 period one. Please can we ask that all pupils wear full school uniform and come equipped for all classes that day (including PE) so we can start the new timetable in a meaningful way. Thank you.

The last four weeks we have spent time with S1-S3 looking at The Knox Academy Way which we consulted on with staff, pupils and parents, and outlines our expectations of all when at school. These align with our school values and aim to create a positive learning environment for all young people. We would be grateful if you can discuss this at home with your young people too. We will also be leading an assembly on this with S4-S6 next week. Although all these expectations apply now, the official launch of The Knox Academy Way (how we do things here) will be implemented in August. Thank you for your support with this, as we work as a community to ensure all of our young people can be educated in a safe environment that helps them achieve their potential (United Nations Rights of the Child).

S6 Prom

It will be wonderful to celebrate the S6 leavers tonight at their prom and to hear what they are all going to be doing over the coming years. They have been an amazing year group and we would like to wish them, and all of our school leavers, all the very best for their next steps. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on.

Staffing

Congratulations to Laura Bates who was appointed to our Biology post and is now a full time permanent member of our school science team.

Interviews for Music, CDT, Welfare Assistant and ASN Auxiliary will take place over the next two weeks.

Emma Glass is our preferred candidate for class teacher at Meadowpark – August start

ASN Auxiliaries – advert for three posts for Meadowpark – August start

Parents’ and Pupils’ Information

Reconnecting at Knox Academy

We will be doing a presentation on this, online, on Thursday 8 June from 6.30-7pm and a link was emailed out to all parents/carers yesterday (including our new S1 parents).

P7 pupils

The PE department hosted a second P7 Transition event for our cluster primary schools on Thursday 1st June. All pupils had opportunities to take part in a variety of running, jumping and throwing events with some alternative events thrown in such as the welly boot throw. We were fortunate enough to have great group leaders from S1 and S2, and also welcomed back some of our senior pupils to also help assist. The efforts put in from all pupils was exceptional, and we look forward to welcoming all our P7s back in a few weeks’ time

The P7s are also up this morning taking part in the Maths Challenge. They also seem to be really enjoying it too!

S1 and S2

Our S1 and S2 students were given the opportunity to enter the Track and Field Sports Days held at Knox over two mornings this week, in glorious sunshine. Magnificent athleticism was on display, all students supporting each other in a respectful and happy atmosphere.  Lammerlaw House ran away with the overall House Cup, followed by Traprain and then Garleton. 

Edinburgh Marathon Festival Fundraiser

A huge congratulations to all pupils and staff who took part in the 10k and half marathon last weekend and raised £4395 for the Teenage Cancer Trust. Thank you to all who donated (and the link is still open if you still want to donate). The final total of this will be added to the bake sale and teacher gunging that took place last Friday and this will make it in the region of £4500. A fantastic community effort!

Evening of Celebration

S1 and S2 Merit Awards winners should all have now received notification and parent/carers received an e-mail invitation to the event.  Senior (S3-S6), Special and Rotary Awards e-mail invitations will be issued early next week.

Pupils’ Achievements

Battle of the Bands (S2)

Congratulations to Seven Years who won this year’s Battle of the Bands. It was hotly contested but also there can only ever be one winner. The standard of all S2 classes was brilliant and it was evident the time and effort that they had put in to rehearsals to make their performances shine on the day. Thank you to Ms Loughrey and Mrs Middlemiss for organising this fun event. Also to Hannah Beevors for leading on lighting and sound.

Football

Congratulations to Haddington Athletic Under 17s who won the Michael Moran Cup last Tuesday. This is their third piece of silverware this season and a number of the team are Knox Academy pupils. There other two wins were the Victor Parish Bathrooms Cup and the South East Region Division Two Cup.

Success Stories

If you have any success stories about your young person please send these in to our admin@knox.elc.school.org so we can share these with everyone in our school and community. Thank you.

Support

Please can parents/carers make an appointment if they wish to speak to a member of Pupil Support or the Senior Leadership Team.  An increasing number of parents/carers have been turning up, without an appointment, wishing to be seen and although we want to see you, we have been unable to do so as we have been teaching or in pre-arranged meetings. By making an appointment with us via the office, or email, we can ensure a time and date. Thank you.

Please do not hesitate to contact our Pupil Support Team by emailing your young person’s House Team if you would like to discuss any support we can offer.

 

Dates for your diary:

Monday 5 June – New Timetable starts for all year groups

Thursday 8 June – Online Parents’ Info Evening on ‘Reconnecting and smartphones’ – 6.30pm

Thursday 22 June – S1/2 Awards Evening – 6-7pm; S3-S6 Awards Evening – 7.30-8.30pm

Wednesday 28 June – term ends at 3.25pm

Wednesday 16 August – new terms starts for pupils – 8.28am

 

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 84CEAEA2  (link is external) (link is external) for the latest information and updates.