Today is a milestone date as our S6 pupils, and a small number of S4 and S5, leave Knox Academy. It has been a great privilege to work with such an amazing group of young people and all at Knox Academy would like to wish them all the very best in their next steps in life. We do hope they will keep in touch with us and let us know how they are getting on. I have sent a letter to all leavers with a personal message from me and all the staff at Knox Academy.
If any of our leavers do require any future support with their career pathway they can email Chris Trotter, our school’s Skills Development Scotland Advisor at chris.trotter@sds.co.uk and he will be able to provide them with assistance.
On Saturday East Lothian moves to Level 1 Covid restrictions. Once further information has been received from the Scottish Government, in relation to any changes we are required to make at a school level, I will let parents/carers and pupils know these. At present we will continue with our current health and safety mitigations with a focus on hand-sanitising, face coverings (unless exempt), class seating plans, well ventilated classrooms and corridors, outdoor learning (where possible) and breaks and lunches outdoors. Pupils are also encouraged to participate in twice weekly lateral flow testing (voluntary) for those who are asymptomatic (see details below). Anyone with symptoms should book a PCR test. You, your child and anyone else you live with should stay at home and not have any visitors until you get the test result – only leave your home to have the test.
Staffing
Hannah McBride – congratulations on the birth of a little girl, Sophie Marie.
Congratulations to Clare Williamson, our Biology Probationer, who has been appointed to a permanent position at Ross High School in August.
Lana Borwick – PE – will be re-joining at the end of June following her maternity leave.
We will be welcoming a number of probationers to the school in August and will give more details in the next few weeks about the subjects these will be in.
Parents/Carers Information
Head Pupils’ Elections
All S5 Pupils wishing to apply for Head Pupil or Depute Head Pupils positions should do so by Wednesday 9 June. All S5 pupils have been sent an application to their EduBuzz emails to enable them to apply if they wish to do so. Elections will take place over the coming weeks and the successful applicants appointed prior to the end of term. Further leadership positions will also be available in our Prefect Team and leading other aspects across the school.
S6 Leavers’ Event
This will be held today, at 12.30pm, in the school’s quadrant (outdoors) and will be an Afternoon Tea style event. All S6 have been invited to this and we are looking forward to saying a final farewell to them at this. They have been an amazing year group and this has been captured in the leavers’ letter I have sent to them all and which they will also get a copy of today if they are attending our leavers’ event.
S4 and S5 pupils who are staying on next year must remain in all classes until 14 June, when the timetable changes.
SQA Update/ Appeals and issuing of provision grades
The formal assessment period has now come to an end for pupils at Knox academy and across East Lothian. Pupils will receive their formal Provisional Grades for each of their subjects on Tuesday 22 June, in the afternoon. This will be in the format of a simplified school report document which will outline the grade banding being entered to SQA as their provisional result. A covering letter will explain all aspects of this report.
Details of the Appeals 2021 process was announced formally yesterday. It will also be useful at this stage to see the most recent Letter to Learners from the NQ2021 Group, which outlines all the supports and the next steps as we progress through the stages of the Alternative Certification Model (ACM). Please discuss these with your young person. Thank you.
East Lothian Council
A summer hardship fund will be paid to families registered and eligible for free school meals currently in primary and secondary. The payment is £100 per child. If you are already registered for free school meals no action is required. More information can be found here.
Emails
If you have not already given us your email address (which is our main method for correspondence), please can you send this to admin@knox.elcschool.org.uk – this will ensure all information reaches you. Our website details most of our information but it is good to be able to email parents/carers with more personalised/specific information at times too.
Please can I encourage parents/carers to sign up to our Twitter pages, which feature all the events happening at the school on a day to day basis and also features lots of employment opportunities that advertise. Twitter is easy to set up and well worth doing as has lots of excellent links for parents beyond the school too. The Twitter 
accounts are @knoxacademy; @knoxacademyHT; @KnoxParents. Most of our subject departments have accounts too and post some useful work for our young people or links for them to explore. It would be great to have as many parents/carers following us as possible.
LFD Test Kits
If you wish your young person to receive a test kit please complete the e-consent form. Pupils over 16 can consent themselves but parents/carers must consent for those under 16 (before any testing kits can be handed out to this age group).
If a pupil tests positive using the LFD test kit, they and their family should self-isolate and the pupil should book a PCR test through the NHS. Other members of the household do not need to book a test unless they are symptomatic. Please also note that if a pupil receives a negative LFD test result, but has possible Covid symptoms, they should book a PCR test and remain at home until they have a negative PCR test result.
LFD test kits for parents/carers/households can now be ordered through NHS Inform if you do not have symptoms. Pupils who have consented should continue to pick these tests up from school.
Asymptomatic Testing in East Lothian
If you are asymptomatic you can also visit a mobile unit in East Lothian to be tested. Information can be found here.
COVID-19
Positive Cases: Please report positive cases to the school by phoning us on 01620-823387. Please also report any positive cases to covidinschools@eastlothian.gov.uk or if you do not have access to email, telephone 01875 613921.Thank you.
Please note: Please do not your young person if they, or anyone in your household has tested positive or has Covid-19 symptoms – a new continuous cough; fever/high temperature; loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste (anosmia). Please self-isolate and book a test.
Dates for you diary:
Monday 7 June In-service day for staff (SQA) – Pupils’ holiday
Friday 25 June End of term
Have a great weekend, and again, thank you for your ongoing support.
Sue Cook
Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk @knoxacademy @knoxacademyHT for the latest information and updates
