It has been absolutely wonderful to welcome our pupils back to school on a phased return this week. Lots of smiling faces and great to be back to face to face teaching. Staff had two in-service days to prepare for our re-opening and re-connecting but it is only when pupils come back in that the school really feels alive again. They all looked so smart in their Knox Academy uniform and great to be able to give all of our S1s a tie as a welcome gift (although many were still practising tying it when I popped my head in to see them). Our Senior Leadership Team delivered a virtual induction assembly to all pupils which also covered all the health and safety aspects of our return.
It will be fantastic to have all pupils back in school on Monday and an even bigger buzz around the building.
Health and Safety around the school
As part of the phased return pupils were taken through our health and safety procedures to be followed to keep themselves and others safe. All pupils will be issued with s health and safety card on Monday to help remind them of their role in this. It would be great if parents/carers could look over this with them at home and re-enforce these to support the safety of all at school. Anyone with Covid-19 symptoms should not attend school but stay at home and you need to book a test through NHS Inform. You should also alert the school to this (and your young person's absence at all times). Thank you. We all want to be safe in our learning and ensure we can get through this year with everyone staying well and everyone has their role to play in this. Please also see my letter to parents/carers about re-connecting at Knox Academy for more detailed information. There has been one change on return to school. As you know from my communication with you, we are encouraging all families to send their young people to school with a ready-filled water bottle – please let your young person’s Pupil Support Leader know if there an issue providing one (email for Pupil Support Leaders in my letter – see link above). Refills will now be available at our four water dispensers in the school. Water bottles should be wide necked where possible to ensure they do not touch the dispenser/nozzle.
SQA results
It was welcome news that all schools’ estimates across Scotland will now be honoured and young people will now be issued with new certificates based on these. If a pupil’s grade was put up by SQA this will also be honoured. There will be an appeals process for those pupils who wishing to appeal school estimates and we await further advice from SQA in regard to this and we will let you know more once we hear.
We are delighted with our results at Knox Academy and would want to thank all of our pupils for their hard work and commitment to their learning, not just last session but over the years, that ensured that they did so well. Our school value of AMBITION will continue this year in aiming to ensure we build on these results and learning experience for all of our young people so we continue to improve outcomes for all.
Timetables
All pupils have now been issued with their new timetables. Mr Russell. DHT, is busy working to support those senior pupils who have requested course changes.
Google Classroom Guardian Summary
Thanks to those parent/carers who have responded to the Guardian Summary consent form sent out in June. More information about this can be found on the school website and if you have not already done so you can access the form here. Please note that you need to do this with your young person as they need to use their Edubuzz login to access the form and you also need to do this for each child in your household separately.
Guardian Summaries allow parent(s)/carer(s) to receive regular updates about the work posted on their young person’s Google Classrooms. You are also able to control the frequency of these updates or decide to opt-out of receiving them at a later date (by Calum Blair, CL Numeracy and Computing).
Skills Development Scotland
My name is Chris Trotter and I provide career support from Skills Development Scotland to pupils at Knox Academy. Career Advisers are unable to attend school, but we continue working from home, and this is likely to be until at least October. With this in mind Skills Development Scotland still want to support pupils to develop their Career Management Skills to help them make career decisions that are right for them, as they move through school and eventually leave. I may be contacting your young person, if they are in the senior phase of the school, between now and October to discuss their plans for the year ahead, although you or your young person can also contact us at a time that suits you by calling our local Musselburgh office on 0131 665 3120. Thank you for your time and I look forward to working with your young person in the year ahead, (Chris Trotter. Careers Adviser)
Free School Meals/Clothing Grants
We are aware that some parents/carers circumstances may have changed as a result of Covid-19 and this may mean you are now eligible for Free School Meals and/or a Clothing Grant. If you think this may apply to you, please visit the Free School Meals and Clothing Grants area of the East Lothian Council website for further information and the relevant forms. If you need help completing these forms there is support available on the website or alternatively please contact your young person’s Pupil Support Leader (Guidance teacher) who should also be able to help you via a telephone call/email.
Awards Evening
This will now take place on Wednesday 16 September. Given the current guidelines from the Scottish Government this will be a virtual event. More information will follow soon.
School Handbook
Our updated school handbook is now available to read. Full of detailed information for parents and carers and well worth reading in readiness for the start of the new term in August.
Former Pupils’ News
Charlotte Smoth, who left Knox Academy a few years ago, has been awarded a First Class Honours in English and Theatre Studies by Glasgow University. She will now go to Bristol Old Vic who will facilitate her Post Graduate studies in Drama Writing
Communication
Most of our communication is by email to parents/carers so if you have still to provide us with your email please do so ASAP so you don’t miss out on any information from us. Please send an email to admin@knox.elcschool.org.uk to give us your email information. Thank you.
Have a good weekend and we will look forward to seeing all of our young people back on Monday.
Sue Cook