Happy New Year - I hope you all enjoyed a lovely festive break with family and friends. After the bumpy start to our term, with S4-S6 having to learn remotely for 2 days this week, we will resume in-school learning and teaching for all year groups from Monday onwards. The new variant, Omicron, is very much still a presence, and for this reason we may still need to move to remote learning at short notice should staff absence escalate to the point we are unable to cover classes again.

In the meantime, please can I ask for your support with our mitigations, that the Scottish Gvt has asked up to put in place. The more we can do together to prevent the spread of the virus the more likely we are to stay fully operational. We now have a dedicated section on our website for all things Covid, so please refer to it for the latest information, including our risk assessments.

Please also read the letter issued today from our Head of Education, Nicola McDowell.

Face coverings

Please can I ask parents/carers to ensure their young person brings their own face covering to school (unless exempt). These should ideally be the re-useable ones to support our Eco-School approaches. If you require support with this please contact your young person’s Pupil Support Leader as we have ordered a small amount of re-useable ones we can issue to those requiring them.  Thank you.

Lateral Flow Tests

The Scottish Gvt has asked that as many pupils as possible engage in the Lateral Flow Tests and have requested that they carry out these tests twice weekly or when meeting up with other groups of people out with school. With the new approaches to self-isolation, which were announced on 5 January by the First Minister, a supply of the LFD test kits will be necessary for all pupils/households. We have a supply of the new nasal-only test kits to address previous feedback from some participants about the discomfort of throat swabbing. These new types of test kit only take around 15-20 minutes for results to be returned, reducing the amount of time involved in testing. The UK Government has also updated their online reporting portal so that household accounts can be created. This allows parents to record results for more than one child without having to re-enter data multiple times. Reporting online now takes only a few minutes if participants use their phones. Test kits can be picked up at the front of the school every morning and from the office throughout the day. These tests should only be carried out at home.    

School Uniform/ventilation

Thank you for supporting your people continuing to wear school uniform (equity, a sense of community and gets pupils in work mode as different from their casual clothes). I would suggest, that in order to ensure they are warm during lessons, they bring a cosy fleece or wear a few extra jumpers/ layers (hooded tops are not part of our uniform) as classrooms will be well ventilated in order to minimise the spread of Covid. If you do need any support with uniform please do get in touch with your young person’s House Team as we have our uniform bank, as part of our Eco-school. We have lots of new and pre-loved uniform in it. We are also aware that many families financial position has changed during the pandemic and financial support in buying school uniform and for free school meals is available from East Lothian Council. For details of eligibility and how to apply please follow this link.

Self-isolation

Please take time to read the summary of all the changes, effective from 6 January 2022 so you know what to do if your young person, or someone in your household, tests positive or has Covid.

Vaccinations

The Scottish Government is promoting Covid vaccinations/booster vaccinations for those 12yrs and over. Our local vaccination centre is the Haddington Corn Exchange.  

Staffing

Today we bid a fond farewell to Dr Lyons, Support for Learning Leader, who leaves us to take up a post at a school in Pathead. We wish her all the very best in her new role.  Interviews for her replacement will take place on Monday 17 January.

Senior Phase Parent Consultation Evenings

S4 - Thursday 13^th January 2022 (5pm – 7pm)

S5/6 - Tuesday 25^th January 2022 (5pm – 7pm)

Due to both the current Covid19 restrictions and based on our survey results from parents/carers in May 2021, we are running our parents’ evenings via GoogleMeet. Letters and appointment sheets have been sent out via email to both S4 Parents/carers and young people via email. Paper copies will be distributed via registration on Monday. S5/6 will receive similar communication in due course. We expect that pupils will join their parents and carers at these meetings to have a discussion about learning and progress in individual subject areas. Feedback will be based around pupil progress in their individual subjects, mainly based on next steps identified from their recent Prelims.  This is a great opportunity for young people to receive individual feedback, with appropriate support from their parents/carers.

Parents should contact their young person’s Pupil Support Leader, by emailing House Group inboxes, if they wish to discuss any particular pastoral concerns. (garleton@knox.elcschool.org.uk, lammerlaw@knox.elcschool.org.uk, traprain@knox.elcschool.org.uk ).

We look forward to seeing as many parents/carers at these Google Meets as possible.  

S2-S5 Learner Pathway Choices

Detailed information will be issued to both pupils and parents, in a few weeks time, by Mr Russell.

Young Persons’ (under 22) Free Bus Travel

All young people and children aged 5-21 years can apply for a card from 10 January to access the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme from 31 January. You can apply here.

 

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on a new year and a new term. We will do our utmost to ensure we support all our young people in whatever way they need to ensure they achieve the best outcomes they can at Knox Academy. If you would like to discuss any specific support for your young person please do contact their House Team in the first instance.

Ms Adam/Mrs Falconer (Garleton) garleton@knox.elcschool.org.uk

Mr Meekison/Mr Russell (Lammerlaw) lammerlaw@knox.elcschool.org.uk

Mrs Doig/Mr Illingworth (Traprain) traprain@knox.elcschool.org.uk

If you do not have email, please phone the school office on: 01620 823387.

Dates for your diary:

Thursday 13 January: S4 Parents’ Evening.

Tuesday 25 January: S5/6 Parents’ Evening

Thursday 31 January – Parent Council (virtual) 6.30-8pm

Monday 14 –Friday 18 February – Mid-term break

Monday 21 February – staff in-service/pupil holiday

Have a good weekend

Sue Cook

Please also remember to follow us at: www.ka-net.org.uk @knoxacademy @knoxacademyHT for the latest information and updates