Pupil Post

This is the place to view all letters and other documents sent home via 'pupil post'.

Letters in the Last Month

SENIOR PRELIM TIMETABLE: DECEMBER 2020

Published: Thu 26 Nov 2020

Senior Students are reminded that Prelims start on Wednesday 2 December 2020.

Timetable of Prelim Exams

Personalised timetable letters were issued to registration classes on Friday 27 November 2020. Note: if any student notices an error or conflict we would ask them to speak with their class teacher as soon as possible.

We are encouraging a flexible approach to study for the duration of the prelims Wednesday 2 December 2020 – Thursday 10 December 2020 inclusive. Pupils should be in classes on Monday & Tuesday next week (w/c 30 November 2020), and back in on Friday 11 December 2020. Between these times they are welcome in the building to follow their normal timetabled classes, but we are assuming the majority will work from home and treat this as study leave.

S1 PARENTS' EVENING LETTER - NOVEMBER 2020

Published: Mon 23 Nov 2020

Due to the current Covid19 restrictions, we are unable to invite you into the school, and therefore we are running our parents’ evenings via GoogleMeet.  GoogleMeets are secure on-line video meetings through Google accounts (within East Lothian Council, Google accounts are our edubuzz system). 

Full details available in letter issued 18 November 2020 from our Depute Head, Alice Clubb.

EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL STATEMENT - TIER 3 TO TIER 2

Published: Wed 18 Nov 2020

As you will be aware, the First Minister has announced that East Lothian will move in to COVID-19 protection level 2 from Tuesday 24th November 2020. Parents and carers will recall that protection level 3 had additional enhanced protective measures. These included the need for all staff and pupils to wear a face covering during lessons in the senior phase. In addition, there was also the need for parents and carers to discuss with their clinician whether children with the highest clinical risk should still attend school. Full details available in letter issued 18 November from Lesley Brown, Chief Operating Officer (Education).

SQA PRELIMS AND ASSESSMENT - PUPIL LETTER NOVEMBER 2020

Published: Wed 18 Nov 2020

As you will be aware, based on the Depute First Minister’s statement in October, there will be no National 5 exams in session 20/21.  Full details available in letter issued 18 November from our Head Teacher.

SQA PRELIMS AND STRUCTURED ASSESSMENTS NOVEMBER 2020

Published: Wed 18 Nov 2020

As you will be aware, based on the Depute First Minister’s statement in October, there will be no exams for National 5 candidates in session 20/21.  Full details available in letter issued 18 November from our Head Teacher.

PRELIMS - HIGHER/ADVANCED HIGHER 2020/21

Published: Thu 12 Nov 2020

Higher and Advanced Higher Prelims

As previously shared in a letter to parents/carers last week, our planned diet of prelims for Higher/Advanced Higher will take place from Wednesday 2nd until Thursday 10th December 2020. Full details available in letter issued 12 November 2020.

SQA ARRANGEMENTS 2020-21

Published: Fri 6 Nov 2020

On 7 October 2020 the Deputy First Minister (DFM), John Swinney, announced that there would be no external exams for National 5 candidates in 2021. He also announced that there will be exams for Higher/Advanced Higher pupils in May/June 2021. The DFM also stated that the intention to hold exams for Higher/Advanced Higher pupils would be reviewed again in February, in line with the evolving picture of Covid-19, and to plan contingencies should they be deemed no longer able to proceed based on public health advice. Full details available in letter issued 6 November 2020 from our Head Teacher.

S3 VIRTUAL PARENTS' EVENING FEEDBACK - NOVEMBER 2020

Published: Wed 4 Nov 2020

Thanks to those of you who managed to join us for our first virtual parents’ evening last night.  I think it was a learning experience for us all, and anecdotal feedback so far has been positive.

Could you please spend a few minutes giving us some formal feedback about how the parents’ evening worked for you, and how we might better improve the experience in future. We are also seeking the views from teachers and from the young people themselves.

Knox Academy will use this information to plan for further parental engagement throughout the Covid19 recovery, but we will also share key points with the other secondary schools in the authority who have not yet had parents’ evenings yet to help them plan for similar sessions.

Thanks again,

Mrs A Clubb

UPDATED COVID-19 GUIDANCE: 2 NOVEMBER 2020

Published: Mon 2 Nov 2020

I hope this letter is helpful in summarising some of the key points in relation to the updated guidance we have received. By following the guidance as well as national public health advice, we can all play our part in tackling COVID-19. This virus will continue to be present challenges for some time to come, but together we will get through this difficult period.

Read the full letter from Lesley Brown, Head of Education and Children's Services

Archive Letters

THANK-YOU TO FAMILIES FROM EAST LOTHIAN COUNCIL
Published: Fri 16 Oct 2020

Lesley Brown, Head of Education and Children's Services has written to families to thank everyone who has contributed to all that we have achieved since August, wishing us all a restful October break.

"As we approach the start of the October school holiday, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the considerable achievements of the past few months and to say thank you to our children, young people, staff and families for all that you have done since the start of the new school session."

Read the letter from Lesley Brown in full. (PDF)

S3 PARENTS' CONSULTATION: 3 NOVEMBER 2020
Published: Tue 13 Oct 2020

Due to the current Covid-19 restrictions, we are unable to invite you into the school, and therefore we are trialling virtual parents’ evenings via GoogleMeet.  GoogleMeets are secure on-line video meetings through Google accounts (within East Lothian Council, Google accounts are our Edubuzz system).

The class teacher will arrange appointment times during lesson time just as in previous years; the class teacher will then set up a 1:1 meeting through the pupil’s Edubuzz account.  This will appear as a meeting in their Edubuzz calendar and a link will be sent to their email inbox. We are confident that the majority of our pupils are highly skilled in how to manage these meetings following use over lockdown last term, but we will be providing individual support where required.  We expect that parents and careers will join their young person beside the connected device to have a discussion about learning and progress in individual subject areas. For confidentiality reasons, we will not be adding parent email addresses to the meeting, and expect that you will join your young person for the meeting.

Full details of the arrangements can be found in the letter from Mrs Clubb (Depute Head Teacher)

NHS LOTHIAN PUBLIC HEALTH LETTER: OCTOBER 2020
Published: Thu 1 Oct 2020

Thank you for everything you are doing to help keep your school safe, open and COVID free.

The measures your school has in place are necessary to protect children, staff and you as parents/carers. We must continue to work together and support our school staff in making the school as safe as possible, even if this feels difficult at times. Full details available in the letter issued 01 October 2020 from NHS Lothian Public Health.

RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL VISITS - ACADEMIC YEAR 2020/2021
Published: Thu 17 Sep 2020

Due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding public health and travel, the council has made the difficult decision to cancel all residential school visits to the end of the current academic year. Whilst I know this will be very disappointing for pupils and parents, the safety of our pupils and staff is paramount in reaching this decision.

Full details are available in the letter issued 17 September 2020 from our Head Teacher