HT Update: Week-ending Friday 23rd May 2025

Friday 23rd May 2025

This concise weekly HT Update is generally published every Friday afternoon. It’s a simple opportunity for you to also feedback/ask questions via the link at the bottom of each Update.  Any feedback received will be responded to and published on Monday afternoon on the school website.  

Apologies,  I forgot to post the feedback from last week;  click here

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events week beginning 26/05/25;  on Monday we have a visit from a delegation of Chinese HTs;  on Tuesday we’ll have students involved in the Midlothian Athletics ‘Meet’,  it’s our second Online event for P7 parent/carers, ‘My Learning’, and it’s our final Parent Council Meeting of the 24/25 school session, see below;  on Wednesday our Meaningful May programme continues, we have a number of S2 on a trip to Jupiter Artland (the second of 3 trips) and it’s our Active Girls Day; on Thursday we have a number of S2 on a trip to Jupiter Artland (the last of 3 trips) and from 4.00pm we’ll have our Uniform Fitting Evening, see below;  on Friday it’s our May Dress Down Day, we have a Girls in STEM Event,  we hold Active Boys Day and finally the SQA 2025 Exam Diet concludes.    

Staffing:  Happy birthday to Mr Wilson, Maths.  Special number today!   We have no posts currently live on myjobscotland.  

2025/26 Timetable: We are making good progress and remain on track to change timetable on Monday 2nd June. All new S2-4 timetables will be distributed in Maths on Thursday 29th May with the returning S5/6 collecting them on Monday as they return.  All timetables have been created using each student’s course choice submissions. In some cases, reserve choices may have been used as outlined throughout the process. If there are any errors/surprises students should see Ms Petrie in room 112 who will support with this. Until that happens it is important that students follow the timetable provided, primarily for attendance and safeguarding purposes, until any issues are sorted.

Parent Council 5:  Our final meeting of the school session will take place on Tuesday 27th May.  It’s an in-person meeting from 7.00pm.  Click here for details.

Poltonhall & Bonnyrigg Community Gala Day:  We are delighted to share a digital copy of this year’s Gala Day Programme 2025. Best wishes and hopefully the sun shines a week on Sunday!

School Leavers, Chromebook Returns:  Reminder, Students leaving school this summer,  usually a few S4/S5 and all of S6, are expected to return their Chromebooks. It’s a simple process with devices handed into Room 112 or Student Support.  Chromebook Return 2025 for an infographic.

Uniform Fitting Opportunity 29th May 2025:  Reminder, We are pleased to inform you that staff from BE uniforms will be in the school atrium on 29th May 2025 from 4.00pm till 6.00pm to provide an opportunity for parents and carers to attend with their young person to try items on to ensure correct size and fit.  During the session, parents and carers will have the option to place orders directly with the supplier.  Alternatively, you may choose to order online at a later date. Additional details are on our website,  click here. 

School Improvement Planning:  Reminder. This term we bring together lots of evidence;  data, peoples views, what we see as staff to see ‘where we are’ as a school against expected standards and also to help inform our work next session.  Our school is performing very well but we are not complacent.  Every two years we seek the views of parents/carers and this is the ‘off-year’ as we gathered your views last March/April.  Nevertheless,  there are three things we do plan to do to gather your thoughts

• A specific survey on Reporting, that will come your way via this Update next Friday (apologies, I goat ahead of myself last week,  we’ll go through our parent Council first, that’s why it’s not this week)
• Our final Parent Council Meeting on Tuesday 27th May;  this will be held in-person and is an opportunity to contribute
• Finally, please use the link at the bottom of this weekly post to offer your feedback;  I’d ask you to think about the school as a whole and in two ways;  things that are our strengths and our ‘even better if’, i.e., things that would improve what we do.  For this purpose we’ll take your views throughout May. 

Admissions Policy Consultation: Reminder.  Midlothian Council have asked us to share the following information with all parent/carers.  They want to hear your views on the proposal to vary the Admissions Arrangements to Primary and Secondary Education. The consultation ends on Monday 2nd June 2025.  The proposals are:

• To vary the Admissions Arrangements to Primary and Secondary Education.
• The variation to the School Admission Policy will be implemented from September 2025.

To find out more about the consultation and share your views, click here.   To ask for a paper copy email: EducationConsultation@midlothian.gov.uk These can be posted back to: Admissions Policy Consultation, Freepost SCO 622, Midlothian Council, Dalkeith EH22 1DN.  The consultation can also be supplied in braille, large print, audiotape or in your own language although please note the council’s website offers reading, speech and translation support when you use the browse aloud headphones icon at the bottom right-hand side of the pages.  If you need further help, please contact EducationConsultation@midlothian.gov.uk  All responses must be received by 02 June 2025.

Remaining Virtual Drop-in Session will take place on:

• Tuesday 27 May 2025 via Microsoft Teams.

These virtual sessions will take place throughout the day between 2pm – 4pm and 5pm – 7pm. These will be in 20 minute slots. Please contact EducationConsultation@midlothian.gov.uk to reserve a place at the virtual drop-in. 

Feedback here

Take Care

Campbell Hornell,  Head Teacher

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