HT Update: Week-ending Friday 31st January 2025

Friday 31st January 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.  Feedback received, and where appropriate, will be responded to and published on Monday afternoons on the school website.  

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events week beginning 03/02/25;  on Monday, and through the week, our Senior Team will be making a series of classroom visits to see learning in action,  we’ll also hold our S3 Student Voice Year Council;  on Tuesday there are a series of Course Choice Assemblies for S3/4/5 students as they begin choosing their Senior Phase subjects for next session straight after the February holiday,  we’ll also hold our S6 Student Voice Year Council and in the evening it’s our third Parent Council Meeting of the session, see below; on Wednesday we’ll hold our S2 Student Voice Year Council and in the evening it’s our Senior Phase Course Choice Information Evening for parents/carers, see below;  on Thursday we’ll hold a Finance related Business Breakfast, we’ll issue our third report to Senior Phase students, there is a LEAPS Assembly for S5 students who plan to return for an S6 and we’ll also hold S1 and S5  Student Voice Year Councils; on Friday it’s our S4 Student Voice Year Council. 

Staffing:  Today was the last day at LHS for Nicole Chalmers, Science.  She is leaving to begin a new role at Inveralmond HS in Livingston and at the same time significantly reduce her commute. Best wishes Nicole and thanks for all your work in our school.   We have interim measures in place while we wait for our new Teacher of Physics to join us. 

Minibus Drivers:  We are seeking to work with volunteers from our school community and build a pool of minibus drivers.  Ideally we’re seeking people who passed their driving test before January 1997.  Those folk have an automatic feature on their license that will speed up the process.  Please use the feedback link at the end of this update if you, or someone you know, is able to help.  Add in your name and contact details and we’ll be in touch.   

S3 Student Progress Consultation Evening (SPCE):  We are aware of a significantly higher level of technical difficulties around Wednesday’s S3 SPCE. We know it was disruptive for some and I would like to apologise for that. We are working with ‘Parent Booking’, our on-line system provider, and will continue to work with our staff and Midlothian Digital Services to resolve this issue. S3 parents/carers who require information on their child’s progress as always should contact the relevant Student Support House Team in the first instance, click here for details.  In addition, we have our regular evaluation aimed at S3 parents/carers, your response to this could also be helpful in establishing the cause and supporting our learning, please access the evaluation here.

Tackling Vandalism – Toilets:  In an effort to tackle the ongoing vandalism and antisocial conduct around the toilet blocks, shutters will be installed over the February break to cover the access to the blocks on the second floor and one of the ground floor blocks.  This is an initial ‘spend to save’ as we currently spend just under £5,000 per session on toilet repairs,  much of it vandalism.  These shutters will be down, and these toilet blocks closed during class time.  They will be opened at student break and lunch times. Our Duty Heads will focus supervision on the other toilet areas throughout the day. All accessible toilets will remain unlocked, and the other toilet block on the ground floor will be open throughout the day.

Parent Council 3:  Please note that our third Parent Council Meeting of the school session will be held on Tuesday 4th February, from 7.00pm, via Teams.   Please click here  and visit our website for additional details.  

Senior Phase Course Choice Information Evening:  Please note that our information evening will be held on Wednesday 5th February, form 6.00pm, via Teams.   Please click here  and visit our website for additional details. 

Accessibility for Events:   I am pleased to report we have reviewed and updated  our procedures for ticketed events organised by LHS.   Those with accessibility requirements will have the opportunity to indicate any particular needs they have and/or for their group during the booking process on Parentpay.  Please be sure to ‘check the box’ for this option in Parentpay if required.  If support is needed for any other events, please speak with the school office who will liaise with the organisers to make necessary arrangements.

School Show:  Our Performing Arts Team are running Dance Auditions for this year’s whole school show of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’!  Auditions are open to anyone from S1 – S6 and will be taking place on Wednesday 5th February from 3:30pm – 5pm in the Assembly Hall. To apply, students need to fill out a google form that has been posted in Year Group Classrooms.   This must be completed by Wednesday 5th February before students attend the audition.  Students with any questions, should feel free to pop in and speak to Mrs McKenzie (Rm 007) or Miss Brown (Rm 006) in the Drama Team.

Family Learning: Mrs Main is looking for your views on our Family Learning Programme.   Your views on what we currently offer and what families would like to see featured as we move forward and plan for the summer term and 2025/26.  Please click here to access the survey.  Please note the form will close on Sunday 16th February.   

Message form Tareena Amin, School Captain:  ‘As a School Captain, I have an individual plan I agree with Mr Hornell.  My aim through that is to inform the school community on issues that happen in our world from the perspective of a young person. One of the biggest issues faced in our world today is the impact of war on innocent people, especially children. Many of us see headlines in the news or on social media platforms everyday, however, a lot of us don’t understand the real human cost of these conflicts. My goal with this initiative is to raise awareness within our school community, via this HT Weekly Update,  over the next month about the realities faced by those in war-torn countries, especially the experiences and losses faced by children, and how we as a community can help.  Similar messages have been emailed to LHS staff and posted in Year Group Classrooms.  I will then be hosting fundraisers over March through our chosen charity, UNICEF. 

This week, I would like to start with the ongoing issue in Palestine. Despite many peoples belief, the situation in Gaza is not something that has been a result of recent events and the Hamas attack in October 2023.  Many commentators trace the roots back to 1948.   Some describe what is happening in Palestine as a genocide,  a term S6 were reminded of this week in our Holocaust Memorial Day Assembly.   The situation in Gaza is heart-breaking, with many lives lost. In November 2024, Al-Jazeera news documented that since October 7, 2023, the resulting war had killed at least 17,400 children.  This is just in Gaza, not including the West Bank. Thousands of children are suffering from displacement, hunger, and trauma. Many innocent children have been caught in the midst of this political war which they had no part in creating. These children deserve to be seen, heard, and protected. As a school community, we have the power to educate ourselves and raise awareness. By understanding their reality and doing all we can to help them, we are taking that one step forward to helping these children live a better life.’ 

If you have any feedback/questions relating to this update please submit them via the link below

Feedback here

Take Care

Campbell Hornell,  Head Teacher

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