HT Update: Week-ending Friday 3rd October 2025

Friday 3rd October 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.  

No feedback from last HT Update.

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events week beginning 06/10/25:  on Monday we continue our Senior Team Learning Walks focussed on S1 classes,  Advanced Higher students are out on a school trip and we’ll hold S2 and S3 Student Voice Year Council meetings;  on Tuesday we’ll hold S4 and S6 Student Voice Year Council meetings; on Wednesday we have senior students on a Festival Theatre Trip;  on Thursday we’ve trips out related to Fashion and students visiting the Mosque, we’ll hold S1 and S5 Student Voice Year Council meetings,  in the evening it’s our APA Showcase;  on Friday parents/carers of S3 students will be able to access their child’s report through parentsportal, see below.

Staffing:   Best wishes to Erin Thompson as she moves on from our Mathematics Team to her PT Numeracy role at Beeslack CHS next week.  This is a well deserved promotion to an outstanding young teacher and leader.  This week we secured a preferred candidate for our Teacher of Art & Design vacancy but were not able to secure a Teacher of Mathematics. This post is readvertised on myjobscotland along with a Learning Assistant vacancy for our Complex Needs Provision (The Pod).

Volunteering: We are looking to improve and tidy up our outdoor spaces for the benefit of our school community. As part of this, we are keen to make links with local companies who have a strong focus on social responsibility and may be willing to offer time, services, or resources to support this work.  If you know of any organisations, contacts, or individuals who may be interested in getting involved, please let me know via the feedback option at the end of this post.

SQA Coursework Assemblies: The SQA coursework assemblies, originally scheduled for this week, will now run on the first week after the holidays. Assemblies will be scheduled for ‘core time’, to ensure students are not missing time in subjects. Students will be advised of the assessment calendar at this point, and given up to date guidance in relation to GenAI and malpractice.

SQA Appeals: The results from SQA appeals came in at 1.00pm yesterday. Of the 107 entered as appeals, 7 students’ awards were successfully appealed. This ‘level of success’ appears to be typical across the country.  Students have been informed. 

ParentPay: Please be aware there have been some issues when logging into ParentPay via the mygov.scot website or via parentsportal.  Please try & log in through your safari or google browsers using this link,  click here .  ParentPay are aware of this and have been in touch with schools to advise this should be rectified soon.

Fright Night:  Our School Captains, led by Hana Rashid, are working on a Fright Night event aimed at S1 and S2.  The event will consist of a haunted school tour with S1s and S2s, scare maze style. Those attending can take part in Halloween games, with the chance to win spooktastic prizes and of course, those there are expected to ‘dress your spookiest’.  The event will take place after school on Monday 27th October from 5:30 to 8pm. Tickets will be £5 per student and sold only on Parentpay until the 22nd of October so get them whilst you can!!!  Join us as we discover the haunted past of your very own high school! 

Coldwells Photographs:  Your young person’s photograph paper proof has been handed out this week – so keep an eye out for it at the bottom of their bag!!  If they have not received it they can collect it from student reception.  Coldwells are currently only accepting manual orders, as their online system is temporarily down.  Please follow the instructions on your proof, and hand it into student reception.  Please write ‘photo order’ on the outside of the envelope!

Instrumental Music Service:   We have a great new opportunity for any student at Lasswade HS keen on learning to play bagpipes or pipe band drumming.  It is run in partnership with the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming and is initially for students in the Lasswade area.  The initiative will operate in the same way as existing Instrumental Music Lessons with an Army instructor coming into our school and teaching students individually and/or in small groups.  This opportunity is free of charge and practice instruments (chanters and drum pads) will be provided for students to take home.  Lessons will take place on Wednesdays, starting after the October Holiday.  Those interested are asked to complete a short Google Form posted in Year Group Classrooms

S3 Report, Reminder:  Advanced warning that the first S3 Report of the session will be shared with parents and carers via parentsportal on Friday 10th October. We do not plan to issue paper copies to students.  Not all parents/carers of S3 students have signed up to parentsportal.  Details on how to sign up are available on the website,  click here.  

 

Feedback here

Take Care

Campbell Hornell,  Head Teacher

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