HT Update: Week-ending Friday 9th May 2025

Friday 9th 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.  

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events week beginning 12/05/25;  Monday through Friday the SQA Exam Diet continues;  on Wednesday our Meaningful May programme continues and some of our Pod students are on a trip to the Museum of Flight

Staffing:  My thanks to Miss Montague and Miss Fotheringham for supporting our participation at the BOCSH Conference on Wednesday.  Also thanks to Miss Fotheringham and Mrs Main who supported the first of our online P7/S1 Transition events, also on Wednesday.  This week we received notice of the NQTs we’ve been allocated for the 25/26 session.  NQTs are Newly Qualified Teachers who are offered a one year contract in their final year before they secure full registration as teachers.  We should have new staff in Design & Technology, English, Maths and PE.  We have no posts currently live on myjobscotland.  

Lasswade Book Day:  Our Book Day is on Thursday 29th May. Mrs Anderson in English is leading our planning and we expect there will be plenty of fun activities for students to take part in.  S1-S3 students are invited to come in dressed as a character from literature if they wish. There are prizes for the best student and staff costumes.

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 in the next couple of weeks
• 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’, ie, 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 Public Meetings will take place on:

• Monday 12 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Bonnyrigg Primary School.
• Thursday 15 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Beeslack Community High School
• Thursday 22 May 2025 at 6:30pm in Easthouses Primary School.

Virtual Drop-in Sessions will take place on:

• Monday 19 May 2025 via Microsoft Teams.
• 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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