HT Update: Week-ending Thursday 2nd April 2026

Thursday 2nd April 2026

This concise weekly HT Update is published on Thursday this week.  It’s the Easter Holidays!  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 Tuesday 21st April on the school website.  

Feedback from the last HT Update:  Click here.

Key messages from this week  

Calendar:  Significant events week beginning 20/04/26;  Monday is the last day of the Easter Holiday;  on Tuesday all students and staff return to school;  on Wednesday our Qualifications Scotland Exam Diet begins and it’s our S2 Student Progress Consultation Evening,  see below;  on Friday it’s our April Dress Down Day. 

Staffing:    It was Courtney Naismith’s last day today.  We thanked Courtney for her work in Science and with our Cheer students.  Congratulations to Mia Tracey who came through recent recruitment and will stay with us next year.  Mia has been our Newly Qualified Teacher in PE this session.  Over the last two weeks we’ve welcomed three new teachers to LHS. Yanna Colmerauer and Laura McIntosh have joined our Mathematics Team.  Danny Garrick has joined our Chemistry Team.  We have no posts currently live on myjobscotland.  

S2 Student Progress Consultation Evening:  This opportunity for parents/carers of young people in S2 to meet with parents is taking place on Wednesday 22nd April.  Please note the evening is held on-line.   Further details on our website,  click here.  

S6 Last Day:  Today was, in effect, the last day at school, other than Qualification Scotland Examinations, for our S6.  Our School Captains planned today’s programme which appeared to go well.  A few tears at times!  Mrs Yule as Year Head and I spoke with the year group and stressed their qualities and wished them well.  They have been a terrific group and reflect well on the school and their families.  Thank you.  Our School Captains shared the following message with staff this morning,  ‘When we first joined the school we were told it would be over quickly, we didn’t believe you. You were right. We all want to say thank you. The impact you’ve had on us and our year group cannot be overstated. We thank you for the support you have given us over the years. We’ve been lucky to have had such great teachers.’  

Parent/Carer Stakeholder Consultation:  Thank you to those who have completed this survey.  We’ve had 126 responses to date. The link was texted to all parents/carers again earlier today.  We’ve over 1000 families and really need a greater response.  The more who respond the more accurately our understanding of the parental views is. This helps us improve what we aim to do.  The survey will remain open until our return after the Easter Holidays.   Thank you for your anticipated thought and time to complete this survey.  

Proposal to vary the Admissions Arrangements to Denominational Primary and Secondary Education and to clarify the catchment area of St David’s Roman Catholic High School:  All Midlothian Schools have been asked to share the following information. 

A consultation that proposes to vary the Admissions Arrangements to Denominational Primary and Secondary Education and to clarify the catchment area of St David’s Roman Catholic High School opens on Tuesday 21st April 2026 and closes on Thursday 4 June 2026.  Midlothian Council are seeking your views.  You can find more information, such as the consultation proposal document and online survey, at, 

https://midlothiancouncil.citizenspace.com/education/denominational-admissions-policy-consulta    Please note this page will go live on Tuesday 21st April 2026 – please do not attempt to access it before this date.

Free School Meals:  Midlothian have asked us to share the following information which relates to the upcoming holiday period and associated payments to families.  

Help with school meals during school holidays | Free school meals and clothing grants | Midlothian Council

Payment	Paid to Bank Accounts	Notes/Comments
School Holidays Friday 3rd April 2026 to Monday 20th April 2026	Thursday 2nd April	£27.60 per Primary School pupil £31.80 per Secondary School pupil

 

Feedback here

Take Care

Campbell Hornell,  Head Teacher

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