• Welcome to our Learning Community:  evening event for parents - Monday 16 March 2026

• School tours for parents: morning of Wednesday 15 April 2026 (9.00am-12.00noon)

• A Taste of Mackie: evening visits for pupils - each pupil will be allocated one Wednesday evening during month of May

• Induction Days: three full days for P7 pupils in Mackie Academy - Monday 15 - Wednesday 17 June 2026

• Meet the PSAT: virtual meeting for parents - evening of Tuesday 16 June 2026

The main part (for pupils anyway!) of our transition programme is the three days in June that our incoming S1 pupils will spend in Mackie Academy. These days run from Monday 15th through to Wednesday 17th June.

Young people can expect to spend the around half of these three days in classes and following a timetable similar to what they will encounter in August.

In addition to timetabled classes, young people will spend time in team building and sports activities and also begin to develop their relationships with their PSAT and US Time teachers as well as classmates. We will wound off the three days by providing the audience for the full final dress rehearsal for our school show, Bugsy Malone.

When to come - where to go

Our school day starts at 8.40am. P7 pupils should go to the Learning Plaza by 8.40am on Monday 15th June. Don't worry if you do not know where that is as there will be plenty of us around to help you get there.

How do I get there and home

Parents of young people who have an entitlement to school transport should have received notification directly from Aberdeenshire Council's School Transport unit at some point in late-May/early June to inform you of pick-up point and time. If you have not heard from them please contact Carol in the office at Mackie Academy.

School transport drops you off at the bus bay in school around 10-15minutes before the start of the school day. At the end of the day transport leaves at 3.25pm (10 minutes after our school day ends).

If you do not have an entitlement to school transport (generally those who live within 3 miles of the school), or live out-of-zone for Mackie Academy but are coming to us following a placing request, you need to make your own arrangements to get here and home.

What to wear

On Monday morning, pupils will be involved in sports/PE activities  lead by our PE staff and senior pupils. Pupils will need trainers suitable for inside or outside. If the weather is bad these activities will be indoors. PE kit or your normal school jumper/polo etc can be worn.

At morning intervals and lunchtimes throughout the week, pupils will be allowed to go outside to the sports fields on school grounds should they wish to . Since the weather in our part of the world is changeable (and not within our control!) you should probably have a jacket with you.

On some other days during the week (depending on the class you are in) you may have PE. On these days you will also need to bring your trainers. We will let you know on the Monday if your  class will need PE kit on either Tuesday or Wednesday. You can generally wear the same school clothes that you currently wear to primary school on the Transition Days

What to bring

As you will be following your S1 timetable for part of the week you should bring pens/pencils for writing. If you normally use a school issued device such as a Chromebook then you may also wish to use this in Mackie and should therefore bring it with you. It is wise to bring your stuff in a schoolbag as it is your own responsibility to look after.

What about food?

You should also bring your own snack with you for morning interval as you won't be accessing the canteen at this time.

For lunch, you can bring your own packed lunch or you can eat in the school canteen. If you wish to eat in the canteen you will need to make sure you have your Young Scot Card with you . Parents need to ensure that there is money in the payment account to cover what you order. Those young people with Free School Meal Entitlement will receive their school lunch in the canteen without need for payment although still need to have their Young Scot Card.

If you have a specific/specialised dietary need this requires to be communicated to Aberdeenshire Council using the link here. This information is then shared with the relevant catering team within the authority.

Drugs education charity, the DSM Foundation is once again delighted to be working with your child’s school with funding from Police Scotland to deliver drug awareness workshops for parents.

This term there will be 3 sessions for parents at all Aberdeenshire schools, each with a different theme.  Please see the details below plus the links to register for each webinar.  Note that as they are all different, you may want to consider coming to all 3, or choose the one(s) most relevant to your child(ren).  Each will provide parents and caregivers with information about the risks faced by young people when it comes to drugs and alcohol and the factors that affect the decisions they make, at a broad level, but also when navigating milestones like starting secondary school or staying safe at summer parties, gatherings and festivals.  Attendees will also be provided with the tools they need to have effective conversations with their child about drugs and alcohol, and practical suggestions for ways to support them to stay safe, and will be able to access related written information after the session.

I Wish I’d Known: Moving from primary to secondary school

Tuesday 5th May – 6.30-7.30pm

Please register here - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_f3XgkqtFQ4aVAycU8EGAmg

I Wish I’d Known: Drugs, decisions and young people

Wednesday 20th May – 6.30-7.30pm

Please register here - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ruiBfX9TTdeqsi321OVFpQ

I Wish I’d Known: Summer safety – parties, festivals and other social situations

Monday 15th June – 6.30-7.30pm

Please register here - https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_diqk0eMrT7S6xTnM52MwNg

The DSM Foundation is a drugs and alcohol education charity set up in 2014 by Fiona and Tim Spargo-Mabbs after the tragic death of their 16 year old son Daniel as a result of an accidental overdose of ecstasy.  The aim of the charity is to support young people to make informed and safer choices about drugs, which it does through a broad range of workstreams.  Find out more at https://www.dsmfoundation.org.uk/what-we-do/

We hosted 40 parents and carers during the course of the morning of  Wednesday 15 April.  

Tours were conducted in small groups led by some of our current S1 pupils. Feedback from parents who took a tour has been positive and particulary recognised the great job our S1 tour guides did on this morning.