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HEAD TEACHER'S NEWSLETTER
It has been a very busy and enjoyable week at school with lots going on, including Tuesday’s Employability Evening and then today’s Children in Need extravaganza.
Thanks to the Head Team for organising the charity event, and to Mr Devine, Mr Scott, Mr Duncan and Mr Lee for being such good sports, though I'm not sure how many sponges hit the target! We’ll let you next week how much was raised.
I hope you find the weekly newsletters enjoyable and informative, covering the wide range of what we do in school, from the day to day learning and teaching in classrooms, to excursions, our strategic improvement work and much more.
I'm always pleased to receive feedback on any aspect of school so please do contact admin@musselburghgrammar.elcschool.org.uk with any comments and suggestions, including what else you would like included in these weekly communications.
In the New Year we will be sharing our news with the East Lothian Courier on a regular basis so that the wider community is also aware of what we're doing at the Grammar. There‘s too much good stuff going on not to share it far and wide!
Jodie Hannan
Key Dates
Wednesday 22 November: Parent Council quiz from 7pm at the Store club, North High Street.
Monday 27 November: Prelims begin.
Tuesday 28 November: Parent Council briefing online 7-8pm. Please use this link: meet.google.com/mbn-eqdh-stc
Wednesday 19th December: S5/6 Christmas Dance
Staff
Farewell and thank you to Mr Aitchison whose last day is Tuesday 21 November. Miss Holmes will take over Mr Aitchison’s role from Wednesday 22 November.
We have successfully recruited for the posts of temporary Pupil Support Worker for attendance, and a permanent Business Support Assistant in the office. They will take up their posts once recruitment paperwork is complete.
Further details on the role of the PSW for attendance will follow closer to the time.
Prelim Arrangements
Mrs Watson, DHT in charge of prelims and SQA, held assemblies with all S4, 5 and 6 pupils this week to talk through prelim arrangements. Our prelims are always run under the same strict conditions as the formal final SQA exams to give all students that experience. Our invigilator team will be running the prelims to the SQA standards.
Please note:
All pupils must adhere to rules set out by SQA. Late entry to the exam hall will not be permitted
Invigilators make the final decision about any issues within the exam hall.
If any pupil breaches the invigilators instructions they will be removed from the hall and not allowed to sit the remainder of the exam – i.e. no SQA award for the exam
Prohibited items
Behaviour
Everyone should have a fair chance to do their best during exams. Causing a disturbance and cheating during an exam are unfair to other candidates. Examples of this include:
Having prohibited items like a mobile phone in the exam room
Disruptive behaviour in the exam room, for example talking during the exam
Using rude, abusive, offensive language or images in your answers
Copying from another person
Reading the Prelim Timetable
The Master timetable is published on the SQA exam board in the foyer
It is essential that pupils create their own timetable from the master
Pupils must check the board the afternoon before an exam to check their seat number and location – not all exams will be in the main hall
Seating
Pupils will be given a seat number for each exam paper. Make sure you know this number before each paper.
Pupil seats will be listed on the exam noticeboard outside the assembly hall.
Arriving for exams
Pupils should be outside the exam room at least 10 minutes before the exam is due to start.
If you are late, you must report to Mrs Watson who will let you know if you can sit the exam.
Registration / Exam Day Arrangements
Scenario 1
Morning exam – pupils attend for the exam and then return to their timetabled classes where they will be offered the opportunity to study for their next exam or continue the learning of the usual lesson
They will be registered in the exam and then in each class thereafter – teachers will update the register when pupils arrive at the class
Scenario 2
Afternoon exam – pupils can study from home before the exam and ensure that they are in school 10 minutes before the exam is due to start. They will be registered in the exam room
If pupils choose to come in earlier in the day, they are expected to register with the school office and attend all classes as normal.
Pupils can leave for home directly after the exam finishes with the permission of parents, alternatively they must return to class and the teacher will update the register
Scenario 3
Pupils have an exam in the morning and the afternoon
They arrive for my first exam and be registered in the exam room
They can choose to leave and go home to eat/study – they will sign out with the school office
Pupils who choose to remain in school will go straight back to class and study for my next exam/ take part in the regular lesson – they will be registered in these classes and teachers will update the register
They attend for their second exam 10 minutes before the exam time and will be registered in the exam room – pupils can go directly home after the exam finishes, with permission from parents.
Extra Support
Remember that in school we have Ailsa Hill, our School Counsellor, who can help with exam stress or give you a space to talk.
Drop-in sessions are available.
Guidance Teachers/DHTs are also happy to listen and support you.
Revision
After School Revision Classes
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/levels/z6gw2hv
Class notes
Revision guides / Past Papers (available in bookshops or online)
Pupil Voice
Pupil Voice held their second meeting of the session this week with the following agenda:
1. Feedback from the last meeting - Head Team
2. How does your voice make a difference? (RRS Feedback) - Head Team
3. Team Leader Interview feedback & congratulations - Head Team
4. Strategic School Improvement Teams - DHTs
Period 2- Mrs Craigie for Learning & Teaching & Mrs Watson for Curriculum
Period 3- Mr Scott for Wellbeing, equality, equity and inclusion
5. Pupil Voice Assemblies - week beginning 11th Dec
Date of next meeting - Wednesday 20th December
Feedback from last meeting
‘The communication, I feel that people are saying exactly how I feel. And that I can express my concerns in a safely invited manner. The ability to discuss emotions with people u normally wouldn't’.
‘It really opened my mind, listening to others really made me realise how pupil voice can improve the school. Everyone was heard and it was a positive environment’
‘It gave me a new found confidence. This helped me find belonging in a school activity that i enjoy’
‘I liked having the randomly assigned groups as it offered more opportunity for diverse conversations, and I also liked talking with people I’ve not spoken to before within these groups’
The team leader did a good job of copying notes down and they got the conversation flowing well.
Inclusive and friendly
Feedback - However, pupils also said…
Location had been an issue - seating arrangements, noise etc
They’d like more involvement from everyone in the group discussion
Explain more the focus of each meeting more
We listened and did…
Move the location of our meetings to now be in the hall with 4 clear groups set up
Pupil involvement has been discussed with Team Leaders
The purpose and expectations of each meeting will be clearly discussed at the start of every meeting with Team Leaders reinforcing this is group discussions
How your voice makes a difference
Mr Donnelly thanked all pupils for their feedback regarding Rights Respecting Schools. Some of the suggestions they made are very helpful and we have implemented these into our action plan. These include:
Sharing information at House Assemblies
Advertising Rights around the school
Registering for Bronze Award and applying for Silver
Adding information to newsletter
More suggestions that you have recommended which we are going to action include:
More regular PSE/RME Lessons regarding Rights
Adding a Right to starter slides of each lesson
Introducing a ‘Right of the Week initiative’ which will possibly align with school House Points system (Jan 2024)
More recognition in registration - possible video Fridays.
Team Leaders
Interviews were held by Charlie (Senior Head Pupil) and Hannah (House Captain) and 18 pupils applied for the Team Leader position. 12 pupils were interviewed and congratulations to the following pupils on their appointments: Ella Main , Eleanor Greene, John Doyle, Keira McLennan, Maja Makowska, Kyle Moodie, Holly MacNeill, Summer Stirling
Musselburgh Learns - Faculty Reviews
We are committed to our ongoing professional learning and development as part of Musselburgh Learns, and self- evaluation is a critical part of this. We are constantly evaluating what we do well, and where and how we can do better.
Last October the school was reviewed by the Council and received valuable feedback on many aspects of our work including leadership, attainment, and learning and teaching.
This session we are reviewing the learning and teaching in, and leadership of, a number of faculties in school. This is a rolling programme over 2 years to evaluate all faculties in school and starts with Health and Wellbeing (PE and Home Economics) next week. The Communications (English, Media and Literacy) Faculty will be reviewed in January 2024, and Modern Languages in March 2024.
The review process takes place over three days and includes several observations of all teachers in the faculty, as well as pupil focus groups. The review team consists of a DHT and Curriculum Leader from the Grammar, as well as colleagues from a different school, and me. In the case of the HWB review, the external reviewers are from Leith Academy in Edinburgh with whom we have a learning partnership.
A report identifying areas of strong practice and areas for development is written after the review process and the development points go into the Faculty Improvement Plan (FIP) for action.
Parent Council Pub Quiz
Our first ever quiz night is a week today! Please join us – who will win and claim the bragging rights of being the first winners? A team of councillors? A team of school staff? A parent council team? Tickets are still available.
Future Pathways Evening - Resounding Success
The highly anticipated career evening, 'Future Pathways,' drew an impressive turnout, surpassing expectations with over 400 enthusiastic attendees. The event, aimed at guiding individuals towards promising career trajectories, witnessed an overwhelming response, with more than 70 stations in attendance.
Regrettably, last-minute cancellations resulted in an attendance slightly shy of the expected 84, leaving some spaces unfilled. However, the organisers expressed their understanding of unforeseen circumstances and extended invitations for the next year's event, ensuring those who missed out this year would have another chance.
The diverse audience comprising parents, pupils, carers and members of the community added a vibrant touch to the evening. Their eagerness to explore diverse career avenues and gain insights into various professions was palpable throughout the event. Organisers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to all attendees, emphasising their hope that the evening offered valuable insights and pathways toward fulfilling careers.
The event featured a wide array of employers, each offering unique perspectives and opportunities within their respective industries. The attendees had the chance to engage directly with these employers, gaining first-hand knowledge about the skill sets and qualifications required for various career paths.
As the evening drew to a close, the buzz of excitement lingered in the air, with attendees departing, armed with newfound knowledge and inspiration to forge their future pathways.
Please could you scan the QR code below to provide feedback on the evening as it’s invaluable to us as we strive to enhance our services.
Maths Feedback
Thank you to all the parents who have given feedback for the S1 Maths Event on 31st October and the N5/Higher Maths Event on 6th November. I have amended the form slightly indicating that 5 is the best score on a couple of questions. If you would like to complete these I have attached the links below.
S1 - https://forms.gle/mDdtGXpiYfco8pKM6
N5/Higher - https://forms.gle/yRS5KJbmYRxgN6TUA
The feedback is important to the department and the running of future events.
Mr Harpham
S4 Maths Bearings
What do the following photos have in common?
Both of them are using BEARINGS! 28 on the runway means that the runway is pointing 280 degrees clockwise from North!
Mr Harpham’s National 4 Applications of Maths were outside using their bearings skills to write the description of an obstacle course. Each instruction had to have a bearing (direction in degrees from North) and a distance (in steps).
Maths Circle Event
The Edinburgh Maths Circle is an opportunity for children aged 5 to 16 and their families to join us for a couple of hours of fun and stimulating hands-on mathematics.
Edinburgh University is currently hosting both in person and online Maths Circles, to accommodate different needs.
The next in-person Maths Circle will take place on 18 November 2023, from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at James Clerk Maxwell Building. The event is free to attend and no booking is required. You do not need to join from the start or stay till the
end. You can just drop in and stay as little or as long as you wish.
https://www.maths.ed.ac.uk/school-of-mathematics/outreach/maths-circle
S2 Science trip to Careers Hive at the museum
As part of STEM we took a group of S2 Science pupils to the Careers Hive at the museum.
Careers Hive is an interactive introduction to the world of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) based careers. It is designed to provide students in S1-S3 with a new way of thinking about their futures. This immersive event allows participants to understand all the career opportunities available to them when choosing STEM subjects.
Careers Hive addressed the rising tide of students not choosing STEM subjects by encouraging and showcasing where this subject engagement will lead. Careers Hive brought together education practitioners and STEM professionals from different industries to complement Developing the Young Workforce – Career Education Standard (3-18) produced September 2015. It addressed the learners’ ‘I Can’ statements by the end of Broad Generational Education: S1 to S3.
Our pupils had a great time and found this really useful.
‘The Wrap Up, with Charlie & Eva’
Welcome to another edition of ‘The Wrap Up, with Charlie & Eva’, we hope everyone has had a great week this week and is ready for the weekend! Now let’s get into it!
MGS had their batch of Mentors in Violence Prevention giving their second lessons today to their S1 and S2 classes this week. This week they looked at topics such as the bystander effect, the violence triangle and different forms of abuse/respect.
For any S6s who plan on going onto further education, we’d like to remind you that personal statement first drafts are due to be returned to your guidance teachers asap, they’re an important part of your UCAS application so it’s always worth looking at to find ways to improve it!
For S6s again, your yearbook profiles, orders for leavers hoodies, and photos for the yearbook are all coming up soon so be sure to keep track of the Google classroom and keep an eye on the due dates to ensure you’re getting everything handed in on time!
Prelims are coming up! S4’s-6’s have all already had assemblies on this topic, prelims are starting on the 27th of November. So everyone whether you’ve had prelims for the past two years, or these are your first, we advise you do your best and study to get the best preparation for when it comes to exam time.
We’d like to give a massive thank you and congratulations to everyone who was involved this week in the planning and preparation for pudsey day today, in particular the prefects and baristas who helped in the assembly hall today to assist with the bake sale, the teachers who signed up to be sponged for charity after school on the back green, and everyone who brought in goodies for the bake sale. However, this all wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and massive amount of work put in by our very own Eva Hills, she has put tons of work into planning the raffle, bake sale, sponging of the teachers, the guess the sweets game, and so much more, so a massive thank you and congratulations goes out to Eva for the amazing event!
Thank you for reading this week’s ‘The Wrap Up with Charlie and Eva’. We hope you’ve had a good week and are gonna take this weekend as a chance to rest and relax! See you next week!
Ormiston Pump Track
We are keen to better understand the impact that the Ormiston Pump Track has had on the lives of local people across East Lothian.
If you have been to Ormiston Park Pump Track, we would love you to complete the Ormiston Pump Track Consultation here:- Ormiston Community Pump Track - East Lothian Council - Citizen Space (eastlothianconsultations.co.uk)
We look forward to hearing from you.
Mark Urwin
Acting Active Business Unit (ABU) Team Leader
East Lothian Council
Meadowmill Sports Centre
TRANENT
Senior Phase Study Support Programme
Lost Property
There are lots of items in lost property. If not collected by 12th December 2023 all will be recycled. Thank you, C Harvey.
Signing in late
If you are late in the morning you must sign in with Ms Harvey in the foyer. It is important you sign in for health and safety reasons. Thank you.
Event for potential adopters
The council’s adoption team is holding an event for potential adopters on Tuesday 21 November. If you’re considering adoption, the informal event will give you a chance to meet the council’s team and experienced adopters to find out about local support. It is being held on Tuesday 21 November, 6.30pm-9.30pm at the Brunton Hall, Musselburgh. Find out more about adopting in East Lothian at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/adoption or by calling the team on 01620 827643.
Newsletter Archive
There's an archive section on the newsletter site with all of the previous newsletters organised by date. It can be viewed by clicking on 'Archive' in the menu or using this link: https://bit.ly/ht-newsletter-archive.
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