HEAD TEACHER'S NEWSLETTER
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MUSSELBURGH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Friday 02 May 2025
Friday 02 May 2025
I hope SQA exams are going well for all our senior students, and a reminder that all pupils attending school for exams and immersion classes must wear school uniform for identification of all pupils.
Although May is quieter in school with fewer pupils it is still a busy time of year for colleagues developing courses and resources and planning ahead for the next session.
With best wishes for a relaxing and sunshine filled long weekend.
Jodie Hannan
Key Dates
Monday 5 May: May Day holiday
Monday 12- Friday 16 May: S3 work experience
Monday 19th May: Inset day - no pupils attend (unless sitting an SQA exam)
Tuesday 20th May: S1-3 Activities (Alton Towers/Go Ape/Blair Drummond/In-school Activities)
Remember you can find all events on our school calendar, and you can add the calendar to your own too.
Reporting on pupil progress
Reporting dates
There are several reporting stages coming up. Please note reports will be issued to learners at the following times:
Year Report type Issue date week beginning
S1 level, rating and comment 19th May
Staffing
Welcome back to Ms Duncan, in Home Economics, who returned to school on Tuesday after maternity leave.
I am very sorry to let you know that Mr Harpham, CL Mathematics is leaving MGS at the end of this term to pursue the next stage of his career.
Interviews for his post have now concluded and I am pleased to let you know that we have successfully appointed to the post of Curriculum Leader of Mathematics from August 2025.
Parent Council Meeting dates
Tuesday 20 May: MGS PC Online briefing 7-8pm meet.google.com/tkd-rakc-dor
Monday 16 June: MGS PC full meeting – in person, in school 7-8pm
SQA Exam Diet
The SQA exam diet now commences on Friday 25 April, not Monday 28 April https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/nq-2025-exam-timetable.pdf
SQA’s learner booklet – Your Exams – is available to download from their website. The booklet contains important information for learners sitting National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams. It also highlights the rules that learners must know and follow to ensure they are not penalised. Please encourage your child to download and read the booklet. If you have any problems accessing the booklet please ask your child to speak to their pupil support.
Download Your Exams booklet: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/100863.12732.html
A link to this booklet has already been made available to pupils in their google classroom.
Senior pupils arriving for exams are reminded to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the exam.
For all MGS pupils not taking exams
Can we ask parents to remind their young people that they should enter the building via the Music Department (unless they have an exam) during the exam diet. If pupils arrive after 9am, they should enter through the main front door, but are reminded to be very quiet. Thank you for your help with this.
In terms of ongoing support for exams, I hope that students are finding this revision poster helpful, and the immersion class timetable (link below) has been published. All pupils should attend their Immersion sessions (unless it coincides with an actual exam). We know these sessions are incredibly useful to pupils - it's their last opportunity to ask their teacher about anything they need assurance in.
https://sites.google.com/edubuzz.org/musselburgh-grammar-school/students/sqa-exams
S3 STEM Airport Trip
As part of STEM, the science department has organised a visit to the new STEM Centre at Edinburgh Airport on Thursday 8th May. S3 pupils will have the opportunity to participate in STEM activities. There are only 20 spaces available and names will be pulled out of a hat. Permission forms will be handed out ASAP. Transport is provided and pupils will leave school at 9am and return for 1.45pm. Lunch is provided at the event, so please ensure any dietary requirements are included on your form
Modern Languages: Pupils of the Month
These are April’s Pupils of the Month. Great work from all of our pupils who continue to demonstrate our school’s values of honesty, respect and determination.
Chapeaux a tou(te)s les eleves!
MGS Sports Awards 2025
Now Accepting Nominations!
MGS is delighted to announce that planning has begun for this year's Sports Awards.
Each year, the school hosts a formal, evening celebration of all the sports related success within our community.
If you wish to put forward the name of a pupil who you feel deserves to be celebrated, please complete the survey below:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1IN6ttHt5KTQG3VzxlKB4VO9U7Jf13i8BvOkzbMVmyY4/edit
Year group attendance
Improving attendance to improve attainment is one of our school improvement priorities this year and we expect pupils’ attendance to be at least 90%. We are tracking pupils’ attendance carefully throughout the session and more information about our attendance strategy will follow. I hope parents and carers find this weekly update on each year group's attendance useful.
S1: 91%
S2: 89%
S3: 90%
Fisherrow Harbour Festival Saturday 10th May 11am - 5pm
Fun day out for all the family. Musselburgh Grammar School pupils playing in bands at the event.
NHS Step into Allied Health Professions Work Experience Week Tuesday 17 - Friday 20 June 2025
Medical
HPV VACCINE
All S1 and also some catch ups will take place on Tuesday 3rd June 2025. Please return your form back to school asap.
MMR VACCINE - Catch ups (only if you received a blue form) will be vaccinated on Tuesday
3rd June 2025
MGS website and School Handbook for parents
Our website can be accessed here MGS (google.com), and it also contains our School Handbook.
School Policies
All of our policies can be viewed on our website
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