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HEAD TEACHER'S NEWSLETTER
It was lovely to have a whole staff meeting in our newly refurbished social space this afternoon. It’s a brilliant space for pupils and will also be used by teachers as a teaching & learning area.
We’re planning various open evening events in school from August so that parents can see around the school for the first time in over two years.
The focus of our staff meeting was how we can make our school the best place for our young people, your children, to learn and thrive. As I mentioned in last week's newsletter, this centres around high quality learning and teaching, and a curriculum that gives them the qualifications they need. It’s also about an environment we all enjoy working and learning in, so I ask for your support in discussing the issues of vaping and water pistols with your children which are negatively affecting our school at the moment and taking our attention away from the important matters.
Best wishes for a lovely weekend.
Jodie Hannan
Key Dates:
Monday 23 May: Staff inservice day
Tuesday 24 May: S1-S3 pupils return to school
Water Guns
We have had problems with water guns being brought into school this week, causing considerable disruption to learning and corridor safety for both pupils and teachers.
There is no reason for Water pistols, and other such toys such as water balloons, to be in school at all, and we will continue to confiscate them and give break or lunch detentions to pupils using them.
Vaping
It is most unfortunate that a small minority of pupils are vaping in school. This is a reminder that like smoking, vaping is not acceptable in school or in school grounds at any time under any circumstances. All young people and staff have the right to learn and work in a pleasant smoke free environment. We will continue to contact parents of vaping pupils and put sanctions in place. We will continue to confiscate vapes and only return them if a parent/ carer comes into school to collect it.
I ask that parents and carers reinforce at home the school’s zero tolerance of vaping and smoking. Thank you for your support.
Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award Group
We are very proud of our S3 Bronze DofE participants who have been working hard all year by volunteering their time, taking part in physical activities and learning new skills. They are now aiming to finish their Bronze Award by completing an expedition. This week, after cooking a tasty breakfast on trangia stoves, they pulled on their walking boots, loaded their rucksacks and set off on a training expedition along the East Lothian coastline. We were lucky to get amazing blue sky conditions and all pupils showed brilliant teamwork, motivation and determination throughout the day. We are now looking forward to a final qualifying expedition in June.
Team Building Session Delivered by the Army
We were very fortunate for the Army to come in and deliver team building sessions this week. The group thoroughly enjoyed learning new transferable skills; teamwork, problem solving, communication, listening, following instructions to name a few. You will see from the photos the pupils had great fun.
Any pupil aged 14 or over who is interested in doing a one week work placement with the Army, please see Ms Hoffman B16 for further details.
Pupil Voice Update
Thank you and well done from the Pupil Voice Team to everyone who has submitted entries for the Refurbishment Artwork Competition. The themes of the entries were varied and ranged from drawn artwork to photographs of our school and local community. We are currently looking at the technical aspect of each photograph submitted and have chosen images to go through to the next stage of the competition.
In addition, we are hoping to set a challenge to our new primary 7’s coming up to MGS in August to give them a chance to be involved in a competition for artwork for our new social spaces - watch this space!
One of our last discussions was about pupil leadership in the school and one of our hopes is to have more junior leadership opportunities next session.
As part of our PR for Pupil Voice, we have created posters and displayed them around the school to highlight how pupils can get in touch with the Pupil Voice Team.
Pupil Focus Groups
Focus Groups for Modern Languages have taken place this week for S2, and next week it will be the turn for S3. A ‘You Said, We Did’ sheet will be produced after the Department has reviewed all feedback.
Consultation Surveys
There were 132 responses to the Active Travel Survey that was put out to all pupils on behalf of the Musselburgh Active Toun Group. All feedback has now been collated and sent to the group as part of their larger consultation.
Our Pupil Voice survey on the new Pupil News online format has now closed and we will be discussing the results in our next meeting. Thank you to all pupils who took part in this survey.
Just a reminder that all pupils will usually be notified of any opportunity to take part in consultations and focus groups via their year group Google classroom and email so it is important that these are checked for information and that everyone keeps their notifications switched on.
Intellectual Disability Information Sessions for Parents
The following sessions are available, free of charge, from The CAMHS Intellectual Disability Team together with the City of Edinburgh Psychological Services. Sessions are designed to support parents and carers of those with an intellectual disability. Please book by clicking on the link below.
An overview of what will be covered in each session is available below:
Session 1: What is an Intellectual Disability? - Thursday 19th May at 11-12.30.
Session 2: Supporting communication. - Thursday 26th May at 11-12.30.
Session 3: Understanding behaviour and how to manage challenging behaviour. - Wednesday 1st June at 11-12.30.
Session 4: Sensory differences in ID. - Thursday 9th June at 11-12.30.
Session 5: Developing and supporting play. - Thursday 16th June at 11-12.30.
Session 6: Sexual health and relationships. - Thursday 23rd June at 11-12.30.
Session 7: Parental and sibling well-being. - Thursday 30th June at 11-12.30.
Reminder
Parent and carer views sought: Promoting positive relationships and behaviour
This year we are reviewing our policy to support positive relationships and behaviour within Musselburgh Grammar School. Parent and carer feedback is vital and will be considered alongside pupil and staff views in shaping our new policy.
There are 11 multiple choice questions and two open ended questions. The survey has been open for two weeks and closes today.
Click on the link to access: https://forms.gle/vk3oMtfTDkphhSCQ6
All responses will be confidential, unless you chose to leave your details. There is the opportunity to provide your name at the end should you wish or if you’d be willing to take part in a future focus group to discuss.
All responses are warmly received.
Reminder
Immersion Programme for SQA Examinations
A range of supports are in place to help MGS students in preparation for SQA examinations. Our Immersion Programmes are sessions run to support students with revision in school in the days prior to examinations. The dates and times for all of these sessions can be accessed by clicking on the buttons below.
Medical Room
If you are unwell during school time you have to sign out with Ms Harvey in the Medical Room or office if she is not there. Do not text your parent on your own and go home. This is important to sign out with Ms Harvey so we know where you are as we have a duty of care for every pupil in the building.
HPV Vaccinations
Please can all S1 return pink forms ASAP to Ms Harvey. If you need a form, see Ms Harvey. Vaccinations will take place on Wednesday 22nd June and Thursday 23rd June 2022. All S2,and S3 will be vaccinated too.
Thank you, C Harvey
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