The Rosehill Way: What You Need To Know, August 2025
This has guide has been compiled in response to common questions that come up during every transition period. It is written for pupils and parents to read and discuss together.
There is a lot to get through here, so please don’t worry if you just take a look at a few slides at a time.
If you still have questions after reading this, please send them to our email address admin@rosehill.elcschool.org.uk
Our classes are filled with in person, interactive activities which require your full attention. Therefore, these are not used in class. If you need e.g. ear defenders to support a learning need, this will be shared with staff and they will know this. In a very short time from now, you will need to access assessments and formal exams where there is a requirement for sustained, silent work. We will give you opportunities to work on this need for silence from time to time, to support building that skill.
The school does not open to pupils until 8.20am, so you are expected to time your arrival with this in mind. From 8.20am, you are free to gather in the atrium, to use the toilet facilities there, or just catch up with friends. From 8.27am, you will be able to make your way to class. You should be in your Homeroom at 8.30am, ready to register in good time. Most of our pupils walk to school but, if you need to take public transport, it's your responsibility to give yourself plenty of time to deal with unexpected delays.
Please do not gather outside the school ‘early’. We have lots of neighbours and need to give them our consideration.
We became teachers because we love working with young people. That means we want to see you every day. We will teach you more about the importance of showing up for yourself over your time with us. If you can’t attend school, it’s vital that your parent/ carer lets us know, by contacting the school directly. Our text service is 07860 003 108. Our number is 0131 202 8466. Our email is admin@elcschool.org.uk Please always include the pupil's name, class, reason for absence, and likely dates of absence.
We will always follow up unexplained absences with texts and calls as we need to keep everyone safe. Your Homeroom teacher will take a register each morning, but a register will also be taken within the first few minutes of every lesson. That information goes directly to our admin team who then send messages home if you are not in class. Repeated issues around attendance will be picked up by House Teams.
On a monthly basis, we send letter to families to let them know about any any persistent non-attendance. These are followed up with meetings where required.
You should bring a bag to school every day. It is helpful to have your name and class on it. We also have a 'bag or box' policy in mobile phones if they make their way into classes, so you need a school bag if you want to have it with you, on silent. Bags should be stowed carefully under your desk. In practical classes, your class teachers will let you know where to store personal items. You are responsibile for your personal items at all times.
There are no bells in our school. It’s not a factory! There are clocks in every room and staff will let you know when to make your transitions. You will need something to tell the time if you choose to leave the campus during your rest break.
We are fortunate enough to have a number of spaces beyond our classrooms where learning can happen either individually or in groups. We refer to these as the breakout spaces. Your class teacher may ask you to use one of these if e.g. you have an assessment to catch up on, or you are working on a presentation with a team. These should always be used respectfully and responsibly so that the learning of others isn't disturbed.
There are two rest breaks: 15 minutes in the morning, and 40 minutes at lunchtime. Our school is not a prison. You aren’t locked in. However, the only way we can keep you safe is if you to stay on the school grounds with staff around. We cannot help you in tricky situations if you have wandered off campus. Any decision to leave the grounds is between you and your parent and what they expect. In particular, we strongly advise against S1 pupils leaving the campus. In our experience, poor choices can be made in unsupervised peer groups, which young people at this stage haven't always developed the skills to manage.
Our catchment primaries are Wallyford Primary and Pinkie St. Peter’s Primary. Pupils in these schools are automatically allocated a place at Rosehill. However, there are also quite a few pupils who are with us as a result of placing requests. This means they have specifically asked to come to this school rather than their local one, for a range of different reasons. Therefore, we ensure that everyone is welcome in our school, no matter where they live or what school they went to before.
We are a growing local population and we also expect to have young people join us throughout the year.
This has no place in a school. It’s a choking hazard, an environmental hazard, and can also easily damage furniture when not disposed of carefully. Please do not arrive chewing gum or bring any onto the campus.
All young people are able to access Chromebooks as they need to, once they have signed a Chromebook user agreement. Our Curriculum Leader of Support for Learning will also look at young people with an Additional Support Need and make a recommendation as to whether they would benefit from a specifically allocated Chromebook. These are expensive devices and must be looked after and used appropriately. If you spot any issues with a Chromebook you are using, please let a member of staff know straight away. Where it is clear that Chromebooks have been damaged as a result of misuse, parents will be charged for the cost of repair/replacement.
Chromebooks have lots of helpful accessibility features, some of which may be familiar to young people from working with them in their current schools. However, you might also find it useful to link into this YouTube channel, which offers top tips: Enabling Accessibility Features on a Chromebook
Everyone has at least three classes in S1: a form class, a practical class and a homeroom class. There are also opportunities for personalisation and choice beyond this. It is completely unrealistic to think that you will like and want to be friends with everyone in every class. That’s okay. That’s normal life. However, if there is a specific issue you want to tell us about, or that you need some help with, please speak to either a member of your House Team or the class teacher.
We will carefully monitor all classes for several weeks after you arrive with us, and may make small changes once we know everyone better. However, this would only be in very exceptional circumstances. We do not generally encourage class changes as these affect the overall balance of numbers and/our Houses.
Good communication is important to all of us and we appreciate families sharing information that may be impacting on their child's wellbeing and learning. Our website links to a number of helpful policies but, ahead of starting school with us, parents and carers should familiarise themselves with our policy on communication between home and school: The Rosehill Way: Communication between home and school
Crucially, staff commitments throughout the day mean that we are not able to accommodate 'walk ins'. Please do not arrive at school expecting to see someone without an appointment. Should parents need to speak with a member of the team, please use the contact processes outlined in the policy.
Our corridors are light and wide. Please pass on the left hand side and please be considerate as you are moving around our spaces. We expect exactly the same behaviours in our corridors as we do in our classrooms. There will always be staff around if you need some help. Outside of rest breaks, you need a corridor pass issued by your teacher to be out of your class.
If you need to leave the class for any reason, a corridor pass will be issued. If you are out of class without a corridor pass, we need to assume that you should be returned to class immediately. Each member of staff has only three corridor passes, so you may need to wait a few minutes on occasion until there is one to be issued to you.
Information about our curriculum is available on the main website. You will receive your full timetable when you arrive in August, with staff and pupils on hand to help you find where you should be and when. Please bear in mind that things can change over the course of the year in terms of staff or room availability, but we will always update you when that is the case. All pupils in S1 follow common courses in line with Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence.
Young people are welcome to cycle to school and we have cycle racks provided.
Please remember that we cannot take responsibility for any loss or damage of personal property. If you wish to bring your bike to school, please ensure that it has a sturdy lock, and that you arrive in time to store it safely before the start of the school day.
The school day ends at 3.25pm. We would expect all pupils to be off site by 3.30pm, unless they are joining in a particular activity that has been planned by staff. Parents should be aware that, should pupils be attending e.g. the library or community spaces for events outside school hours, they may of course still be on the campus, but no longer fall under the responsibility of school staff.
Please remember that we are in a residential area, so must be considerate to our neighbours at all times.
Our dress code is simple, and designed to be flexible. Our top priority is you being in school, ready to learn, as the best version of yourself.
Our dress code is as follows:
Rosehill branded sweatshirt hoodie OR a plain black alternative (Rosehill items are available from Border Embroideries (https://www.border-embroideries.co.uk/search/rosehill ).
White underneath (plain white school shirt/plain white t-shirt/plain white polo shirt/Rosehill polo shirt)
Black on the bottom (trousers, skirts, leggings, long shorts all acceptable- just make sure it's plain black)
Black or white footwear (please avoid open toed/heeled footwear e.g. crocs/sandals/sliders due to safety)
Although small logos can sometimes be hard to avoid, please do not arrive at school looking as though you have been sponsored to be there!
You must also have your pass and lanyard every day. This is how we know you have a right to be in the school, and how you will access the school part of the building. We will give you a lanyard in your House colour so that you can easily access your pass.
If the fire alarm sounds and your class teacher gives the instruction to evacuate, please make your way to the artroturfs in a respectul, kind and responsible way. You should then line up with your Homeroom teacher to be registered. We will go over the areas for Houses/classes when we start the term in August.
Many of our staff are first aid trained and they have access to first aid boxes. If you have a minor scrape or bash, we can deal with most things in school. If there is anything that is worrying us, we will contact home, and see if someone can collect you to take you to seek medical advice. We will not allow anyone under the age of 16 to leave the premises without contacting someone first. In an emergency, we will seek medical advice on your behalf. However, we are not medical professionals and cannot make medical decisions for you/ your parents.
Our school sits a significant distance from any shops or food outlets, so you don't have time to visit these during the school day. You have a beautiful food court that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and this is where almost all of our young people choose to eat. You can either collect food from the restaurant or eat something you have brought from home. You will use your NEC card to pay for food, and your account needs topped up by School Pay.
More information can be found here: https://www.eastlothian.gov.uk/schoolpay
There are no vending machines on site, and we are a cashless campus. Food can only be consumed in the food court or outside. All food waste must be disposed of properly.
A copy of a recent food court menu is here: East Lothian Council High School Menu Menus are continuously reviewed based on feedback.
Throughout the school year, you will be given the opportunity to do some cooking in Food and Health. Your class teacher will make sure you know when this is going to happen, and what you will be making. If possible, we would ask that you bring a container to take your food home in. This is to support sustainability. Disposable cartons are costly and add unnecessary waste to the environment. However, if your family finds it hard to provide this, we will of course make sure you have something to use.
You will be added to a Google classroom for all of your classes. These will help you to refer back to lessons and to keep on top of tasks you need to do. You can sign into a Google classroom from any device, it doesn’t have to be a Chromebook. You can use the resources there to help you at any time, including supporting your home learning. Your conduct on the Google classroom should be the same as in any classroom: respectful, kind, and responsible. Please remember that Google classrooms cover the ´bare bones’ of any lesson. It is never as effective as participating in person.
You have 10 minutes per day in your Homeroom, with the same teacher. You will get to know each other really well and they can help you with day to day questions. Our school does some in person assemblies, but most assemblies are online and accessed via Homeroom Google Meets. In addition, learning in Homeroom also captures a lot of pupil voice, pupil achievements, and learning around equality, wellbeing and inclusion. You can read more about Homeroom here: The Rosehill Way: Homeroom
BGE (S1-S3): All of our courses in S1-S3 are designed so that you can manage to achieve without lots and lots of set homework. We know that this can be a challenge for some families, perhaps because of caring responsibilities or activities outside of school. We therefore tend to talk more about home learning- the things you can do to take your learning to the next level. Your teachers might ask you to go over some equations, or do a piece of reading, or watch a recommended video, or revise some vocabulary. Home learning tasks should either help you to build a skill further, or show you how your learning relates to the real world. You will also have to do more formal learning out of class in the senior phase, so it’s good to get used to planning your time. Please let us know if there is anything you need to help you access or complete any home learning tasks e.g. printed copies or stationery items.
Senior phase (S4-S6): Pupils will be expected to undertake a variety of homework and home learning tasks, as directed by their teacher. These are essential to support attainment in qualifications. Where these are not being completed, we will make contact home to discuss how we can work together to improve the situation.
House Heather and House Thistle each have an SLT Link (Heather: Lynsey Stewart-Young; Thistle: Julie McCabe), a House Head (Heather: Martha Macleod; Thistle: Michelle Yeoman) and a Pupil Support Worker (Heather: Stevie Higgins; Thistle: Phil Gilholm) Your Homeroom teacher will also usually be in the same House as you.
These are the adults who are there to help you with anything that is worrying you or stopping you from being the best version of yourself. You will see your Homeroom teacher every day, your House Head at least once a week for My World, and your House SLT Link and Pupil Support Worker around the building during the school day, including rest breaks. Please never be worried about asking any of them for help or just a chat. Nothing is more important than you being able to get on with your learning.
IDL is the connections we make between subjects, and this often comes down to the skills they use. We talk a lot about meta-skills. These are things such as adapting, collaborating and creativity. School is not just about ‘knowing stuff’ but also knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do! Developing skills as well as knowledge makes it much easier to use what you have learned in school in life and work.
You can find our more about meta-skills here: Meta-skills: Skills Development Scotland
In the BGE (S1-S3) every Quadrant in every subject has a Knowledge Organiser. These are one slide summaries which highlight the key knowledge and skills developed in each block of work. These are shared via the school website, so parents have a good sense of what is being learned across different subjects. They support a shared understanding of what you've done, what you're working on, and where you're going next. The knowledge organisers will also help with revision and going back to key concepts over time.
Our main language in the BGE is French. Young people also get to access German taster sessions. In the senior phase, they can choose which they would like to specialise in.
Every time you are late to the start of the day or a class within it, you are causing yourself a problem. Not only are you likely to have a truancy message go home, but you are also then going to be confused about the learning and not give yourself the best chance of doing well. Punctuality is a life skill, but being late is also just rude. Your teachers and the other learners have shown up for you, so why would it be okay not to show up for them? If you are late to class for good reason, you will always be welcomed in, but please bear in mind that it may take a little bit of time for the class teacher to then catch you up with the learning. It’s always best just to be there in the first place so you don’t feel lost.
Where there is lateness at the start of the school day, or repeated throughout it, parents and carers will be informed by text message. If the problem is persistent, this will be picked up by the House Teams for investigation.
We know that there will be lots of people who, in line with our values, are keen to take on responsibilities to support the school. Several of our faculties run ambassadors schemes. Ambassadors work with staff to agree the best ways in which to promote their subject. The relevant staff will let you know about opportunities in their area. We are also keen to get our pupils involved in activities such as promoting our Rights Respecting School ethos, supporting the recruitment of staff, and engaging in regular feedback discussions to promote pupil voice.
This year, we have also been developing our senior phase Pupil Leadership Team, for those who would like to have a positive influence across the whole school.
As a school, we are committed to Sustainability as a specific subject in the BGE, as well as throughout a range of curricular areas. Learning for Sustainability is based on the United Nations Global Development Goals. You can read more about these here: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
It’s pretty simple- all rubbish goes in the bin. We have lots of recycling bins to help us dispose of waste sustainably. One of the quickest ways to look after our environment is to ensure that we don’t have unnecessary waste dumped in it. You will always, always be challenged if you drop something or leave an area a mess. We don’t walk past rubbish- we pick it up. We also organise regular litter picks to keep our school and local environment a pleasant place to be.
At the moment, the local area is our beautiful building, lots of new houses, and not much else! There are no local shops so you should bring everything you need to eat and drink from home, or make sure you have money on your account to buy items in the atrium.
Please remember that our school is right next to people’s homes, and they should be able to go about their day without any disturbances. It’s really frustrating when people make negative or prejudiced judgements about teenagers, so let’s all do what we can to challenge anyone who makes assumptions about who you are or what you might do.
We have very very few complaints about anti-social behaviour and want to keep it that way!
Mobile phones are part of modern life and, used well, can be very helpful. However, there are also lots of situations in which they are unhelpful, which is why we have a 'phone free learning' approach.
One of the best things you can do to support wellbeing and learning is to leave phones at home wherever possible. However, we appreciate that it is a parent's choice as to whether they want their child to bring a phone to school or not. The next best solution is to have a phone which allows communication, but has limited access to apps such as gaming or social media.
If you want to keep your phone in your bag, it should be on silent.
If your phone is out during class you will be asked, 'bag or box?' and should either put your phone into your bag or onto the box on the teacher's desk.
We will communicate with home to share information about mobile phone misuse.
Persistent misuse of mobile phones is treated as refusal of instructions and may lead to formal disciplinary procedures.
Please note that the school is not insured for any loss or damage of mobile phones (as they are your personal property). Therefore, we cannot take responsibility for lost/damaged mobile phones/ other electronic devices/ other items of personal property.
You will have occasional opportunities to undertake offsite learning, whether locally or further afield. These opportunities change each year with our growing school, but you will always be informed well in advance of any arrangements that need to be made. We are committed to keeping all such opportunities affordable as we are very aware of pressures associated with the cost of the school day.
Everyone in the BGE (S1-S3) has the chance to engage in outdoor learning within their timetable, either as a specific course or as part of their classes. We know the Scottish weather can be unpredictable, so we will ensure that you have warm, waterproof layers when necessary for outdoor learning lessons. However, we will use the outdoors in lots of classes, not just those that say that on the timetable. Therefore, you should come each day with a jacket, and footwear that will keep you warm and dry. There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes! Please remember that, when we are learning in the local community, we adhere to the same values as in the building; respect, kindness and responsibility.
We ask everyone to bring a change of clothes for PE. We don’t have lots of rules on items to wear, we just ask that you are comfortable and able to move easily. Our changing rooms are all single cubicles so should feel safe and comfortable. If you don’t bring a change of clothes and then get wet or dirty, that’s on you! However, not having a change of clothes will never mean that you don’t participate in an activity. We expect everyone to get involved as much as they can and have lots of different options to ensure you feel able to get the physical exercise that is so important to all of us.
Schools are not insured against damage to our loss of personal property. If you choose to bring cash or expensive devices to school, that’s between you and your parents. However, we can take no responsibility for anything that you choose to bring to school. Any personal property found unattended will be taken to the school office and disposed of if unclaimed.
Supporting opportunities to hear from our young people is really important to us. We want to give you the best experiences possible, so you’re the best people to tell us if we are doing it right or if we need to do something differently. Our current policy is here: The Rosehill Way: Pupil Voice
Instead of ‘terms’, you’ll often hear us talking about quadrants. A quadrant is just a block of learning. These are August-October, October-December, January-March, April-June.
Each quadrant has 7 weeks of ‘core’ learning, which we will use to assess your progress. This core learning will be largely the same across different classes in your year group, though small changes might be made to suit different groups. For example, you might all be covering Scottish Music in your Expressive Arts class, with the same knowledge and skills, but use different pieces of music or instruments according to your interests. There are then some additional ‘flex’ weeks when you and your teacher can engage in learning for its own sake, based on your interests and experiences of the core learning.
Positive relationships are the most important thing we can have in our community. We expect everyone to treat each other as they would want to be treated- with respect and kindness. We don’t all have to like each other, and we don’t all have to be friends, but we do have to share space safely and responsibly. You can read our draft Relationships for Learning policy here: The Rosehill Way: Relationships for Learning
Ever year group currently receives two tracking reports per year. These include information on your progress, how well you uphold the school values, and comments from either subject specialists or House Teams. In addition to this, there are also opportunities for parents to have consultation calls with class teachers, so that they can talk through strengths and next steps. Key dates for reporting will be shared by September 2025.
All schools in East Lothian Council follow a common school day, with the same start and finish times. Our days for 25-26 are as follows:
Homeroom: 0830-0840
Period 1: 0840-0930
Period 2: 0930-1020
Period 3: 1020-1110
Break: 1110-1125
Period 4: 1125-1215
Period 5: 1215-1305
Lunch: 1305-1345
Period 6: 1345-1435
Period 7: 1435-1525
Your class teacher is responsible for deciding who sits where. They will make these decisions based on the best interests of the class, and with your learning and wellbeing in mind. If you genuinely think any arrangement is going to cause an issue, please ask them politely if it would be possible to discuss. Your first response should always be to sit in the allocated seat.
We have an amazing sport and leisure complex and great facilities for you to enjoy during the day. Our PE team and Active Schools coordinator work together to provide a range of opportunities. These are noted on the school website, but you can also speak with any of the PE team about your interests.
The quickest and easiest way to make sure that you have the pens, pencil etc. is to have a pencil case that you bring in your bag to school each day. That’s the responsible way to approach your learning. However, we understand that some families might find it hard to supply these for their children. If you need some help from school with your supplies, please speak with your Homeroom teacher and we will ensure that you aren’t without.
You may need some extra supports at different times in their school career. This might involve some time with members of the Support for Learning team. However, the default is that all young people are welcomed and included in all classes, with all class teachers providing support as they go. It’s also worth remembering that our Chromebooks have a range of features that can help young people to complete activities that show what they are capable of. Having access to the right technology means that there is not always the same need for specific staff to help with every challenge.
Every young person is asked to be respectful, kind and responsible. We expect exactly the same from all staff. We are very proud of our teaching team and the quality of support they provide.
Everyone has the right to access the toilet, but they don’t have the right to access it right now, this moment, absolutely immediately. If you’re on a plane, you can’t go when the ‘fasten seatbelt’ sign is on. If you’re out shopping and need to go, you wait until you have found an appropriate public toilet, you don’t shout and demand in the middle of Primark.
Our timetable means you will never have more than about two and a half hours between toilet opportunities (mostly far less). We understand though, that the human body is complex and that periods, tummy upsets, or just being really thirsty one day and drinking a lot can mean you need to go during class time on occasion. If this is the case, please ask your class teacher politely and they will issue you with a corridor pass. They may well ask you to wait a few moments until e.g. they have finished explaining something, or you’ve completed a specific task. This is not a violation of your human rights, this is them ensuring that your right to an education is upheld.
The toilets in the atrium should only be used during rest breaks. There are plenty of toilets near to classrooms.
Our most recent travel survey shows us that the vast majority of our young people walk to school, with a good few others who cycle. Journeys with other teenagers usually take longer than when you walk on your own, so leave plenty of time! Remember that our building does not open until 8.20am; if you are much before that you may be in the rain.
If you choose to take a public bus, please make sure that you give yourself plenty of time. Buses often run late during busy periods in the morning so think carefully about which one you need to get to guarantee being on time to start your day.
Anyone missing from class will be treated as a potential safeguarding issue. As well as contact to parents as soon as an issue is identified, your Homeroom teachers will also have a list of any absences to access each morning during Homeroom. You will be challenged on any missing classes/parts of classes. Whether in the building or not, you will be considered to be truanting, and this will be shown on your attendance record.
We are all involved in upholding the school values of respect, kindness and responsibility. We expect pupils, staff, parents, and anyone else in the school community to demonstrate these values every day. We will always tackle any situations where these values are not in evidence.
Vandalism in unsightly, inconvenient- and EXPENSIVE. Schools has limited funds. If we have to pay for vandalism, it’s less to buy sport equipment. If we have to pay for vandalism, it’s less to spend on ingredients for cooking. If we have to pay for vandalism, it’s less to spend on art materials. You get the idea. Our building is beautiful and we intend to keep it that way. We all have a shared responsibility here, so please do let us know if you encounter anything that concerns you. It’s pupils that suffer if costly damage is done. If you are found to have damaged an items through misuse, a charge will be made to your family.
The health risks of both of these habits are well advertised and well known, and we’ll ensure that these are covered through our My World programme and other aspects of the Curriculum. There is also a negative environmental impact in terms of the waste these habits produce. If you are found with vapes, cigarettes, or any other harmful substances or equipment, you will be asked to hand these over immediately and your families will be contacted to advise them of the issue.
Rosehill is a place to learn, grow and thrive. Bullying, or prejudiced or just unkind behaviour does not allow this to happen. If there is anything that is happening that stops you being the best version of yourself, please tell your Homeroom teacher or another member of the House Team in the first instance. They will ensure that you are supported.
We don’t have magic wands, but we’ve got your back.
If you like to have access to drinking water throughout the day, please bring a full water bottle. You will be able to fill it at water fountains during rest breaks if you need to, but not during class time. Water bottles should be kept in bags throughout the lesson. If you need to take a quick drink, that’s fine, but it then goes back in the bag.
Everyone has the right to access water but not to access it at all times, no matter what the activity. In particular, for safety reasons, water access is restricted in Science and Technology.
