Kilmarnock Academy

The deadline for passport photos and forms has been extended to Thursday the 24^th of March. The European Health Card can be handed in anytime up to the beginning of June.

If you are receiving any of the following benefits:

• Income Support

• Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit

• Income Based Jobseekers’ Allowance

• Housing Benefit

• Council Tax Benefit

• Income Based Employment & Support Allowance

Your child may be entitled to either free school meals or
a clothing grant of £75, or both.
Application forms can be obtained from schools (during term time) and from
Kilmarnock and Cumnock Area Registration Offices (during school holidays).

East Ayrshire Council

Please click on link below for the timetable for Easter Study during the periods 4 April – 15 April 2016.

EASTER SCHOOL Timetable 2016

For your information the 5th of May will now be an in-service day due to the Scottish Parliamentary Elections taking place on that day.

As a result, Friday 27th May is no longer an in-service day and pupils should attend as normal.

Work is due to start officially on Monday 14th March on The William McIlvanney Campus which will of course will host the new Kilmarnock Academy.

Marking the start of the countdown, Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council welcomed MPs, MSPs, local elected members, officers from the Scottish Government and Council, pupils, teachers and contractors to the site.

Work is set for completion in 2018.

On Wednesday 9^th March, S2 Administration class visited Rugby Park to hear how Kilmarnock Football Club uses IT in their day-to-day club.  The group, photographed below, learnt how the skills they are learning in class can be transferred to the working world.  Brian Sproul, Youth Coach and Education Manager, explained how he uses IT in his job.  This includes Excel spreadsheets to keep registers and performance records of players; Word to create coaching session plans; PowerPoint presentations with nutritional advice and motivational sessions for players; various apps that let the coaches analyse games and performances.  The hard working ethos was described; and the expectations of players were explained, perhaps leaving pupils thinking they have it easy at school!

On Saturday 5^th March 2016 38 pupils from Kilmarnock Academy went to Glasgow to meet a group of 42 French-Canadian pupils and their teachers who were visiting the UK for 10 days. The rendez-vous was arranged by Isabelle Rivard, our French Canadian Language Assistant, Mrs Stables and Nancy Bédard, the lead teacher for the visit.

We first met the group outside Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow and before the museum opened, pupils had time to find their “twin” and to start to get to know them. In the museum we all took part in an “ice-breaker” activity to encourage pupils to get to know each other. We then had time to look around the museum before lunch. The Scottish pupils brought a packed lunch for their Canadian “twin” and our visitors got the chance to taste some of Scottish specialities – mostly Irn Bru and tablet! The visiting teachers received gifts of a Scottish mug, some shortbread and some fudge. In return the Scottish teachers received a large tin of maple syrup, a bottle of “cidre glacé” made from frozen apples, a key holder and a phone holder. All the pupils also received a tin of maple syrup and everyone got a pin of the Scottish and Quebecois flags.

After lunch we boarded the buses again, each pupil with their visiting partner and headed for Glasgow Cathedral and the Necropolis. The sun was shining for us so everyone enjoyed the views over Glasgow and took lots of photographs. Our final destination was Pollok Park where everyone visited the house and gardens. The gift shop was also a popular stopping off point.

Before we said our farewells, pupils got to choose either a Snowball, a Teacake or a Caramel Wafer, generously donated by Tunnocks of Uddingston.

Pupils were sad to leave their new friends and the Quebecois said their thanks and farewells with a song!   Both groups of young people had a wonderful and very special day and we hope that they will continue to keep in touch with their “twin” and take the opportunity to practise their French with a native speaker. The pupils from Kilmarnock Academy were fabulous ambassadors for the school: their behaviour was exemplary, they left no litter, they were polite and pleasant at all times. Days like this make you glad to be a teacher and to have the privilege of teaching such wonderful pupils!

Parent Pay is coming to Kilmarnock Academy – Go Live date is 3 May 2016.  All pupils have been issued with information.

What really goes on at the Galleon…

On Tuesday 1^st March  a group of S3 Administration pupils visited The Galleon Centre in Kilmarnock to find out what really goes on behind the scenes.  Pupils enjoyed a tour of the facility, where they learned about the trust opening, different facilities that are on offer, and the staff structure.  Pupils then visited the Reception and the offices where they found out about the booking system, how the organisation benefits from using social media, and even how the finger scanning machine helps with staffing.  Pupils spoke to the Office Manager and found out that the work they do in classroom is very like the work that the office staff are doing at the Galleon.  Hopefully the trip will provide pupils with an insight to the jobs that are available utilising their administration skills, and will also provide ideas for future jobs in the leisure industry.

Programme