As you will be aware, we carried out an evacuation of the school today. This was in response to information received, although no specific threat was indicated. The evacuation was carried out very efficiently and pupils and staff followed our procedures well for a full evacuation to a designated area with a full building check. Although it turned out that there was no cause for concern, all procedures for evacuation and checking were carried out thoroughly and in conjunction with Police Scotland. The timing of this meant that pupils could not re-enter the school over lunchtime and Period 5 was then given over to lunch to allow pupils, particularly S1 (who do not leave the school at lunchtime) and those entitled to free meals, to be fed. Classes resumed as normal at Period 6 and school will be open as normal tomorrow.
My thanks to all pupils and staff for their cooperation and patience today.
The first of this session’s Parent Equalities Forums will take place on Thursday, 17th September at 7pm in Woodfarm HS. All parents are welcome to attend.
The agenda will cover:
1. Update on Education Department Equalities Plan 2015 – 17
This letter gives details of each year groups tracking report, parents evening, full report and award ceremony. There is also information on the dates of the school holidays.
All S3 and S4 students have been given details of the upcoming Parents’ Information Evening, which will take place on Tuesday, 8th September from 6.30pm.
The evening is designed to help you support your son or daughter as they prepare for their SQA Examinations.
On Monday, 31 August S2 and S3 pupils visited the Edinburgh Book Festival to hear author Matt Whyman talk about his books and what inspired him.
Pupils had the opportunity to browse in the bookshop and have their lunch in beautiful (and sunny) gardens within the Book Festival grounds, before taking their front row seats in the auditorium. Many pupils bought Matt Whyman’s books and got them signed by him at the end of his session.
Here are some views from the pupils:
‘I really enjoyed the experience. Everyone was really friendly and always had a smile on their face.’
‘The Edinburgh Book Festival was brilliant.’
‘I loved hearing about Matt Whyman’s book, especially ‘The Savages’ because it sounds very good.
Parents, pupils and staff will all be aware of the continuing delay in the commencement of the building of the new Barrhead High School and we all share the frustration caused by this. I have been given the following information by the Council and we are all hoping the causes of this delay can be resolved very quickly.
The Education Department and indeed the Council are most disappointed in the delay in establishing the new build replacement for Barrhead High School. The proposals that have been developed and shared with the school and wider community are exciting and will provide first class indoor and outdoor facilities.
The delay is a consequence of changes to European accounting rules that affect a variety of public sector finance projects, including Barrhead High. It is completely outwith the Council’s control. We can’t say at this stage say what any delay would be. We remain firmly committed to providing a new Barrhead High and the details of the project have not changed. There are a whole host of projects affected by this reclassification of what constitutes public/private expenditure. It is simply a technical accounting issue, there is nothing we can do.
