Dear Parent/Carer
Welcome to the first weekly update email after the Christmas break. Happy New Year! All the very best for 2018.
It’s been good to see our young people back in school this week, eager to learn and happy to catch up with their friends after the break. For some it has been a testing week (literally), as we have had S5/6 Prelim exams in the Hall.
There was also a welcome to a new member of staff this week as we were joined by Miss Osborne in History from Monday. Miss Osborne previously taught at Stirling High School and we are very pleased to have her at KHS.
Those Prelims I mentioned are at SQA National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher and they started on Wednesday with English. Yesterday we had Maths, Spanish, Drama, Physics, Classical Studies and History. Today it’s been Physics, Modern Studies, Graphic Communication and Latin. Full details of the timetable are published on “Twitter” @KirkcaldyHigh. The exams will help candidates work out what they need to do next to achieve their personal goals in May. Best wishes.
Similarly, our S2 Progress Report, which is being posted today, gives useful progress markers and pointers towards “next steps” in learning. I do hope that you will take time out to discuss the issues raised at home. Please be in touch if you need any clarification. All S2 will be engaging in the course choice process shortly and this is expected to be completed by Friday 9 March. Stand by for more information.
Next week our Prelims are; Music, History, Chemistry, Human Biology and Biology on the Monday. Art and Design, Business Management, Design and Manufacture, Chemistry, Physics, Latin and French on Tuesday. On Wednesday we have Biology, Human Biology, Drama, Modern Studies, French and Engineering Science.
On Monday, all S4 will be taking part in special exam preparation tutorials being delivered by “Live’N’Learn”, an educational support agency. Miss Diamond has already invited all S4 parents/carers in to school at 3.30pm to hear form the Live’N’Learn tutors. It will be good for you to be able to reinforce the messages delivered in the run up to the exams in May. I hope to see many S4 parents/carers after school on Monday …. it should only last half an hour or so.
Also after school on Monday, we have arranged a meeting with a wide range of business partners to discuss the next steps in developing our approaches to employability. I am indebted to Miss Nessel for her excellent work in respect of this. Please see our attached jobs bulletin … it’s good that you have an understanding of the local employment market. Helping our kids be ready for work is big theme for KHS. In the evening on Monday we’ll have a Friends of Kirkcaldy High School meeting. If you are interested in the work of this excellent support group, please come along at 7pm or call 01592 583405 and ask for Mrs Davidson. The next fundraiser is our annual Ceilidh on Friday 9 March – and you can reserve a table/tickets now! £10 per ticket which includes a great entertainment with Bert Pozzi Ceilidh Band, raffles and a Valentes fish supper. Please call Mrs Davidson, and thanks for your support.
On that theme of fundraising, we have been selected by ASDA, Carberry Road, for their “Green Token” campaign. If you shop there please support the KHS cause by placing your token in the appropriate container. We are trying to raise funds for outdoor gym equipment in the school grounds and this is also the focus of ongoing FoKHS fundraising.
After school on Tuesday, members of our LGBT support group are attending a Fife wide event at Beath High School to share some of their leading work in helping to build an inclusive school. Then, a little later, Mrs Aitken and I will be joined by S1 pupils and Prefects to deliver our Primary School “Roadshows” at Capshard (5pm) and Fair Isle (6.30pm). Please spread the word. The events are open to any parent/carer who is considering enrolling their child at KHS from August 2018.
On Wednesday, Mrs Hamilton (Head of Maths) and Mrs Hume (Head of English) will undergo training about the Scottish National Standardised Assessments which were taken by all S3 in November. These tests are intended to help us plan learning in the run up to the “Nationals”, which are taken in S4.
Then, on Thursday after school, it’s our S4 Parent/Carer evening, and all parents/carers of S4 will have received a schedule home, by email and on paper, this week.
The menu next week is;
Monday: Lentil soup, Butter Chicken Tikka Masala and Rice, vegetables
Tuesday: Mushroom soup, Grilled Sausage/burger – veggie/beef/chicken, chips, baked beans
Wednesday: Scotch broth, Roast chicken and gravy, potatoes and vegetables
Thursday: Carrot and coriander soup, Mince pie, potatoes and vegetables
Friday Yellow split pea soup, Breaded fish/Sausage roll, chips, peas
We also have baked potatoes, pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salad available every day as well as our new outdoor snack bar. Please also remember that we offer a free cup of soup with bread for all our young people, regardless of their “free school meals” status.
Finally, another wee word about those forthcoming exams. You will likely know, that for pupils in S4-6, we are laying on a series of “Saturday School” study sessions over the coming weeks;
20 Jan: Art and Music
27 Jan; Maths
03 Feb: History, Geography and Modern Studies
10 Feb: Business, Administration and Computing
17 Feb: HOLIDAY WEEKEND
24 Feb: French, Engineering Science, Graphic Communication and Design & Manufacture
03 Mar: English
10 Mar: Latin, Classical Studies, Engineering Science, Graphic Communication and Design & Manufacture
17 Mar: Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Drama
24 Mar: Spanish.
These sessions run from 9.45am and last up to four hours. I must thank all the staff who hare giving up their time. There is much evidence that this time can make all the difference for exam preparation and I hope to see a big turnout once again this year.
All the very best to you.
Derek Allan
RECTOR
12 January 2018
