Dear Parent/Carer
As ever, I hope that you and all your dearest ones are keeping well. First off the good news, and there is actually a triple dose of that. Firstly, our pupils and staff who have been in self-isolation due to exposure to Covid 19 are gradually returning to school. Secondly, I am pleased to report no new cases associated with KHS over the last 10 days. Lastly, it’s looking like these vaccines are on the way in the New Year and the Spring.
However, we’ve regrettably had another week of significant disruption with S4 learning at home on Tuesday and Wednesday and S5/6 yesterday. Today, of course, we are disrupted by the weather and the closure of the Queensferry Crossing, which has prevented several of our teachers getting to Kirkcaldy on time. You couldn’t make it up. Thank you so much for your understanding and support. These have not been the easiest of times and your backing, when we are forced into difficult decisions, is hugely appreciated. It’s all about trust, and I think that you know that we’d have done things differently had it been possible. We will still expect to have up to ten teachers absent in the run up to Christmas as a result of a combination of circumstances. However, unless we have some unforeseeable catastrophe, I do not think we will require “home learning” again before the break. In fact … that’s probably good news part four!
Today should see the S4 Progress report (short version) posted home and we are doing the same for S3 next Friday. These replace the Parents Evenings, which are impossible right now due to the household mixing regulations.
In other news, I’m picking up that final decisions will be made about the SQA exams for Higher and Advanced Higher quite shortly. As it stands, these are scheduled to take place starting on Monday 10 May, with Higher PE. However, due to ongoing disruption to learning and other concerns, this is up for review. The key thing is that all our learners, especially those in the Senior Phase, must continue trying their very best with all classwork, class tests, homework and all other assessments in order to build a bank of evidence of achievement. At National 5, this will be the basis of the award, and it might yet be at the other levels too. The SQA have stressed, in the strongest of terms, that all our estimates must be “evidence based”. To help with this, at the end of January, we plan to hold prelim exams, especially for Higher and Advanced Higher, many of which will likely take place in the Assembly Hall, but not with the very large groupings one would usually associate with the exam setting.
Please see the attachment for details, which will be especially relevant for parents of S5/6. You’ll see that the Prelim “window” runs from 27 January through to 3 February 2021. There won’t be “study leave” as such, but once an exam is over for the day, candidates will be permitted to go home to study for the next exam. We’ll confirm all these arrangements soon as many are dependent on us receiving finalised deadlines and timelines from the SQA. Please regard the attachment as a draft. Learners in S5/6 will receive a copy at the start of next week.
Our other attachment is a short “Employability Bulletin”, and I’m grateful to Mr Dick who has compiled it as part of his role assisting young people to access a “positive destination” on leaving school. On a different tack, Mrs Hamilton has already been in touch with parents/carers of S3 pupils this week to highlight worrying gatherings of young people at the weekends. These have been brought to our attention by concerned parents of some of the kids involved, and also by the Police. Locations such as the Chapel Neighbourhood Centre and the fields on the north side of the A92 at the top of Johnnie’s Loan seem to be trouble spots, with fires being lit, alcohol taken and risky behaviour reported. I think that many of you might appreciate being advised of this issue? It’s such a shame right now, with no cinema, regular sports or other activities which young people can access, I can understand their frustration and boredom. However, involvement in anti-social and dangerous activities is a worry. For some, though certainly not all families, a discussion around this at home might be helpful?
In her email home, Mrs Hamilton also mentioned a new craze, although it’s difficult to judge the extent of the issue. Some kids seem to be taking up the use of little nicotine pouches. These are placed in the mouth inside the cheek or under the top lip and, as you’d expect, there are significant health concerns around this, especially given the addictive characteristics of nicotine. You might want to watch out for it? The little sachets could possibly pass for mints and are bought online, usually coming in little round tins. Again, it won’t be relevant for all our families, but you’ll appreciate that I’m just trying to be helpful and proactive. I will totally understand if you feel that my raising these issues is a bit “over the top”, but I know that many of the S3 parents alerted earlier were quite appreciative of the “heads up”.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Young and I “met” (online of course) with the local Primary Heads and the issues discussed included the Primary Engagement Evenings we usually hold in the Primary Schools in January. Sadly, we won’t be able to do this in 2021. However, we will offer parents/carer the chance to join us online for a “Zoom” meeting specially set up for each of our associated primaries; Capshard, Fair Isle, Valley and Torbain. We’ll ask the primaries to send out the joining details early in the New Year and also share details with those parents/carers making a “placing request” from outwith our catchment or even outwith Kirkcaldy. We’ll deliver a short presentation and have some of our pupils on hand to help. Parents/carers can ask any questions at all. We’ll be going for Fair isle at 6pm on Wednesday 13 January 2021 and then Valley at 7pm. It’ll then be Torbain at 6pm and Capshard at 7pm on Wednesday 20 January.So, here we are, it’s the weekend again with another week down and perhaps another week closer to “normality” … if you can remember that condition? You take care.
Regards
Derek Allan
RECTOR
4 December 2020
