Dear Parent or Carer

Welcome to the regular message from your school. I hope that you and your friends and family are doing well.

Last weekend, our Spanish language students, along with Mr Spink and Mrs Morris were along at Sainsbury’s supermarket bag-packing. I am delighted to report that the remarkable total of £1100 was raised to support our trip to Madrid in June. This is a fantastic amount. Many thanks if you donated.

This week’s exams have been German on Monday morning, Politics in the afternoon, Biology and Human Biology on Tuesday, Higher and Advanced Higher Maths yesterday, and today we have National 5 Maths and Practical Woodworking.

Also this week we had the Junior UK Maths Challenge taking place on Tuesday morning. Many thanks to Miss Cunningham, who made the arrangements. We await the results.

Wednesday was a big day, with our S2 trip to the World War 1 battlefields of France and Belgium heading off in the evening. This is the first such trip in over 10 years and I am very grateful to Mr Harrower and Miss Osborne for their leadership of this, assisted by Mr Mitchell. I understand that the trip is going very well, and that our young people have shown a great deal of understanding and interest so far. Please check out “Twitter” for updates, including video clips. The group returns very late Monday and will be permitted to have a delayed start on Tuesday, until interval. the picture is from earlietr today, taken at Black Watch Corner in Belgium.

Also on Wednesday, a large group of S1 pupils headed off for a day visit to Edinburgh University. We identified young people from families with no experience of higher education to take part. Many thanks to Mrs Hunter (Guidance), who leads on our “widening access” programmes. She is also responsible for our highly regarded “First Chances” project with St Andrews University. Mrs Hunter was joined by Miss McIntosh, Dr Beattie and Miss Kerr. This was a terrific experience, and our pupils got the chance to experience something completely new to them. The other trip on Wednesday was our S3 Biology visit to the labs at Abertay University in Dundee. Thanks to Miss Fotheringham and Miss McFall, who took a group of 40 pupils and had a brilliant time learning some of the techniques involved in a criminal forensic investigation.

After school on Wednesday, we held a training session for staff on the theme of the “UNICEF” Rights Respecting School Programme. I am grateful to Miss Ashby, Ms Young and Miss Diamond, who are taking the lead with this important initiative. You will be aware that we achieved the “Silver” Standard last year and hope to go for “Gold” later this year.

Next week, you are likely aware that Monday is the May Day Holiday. When we return on Tuesday, we’ll be hosting Joe Fitzpatrick, of the Falkland Stewardship Trust will be in school to give a talk to Mrs Brown’s S3 Classical Studies class about the ongoing archaeological excavation of the Iron Age Hillfort on East Lomond. It gets better … on Friday 24 May, 15 members of the class will be part of the excavation team, digging the site under the supervision of professional archaeologists. We are grateful for the team at Lochore Meadows, who are loaning us the waterproof gear this might require. Personally, I am mildly scunnered that another engagement means that I am unable to join Mrs Brown and the class on the dig. Time Team is one of my favourite TV shows!

On Wednesday 8 May we’ll have a group of S2 students visiting Torness Nuclear Power Station in East Lothian. On Thursday evening we are holding a “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School” meeting in the Boardroom at 7pm. Please do come along if you would like to become involved. The week ends with our Primary 7 Sports Festival and I am very grateful to Robert Greenhorn, our Active Schools Coordinator, who is organising this event for Capshard, Fair Isle, Torbain and Valley pupils.

The exams next week are Spanish and Practical Cake Craft on Tuesday, English (Higher and Advanced Higher) on Wednesday, English (National 5) and Photography on Thursday and Chemistry on Friday.

Next week’s hot meal menu is as follows;

Monday: Lentil soup, Macaroni Cheese, chips, vegetables Tuesday: Tomato soup, Red Thai Chilli Beef and noodles with vegetables Wednesday: Minestrone soup, Pork sausage casserole, potatoes and vegetables Thursday: French onion soup, Roast Beef, Potatoes and vegetables Friday: Leek and potato soup, Breaded fish/Steakbake, chips, peas.

We also have baked potatoes, pizza, pasta, sandwiches and salad available every day as well as our outdoor snack bar. Please do be aware that we offer a free cup of soup with bread for all our young people, regardless of their “free school meals” status. We also have our “Breakfast Club” (sponsored by Stephens the Bakers) available from 8.10am and this is free to those facing hardship (it costs 44p otherwise). We have cereal, toast and jam and juice on offer.

We have some very exciting sports news from Robert Greenhorn (Active School Coordinator). Kieran Harmes (S6) has secured an initial 5-month paid internship with Scottish Golf’s Events Team, starting at the end of May. This internship will compliment Kieran’s ambitions to complete a degree in Golf Management at the University of Highlands and Islands. Good luck to Kieran who will be travelling across the country supporting the development of Golf.

The school has secured £2500 funding from the Swimathon Foundation to work with supported learning pupils from S1-S3. This funding will allow a target group of pupils to develop their swimming skills, confidence and participation at Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre. Working in partnership with FSLT and Active Schools, we are aiming to teach 16 young people to swim.

We continue to build strong partnerships with LGBT charity LEAP Sports, and four of our pupils have successfully signed up to join LEAP sports National Youth Activist Academy programme. This Leadership programme is a first of its kind in Scotland and will allow the pupils the opportunity to learn about and train as LGBT sport leaders between July-October. The pupils will complete a residential in July, before implementing community projects across Scotland. Also, working in partnership with Active Schools and Community Education staff, KHS plans to send 5 pupils to attend Pride Youth Games weekend in Manchester (August 2019).

Well done to Rachael Barclay and Eryn Newsome (both S4), who have both completed their Level 1 UKCC Netball Qualification in Dundee. Both girls work with Active Schools and support our school netball teams.  Also, congratulations to Kianna Shearer (S5), who is a Platinum Sports Ambassador and has just completed her Saltire Volunteering Award (500 hours). Kianna is also part of the Fife Sports Stars programme.

Finally on the sports front, congratulations to Aida Shaikh Ali (S4), who has been selected for the Great Britain U16 Canoe Sprint team competing in Brandenburg, Germany at the end of the month. Aida competes in the K2 200m event.

Also … more success! Very well done to our Sky Ocean Rescue team of S2 pupils who recently made a short video on plastic waste as part of a competition run by The Transformation Trust. I am absolutely delighted to report that KHS has been named as one of the UK finalists along with Trevelyan Middle School in Windsor, Kingsthorpe College in Northampton, John Warner School in Hertfordshire and Manor Croft Academy, Dewsbury. Our team, with a wider group of 32 pupils from S1 and S2, have now been invited to the SKY Studios in Livingston to make a professional version of their film as part for the national final. Many thanks to Miss Young and Miss Ashby who set up this opportunity as part of our “Rights Respecting School” work … promoting environmental awareness is an important part of this and we are promoting the UN Sustainable Development Goals Programme.

You are perhaps aware that we are heavily involved in the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships programme? Many thanks to Mr Fulton and the CDT team for the support they offer our budding engineers. Two S4 students were recently interviewed for the programme and we are awaiting news. Best wishes to Renee Colston and Cameron Batchelor, who should find out if they have been successful later this month.

Mr Young, Depute Head, has asked me to advise that our annual Activities Day (for all S1-3) will take place on Friday 17 May.  I have attached a copy of the Activities Day booklet which gives detailed information about each activity, a copy of the consent form that must be completed and details of the cost involved for each activity.  Each trip costs £20, but any pupil who receives a Free School Meal will not have to pay.  Please ensure that your son/daughter completes the consent form and returns the chosen activity sheet on the appropriate day, as detailed in the information booklet. Paper versions will be distributed next Tuesday during tutor. This year, young people have a choice of trips to; M and D’s Theme Park, Xtreme Trampoline Park, Blair Drummond Safari Park, Cinema/Bowling and Innoflate. I do hope that everyone will want to be involved. It’s always a great day out.

And finally, I hope you are looking forward to our school show, “School of Rock”, which takes place in school over three nights, June 19-21. I am exceptionally grateful to all the staff supporting the show. For all the cast it’s a positive, valuable experience in terms of enjoyment, teamwork, developing confidence and skills in the performing arts and Mr McPherson, our Director has asked me to seek your support in ensuring that all cast members attend every rehearsal from now on in. Rehearsals are  from 3.25 – 5pm every Monday and Wednesday. Obviously, there is some disruption due to the exams, but we need to keep the momentum going. I’ll share details of ticket prices etc shortly. I’m sure it will be a real highlight in the school session.

Please do be in contact if you require any assistance. Thanks for your going support of Kirkcaldy High School.

Regards

Derek Allan

RECTOR

3 May 2019