Dear Parent/Carer

Welcome to our latest bulletin, bringing you the KHS news.

I’m hoping that you too received a bit of a lift to see the national vaccination programme get underway this week? We could certainly do with some cheering up in these difficult times. KHS continues to be particularly badly affected by staff absences and we are only keeping going by hiring significant numbers of supply staff and by relying on the  dedication and commitment of our core staff. The teachers and all the other staff here are all going way further than the extra mile to ensure we continue to deliver successful learning, but it’s getting harder every day at the moment. We really do need a wee break from this situation, and I cannot commend my colleagues highly enough for their efforts. Maybe there will be better recognition for education workers at some point in the new year. In my view, that would be thoroughly well deserved.

It seems to me that the hygiene measures and routines, face masks, anxiety, disruption, uncertainty and fear are all taking their toll on the staff and the pupils. KHS just doesn’t quite feel like itself, with an obvious tension we don’t usually sense. And now I think we have an additional stress created by the Scottish Government’s decision to keep to the original plans to have the holidays from 23 December. As I see it, this could have a negative impact on family gatherings over Christmas, especially where elderly or vulnerable visitors are involved.

It’s interesting that many schools in England are closing on 17 December, with a training day on the Friday and all schools in Wales are going to online learning next week. This has been decided in order to allow families a period during which they can avoid wider contact, reduce mixing and have a bit more confidence that the virus is not being brought into the household. Personally, I think that this is wise. There is also the potential for you to be informed on Christmas Day, or around that time, that one or more of your kids may have to go into self-isolation as a result of contact with a positive case in school at the end of term. Fingers crossed it doesn’t come to that. I sincerely hope that we won’t be having to organise contact tracing, remotely and without the office back up, over the festive break. If that happens, you’ll know that I’ll be as scunnered as you will be to learn that an isolation order is in place affecting your family.

In school, as you’d likely expect, there is a bit less news than usual to report other than our getting through lessons as best we can with around a dozen teachers not in work all this week. That said, and again, as you might expect, we have had a focus on charity, kindness and giving at this time of year. Many thanks to Mrs Keeble and the S3 Personal Development class, who have overseen our involvement in the “Gift of Christmas” Appeal this year. The pupils held a craft fayre and staff have made further donations to buy Christmas gifts for vulnerable kids in Fife.

Also, Mrs Wood (Pupil Support) has organised a memorial Christmas tree which has been placed at reception. For a donation to charity, a wee personalised bauble can be hung to remember loved ones recently lost. One of those being remembered is Shannon Napier, a former pupil who died in childbirth in April this year aged only 24. Shannon was a nurse and whilst at school she spent a lot of time with Miss Roberts in Home Economics. Miss Roberts has baked a beautiful Christmas cake which is being raffled and proceeds will go to the purchase of an apple tree to be planted in memory of Shannon in our “Serenity Garden” at the rear of the school. This is a tranquil space for remembrance and reflection, and it includes memorials to Ethan King and Connor Aird, who died in a terrible accident on the Standing Stane Road in 2018. Ethan’s dad has been a great support in helping us develop this area and I am very grateful to Mrs Wood and her team of volunteers for their dedication to creating the garden.

Thanks also , to all who donated gifts to support “Nourish” as part of the appeal from Mrs Saunders (Pupil Support Assistant) in memory her mother, who passed away unexpectedly in June this year. The charity is distributing the gifts to local teenagers, supported by Ian Johnston, Funeral Directors.

Lastly on this theme, today and next Friday, we are holding “Christmas Jumper” days. Today it’s in support of Save the Children, with a cash collection being taken. Next week we are asking for a donation of a tin or packet which we’ll pass to Kirkcaldy Foodbank. The staff have also organised a candy cane delivery for next week with cash donations to the Foodbank. Many thanks to Mrs Hamilton and Mrs Morris who are organising this. For the Jumper Days, anything with a Christmas theme can be worn. It doesn’t need to be a jumper, even a piece of tinsel will do. Many thanks for your support.

On Tuesday evening, Mrs Davidson and I took part in a wee online social catch up with “Friends of Kirkcaldy High School” and that was a highlight to see some old faces for the first time in a while. Thanks to FoKHS for all they do. The latest project is IT based, with the donation of funds to purchase laptop computers for the Science Department. Also, on Tuesday evening, we had a final rehearsal session for our SQA musicians with assessments taking place during the day yesterday and on Wednesday.

Congratulations to Charlie Donaldson (S1) who this week delivered a terrific speech at the Fife Active Schools Awards, held online. Charlie gave an inspirational talk about his role as a Young Sports Leader at Valley Primary and how that role had fitted him for the step up to KHS. Mr Young and I met with Charlie yesterday and presented him with a special “Outstanding Ambassador” badge. He is a credit to his family and to his school.

The other big news this week was the Scottish Government’s decision, announced in Parliament on Tuesday, to cancel formal Higher and Advanced Higher exams in May of next year. It means that, like the National 5 qualification, success will depend on class-based assessments throughout the year, including tests and prelim marks. This is probably a fairer approach due to the ongoing disruption in so many schools, but it means that our learners must ensure that they make the most of every opportunity to show us what they can do. As I type this, we are still planning to hold “prelims” in late January or February. However, not to the draft timetable we shared week. We will also need to build in further opportunities to collect evidence of achievement right up until May 2021. In some subjects, it could be that there are two “prelims”. More details will be shared when we have them. In the meantime, I attach a letter from Maria Lloyd, Head of Education, which has a bit of explanation and includes the SQA letter outlining the process and timeline we are expected to follow.

We have some more staff news to close. And it’s nice to end on a happy note. We interviewed for the post of Teacher of Home Economics on Wednesday morning and I am delighted to say that we have appointed Mrs Claire Murray, currently teaching at Viewforth, to the post. Mrs Murray will join us towards the end of January, and we are delighted to welcome her to KHS.

Reading back, I think I should maybe apologise for sounding a bit miserable in the opening couple of paragraphs. It’s nearly Christmas, these vaccines are looking good and there is much to look forward to. I’m confident that 2021 can be a better year than this. I’m also continually amazed by the resilience and perseverance of our kids and the dedication and kindness of our staff. KHS is a remarkable school, making the very best of a difficult situation. So, sorry about that gloomy opening, I really should get out more … if only it was allowed!

All the best. Thanks for your support. Stay safe.

Derek Allan

RECTOR

11 December 2020