Pupils Attend Hackathon in Edinburgh

During the October holidays, three of our pupils, Iqra Sarwar(S6), Mirren McDonald(S6) and Rita McVey(S6), took the initiative to attend an exciting Next Tech Girls x Motability Operations Hackathon held at Motability Operations’ Edinburgh office.

The event brought together 19 young women aged 16–25 from across Scotland to take on real-world business challenges and develop creative, tech-based solutions. Participants collaborated in teams, exploring problem-solving, coding, and presenting their ideas — all while gaining valuable insight into careers in technology.

One of our pupils, Mirren McDonald, shared her experience:

“It was honestly one of the best work experiences I’ve attended yet because it gave us all an insight into real-life problems and let us propose solutions to them. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is thinking of attending one in the future!”

The Hackathon provided a fantastic opportunity for participants to build confidence, teamwork, and digital skills in a supportive and inspiring environment. As shared by the event organisers, an incredible 94% of attendees left more interested in pursuing a career in tech.

We’re incredibly proud of our pupils for choosing to spend part of their holidays developing their skills, meeting like-minded young women, and representing our school community so positively.

Well done to all involved — and thank you to Next Tech Girls and Motability Operations Ltd for hosting such an empowering and inspiring event!

Pupil Voice – You Said, We Did!

Feedback Fridays – September Feedback

Attached is a summary of all your feedback in September. many of you will contribute to sharing your views with our inspection team in October and we look forward to sharing that in November!

 

YPI Launch for S3

Our S3 pupils have been working hard this term as part of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative (YPI) – a national programme that empowers young people to make a difference in their communities. Through YPI, students learn about the needs of their local area by researching and selecting a social issue that matters to them. They then identify a local charity that supports that cause and prepare a powerful presentation to advocate on its behalf.

Each class works in teams, developing their research, teamwork, and presentation skills along the way. The programme not only helps students build confidence and empathy but also deepens their understanding of real-life challenges faced by people in their communities.

By Christmas, all teams will have completed their projects, and the best team from each S3 class will be chosen to compete in the school final. The stakes are high – the winning team will secure a £3,000 grant for their chosen charity, generously provided by the YPI programme.

This initiative offers a fantastic opportunity for our students to engage with real-world issues, take meaningful action, and see firsthand the impact their voice and effort can have. We look forward to seeing the creativity and passion they bring to the final presentations!

BAE Systems Women in Engineering programme

The four day hybrid event will introduce candidates to the exciting world of engineering and what it is like to work for BAE Systems. Opportunities are available for school and college leavers, as well as individuals seeking a new challenge. The programme will be delivered virtually and with some on-site activity, spread across four separate days in January and February 2026. To be eligible for the experience, please refer to the entry requirements on the website.

Upon successful completion of the experience, candidates may be offered an interview for a full time position on one of BAE Systems Engineering Apprenticeships, starting in August 2026.

Applications: Women in Engineering or via the QR code on the attached flyer

Applications close 10 November (or earlier, depending on the volume of applications)

Cross Country 2025

It is was cross-country week for our S1-S3 pupils in the PE department last week. Well done to all the pupils who took part.

Congratulations to the following pupils who achieved the best score in their year group. The winners were excited to receive their certificates and Greggs voucher as their prize.

S1 boys = Selim Calikoglu and Kevin Kaznowski

S1 girl = Rebecca Adams

S2 boy = Spencer Stewart 

S2 girls = Milly Grant and Mollie Gracie

S3 boy = Harrison Sykes

S3 girl = Aniela Smith 

S3/4 Volleyball Tournament

Well done to our S3/4 Volleyball team who were competing in the West Region Volleyball Tournament. Our A team qualified for group 2 in the afternoon and went on to win group 2.

Our B team won 8/8 qualification games to qualify for group 1 to then face some of the best volleyball teams in the West of Scotland.

Our C team qualified for group 4 and then went on to win the group.

Also a big well done to Karen who was voted overall Girls MVP for the whole tournament!

Hospitality Events

Our Hospitality classes hosted their first event this year with great success! Pupils launched a Deliveroo-style service opting for baked potatoes and creating the brand ‘Po-Tasty’. Pupils worked hard to plan and deliver this event showing great creativity and leadership skills to provide 26 staff lunches offering a range of homemade fillings from chilli’s to classic cheesy beans. Pupils enjoyed the process of delivering the lunches and collecting staff feedback, with ideas racing for their next event. Staff were delighted with their baked potatoes and amazed by the range of toppings and quality of food produced by pupils. The classes are now working hard to pull together their next event they hope you will be very fond-ue of!

S4 Boys Football

On Tuesday 7th October King’s Park travelled to Scotstoun Leisure Centre to take on St Thomas Aquinas.  It was the first league match of this seasons campaign and it turned out to be a thriller.  Two very committed teams determined to come away with the 3 points it was no surprise they had to settle for a share of the points.

King’s Park took a very early lead as Colin went through on the goalkeeper.  With the last kick of the 1st half St Thomas scored to equalise.  In the second half St Thomas raced into a 3 – 1 lead.  With 89 minutes on the clock Ethan shifted the ball onto his right foot and unleashed a powerful shot from just inside the box that sailed towards the top corner.  3 – 2 down in the final minute of injury time the boys won a free kick outside the box.  The whole team piled into the box hoping to get on the end of the cross and it was Tony who managed to get his boot on it to force the ball over the line.  A dramatic late equaliser earning the team a well deserved point.

Man of the match – Alfie Gracie

Squad

  1. Jamie Black
  2. Rocco Ferguson
  3. Brayden Burns
  4. Jeantain Oyono
  5. Tony Black
  6. Ethan Ellis
  7. Alfie Gracie
  8. Matthew Martin
  9. Jordan Howe
  10. Josh Irvine
  11. Dillan Carroll
  12. Pieters Mayavo
  13. Aaron Fitzpatrick
  14. Finlay Dougall
  15. Colin Winkler

Harper Macleod LLP Law Insight Workshop

We were delighted to attend a fantastic law insight workshop delivered by Harper Macleod LLP

Our senior phase pupils gained a valuable understanding of different areas of law, listened to the team’s career journeys, and took part in an engaging debate activity that encouraged them to think critically — just like real lawyers!

Thank you to Harper Macleod LLP for the opportunity & inspiration and Castlemilk High for hosting

Sporting Success For Zak

A massive well done to Zak Nicol (S6, Arran) who recently competed in the wave event at Rhosneigr in Wales. Zak had an excellent event and finished 6th overall. Zak is currently in Tiree for round 3 of the UK wave series, he is sitting joint 6th in the UK standings going into the competition.

We are extremely proud of Zak and wish him the best of luck for his upcoming competition- we have no doubt you will do exceptionally well.

Well done and Good Luck!

S2 Project Based Learning

This term, our S2 pupils have been immersed in a unique Project-Based Learning (PBL) experience inspired by the concept of Solarpunk—a hopeful vision of the future where sustainability, community, and innovation go hand in hand.

The project began with a dramatic scenario: a simulated plane crash in a remote location. Pupils were challenged to imagine how they would rebuild society from the ground up. Around the “campfire,” they explored big questions about politics, law, the environment, and social values, sparking deep and thoughtful discussions.

As the project progressed, pupils took on the exciting task of designing their own nations. Each group created a flag, wrote a national anthem, and drafted a constitution that reflected their vision for a fair, inclusive, and sustainable society. These creative exercises encouraged pupils to think critically about identity, governance, and the principles that underpin a thriving community.

Through collaboration, creativity, and debate, our S2 learners have shown incredible imagination and maturity. Their Solarpunk societies are not only inspiring but also a powerful reminder of the kind of future our young people can help build.

We’re proud of their work and look forward to sharing more as the project continues!