Category Archives: Information from school

Practical Learning Sessions for S4-S6

Update: We can only have a maximum of 41 Senior Phase pupils in the building at the same time. So although it looks as we could have added more pupils to the sessions, we needed to take account of pupils who will need to be in school due to transport arrangements.  These pupils will be in the library studying quietly when not in a Practical session.

Please bear in mind that certain staff will be in class teaching on the days of the Practical Sessions and other staff will have to supervise keyworker and vulnerable pupils more often.

The Scottish Government has prioritised the return of Senior Phase Learners based on the practical subjects they are studying. The Scottish Government have been very specific about who can attend and which subjects they can do work in. They have limited the number of Senior Phase pupils in the school at any time to between 5% and 8%. We are also limited by the number of pupils we can have in each classroom as all members of the school community must keep a 2m distance.  The 2m distance and wearing a face mask also applies on school transport.

The children of keyworker parents and those on our vulnerable list should continue to attend as normal.

A version of this message was sent to the 100 S4-S6 pupils who are eligible to come to school on every limited basis for PRACTICAL LEARNING.

“At Calderhead if you are in S4, S5 or S6 and are studying any of the following courses:

  • Practical Metalwork
  • Practical Woodwork
  • Graphic Communication
  • Admin and IT
  • Art & Design
  • Music
  • Design and Manufacturing
  • French (Speaking)

then you are expected to return to school on a very limited basis from Monday 22nd February.  We have set aside five half days for these Practical Learning sessions. The morning session starts at 0900 and finishes at 1130. The afternoon session starts at 1230 and finishes at 1500. This is to avoid those pupils who are already in school as part of the key worker and vulnerable pupil scheme.

You are asked to report directly to the class and to avoid the social area. The library will be open during the day.  School meals will be available as normal from 12 Noon.Please remember to wear a face mask, sanitise your hands on entry and to wash your hands thoroughly at regular intervals.  All Senior Phase (S4-S6) pupils are asked to use the toilets next to the library.

There is no need for School Uniform to be worn for these Practical Sessions, please dress appropriately, no football colours, no offensive slogans etc.

Please note if there is no subject next to the session then you are not expected to be in school at that time unless you are dependent on school transport. You are only expected to be in school when you have a subject session, if you need to get a school bus to school or home then please study quietly in the library when not in a subject session.
This timetable is unique to you.

Practical Learning Session Subject
Monday AM 0900 to 1130
Monday PM 1230 to 1500
Tuesday AM 0900 to 1130
Tuesday PM 0900 to 1500
Thursday AM 0900 to 1130

The Scottish Government has also asked that pupils in S4-S6 are offered the chance to use the Lateral Flow Tests twice a week. These test kits can be collected from the school office from Friday, 19th February.  This is a voluntary scheme to help identify and isolate those people who have COVID 19 but do not feel ill or have any symptoms (asymptomatic).”

Please bear in mind we are now deploying staff on supervision duties in school, preparing and teaching Practical Learning Sessions in school and asking them to prepare and deliver learning remotely across all year groups and and to provide feedback in a timely manner.  Many of these teachers are also attempting to home school their own children at the same time.

John Robertson

Headteacher

Calderhead High School

Main Contact Email Addresses

On our system each pupil has a Main Contact, we now have an email address for 87% of these contacts. We are using these email addresses to communicate with parents and carers. We have sent out a text today to those where an email is missing, asking for a current email address.

We have now sent out two pupil engagement reports for S4, S5 & S6 pupils and one report for S1, S2 and S3 pupils. We plan to do this on a weekly basis. We are using the email address of the Main Contact. If you think you should have had a report this week and have not received it can you please check your spam/junk folder and if it is not there then please contact the school.

John Robertson
Headteacher
Calderhead High School

Cost of the School Day Questionnaires

Cost of the school day questionnaires have been placed in of the four House Teams. There is both a pupil and parents/carers version to complete as soon as possible. These will help us form our Poverty Proofing Policy. The questionnaires will only be returned to the pupils’ Principal Teacher of Pupil Support and will be treated with confidentiality.

Thank you for your help.

John Robertson

Headteacher

Headteacher’s Update Tuesday 2nd February 2021

The First Minister has announced that from 22nd February 2021 there will be a “part-time return, but on a very limited basis, for Senior Phase pupils to allow in school practical work that is necessary for the completion of national qualification courses”

We shall let you know when we have more details of this phased return.

Please note that the next Tea with the Headteacher is on Thursday 4th February at 6pm. Please email me ht@calderhead.n-lanark.sch.uk if you would like the link to join the meeting, which shall be an informal discussion lasting no more than 45 minutes.

John Robertson

Tea at Three with Mr Robertson

This is an invite to parents and carers to have tea with Mr Robertson, Headteacher, at 3pm on Friday 29th January.

This will be a virtual meeting via the video platform WebEx.  WebEx will work on any web browser so there is no need to download a new App.

If you wish to take part then please email ht@calderhead.n-lanark.sch

Hope to see you on Friday,

John Robertson

Digital Communications – Request for current email address

We currently use a variety of methods and platforms to communicate with parents: SchoolApp which can be downloaded free from the App Store or Play store; the School Website; Twitter @CalderheadHS; Text; and Email.

We have the facility to email the Main Contact of each pupil using a system called GroupCall. We can use this for Headteacher Letters, notifications of school closures, for reporting on pupil progress etc. We have the email address for over 76% of the Main Contacts.

Today we will be sending out an email similar to this one to the 76% of Main Contacts that we have a current email address for. If you receive the email then clearly we have the correct email address for you and you do not need to take any further action.

However, if you are the Main Contact for a pupil at Calderhead High School and you do not receive the email today can you please contact the school office using O’HareA@calderhead.n-lanark.sch.uk to inform us of a current email address.

Thank you for your cooperation.

John Robertson
Headteacher
Calderhead High School

Learning from Home Update 2

Message from Headteacher

I hope you are well.  This is a quick update at the end of the first week of lockdown two!

Microsoft Teams are now up and running for all classes following the heavy traffic causing delays on Monday morning. You might find however that you are experiencing some difficulties. If this is the case then please contact us as we are here to help.

Here are four ways we might be able to help:

1. No ICT or internet access? Phone the school on 01501 826701 and ask to speak to your son/daughters’ Principal Teacher of Pupil Support. They might not be in every day due to COVID protocols but the office will forward them a message and they will get back to you.

2. Lost or forgotten GLOW Username or password? Email technology@calderhead.n-lanark.sch.uk  or phone the school to ask that this be reset.

3. Having difficulty accessing specific aspects of the curriculum? In the first instance ask your son/daughter to message their class teacher through Teams. If this doesn’t fix the problem then contact their Principal Teacher of Pupil Support by phoning the school.

4. Speak to us about any pastoral issues. Phone the school on 01501 826701 and ask to speak to your son/daughters’ Principal Teacher of Pupil Support. In an emergency please ask to speak to the Depute Head  for their Year or in their absence the “Duty” member of SLT.

We also have whole cohort Teams and House Teams in order to support pupils.  However if there is any other way we can support your young person’s learning that we have not listed above please contact us and we will do our utmost to try to help.

At the minute with pupils being off the ability for staff to assess pupils’ work is very limited, in particular “under exam conditions”. It is therefore even more crucial that in S4 to S6 we can evidence pupils accessing Teams in case, for whatever reason, the SQA for this year changes again and we are asked to submit “professional judgements”.

John Robertson
Headteacher
Calderhead High School

Return to School January 2021

Update January 5th 2021
I hope this finds you well and I hope you have had a chance to spend some time during the break with those dear to you.
In light of the statement yesterday by the First Minister of the planning arrangements for the new term in January, I am providing this update to confirm a number of actions that have been planned or completed in advance of the new term.
Arrangements for the Start of the New Term
Calderhead High School will open only for childcare for key worker children (and children identified as vulnerable) between Wednesday, 6 January and Friday, 8 January. The statement from the FM also makes it clear that from 11 January – 1 February there will be a universal provision of online learning for all students, with the exception of those previously highlighted Key Worker children and those in the vulnerable group, who will be supported in person within our establishments.These arrangements are based on Scottish Government decisions, which are our responsibility to implement.  The only change in this from previous announcements is the extension of the period of on-line / remote learning till 1 February. Therefore, our plans remain as they were prior to the break, with the days of 6 – 8 January key to our planning and next stage refinement.Identifying Key Worker children
In the days 6 – 8 January, those attending school are doing so for childcare purposes.
It is possible that not all key workers will have completed the online form, with further impacts also possible by the general stay at home order announced yesterday.   It is important that any key worker wishing to access in-school childcare does complete the online form, which is referred to in the accompanying parent letter.  Head Teachers are asked to ensure that they do so.  Key worker children can be admitted to schools while this process is being completed – people should not be turned away pending the process.

Planning for the Week of the 11th and Beyond
We know this will be a developing position in January and that there is the possibility of further shifts in arrangements at each Scottish Government review point.  We need to use the first three days of term to continue to effectively plan for the delivery model for the week of the 11th and I am sure that we will learn more about how our planning needs to evolve and what next stage actions best meet expectations whilst mitigating risk.

Plan Effective Delivery
We will take the next few days to create  plans to cater for the children of key workers and vulnerable children, as well as plans to provide online learning for all pupils.

Logistics
At this stage transportation will proceed for the first few days as normal and be reviewed thereafter.  We will keep you updated about this issue.
Even if no pupils attend, Calderhead High School will remain open at this stage.

Over the next few weeks, we will be reassessing the needs of our pupils. If your child is having difficulty accessing work online then please contact the school, preferably their Principal Teacher of Pupil Support Teacher in the first instance.

Please accept my very best wishes for the New Year for you and your family.

John Robertson
Headteacher
Calderhead High School

Please find attached a letter from Derek Brown, Executive Director for Education and Families.

Parent Letter
Letter
Key Worker form
Key Worker Form