Head Teacher Blog
Dear Parent/Carer
I hope you have had a good week.
With only a few weeks to go until Easter Time the heat has well and truly been turned up for pupils in S4, S5 and S6, as well as some pupils in S3, but I wanted to share with you two incidences which I saw this week which I think sum up the nature of our community despite the frenetic pace that is currently operating across the school. Firstly, as I was walking to take my S1 class yesterday, I saw one of our S6 pupils mentoring an S1 pupil. They were quietly sat at a table in the social area with our senior pupil sharing his experiences of school and supporting his younger peer. This is something that a number of our seniors do, selflessly and the impact that they have is exceptional. It made me so proud of both of them as individuals and as a school where this care and support from peer mentors is commonplace. Secondly, the generosity of the school community was clearly on show on this week. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of staff and pupils, led by Mr McRoberts, the school has raised £10,000 for the Catherine McEwan Foundation and we were delighted to present this sum of money to Derek McEwan from the Charity on Wednesday afternoon.
As I constantly remind families, if there are any pertinent items that you would like to see in the HT Blog please don’t hesitate to be in touch with the school.
Reports to families
A big thank you to all the families who responded to the survey regarding school reports for next session. Having spoken with other schools and explored the issue with the Parent Council, I asked you all about the option to issue reports to families more regularly across the year, to keep families better informed as to their child’s progress. As such families would receive an update on effort, behaviour, homework and their levels in S1-S3 and an update on working grade, target grade, effort, behaviour and homework in S4 – S6. Staff would only be asked to put a comment in where there is a significant area of concern or praise that families had to be made aware of which they had not been informed of previously. The result of the survey was that 64% of respondents were in favour of short 3 tracking reports and as such we will progress with this pilot next session. As this progresses, I will of course keep families informed.
Course Choice Process
Today, is the final day for pupils in S2, S3, S4 and S5 to have submitted their subject choices for next school year. From this point onwards, the timetabling team of Mrs McNaughton, Mr Harris and Mr Adler will begin to compile the subject requests and look at the feasibility of all courses, prior to creating the timetable for next school year. Where there are any issues, we will work with the young people and their families to resolve any difficulties. Thank you to all families who have helped their young person to make these tough decisions this session.
Science Baccalaureate
I often talk about that the biggest joy I have each morning is working with young people much cleverer than I am. This week I attended the Science Baccalaureate Presentations. This involved 5 of our pupils sharing the scientific research that they had undertaken in and out of school building and linking with leaders in the fields of a range of medical endeavours including Dental Decay, Epilepsy and Blood Cancer. Their dedication and passion for these subjects alongside their intelligence is something which blows me away each year.
One area which I wanted to draw your attention to came out of Ross McLeish’s presentation on blood cancer. His research has led him to have links with DKMS who provide a register which anyone from the age of 17 to 55 can sign up for to offer to be a stem cell donor. If you would like more information about this, a short video is here and the sign up for the register is accessible via this QR Code.
An udderly exciting addition to the school
I’m delighted to introduce everyone to our newest member of the school community. On Thursday morning, some of our STEM S3 pupils visited Easterhouse Farm, in Wishaw, where we toured the dairy farm and investigate how data is gathered and used.
During our visit we got to meet our new ‘Maths Mascot’ named by the Maths department Cowculus. Cowculus has a bovine version of a Fitbit health tracker which will count her steps and eventually provide information on her production of milk etc. This data will then support learning of data and statistics in Maths classes.
We will keep you posted on Cowculus’ achievements. The visit was funded by the Royal Highland Education Trust who provide free educational activities and experiential learning opportunities linked to Curriculum for Excellence.
S5/6 Parents’/Carers’ Night
A big thank you to all the families who provided us with feedback from the recent S5/6 Family Night. As proof that we read every comment that is left, I wanted to share with you two quotes, amongst many, which I believe are a testament to the exceptionally strong teacher/pupil relationships. Firstly, a parent was kind enough to share the following, “Thank you very much for all you do. Keep up the great work!! Wonderful cheerleaders believing in our children and wanting the best outcome for them. They care – it’s not just a job.” Secondly, “Delighted with the support from [Pupils Name’s] wonderful teachers. They all knew her well and clearly cared about her achieving her potential. Couldn’t ask for more, thank you.” The comments were greatly appreciated by staff and are evidence of the daily interactions that I witness as I walk the school each day.
Step Count Challenge: This time it’s personal!
Having slumped to fourth place in the November Step Count Challenge, I was really pleased to hear that my team will get the chance for revenge from next week as Izzi, our Activities Coordinator, has created a Five Schools Step Challenge for staff and pupils. As such, if your child is keen to walk everywhere over the next two weeks, you’ll know why! The video presentation is available here.
Parent Portal
As you will be aware from Previous HT Blogs, I’m keen to utilise the range of supports and resources that Parent Portal offer to families. Parent Portal gives families access to a range of platforms and information which means it is a one stop shop for families to access parent/carer evening appointments, view your child’s timetable, make online payments, report absence, monitor their attendance, access reports etc. As a school we have committed to reducing our carbon footprint and cash handling.
The sign-up process is relatively straightforward and is available here. If you are struggling to sign up, there is a help document which is available here. Alternatively, please contact the school and we can support you to access this resource.
Young Scot App
I was updated this week regarding the new Young Scot Card App which has just launched.
We’re excited to announce the launch of the new Young Scot app, developed with direct input from young people to ensure it meets their needs. This app provides an easy and accessible way for young people to enjoy the benefits of Young Scot national services on the go.
The app gives young people access to Membership Services (discounts, rewards and entitlements) as well as new exciting features including:
- The ability to order a replacement Young Scot National Entitlement Card through the app.
- A digital card within the app that will allow young people to access show and go discounts in
stores (young people will continue to use their physical Young Scot National Entitlement Card
for free bus travel and proof of age).
- A ‘Near Me’ interactive map of discounts in their local area and beyond.
The app can now be downloaded from IOS and Android app stores.
Natalie’s Apprenticeship
Increasingly the options for pupils beyond school is diversifying with an increasing number of pupils looking into Apprenticeships in a range of careers. This week, Mr Neil updated me to that Natalie Masterton in S6 was successful in winning a coveted Graduate Apprenticeship in Accounting with Morgan Stanley starting in September.
She was the only S5 pupil to reach the final stage interviews last year and was asked to apply again this year. She also had a final stage interview with Barclays and could potentially be offered both!
Natalie has shown real resilience over the last few years in a range of ways, and we are delighted for her.
Jessica continues to excel
Jessica Young, continues to perform at an exceptionally high level within her specialist area of javelin. This past weekend, Jessica was a small number of non-English School pupils invited to take part at the UK Winter Long Throws Championships at Loughborough University this weekend. She took bronze with a throw of 38.2m. An incredible achievement!
Jamie is a Cross-Country Star
On Wednesday, March 5th, Jamie Fairclough of S2 proudly represented Greenfaulds High School at the Scottish Schools Cross Country Championships in South Queensferry. Competing in the U14 age group, Jamie put in a fantastic performance on a challenging course, demonstrating great determination throughout.
Assignment Deadlines Approaching
Please check with your children that they are on top of SQA Assignment dates – teachers will have given deadlines for these. Assignments are often worth up to one third of pupils’ final marks therefore it is imperative that pupils give it their best shot. SQA deadlines are fixed and all assignments need to be sent away by the due dates. Pupils should all have read the SQA coursework booklet. Your coursework – SQA
Exam Timetable
Please find below the link to the updated 2025 SQA Exam timetable.
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/files_ccc/nq-2025-exam-timetable.pdf
Important information re’ Alternative Venue Requests
SQA wish to be clear in respect to Alternative Venue Requests for sitting exams. In the past, some pupils have been in competitions with their clubs, for example the World Dance Championships in Florida. Pupils may have requested to sit an exam there during this time. This arrangement is not permitted. If pupils choose to go to competitions with their clubs during the SQA Exam timetable, they miss the affected exams and would be withdrawn from the subject(s) missed. Pupils will not be allowed to sit the exam elsewhere or at any other time. An alternative venue request will only be considered if a pupil has been selected to represent their COUNTRY in a National Team event and this would have to be brought to our attention immediately. This is not a school decision.
Supported Study
As I mentioned in the last few blogs, the range of supported study sessions is growing on a weekly basis. There are a number of departments offering either tailored Supported Study or an ad-hoc supported study system and I wanted to share the details around this with all families. The current list is available here.
For S4 pupils we have also established a quiet study room for Exam Preparation/Assignment work/Homework etc on Fridays at 12.45 pm. Pupils are more than welcome to stay until 3pm or leave whenever they want to. This will just be a quiet space to help them feel more organised and feeling better going into the weekend, with less to do on the dreaded Sunday night!
For pupils attending we will provide ICT access if they need it for Research, Notes or Past Papers etc. Moreover, it doesn’t mean they have to go every week but when it suits them.
If your child would like to access this resource, they can sign up using the QR code below or on the posters in the social area.
Online Study Resources
For Senior Pupils we wanted to ensure that we were providing as much support for them as possible for studying and revising. Alongside traditional supported study in school I felt it appropriate to draw your attention to two online resources.
Firstly, this year we have continued our school account to provide our pupils with access to interactive study materials via the ACHIEVE platform https://achieve.hashtag-learning.co.uk.
When signing up to create their own account pupils should use their school GLOW Email address and use the unique Greenfaulds High School Code (XQfQPVhy) to activate their account. As you will see they will have access to many resources for learning key concepts, testing their knowledge, self-evaluating etc.
Secondly the e-sgoil study resources – Pupils can access a range of resources including help with Study planners, revision tips, managing stress etc. They can also access a wide range of subject webinars every week. Details are posted each week to advise what topics are being covered each evening in the Webinars. They can Google Esgoil Study support and it’s very straight forward or can use this link. We have posted the link on Teams for them already.
Additional Study Support from Scholar
We’re excited to share a new information leaflet designed to help parents and carers support their children as they prepare for National Qualifications. This leaflet highlights Scholar’s comprehensive curriculum coverage and explains how it can make a real difference to senior phase learners, even more so now that they are working towards SQA exams.
We encourage you to share this information with the parents and carers of senior phase learners in your school so they can help their children make the most of this valuable resource.
Scholar Parent and Carer Leaflet
Free School Meals and Education Maintenance Allowance
A reminder to all families, if your family normally receives Free School Meals or EMA (16+ yr. olds) please remember to reapply for continuation of this service as it does not automatically continue each year. Families need to apply annually. There were a few incidences today of pupils not having money on their cards. We did of course ensure that they received lunch but please do ensure that you have reapplied for Free School Meals. Please apply here: Free School Meals and Clothing Grant Application | North Lanarkshire Council
Likewise, for families of young people over 16 they may be eligible for the Education Maintenance Allowance and the link is here: Education Maintenance Allowance | North Lanarkshire Council Once pupils have received their forms they should bring them to Mr Adler for a meeting about expectations to receive their EMA.
If families would like any support with these forms, please contact Mrs Foley who would be delighted to support you in completing these.
Community Information
As you know, I’m always keen to share information relating to the wider community of Greenfaulds High School and as such would like to draw your attention to the following offers.
Raw Taekwondo Scotland
I was contacted this week by Raw Taekwondo to share with you an option of classes and a summer camp for pupils interested in taking up or furthering their skills in Taekwondo.
CLD Family Workshops
I was contacted this week by our partners in Community Learning and Development regarding a new session of Parent Workshops taking place in the next few weeks. Full details are in the poster below.
RISE Youth Club
I was contacted this week in relation to a local charity run in Coatbridge who focuses on young people who struggle with mental health and anxiety. They run a youth club on a Tuesday evening and a Friday afternoon and are welcoming young people to come along and find out more about what they are offering.
Disabled access parking
This week I was contacted by a parent of two pupils who are registered disabled with a request to put out a reminder to families that when you are collecting your young person, please could you avoid parking in the disabled spaces close to the school entrance. As you will appreciate these are for registered disabled members of our community. Your understanding is greatly appreciated.
Have a lovely weekend.
Moran Taing
Jamie
Jamie Vaughn-Sharp
Head Teacher
