Timetable Change – 14th June 2021

To all Parents, Carers & Families,

We’ve had a number of queries around when our timetable will roll forward for 2021-22 session.

I can confirm that, as per the Family Newsletter of 20^th May, we will be changing on Monday 14^th June.

There are 4 main reasons why this date needs to remain and cannot be changed:

1         All staff colleagues are not yet in a position where they have completed their SQA marking and internal moderation processes, leaving them little / no time to complete their S1 Full and S2 Tracking Reports. There may also still be SQA work to complete following the moderation of assessment evidence with other schools on 3^rd and 4^th June. I need colleagues to have time next week to address any issues arising from this.

2         There is still on-going learning, teaching and assessment taking place with our S1, S2 and S3 pupils which would be cut-short and left potentially unfinished if we changed timetable early.

3         I do want my staff colleagues to feel prepared and ready to start with their new classes (looking at how to meet the learning and support needs of new pupils; time to prepare / copy learning & teaching materials; time to organise any seating plans / class lists).

4        Our management information system (SEEMiS) does not allow the timetable to be changed in the middle of a week, which would have been a good compromise to allow colleagues finishing off time and get started a couple of days earlier next week. We are reliant upon SEEMiS for registering pupils (our statutory child protection duties) and by changing in the middle of a week, we would not be able to complete registers without a hugely disproportionate workload and paper mountain.

For the remainder of the timetable with our current S4 and S5 pupils who are returning in the new timetable, colleagues have been requested to offer pupils the chance to extend their learning to a higher level, consolidate learning from Term 3, offer more project-based or practical activities that we would not normally have time for, make the most of the outdoor learning opportunities that this term can offer when the weather is kind to us, and similar.

Pupils absent, without a valid medical or family reason/communication, are being marked as unauthorised absences. Group Call texts will be sent to families of pupils we can not account for.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding with this position and supporting our staff

colleagues who have been and continue to work enormously hard to support our young people and

the SQA certification process.

Yours sincerely,

Phil Gaiter

Rector