October 2013

25 October 2013
Published: 25 October 2013

I hope that everyone managed to get what they needed out of the October Break. I was heartened to hear from some of my S5 class that they had actually attempted some revision – something to be commended and encouraged.

During the holidays two of our members of staff (Ms McPhee and Ms Waters) visited our partner schools in Rwanda. They were delivering pencil cases, resources and sports’ clothes that they had collected and bought through their fundraising efforts.  I spent some time with Ms McPhee this week looking at her photos and no one could fail to be moved by them.  Thanks to everyone who has given money, pencil cases, equipment and resources: I know that they a truly appreciated.

On Tuesday a group of S3 Scientists visited the Museum of Flight with Dr Wilson.  I spoke to some of them on their return and they had thoroughly enjoyed their insight into engineering and what it means to work in aviation.

There’s a lot going on in the school at the moment as we gradually wind up to the Christmas festivities.  One event to look out for in particular is the all-female production of “Tally’s Blood” on the 7th November at 7pm.  I have popped in on rehearsals and I am very excited at the prospect: “The play centres on the cafe of Massimo and Rosinella Pedreschi. The couple is childless, but is bringing up Lucia, the daughter of Rosinella's dead sister. As Italy enters the war on Germany's side, the cafe is ransacked by a mob. Massimo is arrested as an enemy alien and interned in Canada for four years.”  Get your tickets as soon as they are available!

Next week is “full-on” as well with the evening for prospective S1s on Tuesday night from 6.30pm.  I am aware that there is a parents’ night at King’s Meadow that night so we will hold a tour back for any latecomers (you’ll not get to see everything, but it will be better than nothing).  It will be good to see the new faces and probably some well-known ones as well.

On Wednesday there will be a Parent School Partnership Meeting at 6.15pm.  Any parent is welcome to attend (we might not have enough seats in the room, but we’ll find more!).  We meet in L.3, which is down the left-hand corridor as you come in the front doors (first door on your right).

Finally, I leave you with news of former pupils’ degree successes from Aberdeen University:

Alexander Avery                 BSc (Hons)             Geology
Stephen Gaunt                   BSc (Hons)             Geography
Hannah Gray                      MA (Hons)              Anthropology
Sarah Moore                      BMus (Hons)           Music
Kirsty Paton                        LL. B (Hons)           Law
Sam Tulloch                       BSc (Hons)             Geography
Claire Wheelans                 MA (Hons)              International Relations & Sociology
 

Have a good week.
S Ingham
 

11 October 2013
Published: 11 October 2013

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

I cannot believe that we are just completing eight weeks of being back at school.  It has flown by at a terrifying rate (senior pupils, please note) and yet we seem to have packed in so much.

Last Friday was a foodie’s dream at Knox.  Pupils from all six secondary schools in the county participated in the “East Lothian Young Chef” competition. The rules were rigorous – two courses, an hour and a half, chicken as the main ingredient in the main course, and as much local produce as possible to be used.  The competition was fierce but good-natured, and all the young people involved produced high class dishes that no one would have objected paying for.  The Knox team (Rachel Elliot and Rebecca Smith) produced Chicken Balmoral with Clapshot and a creamy whisky sauce followed by a Baked Alaska.  Now, I tried these dishes when they were practising and they were de-lic-ious, however, they lost out to Preston Lodge by two points.  Everyone present (including Darrin Nightingale – Head of Education) was hugely impressed by the hard work and professionalism of all the young chefs and I was particularly proud of the Knox team – well done, ladies!

We have some reading “Millionaires” in the school already this session.  Pupils in S1 and S2 in particular take part in the Accelerated Reader programme that monitors how many words they have read.  Congratulations go to David Graham (nearly 2.25 million words read); Oliver smith (1.6 million); Scott McKee (1.3 million); and Alexander Hogg (1.2 million).  You might wonder why I’ve put the quote at the top, but feeling in a literary mood I thought I would give you an example of  “antanclasis” (is the stylistic scheme of repeating a single word or phrase, but with a different meaning.   Antanaclasis is a common type of pun, and like other kinds of pun, it is often found in slogans).  Plus it made me smile!

Last night I had the privilege of attending the Higher Investigative Drama performance.  The pupils showed an amazing amount of commitment to the pieces that they had all had a part in writing and directing.  Thanks should go to Ms Whitfield and Ms McKinnon for their tireless support of the pupils and also to parents and friends who attended to cheer on their friends and youngsters.

Some of our Pupil Council representatives are visiting the Czech Republic at the moment, specifically to visit the school with which we have a link.  They also plan to visit Krakow and Auschwitz on the trip.  Thanks to Mr Jappy and Mrs Jackson for giving up their time to accompany the pupils on what will be an interesting, if not life changing trip.  Thanks must also go to the British Council for funding this visit.

Two members of staff (Ms McPhee and Ms Waters) will be winging their way to Ruhanga School in Rwanda on Saturday.  We made the link with this school a number of years ago and thanks to the staff for using their holiday time to keep it going.  For the Commonwealth Games every local authority has been given “second teams” to support and one of ours in East Lothian is, coincidentally, Rwanda, so the staff go laden with Active Schools t-shirts and football challenge resources. We wish everyone on that trip a very safe journey.

Today we are having a dress down day, for no reason other than the pupils have been brilliant this term and we thought they deserved a treat.  However, the S6, not to be outdone, have taken collection buckets round classes to gather funds for Jeans for Genes and I look forward to letting you know how generous our pupils and staff have been.

Please remember that he school is shut to pupils from 12.05pm today until the 22nd October.  I look forward to seeing everyone at the usual time on that Tuesday morning.

Yours,
Sarah Ingham
 

4 October 2013
Published: 04 October 2013

I received the following bit of poetry in my inbox yesterday (it was National Poetry Day) and I thought I would share it with you:
The rose of all the world is not for me.
I want for my part
Only the little white rose of Scotland
That smells sharp and sweet - and breaks the heart.
                                                                                  (Hugh McDiarmid)
Thanks to Mr Swinney for passing that on.

In other news…
We had a successful S1 Settling-In Evening on Tuesday.  It started with the School of Rugby’s dance composition that had formed part of the Commonwealth Moves Festival, and ended with a film of S1 pupils around the school.  It wasn’t quite “Educating East Lothian” but it did show that the youngsters have settled in well and seem perfectly at home in a building that some thought they would never master.  The Depute Head Teachers (Mr Illingworth, Mr Simpson, and Mr Young) spoke about Wisdom, Engagement and Respect and how we think that relates to the pupils in the school.  From the feedback that I have had about the evening people thought it was worthwhile, thought-provoking and enabled parents to pass on any concerns or ask questions.

The Parent School Partnership met on Wednesday evening and was well attended (we obviously didn’t scare them off at the first meeting!).  We discussed a number of things, the first of which was who parents should contact if they need to speak to someone:

If your child is in Garleton their Guidance Teacher is Ms Adam and the Head of House is Mr Young, for Lammerlaw the Guidance Teacher is Ms Easson and the Head of House is Mr Simpson, and for Traprain it’s Ms Stevenson for Guidance and Mr Illingworth as Head of House.  As a rule of thumb you want to speak to Guidance for Pastoral Issues (relationships, settling in, general progress concerns) and Head of House for everything else.  If neither of those fit for you or you’re just not sure, you can email the school via knoxacademy@knox.elcschool.org.uk and the Office Staff will direct your email as appropriate. 

We also had a wide-ranging discussion about Activities’ Week and its future.  The points made are too diverse to mention here but will be contained in the PSP minutes that can be viewed on their website.  Thanks must also go to Mr Mackinnon (PE) for giving an interesting presentation on Heartstart and how we can get parents trained, too.

A number of Knox pupils performed at a charity concert (for Macmilllan Cancer Support) on Wednesday evening at the Town House.  The pupils involved were:
Eve Swinton, Rebecca Swinton, Holly Morton, Crea Campbell, Rebecca Wray, Peter Gilmour, Erin Scott, Emily Bowen, Isaac Smith, Harry Rogan, Katie Holton, Connor Moore, Georgia Kerr, Thomas Imrie, Katie Scott, Eiligh Watt, Dylan Noble and Alasdair MacFarlane.
As well as the Jazz Band playing, several pupils played solo items.

Wednesday was a very busy day because whilst the PSP were meeting and the Jazz Band playing, two of our senior pupils (Gemma Sandie and Emma-Lee Dick) were attending the Jack Vettriano question-and-answer event at Queen Margaret University.  They had been invited to attend by Councillor John McMillan.  The girls came back “buzzing” and I have seen the photos that they had taken with the artist and their coveted autographs.  I think that they will be heading off to Kelvingrove Art Gallery in the very near future to see his retrospective exhibition.  Huge thanks should go to Councillor McMillan for his support of the school and thinking of us.  The girls were the only school-aged people there and I believe impressed fellow attendees with their maturity and interest.

Please remember that the school shuts at 12.05pm next Friday and is closed to pupils until Tuesday, the 22nd October.

Have a very good weekend.
S Ingham