Following on from last week’s assemblies on “lessons from Auschwitz” pupils have been reflecting on Holocaust Memorial Day. Core RMPS classes learnt about the Holocaust and found out about the people affected and their stories. . This year's theme is - How can life go on? They then chose a person, added their name to a memory tree and signed a pledge to stand up against hatred and prejudice. Ruby Smith arranged for one class to watch a live web cast of one Holocaust survivor tell her story. Everyone agreed that it was moving and powerful. Well done to all staff and pupils who got involved.

The theme of assemblies this week has been “The Learning Pit” – where we have been talking to pupils about the fact that learning isn’t easy. We talked about strategies they can use to help them through difficult bits of learning in the hope that it builds their resilience and helps them see that they can achieve what they want to with hard work and application.

Daniel Sked and James Martin in S5 represented the Local Authority at a Heritage Hero Launch event in Stirling last Saturday. They had achieved the silver Heritage Hero Award through completing 80 hours of a Traditional Trades pre-vocational course. The two boys, along with a pupil from Preston Lodge, delivered a presentation to an audience of 50 people and were the youngest presenters at the event. They spoke confidently about what they did during the course and took part in a networking session afterwards. Both boys were a credit to the school.

Last night we had our Burns’ Supper at the school. Brilliantly organised by the PTA. We were treated to fabulous speeches (Mrs Falconer, Calum Learmonth, Rebecca Keegan and Emma De Costa, and Mr McSwan), wonderful music (the Knox Academy Pipe Band, soloists Gregor Booth and Euan Naysmith, singers: Kirsty Booth, Georgia Herriot and Phoebe Hayman, and the Goat’s Toes), amazing dancing (Brigid Hay and Sally Mulroy) and informative presentations (Angus Langlands and Leo Washington-Mackay). The food was lovingly prepared by the Food Court team and served swiftly and deftly by the pupil team (Iona Cunningham, Emma West, Holly Elliot, Stuart Prentice, Calum Newman and Euan Murray). Special thanks should go Mr Illingworth for keeping the evening running so smoothly.

Have a great week.

S Ingham