Important Information Out This Week
Sensitive Topic in RMPS
Our S3 students within RMPS are moving on to the topic of euthanasia/assisted dying. We understand that for some students this topic may be upsetting due to past or present circumstances. If you have any concerns about your young person being involved in this topic please contact Mr Sutherland, Principle Teacher of Health and Wellbeing.
Dalguise Trip for S6 Cohort (current S5) in May 2024
Please see the attached letter regarding a Dalguise Trip in May 2024 for our new S6 cohort (current S5) Dalguise Letter November 2023 (002)
Children in Need – Friday 17th of November
Dress Down Day – £1 to Dress Down, payable in Registration or through SchoolPay | East Lothian Council Students should remember PE kit if needed and please dress appropriately for school
DGSA
The Dunbar Grammar School Association has organised a Christmas Market in the school’s social hub on Thursday November 23 between 6pm and 8.30pm including stalls selling unique, locally made gifts, hot dogs, cakes and festive drinks. There will be games organised by pupils and Christmas ornaments designed and made in the school.
To help make the night a success the DGSA would love help in the following ways:
- volunteers to sell raffle tickets on the parents evenings of Thurs Nov 2 and Thurs Nov 7 between 5.30pm and 7.30pm.
- volunteers to help on Nov 23 on stalls or in the kitchen depending where you would like to be
- companies to sponsor one of the pupil competitions concluding at the Christmas market such as design the school Christmas card/ or the Great DGS Xmas Bake Off
- donations of exciting, new prizes for the raffle (no booze please)
If you can assist with any of the above or would like to suggest another means of support please email helenschoen@hotmail.co.uk very soon
Annual Data Forms with PC A (replaces PC1 form) and Photograph Permission forms were sent out to parent/carers of all students. Please complete and return to school as soon as possible.
S4 Work Experience
Our S4 cohort are due to take part in a work placement as part of our Work Experience Programme within the next two weeks. See below for details.
Week beginning 13th November and 4C2, 4L2, 4V2 and 4W2
There will be some exceptions to this due to employer capacity.
Your child will bring home a Job Card with information about their placement over the next few days. If, for any reason, they are unable to attend their work placement on any day, they need to get in contact with the employer to make them aware. This information on their Job Card.
We hope that they have a fantastic week. If you have any questions or concerns around work experience or do not wish your child to attend this experience, please get in touch with their Guidance Teacher.
Flu Vaccinations.
These will be in school on 13th and 14th November. For students on work experience or who are absent, there will be a mop up session on 29th November.
Assembly – Week beginning 13 November
Monday S1 – Games Hall with Mr Sutherland
Tuesday S3 – Games Hall with Mr Sutherland and Mr Maxton
Wednesday S2 – Assembly Hall with Mr Sutherland
Thursday S4 – Assembly Hall with Mr. McBride – SQA
Friday S5 – Assembly Hall with Mr. McBride – SQA
N5 Assessment Calendar
In order to support students to plan their revision as well as understand what is required of them in terms of coursework for SQA courses we have created an Assessment Calendar. Guidance teachers will be working with students to engage with the assessment calendar and provide support to students as required. The calendar can be found on the year group Google Classroom.
Assessment dates are always under review depending on the ‘live’ progress being made by groups of students. For this reason the calendar is only to be used as a guide and assessment dates may change depending on the judgement of the teacher. Where assessment dates change sufficient notice will be given by the class teacher.
Some assessments are either class tests, SQA units or Assignment deadlines. If there is any uncertainty about what type of assessment is taking place then please encourage the student to speak to their class teacher.
Some assessments will take place during the prelim diet in January. However, for simplicity, these are not listed. Prelim timetables will be issued later this term which will provide more information on the assessments taking place during that two week period
Google Guardian Summaries
Guardian summaries allow parents to receive regular updates by email of assignments posted to students on their Google classrooms. The summaries allow parents to keep track of any upcoming, late or missing assignments and if you have a Google email account you can also manage the frequency of such updates. To sign up for guardian summaries, students must give consent by filling in the consent form linked below. It is important that they supply an email address which matches the stored e-mail address on your school record. To set this up, follow these steps:
- Ask your child to sign into Google using their EduBuzz account
- Complete the consent form by following this link (this has also been shared on the year group Google classrooms)
S6 YearBook
The fund is now available in SchoolPay for parents/carers of our S6 students to purchase the Yearbook. Please note the fund will close at the end of January.
Extra-Curricular Clubs and Study/Revision Sessions 2023 – 2024 – updated
Please note some of the clubs require students to sign up in advance
Extra-curricular clubs 2023-2024
2023 – 2024 Study Clubs Booklet
Lost Property
Lost property is starting to rapidly build up, we have a number of winter coats to be claimed. Please ensure your young person’s clothes are labelled. If students have lost their property, please ask them to see Ms Smith at break on Tuesday to Friday at the school office. If they are not claimed in November, we will donate them to the Primary School
Student Information Sheets 23-11-07 Plasma Info Sheet
Dunbar Grammar School Council
The DGSC is a group comprising parents, the Headteacher, Deputy Head teacher and Teacher representatives, Pupil representatives, Local Councillors and Clerk. Meetings are open invitation and take place either in the school or online. See school e-mails for further information and consider attending to become involved with your school community. This is not a fundraising group.
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
We are now accepting EMA applications for January starts, pupils turning 16 between 1st October and 28th February.
EMA is a weekly Means Tested payment, paid directly to eligible young people aged 16-19 years old who are planning to continue in full time education. If you are 16 years of age between 1 October and 28 February 2024 you may be eligible for an EMA from the beginning of the January Term. Information on eligibility and income thresholds can be found online www.eastlothian.gov.uk/ema.
Please complete the Online Application Form . The final cut-off date for processing Application Forms for academic year 2023/24 is 31 March 2024. We are unable to process any applications after this date.
Please note a new application must be made each academic year.
Further advice can be obtained from the EMA Team at the following email emas@eastlothian.gov.uk or by visiting our website www.eastlothian.gov.uk/emas .
Free school meals and school clothing grants
If you are unable to complete online application forms please ask for a paper application at the school office. If you have any queries or having difficulty completing the form please email freeschoolmeals@eastlothian.gov.uk
Active Schools
Free tickets are available for Hibs v Hearts Women’s Football Game on Saturday 18th November https://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/capitalcup
All our other DGS Sports Clubs are up and running, to book your child’s place at a club use link below:
https://eastlothian.bookinglive.com/home/active-schools/active-schools-dunbar-grammar/
For any questions on this please email our Active School Coordinator Scott Marnoch smarnnoch@elcschool.org.uk
Careers/Opportunities/Further Study
January courses for winter leavers at Edinburgh College.
Further course information can be found here https://www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/courses/january-courses
Physics for Engineers and Engineering Fundamentals Upskilling Courses
The University of Strathclyde are running these popular online courses again and we are inviting applications now from those that are interested in a career in Engineering. The modules will open on 16th November and run until 5th February 2024. Learners can complete the courses in their own time but please note that the deadline for applications is 14th December 2023.
Each course is worth 10 credits at SCQF level 7 which you can refer to in any job application and/or in your UCAS personal statement to support your university application.
Physics for Engineers
This short course seeks to explore general principles of physics for those wishing to study engineering at college or University. It will provide tangible physics examples and principles set within the context of Engineering.
To be eligible, you will have passed Nat 5 Maths <span “>AND either Nat 5 Physics or Engineering Science or equivalent qualifications.
To find out more and to make an application, please visit https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/strathclydeonlinelearning/upskillingatstrathclyde/engineering/physicsforengineers/
Engineering Fundamentals
Students will have the opportunity to develop skills which are relevant across different engineering disciplines. They will learn what it means to be an engineer and explore the impact engineers have on the industry and environment around them.
To be eligible, you will have to have passed Nat 5 Maths OR Physics OR Engineering Science OR equivalent qualifications.
To find out more and to make an application, please visit:
href=”https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/strathclydeonlinelearning/upskillingatstrathclyde/engineering/engineeringfundamentals/”>https://www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/strathclydeonlinelearning/upskillingatstrathclyde/engineering/engineeringfundamentals/Funding
The course is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) which enables us to offer it to learners who are domiciled in Scotland free of charge. You can read more about eligibility here.
SAAS Funding Information Sessions for Students and Parents/Carers
Discover STEM Day, which will take place at the University of Dundee on Wednesday 30 November 2022, running from 10am – 2.30pm. Spaces are limited, please sign up using Discover STEM 2023 | University of Dundee, UK
BBC Early Career Schemes Higher and Graduate Apprenticeships
Scottish Government Procurement Apprenticeship
Christmas Recruitment – 2023 Christmas Recruitment
East Lothian Works Vacancies Job vacancies – East Lothian Works | East Lothian Council
Scotland’s Rural College SRUC | Open Days
Borders College Applications for full-time courses starting in August 2024. Applications will open from 12 January 2024
Community Information
Dunbar Rotary in partnership with the school and Connected Community’s are organising gifts this year for families who are affected by the current cost of living crisis. It is a difficult time of year and it can put a strain on finances for families to find extra funds for gifts. The Dunbar Rotary have organised an Angel Tree service for the last 2 years and families have really appreciated the help. If you wish to take part please email your details including Age, gender of your children and gift preference to connect-dunbar@eastlothian.gov.uk It is completely confidential as connected community’s will manage the mail box and the Angels who buy the gifts will only have the age, gender and gift preference. You will see the Trees in various places around the town.
This email is for use by the parent or legal guardians of Children who are participating in gifts from the Angel Tree Christmas 2023.
Any information we have of you will be held in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The personal data collected on this application will be held securely and will only be used for administrative purposes relating to your consent.
You have the right to request a copy of the information we hold on your child and to request corrections or deletions of it.
East Lothian Council Connected Community’s is the ‘data controller’ for your child’s information and can be contacted at any time on the email connect-dunbar@eastlothian.gov.uk
We will only keep your child’s details for as long as necessary after which your details will be destroyed. You can also contact Helen Harper Community Development Officer at Bleachingfield centre countess crescent Dunbar EH42 1DX phone Mobile 07970189321 if you have any questions.
What to do if you are worried about a young person
If you have any safeguarding or child protection concerns about any young person please contact one of the Designated Members of Staff (DMS) for Child Protection.
DGS Child Protection Poster
Contacting teachers/Queries
Please email admin@dunbargrammar.elcschool.org.uk or pupilsupport@dunbargrammar.elcschool.org.uk
Getting in touch
We are really keen to chat to our parents and carers. If you would like to discuss anything with a member of the Senior Leadership Team, we are happy to chat over the phone, via Google Meet or in person. Please email admin@dunbargrammar.elcschool.org.uk and we will be in touch to arrange a meeting
Senior Student Study Resources
- Scholar UK
- Achieve
- e-Sgoil/NeLO Study Support 2023 Home Page | e-Sgoil
- National E-Learning-Education Scotland | Education Scotland
- SQA website
