I am delighted to share that our website is now live. If you are reading this, you have found it! Please take the time to have a look through previous head teacher updates which help to show the progress we have been making over the last few weeks.
There was a continued focus on staffing this week as I worked with local authority colleagues to plan roles and remits for the school’s Extended Leadership Team, who will lead in curricular subjects and in pastoral care. All school leaders will be able to join me well ahead of the school opening, in order that we have time together to plan the best learning experiences we can.
This was also the main consideration in my meeting this week with Leigh Watson, the Senior Education Officer for Curriculum Innovation at Education Scotland. As discussed with parents at our most recent engagement session, I’m committed to developing a curriculum in S1-3 that really does deliver a Broad General Education and that includes space in the timetable for important work around Learning for Sustainability, Digital Literacy and Skills for Learning, Life and Work. It’s great to have the reassurance that we are working in a way that genuinely reflects the principles of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Pupil voice groups are now established in Wallyford Primary School and Musselburgh Grammar. They will be working through a range of topics, including the chance to take part in a consultation with our interior designer. I will be doing an introductory assembly at Pinkie St. Peter’s on the 10th November, and will form pupil groups thereafter. It’s really important to me that we are listening and responding to what matters to our young people. I will post update about their activities on the ‘Pupil Voice’ tab once we are up and running.
Partnership working is hugely important for the new campus, and I got my walking shoes on this week with one of our local youth workers, Vanda Dow, to get out and about in the catchment area and start thinking about any issue and opportunities related to our School Travel Plan.
And finally, a date for your diary. I will be hosting the first of a series of brief live Google Meets on Thursday 17th November, where I will talk through some of the themes emerging from discussions with pupils and parents thus far. You can join me here Google Meet 1
A recording of the session will also be posted to the website afterwards.