As shared earlier on in the week, the Secondary School Week Alignment Proposal has been agreed following the consultation earlier on this year. This means that all Midlothian schools will start and finish at the same time to allow for increased timetable collaboration in the years ahead. For us at St David’s the only change will be an earlier finish on Fridays, 12.15pm rather than 1.05pm. The change is due to start in the week beginning Monday 3 June.

SQA Exams 

We are now approaching the end of the second week of the SQA Exams.  A huge well done to all students who have completed exams so far.  As we look ahead to the third week the following exams will be taking place; English, Spanish Practical Cookery and Dance. 

As always students should carefully check their exam details and get in touch with the school if there are any queries.  Remember we also have our immersion days which will continue to run throughout the exam period.  The programme for these sessions have been emailed to all parents/carers and can also be found on the school website.  Good luck to all students!

Tickets for Grand Summer Raffle 2024

Our Parents’ Council is organising a grand raffle this summer term to raise funds for the school. This will allow us to keep supporting really important curricular experiences that do so much to enhance learning such as transport and other costs associated with subject trips.

We kindly seek your support in selling tickets to contribute to this cause.

Key Details about the Raffle

- The draw will take place at St. David’s RC High School on Friday 21st June at 11.00am

- The cost is £1 per ticket

- We have loads of outstanding prizes up for grabs, including a PlayStation 5 console, golf at Gullane Golf Club, a family meal voucher for a local restuarant, a gift experience at Roslyn Chapel, and so many more!

Selling Tickets

- S1-S3 students will receive 2 books of tickets (10 tickets) on Tuesday 7th May to sell.

- Tickets for S4-S6 students can be collected from the school office during their next visit (if they are in for an Immersion Day or Exam).

- Additional tickets will be available for students who sell all their first ten.

- All tickets (sold and unsold) and money must be returned to the school office by Friday 14th June.

Community Involvement

- If you are part of a business or community groups which support the selling of school raffle tickets, please contact the school office and we will arrange for additional tickets to be sent to you.

Prize Donations

- We welcome prize donations from those who are able. If you are able to help or have any links to a business who may be able to donate a prize, your help would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be handed in at the school office, and monetary contributions (which will be used to purchase prizes) can still be made through ParentPay.

Your support and contributions will make a significant impact on enhancing our students educational experiences.

Thank you for your continued generosity and

support.

School Leavers June 2024

Alton Towers S6 Celebration Trip

On Thursday 18th April our S6 spent the day at Alton Towers to celebrate their time as a St David's High School pupil. After an early start, we arrived fresh faced and raring to go. After multiple rides on The Smiler, Nemesis, The Wickerman, 13, Rita and Oblivion we departed with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. A fantastically enjoyable day for all involved. 

Chromebook Return

This is a reminder for any senior students who are leaving school this term -it is essential that chromebooks along with the case and charger are returned to Pupil Support before leaving school.

These devices together with chargers and cases will be distributed to our S1 pupils coming from outside Midlothian Council. If you do not return a charger there is a high chance that an S1 pupil will receive a device without a charger.  

Enjoy the long weekend!

D MacDonald
Headteacher

As we approach the Easter holidays, things seem to be getting busier and busier across the school and as you will see further on in the bulletin, the preparations for final exams are in full swing.

It has been great to see the safe return of over 70 of our S1-3 pupils from our first ASPIRE Trip to Whithaugh Park. They all seemed in great spirits and have clearly had a terrific time despite being out in some very special Scottish weather this week! A special thanks to all the staff who organised and accompanied the pupils down to the Borders.

We have had lots of SQA assessments and assignments being completed over the last few weeks in subjects from Home Economics to PE, Music to the Sciences and almost every other subject in between. Term 2 in the senior phase really is a challenging time for pupils and teachers, all will deserve their break at the end of next week!

The start of the week also saw three of our pupils, Elle C, Alex T and Borys P take part in an outstanding Scottish Young Musician of the Year heat at King’s Park Church. After an evening of breathtaking performances from pupils across Midlothian, our Elle, from S6, was declared the winner, singing Les Roses d’Isphan by Faure. Elle will now go forward to represent Midlothian in the National Finals in May. What an outstanding achievement, well done!

Finally as we prepare to welcome Father Basil in to say Mass next Tuesday morning, I would like to extend our deepest thanks to Father and the congregation at Our Lady of Loretto and St Michaels and our Parent Council for their enthusiastic and successful fundraising for the school earlier on this month. 

After the warmest of welcomes to the parish a small group of staff and students joined with our Parents’ Council to serve the teas, coffees, bacon rolls and home baking to the Loretto community after Mass. In truth, our amazing Parents’ Council did all the preparation, cooking and baking and our students were outstanding ambassadors as they served the lengthy queues of hungry parishioners! 

We are so grateful for this ongoing support from our whole community and for the contributions of £381, from the refreshments, and £500 from Fr Basil on behalf of the parish. This money will be put to great use supporting pupil activities in and out of the school.

Enjoy a restful weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

SQA News for S4-6 Students

Your Exams Booklet  

All pupils sitting SQA Examinations this year will receive the Your Exams booklet next week in school.  This booklet provides important rules and advice to pupils on what to do before, during and after exams.  The booklet also contains a Scottish Candidate Number (SCN) card, which can be detached from the back cover. This card should be used by pupils to record their details and it can be taken into the exam to help complete the exam booklet correctly.  In addition, Your Exams is also available for download from the SQA website.

Study Leave and School Immersion Study Timetable

A letter with full details of Study Leave arrangements is available on our website and will be emailed directly to all parents/carers, along with the Immersion Timetable. Two key points to note about the arrangements are.

• All S5/6 students and S4 students sitting 3 or more examinations are entitled to Study Leave beginning on Monday 29 April 2024.  
• Given the extended diet, some of the exams fall before the ‘official’ start of Study Leave, however any pupil who has an exam in the week beginning 22 April is entitled to be off school the day before their exam for additional preparation.

The Immersion Days Timetable 2024 will be shared with pupils today (Friday) via Google classroom - St David's HS Student Notices.  The programme will also be shared with parents/carers via email and is on the school website.    

The Immersion Days allow pupils to attend a focused study session for a subject on a day very close to the final exam. To allow for planning,  any exam that is taking place on the same day as an Immersion Day has been included in the timetable.  It may be that pupils cannot attend all their Immersion Days, if this is the case, pupils can contact their subject teachers to arrange for a time to come into school for exam support if needed. 

SQA Exam Timetables

All pupils who are sitting SQA exams will receive an individualised timetable.  This will be given out to pupils in school between 16th - 19th April 2024. It is essential that pupils are in school to collect the timetable as the timings (not the date) may differ from the SQA Timetable.   The changes allow for the exams to be completed within the school day where possible and to accommodate any assessment arrangement support.   The individualised timetable also contains a seat number for each pupil which the invigilation team uses to ensure pupils are correctly identified in each exam.  Pupils should bring this timetable with them for each exam so they have all the relevant information required.  Finally, if there is an exam on a Friday afternoon during the exam diet it will be the responsibility of the parent/carer to make arrangements for their child to travel home.

	S4 5 6 Immersion Day Study Programme 2024	[pdf 66KB]
	SQAStudyLeaveArrange2024ver2	[pdf 594KB]

As well as sharing a couple of updates ahead of next week, I would like to thank the team involved in this week's Learning and Teaching Review of the Maths Department. It was tremendously exciting to welcome the views of Maths colleagues from other schools, members of the council's quality improvement team, pupils from all year groups and parents and carers about how we are delivering Maths at St David's. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive about the learning, teaching, feedback and relationships within the department which is really refreshing to hear. Of course, the visit, which included over 20 visits to classes, was about how can we improve and the team have offered lots of advice on moving forward. 

Aligned Secondary School Week

Our Informal Drop-in Information Session takes place in the school this Wednesday between 5.00 and 7.00pm. Senior colleagues and I will be available in the school during this time to answer any questions about the proposals. There is no set presentation or lecture, just come along at any time during the 2 hours and we will be available. 

Remember if you have any questions about how this will affect St David's send them in through this link.

Consultation on the Alignment of the Secondary School Day in Midlothian

Course Choice

Our course choice process for S2-S5 pupils is well under way. One of the most important factors in getting your choices right is knowing what the courses involve. Please make you look at the full offer including the course information and pathways on the school website before making final decisions. Guidance teachers are available to answer all questions you may have and support you through the process. 

You will see from the information that there a huge range of courses available for S5 and S6 in particular including Foundation Apprenticeships. To help pupils, parents and carers become more familiar with these courses and how they fit in with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) we will be holding an online Information Evening at 6.30pm on Wednesday 6 March. Meeting details will be shared closer to the event.

Entrepreneurial Workshops for S3
On Monday all of our S3 Students will be taking part in a series of workshops where they will recognise and develop entrepreneurial skills & qualities required to achieve success in and out of school.

They will reflect on the life skills they have developed so far, what existing evidence they have which demonstrate these and what they can do to gain more evidence. Students learn the value of setbacks & resilience planning, whilst understanding the importance of incremental improvement, growth mindset, personal responsibility & grasping opportunities. They will look at the changing face of employment and the generic skills and qualities needed to be successful and fulfilled.

Enjoy your weekend

D MacDonald
Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers

Our (Midlothian Council) consultation on the alignment of the school day begins today.

We are consulting on the attached proposal which aims to align the start/end time of the school day across all 6 Midlothian secondary schools. 

Our proposal is that all Midlothian secondary schools would begin classes at 8.40am, (Monday through Friday). In each secondary school classes would finish at 3.25pm, (Monday through Thursday). On a Friday classes in each secondary school would finish at 12.15pm.   

The attached paper contains details of the proposed changes and the educational purpose and potential benefits. This is an important, non-statutory consultation on aligning the secondary school day and I would encourage everyone to feedback their thoughts through the 'Citizen Space Click Here' link, found on p8 of the document.  

There are a couple of opportunities to find out more about the proposal, with an informal drop in here at the school from 5.00-7.00pm on Wednesday 28 February and an online session from 5.00-7.00pm on Tuesday 27 February (see p9 for details on how to register).

The consultation closes on Friday 8th March 2024

Secondary School Day Alignment Consultation 31012024

[pdf 739KB]

Just a very quick update about some of the upcoming events at St David's over the next couple of weeks.

World Children's Day, Monday 20 November 2023

To celebrate gaining our Silver Rights Respecting School Award, this year we will be marking World Children's Day by 'Wearing Something Blue' this Monday. The theme for 2023 is 'For every child, every right' and we ask any pupils, who are able, to contribute to our ongoing foodbank appeal or alternatively to our 'Children in Gaza - UNICEF Appeal' (see below).

A Message from our Rights Respecting School Group - 'Children in Gaza Appeal'
 

Some of the Senior pupils in St. David’s have been concerned over the devastating impact of the Palestinian conflict in the Middle East. For that reason, we would like to kindly ask for donations in order for us to have a positive impact on the lives of children and those who are most suffering at this time.

We’ve asked our teachers to set up a school fund that will go towards funding UNICEF relief efforts. We will be carrying out different events to raise awareness and money for this and we would love to have your support. It could make a big impact.

If you would like to support, there is an option via Parent Pay (from Monday 20th) to do so. Your money will be going towards Emergency Aid via UNICEF in the shape of life saving assistance and quick and effective protection in the area.

Careers Fair, Tuesday 21 November 2023

A reminder that we have our joint St David's, Dalkeith and Saltersgate Careers Fair this week, with all parents, carers and pupils invited to join us in the Dining and Assembly Halls from 5.00pm. Although it is particularly relevant for pupils in S4 to 6, those about to make course choice can also get really good advice from the wide range of career providers who are coming along.


 

Finally thank you to everyone who has managed to attend either the recent Open Evening or the S1 or S4 Parents' Evenings. They have all been tremendously positive events and it has been so good to share all the good news about individual pupils from across the school. One of the new features of our evenings are the refreshments on offer thanks to our excellent Parents' Council. This will be an ongoing offer at upcoming events, so if you are coming along bring a wee bit cash and get yourself a cup of tea and a biscuit to while away the time as you are waiting for appointments. All proceeds will go towards supporting activities in the school.

Thank you for your continued support,

D MacDonald
Headteacher

P1 and S1 pupils

Letters were sent in the post on 4 August confirming if your P1 or S1 child/young person qualifies for school transport and the arrangements. P1 and S1 pupils should take their letter to the school bus and show it to the driver on the first day of term. Their school will give them a bus pass in coming weeks. Indicative pick up times and the name of the bus company transporting your child will be available below. if you were expecting a letter for your P1 or S1 child/young person and did not get one or you have misplaced your letter please email travelteam@midlothian.gov.uk. 

P2-7 and S2-S6 pupils

Pupils in P2-7 and S2-S6 who previously qualified for school transport should go to the same stop and get on the same bus as per previous terms. Please use last year’s pass until a new one is issued. If you can’t find the pass, operators will still let your child/young person on the bus. Indicative pick up times and a reminder of the name of the bus company transporting your child/young person will be available tomorrow (Tuesday) on the school’s website. 

Additional Support Needs pupils

The travel team is contacting parents and carers of children and young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN) directly about new arrangements. Otherwise the same arrangements will be in place as previous terms for returning ASN pupils.

Get in touch

If your child/young person has moved homes and their previous arrangements no longer suit please contact travelteam@midlothian.gov.uk who will be happy to help. Please also email the travel team with any other school transport queries.

DESTINATION - ST DAVID’S RC HIGH SCHOOL PICK-UP TIMES

TRAVEL COMPANY – ATR
EDMONSTONE ROAD / WOOLMET CRESCENT 08:00AM - (Letter has gone out under a different operator Skene travel)
KILNS 08:05AM, DARCY ROAD 08:05AM, BOGWOOD ROAD 08:07AM,
HAWTHORN CENTRE 08:07AM

TRAVEL COMPANY - COACH HIRE EDINBURGH
PENICUIK TESCOS 07:40AM, LOANHEAD MARIOS 07:50AM, LAIRD AND DOG 07:55AM
GREENHALL CRESCENT 08:10AM, NEWTONGRANGE POOL 08:16AM, BRYANS FLOWER SHOP 08:20AM - (Letter has gone
out under a different operator Skene travel)

TRAVEL COMPANY - CHARLOTTE TRAVEL
VOGRIE/EDGEHEAD/WHITEHILL 07:55AM
ROSEWELL 07:55AM, WAVERLEY BAR 08:05AM, COCKPEN 08:10AM
CAMERON CRESCENT 08:05AM, POLTON AVENUE/ROAD 08:10AM,
TESCO(STAISIDE) 08:10AM, BEETROOT 08:10AM

TRAVEL COMPANY - DUDDINGSTON COACH HIRE
MAYFIELD EASTHOUSES 08:15AM
NORTH MIDDLETON/BIRKENSIDE/CO-OP 07:50AM, 07:55AM, 07:55AM

TRAVEL COMPANY - AC’S TAXIS
GORE AVENUE/LADY BRAE 07:35AM, 07:38AM

TRAVEL COMPANY - HUNTERS
BLACKCOT DOCTORS 08:10AM, LABOUR CLUB 08:13AM, WESTHOUSES 08:16AM,
MAYFIELD TERMINUS 08:20AM
PATHHEAD OXENFOORD AVENUE 08:10AM

Dear Parents and Carers

It has been terrific to be back full time at St David's this week after running between here and Saltersgate for the last term and a half! I will certainly miss the wonderful pupils and staff at Saltersgate but they are in the very safe hands of the new headteacher, Jane Minelly, so I look forward to seeing them all flourish.

Of course we are rapidly moving through the SQA exams here in the school and it has been brilliant to see the calm, respectful and mature approach of our pupils as they navigate their way through this tricky time. It is a huge organisational challenge to make sure everyone is in the right place, at the right time, with the right papers but so far the school, support and invigilation teams are nailing it! 

One of the very pleasing aspects of senior pupils attendance for the exams has been the high standard of school dress. When we have so many staff dropping in for invigilation duties, it really makes a difference to be clearly identifiable as a pupil of the school.

We will as ever consult about school dress for next session to ensure we have your full support for the most practical, economical and identifiable solution. 

In the meantime, as the weather improves, I have reminded pupils that a plain white shirt, polo or t-shirt should be worn underneath the hoodie, in case they need to remove it in class. If in doubt about what is acceptable please see the examples on our Border Embroideries page or call us at the school. If you are having any trouble getting hold of school dress, please contact Lee Bernard, our Home School Practitioner on 0131 654 4702.

Mobile Phones in the Classroom

As we all know mobile phones are absolutely amazing, brilliant, frustrating and annoying all at once!

As the school got wifi and we moved to much more online based learning, the potential for using phones to support learning became clear. However, again, as we are all aware one of the main uses for smart phones is to access social media - and that can be seriously distracting. Now that all pupils have been issued with Chromebooks the need for phones in the classroom has diminished, so we would like your input on managing the use of mobiles by completing the survey below. We are asking staff, pupils, parents and carers for their thoughts over the next couple of weeks so we can develop a clear and fair approach that will best support learning.

Mobile Phones Survey 

Thank you for your help and support.

Enjoy your weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Parent/Carer

We are well into the prelims for our senior phase pupils and the podcast below gives lots of key tips on getting ready for assessments, it is well worth a listen!

The next school event is the S2 Parents' Evening on 31 January 2023. This also marks the start of coursing, where pupils will start considering their subject options for next session. Lots of information will be shared with pupils through PSE by Guidance and Careers and you can also find out more about the process on this video. All parents will also have the opportunity to discuss options with their child's Guidance Teacher, more details to follow.

After the February Week we move onto S3 with the Parents' Night on Thursday 23 February.
 

Podcast St David's!

The latest episode of the St David's High School Podcast is now available on YouTube and Spotify. Join Mrs Nelson, Mrs Pantiru, Lewis Power, Wiktoria Milka and Mr Brown as they discuss revision techniques and all things prelims.

https://youtu.be/0qtB-H0Pu8Q https://open.spotify.com/episode/4VJYJ6

Enjoy your weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher   

Good morning to all.

After what I hope has been a restful break we are all set for our return to school tomorrow morning, Monday 25 April. 

My thanks first of all to all staff and pupils who were able to support our Easter Study School last week, I hope this input has been of benefit as we look forward to the upcoming SQA Exams for our seniors. I would remind you that the arrangements for the SQA Exams, study leave and Immersion Days were posted before the holidays and are available on the school website.

COVID Arrangements

As you will be aware most of the day to day COVID restrictions have now been lifted and schools are now coming in line with this national approach.

This means that face-coverings will no longer be mandatory in any part of the school and there is no longer any requirement for regular asymptomatic testing.

We are however encouraged to maintain good hand hygiene and so will continue to provide hand sanitiser and equipment cleaning solutions in classes.

The one way system will continue for the time being but the lifting of restrictions will allow us to review and perhaps shorten some of the travel distances between classes.
 

The virus is however still with us and children, young people and staff must stay at home and self-isolate if they:

• have symptoms of COVID-19, whether they feel unwell or not
• have tested positive, even if asymptomatic
• are identified as a close contact and are over 18 years and 4 months and not fully vaccinated

The symptoms of the latest strains of the virus are very similar to symptoms of other illnesses, such a
s colds and flu. We are encouraged to stay at home and avoid contact with other people if you have symptoms of COVID and either you have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to go to work or do your normal activities.

School Uniform

As we move back to more and more normal practices in school, can I ask for your continued support in ensuring that all of our young people are in school dress as we return for the summer term. There is no expectation that parents and carers should be buying new uniform at this stage of the session but where possible pupils should follow the dress code of grey school hoodie, with plain white shirt/t-shirt and black trousers, skirt or jogging bottoms. 

We will be working with Pupil Voice throughout this term to ensure everyone is ready for a return to full uniform, with PE changing facilities back and available, from August. 

Many thanks

D MacDonald, Headteacher  

Good afternoon,

A very short update today with just two pieces of information to share.

SQA Parents/Carers Information Evening

Our SQA Information Evening takes place on Monday, 7 March at 7.00pm via Zoom (see link below).

We will, hopefully, cover and answer questions about all things SQA including,

1. SQA Exam Arrangements 2022
2. Processes and Procedures after Prelims
3. Study Leave and the Exam Experience
4. Study Tips

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81899738437?pwd=YTR2V3FMcnYyN3RiUGxVYTc5TkNjdz09

Meeting ID: 818 9973 8437
Passcode: zaCk0x

School Lunches

We will be returning to full school lunches from Monday 7 March. This means that as well as soup and paninis, pupils will also be able to choose from two hot main meals from Mondays to Thursdays. 

All other catering arrangements remain unchanged.

Have a good weekend,

D MacDonald,
Headteacher

As we approach the end of our senior phase prelims it is good to be able to share with you the latest update from the SQA regarding supporting pupils in preparing for the final exams in May. It is reassuring that the continuing impact of the pandemic has been recognised by the authorities and that some meaningful adaptations have been put forward.

The prelims themselves have gone extremely well, thanks in no small part to the excellent organisation from all staff involved and the sound application of our pupils. Sitting a number of exams one after the other is a new experience for virtually all of our pupils this year and there will inevitably be a lot of learning about how best to prepare and revise that will stand them in good stead for the ‘real thing’.

Arrangements for Friday, 4 February 2022

As you are aware we have had to ask that only Senior Phase (S4-6) pupils sitting prelims, practical assessments or taking part in the rugby sessions attend classes tomorrow, Friday 4 February. All S1-3 pupils should attend as normal. This is due to COVID absences preventing us providing class cover.

By bringing these practical assessments into the prelim diet we will however significantly reduce the impact on learning and teaching time later on this term which will in turn allow for a greater focus on exam preparation.

Please note, if your child needs to come into school to study, they should report to Ms Lewis and we will ensure they have a space to work.

S2 Coursing Meetings with Guidance,

Coursing meetings for parents of S2 pupils begin next week, 7 February 2022.

Details of how to sign up for a meeting have been emailed to all S2 parents but if you are having any difficulty please contact the school. You should aim to sign up by Sunday, 6 February.

SQA Support for Learners taking National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher Exams this Year

In recognition of the ongoing disruption to learning and teaching, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has confirmed that a package of support services – including some further help with exam revision – will be available for learners who are taking National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses in 2022.

It is still the clear intention for SQA exams to take place during April to June.

The supports announced are:

1.            Revision Support

SQA will provide revision support for all courses that have an exam. This will be tailored to reflect different types of question papers, any modifications to the question papers that are already in place, and the type and volume of content that is assessed in each question paper.

Table showing the type of revision support that will be provided for each course

2.            Exam exceptional circumstances service (available while exams are taking place)

This service is available for learners who are unable to attend an exam due to a reason beyond their control, such as a medical condition (including Covid-19 related absence) or bereavement, or who are affected by disruption on the day of the exam as reported by the Chief Invigilator.

3.            Grading (takes place once exams have been sat and marked)

In recognition of the disruption that learners have faced over the last two years, and the different approaches to assessment, this year SQA will be more generous in their approach to grading than in a normal year to factor in the impact of the pandemic on learners. In line with the approach being taken across the rest of the UK, SQA therefore expects that the overall outcomes in 2022 will represent an intermediary position between 2021 and pre-pandemic years.

4.            Appeals service 2022 (after results have been published)

All parts of the Scottish education system agree that, as in any year, it is important that there is an appeals process available for learners who want to question their SQA results. In 2022, all learners will continue to have free direct access to the appeals service and a priority service will also be available for those applying to university, college, training or employment.

The full article is available on the SQA website.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

SQA have also published answers to common questions about 2022 exams/contingency plans and about the exceptional circumstances and appeals services.

Thank you for your continued support,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

5-21-year-olds

As of Monday 10 January, 5-21-year-olds living in Scotland can apply for free bus travel from 31 January 2022.

Because of Covid-19, please only apply now if it is essential you, or your child if under 16, travel while restrictions<https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/?utm_source=redirect&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=coronavirus> are in place. All other eligible applicants will be asked to apply later.

Even if you already have a National Entitlement Card or Young Scot National Entitlement Card, you must apply for a new or replacement card to travel by bus for free.

Visit the Transport Scotland<https://www.transport.gov.scot/concessionary-travel/young-persons-free-bus-travel-scheme/> website to find out more

How to apply

Parents or guardians of under 16s must apply on their behalf and give approval for the free bus travel card to be activated.

Young people aged 16 years and over can apply themselves.

Children under 5-years-old already travel on buses for free.
 

Apply online at <https://getyournec.scot/nec/>

You will need to sign in using your mygovscot myaccount.

  *   Register for a mygov.scot account if you don't already have one<https://www.mygov.scot/myaccount>

You will need proof of you and your child’s identity and proof of your address.

Proof of identity for a parent/guardian can be a passport, driving licence or a YOTI account<https://www.yoti.com/> (YOTI is a secure digital ID)

  *   More information about what proof you need<https://getyournec.scot/nec/>

This information is also available on the council website at https://www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/200280/travel_passes/112/bus_pass/3

Dear Parents/Carers, 

As we approach the Christmas holidays we are again being encouraged to take a cautionary approach in all that we do in schools to help restrict the spread of the new COVID-19 variant (see message below from NHS Health Protection Team).

While there has not been any requirement to increase any restrictions or mitigations in the school, the importance of maintaining the established good practice cannot be overstated.

We continue to sanitise hands, check and issue face-coverings and monitor pupil transit around the campus. Classrooms are all now fitted with CO2 monitors to ensure that there is good ventilation at all times. Of course good ventilation means that windows and doors need to be open, so it is important that pupils have their school hoodie and a warm jacket to ensure they can be comfortable during lessons. 

Pupils have been overwhelmingly positive about all the precautions in place and I would ask that you keep encouraging your child to look after themselves and others by continuing this thoughtful cooperation.
?

NHS Lothian Health Protection Team
As you may be aware from the news, a more precautionary approach is currently being taken for the new variant of COVID-19 ‘Omicron’, until more information is gathered about this variant. Therefore, this may mean a change in the way that the ‘close contacts’ of people who test positive for the new variant are identified, and what advice is given to them. Please pay attention to any updates from the school, and check the NHS inform website for more information.  

 
One of the measures that plays a huge part in monitoring the impact of COVID-19 and any variants is regular testing. As you will be aware we have free LFD testing kits available for all pupils and we are encouraged to take and report a test twice a week. More information on why we should test for COVID regularly is available on the school website. 

Unfortunately there is no Christmas Concert to look forward to this term but we have got a couple of COVID safe events planned to get us ready for the big day. Next Friday will be our Christmas Jumper Day and Monday the 17th will see S1-3 taking part in the Santa Walk in the morning, with our Merits Celebrations taking place in classes in the afternoon.

Finally, this Monday evening sees the final Parents' Council Meeting of the term via Zoom. All parents are very welcome and if you would like to join, please contact the school for the meeting link. 

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Scottish Government Free Bus Travel for Under 22s - Survey
 

Do you have a child aged 5-16, or are you a young person aged 12-21? If so, please complete a short travel survey from the Scottish Government Transport Analytical Services Division for a chance to win up to £250 in Love2Shop vouchers.
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The Scottish Government will soon be launching the Free Bus Travel Scheme for young people between the ages of 5 and 21. This aims to encourage greener travel patterns, and increase opportunities for young people to engage in employment, education and social activities and not be excluded due to travel costs. Transport Scotland will monitor the scheme as it progresses to check on use and impact. The first step is to try and understand current travel patterns so that any changes after the scheme is introduced can be identified.
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We would be grateful if parents/carers of younger children (i.e. those aged 5-16), or young people aged 12-21 themselves, could complete this short travel survey. The questionnaire asks about current travel behaviour, and your thoughts about bus travel generally and the free bus travel. This should take no more than 10 minutes to do.

online1.snapsurveys.com/under22travelsurvey

The closing date for all responses is 24th January 2022.

Please note that the date for the rollout of Chromebooks to all S1-3 pupils has been brought forward to Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th of December.

This means we need the Parental Acknowledgement Form completed by Monday 6 December to ensure that a Chromebook can be issued to your child.

Full details of the Equipped for Learning programme, including frequently asked questions about the Chromebook rollout, are available on the school website www.stdavidshighschool.co.uk/digital_learning/equipped_for_learning.html 
 

Dear Parents and Carers

The end of another busy week!

We have held our first 'live' mass in school since the start of lockdown; run a trip for BGE pupils to Beauty and the Beast, The Musical; launched a new Duke of Edinburgh group for S3s; had boys and girls football teams in action against a number of other schools; seen Pupil Voice launch ambitious plans to brighten and smarten up the school social areas; and to cap it all we have been told that we have achieved our Bronze Rights Respecting School Award! It almost feels normal!

Well done and thanks to all pupils and staff involved in the various activities, it is wonderful to see so many truly joyous events back in the school.

Of course, things do keep moving on and next week promises to be just as exciting starting with our rearranged P7 Open Evening (Online) from 7.00pm on Monday 8 November. If you would like to attend, please email us at St-Davids.HS@midlothian.gov.uk and we will forward the Zoom meet details.

On Tuesday our Senior Phase (S4-6) pupils will be receiving their Chromebooks to support digital learning at home and in school. This will give a tremendous boost to learning and teaching and we are anxious to make sure all pupils have access to these devices from Tuesday. In order to make sure your child is able to pick up the device we need parents and carers to complete the online acknowledgement form by following the link in the Equipped for Learning information. This information has already been emailed home but is also available on the school website. 

Our S5/6 Parents' Evening is on Thursday, 11 November and details of how to sign up to the online appointments have already been shared with parents. We are using a new video system for appointments, following good feedback from other schools, so hopefully it will be an enhanced experience for all. One word of warning though, the appointments are 5 minutes and when the time is up, the system ends the discussion. Make sure you have questions ready to go for each teacher.

Again, if you need any more info, please get in touch with us.

School Lunches
We have just been made aware that school lunches will be available on the Campus from Monday 29 November. This is great news and we will now be working with the catering team to put the processes and procedures in place to deliver the meals safely.

There will be more information available over the next couple of weeks, particularly for parents of S1 and S2 pupils who have never accessed in-school catering in secondary school. 

Payment for school meals use a cashless system, where pupils pay using their National Entitlement (Young Scot) Card or PIN number. Money can be put into their school meal accounts using ParentPay or by using the in school coin operated machines. Details of how to activate your ParentPay account were sent out at the start of the year but if you need the information again please contact the school office. Email - St-Davids.HS@midlothian.gov.uk 
 

School of Football Fundraising event 

On the 13th October, our S1-3 School of Football pupils took to the pitch for the 'Non-stop Penalty Pressure' fundraising event. This put their shooting skills to the test for 2 hours challenging them physically and mentally. The grand total of £1618 was raised which is a truly fantastic effort. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the event and pass on our gratitude to all who made a donation. 

Thanks for your continued support for the school and have a wonderful weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer

It has been a incredibly fast seven weeks since we returned to school in August and I cannot believe we are only a couple of weeks away from our October break. It will be Christmas before we know it!

COVID does remain one of our biggest challenges. Although the vaccine and changes to self-isolation requirements has stopped us having to send large groups home, the prevalence of the virus means that there is an ongoing need for PCR testing. The inevitable wait for these test results does continue to disrupt learning. The good news is that there are strong signs over the last two weeks that positive cases are dropping significantly.

With this in mind we are continuing to encourage everyone to test using the LFD kits available from the school. Full details and consent forms are available on the school website. You will also be aware that all 12-15year olds will be offered a single COVID vaccination, again details are available on the school website, National Clinical Director letter.

If you are not sure how to do or why you should take a home COVID Test, watch this video from Leah and Leanne in S6  - How to take a lateral flow test.

The extension of the COVID restrictions in schools means that we are not able to go ahead with our 'normal' plans for Senior Awards and Open Evening. These events will be delivered virtually, as last year.

The Senior Awards Ceremony will take place on the morning of the 13 October and it is our intention to record and share the event with all parents and carers, as soon as possible after that.

Our Open Evening will be on Wednesday 3 November with further details to be shared over the next few weeks.

We are also still awaiting an update on when school meals will be available on the Campus. Midlothian are reviewing the current provision on a weekly basis and we will pass on information as soon as it is available. The latest information for free school meal payments is now available on the council website.

Today sees the start of Black History Month and pupils and staff will be getting the opportunity to investigate and celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups, many of whom have had to fight against prejudice and hate to succeed in their lives. As we aspire to achieve our status as a Rights Respecting School, this month gives us the perfect opportunity to reflect on how we all have a duty to look at how we can all work together to remove any barriers that may prevent others achieving. 

Finally we have our first Parents' Council Meeting on Monday (4 October) Evening, to which all are very welcome. If you would like to join us online for the meeting, please email St-Davids.HS@midlothian.gov.uk for the link.

Thank you for your continued support

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Letter to Parents and Carers from Jason Leitch National Clinical Director - 16 September 2021

[pdf 164KB]

Dear Parents and Carers

Please see attached a very important update from NHS Lothian regarding the new procedures for tracking and tracing close contacts of COVID positive cases (Test and Protect).

We are reminded of the need to keep on testing regularly using the LFD kits available in school and to continue following the safety procedures (sanitising hands, wearing face coverings, wiping down equipment etc).
 

It is perhaps worthwhile remembering that while there have been some changes to the self-isolation procedures, if you do have COVID symptoms you and your household still need to act.

•  Symptomatic individuals: must still self-isolate immediately when symptoms of COVID-19 start and get tested, and their household should all self isolate as well until the test result is received
• Individuals who test positive for COVID-19: must still self-isolate and complete 10 full days of isolation regardless of vaccination status, or any further test results after their initial positive test.

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

ParentCarers Letter Schools 10 Sept 2021

[pdf 211KB]

Dear Parents and Carers

I am delighted to say pupils have now completed all of their SQA Assessments and we are well into the task of marking, cross-marking, verifying marks with other schools across the authority. The next stage is checking and double checking grades and awards before the submission to SQA on Friday 25 June.

A reminder that we will share grades with pupils on 23 June, we will hand out a copy to S4 and S5 in school and post home to S6.

Thanks to pupils, teachers and support staff for their tremendous efforts over the last few, very busy weeks.

COVID  Update

Unfortunately, COVID has not gone away and current experience is suggesting that young people seem much more susceptible to the latest variant. In particular there appears to be more transmission of the variant between young people when positive cases have been identified. This has led to a wider approach being taken by Health Protection where siblings of close contacts are now being asked to self isolate until they can be tested. There are an increasing number of positive cases in and beyond the school community but so far the enhanced self-isolation measures are keeping the impact in the school manageable. Let us hope and pray that all those contracting the virus stay well and recover quickly.

It does of course remind us of the importance of following the mitigations still in place - Face-coverings, hand-sanitising, fresh air and wiping down desks and equipment.

We are also encouraging pupils to test regularly using the LFD tests available from the school. Full details of how to sign up for testing is available on the school website. The consent form can be completed online using the link in the St David's Parent Testing Letter.

Timetable Change

It has now been confirmed that we will be changing our timetable for the last week of term, 21 June 2021. We will let pupils know when and where they will get their timetables in the next couple of days.

This week has been Euros Week and it has been great to see how positively pupils have engaged with the programme.

Some brilliant in class activities all over the school, class football tournaments tomorrow and Scotland v Czech Republic on Monday! Of course it is particularly impressive to see the Craft and Design department put their new laser cutter/engraver to such good use.

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

All pupils will return to school, full-time, without the requirement for 2m social distancing, from Tuesday 20 April 2021.

COVID health and safety processes and procedures outlined in the presentation will remain in place.

AprilReturn18042021

[pdf 2MB]

Return to School

Following the update from the Scottish Government on 6 April 2021, we are delighted to report that all pupils will be returning to school from Tuesday 20 April 2021.

The main change for the return is that pupils will no longer be required to adhere to the 2m social distancing in school. The existing COVID protocols however including face-coverings, hand-sanitising and equipment cleaning will still be in place. 

I will share more details about coming back to school towards the end of the Easter Break.

Easter Study Support

The updated guidance referred to above, comes into effect from Monday 12 April. Therefore senior phase students coming along to the study sessions next week will not require to follow the 2m social distancing but will be expected to wear face-coverings at all times in the building and follow all of the other COVID mitigations that have become the norm.

If any more students would like to come along, they should sign up using the form in the Student Notices Google Classroom (see post from Miss Blackhall on 22 March). We require an emergency contact number for all students attending and those under 16 should ensure a parent or carer completes the consent section of the form. 

The Easter Study Programme and the Summer Assessment Calendar are now both available on the school website.

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer

Please see attached information from Midlothian Council regarding our return to school on Tuesday 20 March 2021. We are confident that we will have all of our pupils back in the building at the start of term but I will be in touch with return to school details during the holidays once this has been confirmed by the Deputy First Minister.
There is also some important information for parents of senior phase pupils included below as we prepare to move into an important term for those seeking SQA awards.

Thanks to everyone, pupils, parents, carers and staff for your tremendous contribution throughout this term, enjoy a peaceful and restful Easter.

D MacDonald, Headteacher

St David’s High Alternative Certification Model (ACM) 2021 

Summer Term Assessments 

As staff and senior phase pupils continue to prepare for the SQA Alternative Certification Model we have produced a Class and Practical Assessment Calendar and a Summer Assessment Calendar.  These calendars will allow pupils time to fully prepare and revise and also to identify any potential clashes or concerns.   Having this clear plan for the term will allow us to make any necessary adaptations for individuals or groups of pupils as required. 

We are very aware of the pressures on young people in the Senior Phase given the challenges of this past year.  All of our staff are fully committed to supporting our young people in achieving their very best in this final term.  Our main focus when we return will continue to be delivering course content.   As the term progresses this will increasingly include gathering of evidence such as in class assessments and practicals. 

This evidence is important in the Alternative Certification Model as the provisional grades must be awarded based on demonstrated attainment by the young person. We have been very mindful of the published guidance in planning our assessments to give our young people the best opportunity to succeed. The SQA for example have stated that prelim type assessments using national question papers provide the best evidence, class tests give good indication of understanding in units and topics, with the evidence from classwork and homework considered less strong.

We will have a further Parents Information Evening at 7.00pm on Wednesday 21 April 2021. Please email the St-Davids.HS@midlothian.gov.uk for Zoom Meeting details if you would like to join us.

Easter Study Support

A reminder that the Easter School will be taking place from Monday 12th - Fri 16th April and is open to all S4-6 students. Morning sessions will run from 8.40-11.30am and Afternoon sessions will run from 12.15-3.15pm. All students who attend MUST be able to make their own way to and from the campus.

Class/Practical Assessment Calendar, Summer Assessment Calendar and the Easter Study Programme are all available in the Student Notices Google Classroom (Code f3qpzmd) and will be posted on the school website as soon as the server is back up and working.

It was announced by Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister, that all secondary school pupils will receive some in-school learning from Monday, 15^th March. This will take the form of a blended learning approach with remote learning sitting alongside the in-school learning that schools can offer.  The priority will be the senior phase pupils who are preparing for national qualifications. For all pupils, we consider the return to be just as important for health and well-being as it is for learning.

BlendedLearningParentsComms09032021

[pdf 591KB]

Dear Parent/Carer

A reminder that we have a very different start to the term this year, particularly following on from the First Minister's announcement of a national lockdown from today.

No pupils will be in school tomorrow, Wednesday 6 January, in line with the information shared by Midlothian Council on 22 December 2020. On Thursday and Friday (7 & 8) the school will provide critical childcare only for key workers and for our most vulnerable children and young people. 

If you have applied for a key worker place for your child, we will be in touch during the day tomorrow (Wednesday) to confirm the placement or to check if you still require the place. We will also be in touch with other families who may require some additional support to offer their children some time in school, in line with the national guidance. 

As the concern over transfer of the virus now extends to children of 11 years and older, all pupils (not exempt) in the above groups and staff will be expected to wear a face covering at all times and follow social distance requirements when in school. 

I would stress that we are being pressured to 'limit human contact' for all staff and pupils so we need to be very careful about the numbers (of pupils and staff) we bring in to the school each day.

Online learning will begin on Monday 11 January and we will share more information about that over the next couple of days. However it is our intention to continue teaching the current timetable so pupils need to make sure they have their GLOW passwords and Google Classrooms all up to date. There have been constant reminders in classes throughout the session so far, with some pupils having to have passwords reset very regularly, but now we need everyone ready. There is lots of help available on the school website and you can use our Digital Helpline if you still need guidance.

We have issued a great number of Chromebooks since the start of lockdown but the current world shortage means that we are still waiting to fulfil some of the more recent requests. As soon as we have the equipment, it will be distributed.

Here's to a Happy and Safe New Year as we make our way through this challenging time,

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Good afternoon 

Today marks the end of a very successful first full week back for all of our young people. Once again, I must commend the positive attitude that the pupils have brought back to their learning and dealing with the COVID changes. It is also great to see our S1s becoming more and more assured as they move from class to class.

The challenge is for us all to maintain the high standards of hygiene and consideration for others as we get more relaxed and comfortable back at school. The national return has seen a number of COVID cases in schools across Scotland and I would urge all parents and carers to keep reinforcing the stay safe messages (FACTS) to all young people. In this regard we continue to encourage the wearing of face coverings on the buses and in classes. The nature of the virus suggests that this is most important for our seniors or where pupils may be moving around the classroom during the lesson, in Design & Manufacture for example.

Finally, we have received the following advice from Midlothian Council for those who may have to present for a COVID test.

Following a child or staff member with symptoms being tested, schools should seek visual confirmation of a negative test result from the parent or staff member before allowing them to return to the school. They will have received this in text or email form.

If the parent or staff member refuses to show the text or email then Head Teachers can email the health protection inbox with information about specific children / staff and receive the results. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Have a good weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Good afternoon

Well we have finally made it to the summer holidays and given the announcement from John Swinney on Tuesday, we are optimistic that August will see schools back to something approaching normal. 

Return to School in August

In case you missed the statement, the Scottish Government announced on Tuesday that we would be working towards a full return for all pupils in August. While this is excellent news, it is dependent on the continued suppression of the COVID-19 virus across the country. The final decision will be communicated to us all by the 30 July 2020.

This means that we have to have our Blended Learning Plans ready as a contingency, in case the progress against the virus is not sustained. 

We had an excellent online Parents' Meeting last night and one of the questions that was asked was about this contingency plan. How would they know which days their child would be attending? In order that you can have your own childcare or transport contingency plan, we will send out a text next week, with the days that your son or daughter will be with us, if we have to revert to the Blended Learning Model.

It has been a huge logistical exercise splitting the school into two equal groups that could be accommodated within the constraints of social distancing, so it will be very difficult to change the days allocated. Please do not contact the school immediately and request a change, remember if we get the go ahead from John Swinney by the 30 July, we all will be back in school full time anyway! 

The presentation from last night's meeting, including some responses to questions raised, is available on the school website.

Free School Meals during the Summer Period (Message from Midlothian Council)

Since 24 March children have been receiving a free school meal through the provision of direct payments, home deliveries and provision in educational or early year’s settings. Midlothian Council have agreed to continue to provide free school meal provision as a BACS payment over the summer to our  most vulnerable families due to the increased range of people facing new or continuing barriers to accessing food including due to reduced income. If you have been receiving a packed lunch delivery your school or nursery will contact you to make arrangements for payments. Parents currently receiving BACS will continue to do so and no action is required.  Payments will made 4 weekly, in advance from Friday 26.6.20.   This payment method will remain in place until national guidance on the reopening of schools and return to the new normal is confirmed.  Please email any enquiries to education-covid19@midlothian.gov.uk.

It has been a quite extraordinary few months for everyone and I hope and pray that August will see us all back together, working hard to deliver the very best for our school community. I have been so proud of the way in which staff have been so creative and committed to keep in touch with pupils, families and each other and all the while coping with their own lockdown challenges as parents and carers. I do not need to tell anyone how difficult home learning has been! 

This has been a really challenging time for us all, but it has also provided us with a different way of working and communicating. I was delighted to welcome over 50 families online for our meeting last night. How did we cope before Zoom? The immediacy of last night's meeting and the very helpful feedback makes me think that this is an approach we could use in the future to extend the parental voice and support the work of our Parents' Council. I have also loved our regular staff get togethers online, for our team meetings or the special coffee and cake get togethers. We are so very, very lucky to have such a close and committed team in St David's and this has been so important in getting us through this crisis and will be just as important in getting us back to normal in August.

Finally thanks to every one of you as parent or pupil for your commitment and support, it has been a challenge but you have risen to it brilliantly and I hope you get the chance to have a break over the next few weeks of the summer holidays. 

We have made it to the holidays and to quote the staff band 'We are Still Standing'. 

All the very best to you and your families

D MacDonald, Headteacher

Dear Parents/Carers

I hope you are all well and are able to take advantage of the beautiful weather either today or over the weekend. Yesterday’s announcement from the First Minister’s allowing people from two households to meet (outside and at least two metres apart) will be a huge relief for so many families. I am sure there will be a great many happy ‘reunions’ with grannies and grandads, aunts and uncles and friends and neighbours in parks and gardens across Mid and East Lothian this weekend! 

Once again it feels that we are moving forward, albeit very slowly, in the battle with the virus. The challenge now is to heed the cautionary note from the First Minister, that the progress has only been made by everyone playing their part throughout the first period of lockdown. For young people especially this is a tough but necessary message. We need to continue to social distance, avoid any large gatherings and of course keep washing our hands.

Planning for getting the school ready has been moving forward all week, with the local authority providing very welcome support particularly around preparing the building for our safe return and developing guidance around hygiene and cleaning. More details about the return for pupils and staff are included in the attached letter from Midlothian Council

Moving forward together as a community, as we plan the return, will be incredibly important and I am indebted to the Parents’ Council who gave up their time on a beautiful sunny Wednesday evening to share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead. I look forward to hearing the views from more parents and pupils about our plans as they develop over the next few weeks. The first consultation will be around opening up the school wifi from August to support the blended learning approach that is likely to be in place. Look out for the survey over the course of the next week.
 

P7-S1 Transition 

Planning for our Virtual Two Day Visit for Primary 7 pupils is almost complete and our Pupil Support Team are getting in touch with all new P7 parents to answer any pressing questions and most importantly to just say hello and welcome! I have to say that the technological and creative expertise of colleagues in developing the transition activities and the soon to be launched Transition website has been unbelievably impressive. 

Here’s a taster of our 360 School Tour. Meet some of our Support Team by scrolling around the room and clicking on the video icons.

https://www.thinglink.com/video/1314972083440058371

School Leavers – The Class of 2020

It seems like an age since we all rushed out of school on the 20 March at the start of lockdown but we perhaps forget that at that point we were also planning for our Senior Phase pupils to be back in the building on the Monday completing their SQA work. The escalating situation over that weekend changed everything and for some of our pupils, including all our S6s, the 20 March was their last day ever in school. 

Clearly this situation has had a huge impact on all pupils across the world but for those getting ready to leave it is perhaps doubly painful as the opportunity to say goodbye and thank you has been taken away. I know I speak for all staff when I say that we understand and share this frustration. The opportunity to reflect and reminisce at the Leaver’s Ceremony and Prom is one of the highlights of any year.

It may not be quite the same, but we have been working hard to plan a virtual S6 Leaver’s Evening to celebrate your time at the school, so look out for your invitation very soon!

Finally to all of our leavers, if you are unsure as to what to do next and not sure who to turn to for help, get in touch with us here at the school. Your Guidance Teacher and Nicola Croft from SDS are still here to help. 

You may have left but you are still St David’s!

(See the Developing Young Workforce page on the school website for more helpful information)

All the very best

D MacDonald, Headteacher
 

Reminders

• If your child needs GLOW or Show My Homework details, use the form on the school website.
• All pupils have been sent, via Show My Homework, a link for the new Digital Helpsite if they need help in using Google Classroom or Show my Homework
• If you or your child would like to get in touch with Guidance, use the Pupil Login form on the website.
• There is also the opportunity to borrow a Chromebook from the council if required. Go to the 'Chromebook Loan' tab in the top right of the microsite above and complete the form 
• If you are a keyworker and you would like to access care for your child for the weeks ahead, please complete the online form https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Emergplacewb2303/

Well, it may still be a fair way off, but it does feel after, yesterday’s message from Nicola Sturgeon, as if we can see the first glimmers of light on the horizon for getting back to school.

While we are awaiting more detailed guidance from the Scottish Government over the next couple of weeks, the general position is that teachers will be returning to schools in the middle of June and pupils will return from the 11 August.

The government have been careful to stress that the health and wellbeing and safety of pupils and staff will be the key priorities for the planned return to school. This will of course have implications for the nature of learning on offer in August (most likely a mix of classroom and distance learning) and the numbers of pupils in the school building at any given time.

The agreement reached between councils, professional associations and parent representatives means that:

• schools will implement physical distancing measures, such as providing seating that is two metres apart and staggering arrival, departure and break times
• increased hand-washing or use of hand sanitisers, enhanced cleaning, robust protocols for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases and ongoing risk assessments will be implemented
• class sizes will be significantly reduced as a result of the new way of working, with most pupils spending around half their time in class and half learning at home. Time in school will increase further as soon as it is safe to do so
• teachers and other education staff will return in June - subject to appropriate safety assessments being completed - to prepare and plan for the new way of working and welcoming pupils back
• existing ‘hubs’ will continue to run to provide vulnerable children and those of key workers with childcare over the summer
• the school estate will be expanded where necessary and possible by using libraries, community halls, leisure centres, conference venues or taking short-term leases of vacant business accommodation to increase the time children can spend with their teachers
• innovative use will be made of existing teachers and staff and, where necessary, consider the role former teachers can play either by returning to the classroom or teaching virtually to support in-home learning

The teachers return in June will allow for detailed planning and preparation for the return of pupils in August. It may also provide an opportunity to complete some, limited, transition work with our Primary 7 pupils before they join us after the summer.

I am well aware that this information, while a welcome step forward, will raise a huge number of questions from pupils, parents and staff. At the moment, many of the answers might not be readily available simply because of the unprecedented circumstances that we find ourselves in. However, now that we have the ‘roadmap’ from the Scottish Government, our more detailed planning can be stepped up with a clear goal in sight.

We are already working with Midlothian Council, Scottish Government and the South East Improvement Collaborative to develop a clear plan for providing the best possible educational offer for our pupils next session but we must now make sure that we include the whole St David’s community in this discussion. I will meet with the Parents’ Council, in the first instance, to discuss the plan and how we can best engage as many parents and pupils as possible.

Distance Learning and New Classes

Our new distance learning framework is up and running and we are seeing good engagement from pupils in much of the work posted by teachers. Please keep encouraging your child to use Show My Homework to keep up to date with the work posted.

All senior phase pupils should now be signed up with their new classes and engaged with the set assignments. Engaging with coursework is particularly important for those studying towards National Qualifications, especially given the cancellation of exams this year.

Given that the pupil return is likely to be significantly different to the normal school week, we will not be issuing new timetables to pupils at this time. Pupils should follow the distance learning framework for their new classes and options. We will aim to send out confirmed options for all pupils over the next two weeks, as staffing allows.

Many thanks for your continued support and keep posting the home learning triumphs on Twitter @StDavidsHS, it’s always great to catch up with how our young people are doing in these funny old times.

All the very best to all,

D MacDonald, Headteacher  

Reminders

• If your child needs GLOW or Show My Homework details, use the form on the school website.
• All pupils have been sent, via Show My Homework, a link for the new Digital Helpsite if they need help in using Google Classroom or Show my Homework
• If you or your child would like to get in touch with Guidance, use the Pupil Login form on the website.
• There is also the opportunity to borrow a Chromebook from the council if required. Go to the 'Chromebook Loan' tab in the top right of the microsite above and complete the form as soon as
• If you are a keyworker and you would like to access care for your child for the weeks ahead, please complete the online form https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Emergplacewb2303/

Dear Parent/Carer

It is very easy in these locked-down times to lose track of what day of the week we are on and where we are in the school, and perhaps family, calendar.  

Tomorrow as you will no doubt be aware from the news, is the 75th Anniversary of VE Day and as such is a public holiday. So there is a break from home learning for all pupils (and parents/carers!). Teachers will also not be posting work for students on Monday 18 May as this is a planned In Service Day for all staff.


Option Choices and New Classes

As mentioned previously pupils (S2, S3, S4 & S5) will be moving into their new option choices from Tuesday 19 May. Teachers are currently creating the new classes in Show My Homework and will over the next week be contacting pupils through the app to make sure they are ready to start work. Please encourage your child to keep checking Show My Homework.

Students will be following the choices that they made in Term 2 unless Ms Lewis has discussed and confirmed a subject change. 

It is important that all students, particularly in the Senior Phase make sure that they are ready to engage in their new classwork as they set out towards the 2021 exam diet. (See the links below if support is required).

S1 pupils will be continuing their broad general education work into S2.
 

Transition Planning for P7 into S1

We are now well into the planning for a virtual transition programme for our upcoming first years. We will be working to make the experience as real and as interactive as possible in line with the Midlothian Council P7 to S1 Transition guidance. As well as planned online activities for the Virtual Two Day Visit, we will shortly be sharing our virtual tour of St David's High. This will allow you to walk-through the corridors and visit classrooms across the school, all from the comfort of home! If nothing else, this situation is certainly helping our technological skills leap forward.

Of course, underpinning the planning for the virtual programme Mrs Oliver, Mrs Williamson and Mr Maxwell are in ongoing contact with our primary colleagues to ensure we have all the information needed for the pupils to start S1, whenever we get the green light.


And finally, thanks to all of the staff who got together (online) to record a St David's version of the classic, Stand By Me. We're all looking forward to getting the school back together, soon.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsidqmCTNg8

Take care and enjoy the long weekend,

D MacDonald, Headteacher

 

Reminders

• If your child needs GLOW or Show My Homework details, use the form on the school website.
• All pupils have been sent, via Show My Homework, a link for the new Digital Helpsite if they need help in using Google Classroom or Show my Homework
• If you or your child would like to get in touch with Guidance, use the Pupil Login form on the website.
• There is also the opportunity to borrow a Chromebook from the council if required. Go to the 'Chromebook Loan' tab in the top right of the microsite above and complete the form as soon as
• If you are a keyworker and you would like to access care for your child for the weeks ahead, please complete the online form https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Emergplacewb2303/

Dear Parent/Carer

Attached, below, is the framework that we will be following from Monday 27 April 2020 for the issuing, and return, of class work for S1-3 pupils. Work will be issued by teachers on the day indicated with the expectation that this should be completed over the course of the week.

Teachers will still be issuing work for senior phase pupils, generally on a weekly basis, until we move forward into new option choices by the week beginning 18 May 2020. This work is designed to help prepare for the next level of study, so pupils should be encouraged to complete as much of the work as they can.

I would also draw your attention to a statement from Midlothian Council regarding SQA Awards for 2020.

Many thanks for your continued hard work supporting learning at home.

Yours

D MacDonald, Headteacher

BGEDistanceLearningFramework

[pdf 524KB]

I am sure you will have many questions about aspects of your child’s education and our schools will provide you directly with further information on aspects such as arrangements for transition, reporting and SQA and other qualifications at the start of the summer term next week.

I thank you for your understanding and continuing support throughout this challenging period. 

Yours sincerely

Fiona Robertson

Executive Director Children, Young People & Partnerships

cathy.lailvaux@midlothian.gov.uk

SQA Announcement 24 March 2020 – Coursework

As you will be aware the SQA has now made a significant announcement regarding coursework. This statement can be accessed via the link below.

In effect the SQA has confirmed that, in order to comply with public health advice, they will not uplift or mark any Higher or Advanced Higher coursework. However, this work can be ‘used as part of the suite of evidence for teachers and lecturers to draw on as they consider estimated grades.’

National 5 coursework that was submitted earlier this month will be assessed by SQA markers, but any National 5 coursework that was due for submission in April or May will not be uplifted or marked. Again, any work that remains in school will be considered by our staff as they work towards finalising students’ estimate grades.

Where appropriate, and in line with SQA guidance, some coursework may continue to be progressed online under teacher direction. However, most N5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses require strict adherence to SQA assessment arrangements and so, for this reason, work completed at home on these courses cannot be considered by staff as they review the evidence that underpins the estimate grade.

For this reason, we would ask that you do not contact staff directly to ask them to take account of any work students have undertaken at home.

We understand that this is a very frustrating time but please be reassured we will follow the guidance we have been given, by the SQA and the Scottish Government, to ensure that all students are provided with a fair and equitable service at this unprecedented time.

Full SQA Statement     https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/93658.html

Distance Learning
Staff are working hard to make online learning available via Show My Homework, with over 400 pieces of work posted in the last week alone. This work is available for all year groups and we hope our students are enjoying engaging with our online learning resources and interactions with staff. There should be plenty to keep all of our learners busy.

S1-S3 have work set regularly, some of which is to be submitted for feedback. S4-6 will have a number of tutorials and assignments to engage with to prepare for their next levels of study in school or as they move on to their other place of study or work.

Show My Homework Posts 18-25 March 2020

S1        130
S2        109
S3        80
S4        51
S5/6     49

Remember if you require Show My Homework or Glow details for your child please use the form on our website to request help.

We have just been informed, Sunday 22 March 2020, by John Swinney, Depute First Minister of updated advice to all local authorities in relation to S4-S6 pupils. As a result of this advice, S4-S6 pupils should NOT go into school for any reason. An exception, however, is vulnerable S4-S6 pupils who access Complex Needs Provision. They should follow individual arrangements already in place for them with their school.

Instead, where possible, S4-S6 pupils, should finish their course work at home and schools will make arrangements to provide further guidance and support to S4-S6 pupils in due course. Schools, as of tomorrow, Monday 23 March 2020, will be working with staff to plan this support.

Further details will be coming from the SQA about how pupils’ qualifications and achievements will be graded in the light of this latest decision announced today by Deputy First Minister, John Swinney.

Click here for a copy of the announcement https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-scotland-51987906