STATEMENT FOR LEITH ACADEMY STAKEHOLDERS 19 MARCH 2020
I have attached a letter for Parents from Andy Gray, Chief Education Officer, Edinburgh Council for your information. There will be more Council updates to follow, please continue to check the council website and our Leith website / twitter.
Since yesterday we have had updates from different channels, the main one being from John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Deputy First Minister. I have detailed some of the main points in my briefing below. Many of the finer details are yet to be established but I will keep you updated as they arrive.
Thank you for taking the virus control steps where you can with appropriate distances, reducing large gatherings and staying off School (staff and pupils) if you or any family member has symptoms of a fever, temperature, cough.
Key points for now which are an extension of the points I made yesterday;
S6 Tomorrow
I have written to all S6 personally today to say how sorry and regretful I am that the end of their School life comes to a close in this way. It is the fault of no one but further indicates the seriousness of the position we find ourselves in. Tomorrow will be a normal day for the S6 where those who can will attend lessons in uniform as normal.
This is a difficult and challenging time for us all and I hope they understand this position with maturity. Once the air clears from the pandemic, I am keen to look into options where we could gather the S6 and staff together socially – we will see.
Online Learning on our website
The updates from organisations such as BBC, IntoFilm, HelpKidzLearn, Sumdog (many now free) are testament to how people are coming together to ensure there are updated activities on their websites to provide home learning. We will add new materials to our PUPILS page on our website as we get it.
Scottish Qualifications Authority
John Swinney has announced the exams are cancelled nationally. Updates will be forthcoming as to how we ensure pupils get certificated. This is a complex picture, be assured everything is being done in these extraordinary times to ensure everything that can be done, is.
The term Key Workers
The Council are working on what this term translates to as this may differ across different areas of the city / country. It is logically a national priority that those who work in front line services need support to be able to do their jobs. I am expecting greater clarity on this next week.
