As we finish the second last week and enter the last week of the School year it is certainly not filled with the usual emotions we associate with this time of year. That said we are working hard to provide some celebratory and enjoyable activities as befits the last weeks of the summer term alongside the significant recovery planning which is ongoing.
Some key points below; though I want to be upfront in stating there is daily, significant and changeable dialogue which will be ongoing into next week. As things continue to evolve I will communicate with stakeholders across Leith Academy and all our feeder Primary Schools.
Cashless Leith Academy
In light of the pandemic and the related risks of cross contamination, we are no longer using / taking any cash transactions. This applies to all aspects of purchase within School from Teachers, Pupils, Parents and Partners. It is important we have an up to date email address for every family. It is also important that every family has a Parent Pay account linked to Leith Academy to help pay for trips, lunches, equipment or whatever needs to be purchased. There will be no cash circulating. I have just set my own account up and it was user friendly. To help set up for August, the Parent Pay link is here https://www.parentpay.com/parents/ . If you have questions email Admin@leith.edin.sch.uk in the usual way.
Recovery Plan for June / August
People have been in the school this week helping with de-cluttering rooms and beginning to firm up plans for movement and spacing. It has also been great to have our support team in this last week supporting a large amount of essential behind the scenes work that allows us all to function come August.
Mr Stewart continues to press on with extremely challenging timetable manipulations whilst in the background the sands continue to shift as discussions are ongoing at Council and Govt level. We remain for now on our 1/3 plan for August and by next week I will be in a position to give indications as to which days we expect which pupils for week 1 and week 2 (conditions and parameters may well change by week 3).
P7 Parent Info Evening
Well done to our P7 / New S1’s over their virtual transition week. There have been so many positive learning engagements going on via our web page https://leithacademy.uk/parents/transition/ and through our Twitter feed @leithacademy .
On Monday evening I will do a Teams broadcast to P7 Parents with my Senior Team where we will share the usual messages we give to Parents at this time of year as we prepare for the new term, albeit in different circumstances. We start at 6.30pm and you will have hopefully received a link from you Primary School.
Health & Safety & Risk Assessments
Work is ongoing across our Teams H&S group on the plans. We are making good progress on areas such as signage, one way plans, use of exits, cleaning is now fully operational, infection control, sanitiser pumps for entry points are on way, PPE is in place for certain situations (illness or first aid needed for example), room planning as mentioned above and hygiene steps……to name a few areas. These are working documents created alongside the national guidance within which are the frameworks we base our RA’s on across Leith Academy, Edinburgh and Scotland. We are taking all considerations into account in planning a staged, safe return.
Drummond Hub
We did our last of several sessions in the Drummond Hub last Friday supporting the learning of keyworker children. My thanks to all staff who contributed to this aspect of the ongoing support we have tried to provide.
Evening of Celebration
We are not able to run our full evening….but we want to do something! Watch for next weeks addition. Congratulations to joint Leith Academy Dux winners 2020 Andrew Bulloch and James Hardie. A superb result which was great news for all. Other awards will be announced through next week as we try to keep the really positive and historical aspects of our Summer term in place. We are working on a small video presentation to then be shared.
Prefects
The Senior Team and House Head Team have worked through applications and interviews. We have be informed our new Prefect team by letter. Head Pupil (x2) requires a form to go to Staff and to all S6 and to all Prefects (they get 2 votes). From there we’ll pull the votes and move to the next step – this can wait till August. Well done to the 2020 Prefect Team…..watch for next weeks video?!
I appreciate it is Friday afternoon and this is my usual update slot as I await any developments from Council through the week. Given the changing landscape, I will no doubt communicate throughout next week directly to Parents in order to keep you as informed as I can. The change and uncertainty is challenging for us all, but thank you for your continued positivity and optimism to your children but also to the School.
Have a good weekend.
Mike Irving
Head Teacher
