Penicuik High School
Parental Newsletter June 2006
I am pleased to be able to write to update you on what has been happening at Penicuik High School since our last newsletter at Easter time.
School Uniform
As of August 22nd Penicuik High School will have a very much simplified school dress code.
White shirt or blouse
Black V neck jumper or cardigan
School tie
Black trousers or skirt
Black shoes
This code is compulsory for all pupils from S1-S6.
I am delighted that so many parents supported the idea of a school uniform and I thank you for this support that you have demonstrated towards the school.
The Parents Association have also given their support through the purchase of a tie for each pupil.
Each pupil in S1-S4 should receive a school tie before the school breaks up on 30th June, if your son or daughter doesn�t get one please contact the school.
Our senior pupils will have a different colour and design of tie which they will select. These ties will not be available until the end of the school holidays due to the need to have the selected design printed up.
This policy will be rigorously enforced to demonstrate the support that the school will give to parents who will invest their hard earned cash in school clothes.
Black jumpers with or without the school crest are available to order from the school office. Please find an order form available to download.
Please ensure that you only buy plain black jumpers (pullovers) without any logos and cardigans without zips or hoods.
School day and week.
The school day and week structure changed at the start of our new timetable in June, these seem to have little disruption to learning and teaching. I hope the new structures are proving to be parent friendly as well. Mr Alan Pithie, Depute Headteacher has done an excellent job on our new timetable which is a marked improvement on last year�s timetable with more opportunity for set classes by ability where they wish, to maximise learning and teaching.
Staffing
We bid farewell to a number of staff at the end of June.
Mr Alan McLure PT Modern Studies and Mr John Brady PT Guidance are both taking early retirement. Mrs Sheena Black PT Enterprise is moving to Lasswade High School. Three of our Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) are also leaving us, Mr Gavin Carruthers in Mathematics, Ms Wilma Frame in Geography and Ms Linda Howie in History.
We also say goodbye to members of staff who have been away on leave and have decided not to return to Penicuik High School, Mrs Pam McCruden in Art and Mr Adrian Martinez PT of PRS. We also have Ms Nicola McShannon from PE who is heading off to spend a year in Australia.
Our best wishes go with them all for the future.
Next session will see the arrival of 8 NQTs in Chemistry, Computing, Design Technology, English (2), Geography, Mathematics and PE. We will also have several new members of staff starting at Penicuik High School, more information will be given at the start of the new session once all the appointments have been made.
Transition
We welcomed our P7 pupils on a two day visit to the school in early June where they were able to follow their new timetables and attend the classes that they will have when they start at Penicuik High School in August. I was also delighted at the large turnout of parents at the evening meeting following the visit. If you have any concerns regarding any aspect of the transition programme please do not hesitate to contact Mr Donny MacDonald, Depute Headteacher.
SQA Exams
The major event over the last couple of months has been the SQA examinations. These went off very smoothly due in no small measure to the superb organisational skills of Mr David Innes, Depute Headteacher. My sincere thanks go to all who were involved in the exams, Invigilators, readers and Scribes and of course to our pupils who behaved so impeccably throughout the exam diet.
School Meal Price Increase
Please note that the price of a school meal will rise by 10 pence from �1.55 to �1.65 as of the start of the new session in August.
History Department Foreign Trip 2006
This year�s trip will be based in Luxemburg City, a nicely central position to let us visit a number of sites both in Luxembourg itself, in Germany and in France. The overall theme is curricular, that is to visit site associated with either the First or Second World Wars: two topics which appear in a number of our History Courses.
Personally it will be interesting ot see what has changed in the seven years since I last took pupils on this particular trip. I remember it was very difficult to navigate round Luxemburg City itself, especially since street name plates always seemed to be hidden and the local authority had an amusing habit of putting up diversion signs just before we returned after a day out! I also remember the screams of pure joy the pupils then let rip with when they found the high quality rooms they were about to bunk down in for several days! (Please note the mild sarcasm!) The food was good too. Well, McDonalds nearby was.
Items on the itinerary include visits to the site of the Battle of Waterloo, an exploration of the Battle of the Bulge through the Diekirch National Military Museum, a visit to Verdun and one of its many defending forts, Fort Douaumont, and the Memorial Museum at Fleury. We will also visit one the underground forts of the Maginot Line, Fort Fermont, and have the pleasure of rolling along an electric railway for a kilometre underground! The price of war will be all too apparent both at Verdun and when we visit an American and German cemetery in Luxemburg itself.
On a lighter side are discos on the ferry, a visit to a winery, a float on a boat on the Moselle and free time in Luxemburg City, Brugge, Durham and York. Is it any wonder the excitement is building!!
David Haire PT History
Penicuik HS Hockey
Penicuik High School was once a force to be reckoned with on the hockey field, regularly fielding as many as 6 XI�s, under the coaching of Mr John Chisholm (Maths). Now, for the first time in many years, Penicuik High School has started to play hockey again, thanks to the efforts of Ms Yvonne Baillie (volunteer coach) and Ms Wilma Frame.
During this last season, Yvonne and Wilma have coached a group of players ranging from S1 to S6 who have combined with Lasswade High School, to form teams which have entered a number of competitions, helping to put Midlothian back on the hockey map.
Highlights of the year have been Penicuik/Lasswade Boys playing in the Scottish Cup against Fettes College and against Currie High School in the Scottish Plate, both very high quality teams. Although beaten on both occasions, the boys were highly praised by the opposition for their excellent standard of hockey in their first competitive matches.
Penicuik/Lasswade Girls were not to be outdone, entering the St George�s tournament at Easter. The girls also acquitted themselves superbly in what was their first outing, playing some matches on grass and some on astro-turf, they were not overawed by their high class opposition:
- v Firrhill High School lost 0-1
- v St George�s drew 0-0
- v Currie High School lost 0-2
- v Balerno High School drew 0-0
- v Mary Erskine lost 0-1
This was a very enjoyable day, and showed just how far the girls have come in a very short space of time, especially playing against such long-established and experienced teams.
One of the most pleasing aspects has been the excellent way in which the boys and girls from Penicuik High School and Lasswade High School have got on so well together when practising, training and playing.
The P7 after-school hockey club has also been running in Penicuik High School and has seen some fine talent develop over the year, most of whom will be coming to the high school � so potential for a strong S1 team after the summer!
For the last few weeks the P7 children are training with the High School boys and girls, at the High School playing fields (pavilion) on Thursdays
from 3.45pm-4.45pm. Training will then resume after the summer ready for the new season!
Congratulations
Congratulations to Alastair Loudon 4A4 who has been awarded a prestigious Arkwright Scholarship for his work in Design and Technology. Only170 scholarships were awarded and Alastair was one of over 800 applicants from across the UK.
Alastair initially had to pass the Arkwright Selection paper which involved a series of Engineering Design problems. Having passed this he spent a day at Heriot Watt University where he was interviewed and took part in a team exercise.
An award of �950 will be shared between Alastair and the Design and Technology Department over the next two years. Alastair will formally receive his award at a ceremony at The Institution of Engineering and Technology in London in October.
Our congratulations go to Kieran Thomson who was presented with the Midlothian Disability Sports Award for Endeavour 2006.
Well done to Stephanie Hall who has been selected to play table tennis for Scottish Schools at a tournament on the Isle of Man.
This season several Penicuik High School students have been selected to represent the school in the Edinburgh City Schools Cricket Teams.
Under 15 level, Cameron Crawford, Grant Davidson, Ricky Davidson, Murray Gallacher, Peter How, Douglas Liddle, James McDonald and David Spearman all contributed to the team�s success, winning 4 out of 4 games. They played against Edinburgh Academy, Fettes College, Merchiston Castle and Stewarts Melville.
Ricky Davidson and Ross Liddle played at Under 13 level and their team won 3 out of 5 games.
Leavers� Evening
We held our inaugural Leavers� Evening in the assembly Hall in early June, Mr Donald MacKay Director of Education presented our leavers with a certificate and a farewell memento of their time at Penicuik High School, this was followed by a buffet and a ceilidh. Thanks to the Parents Association for their generous sponsorship of this event.
Parents Association
The Parents Association would like to take this opportunity of thanking all existing members of the 50/50 club for their continuing support throughout the past year.
The funds raised by you have been used to purchase various items and equipment for the school. For example a DVD printer, a school tie for every pupil, supporting visits to the school by a number of authors and the purchase of new lockers. We were also able to help fund the recent leavers� night, which was highly successful.
We would like to extend an invitation to all other parents to join the 50/50 club. This is an easy way of helping the school acquire much needed resources beyond those provided by the local authority.
For every regular payment of �5 a month you will be allocated a number, which is entered into a draw which takes place every month between August and June. Half the money collected is given out as prizes. The more people in the club, the more money we can give to the school as well as increasing the number of prizes paid out. A special end of term draw also takes place in June and December.
If you would like to find out more about the 50/50 club and how it helps support the school OR if you would like to join the Parents Association please come along to our next meeting, which will be detailed in the school calendar of events.
We hope that you all have a good summer and we look forward to meeting any new members at our first meeting next session.
50-50 Club draw winners from January 2006 to June 2006
January
N Topham, PG & J Baillie and S Dickson
February
K Wright, M Spearman and O Davey
March
D McFarlane, M Spearman and E Bramwell
April
L Alexander, W Hardie and L Ross
May
F Archibald, W Hardie and N Topham
June
L Ross, S Dickson, J & M Scott, R Merson and M Spearman
Learning Curve Filming
Learning Curve Film Productions were asked to produce a film of examples of good practice in Scottish Education and I am delighted to inform you that our Chemistry department was singled out for filming. The company are now moving into the post filming phase with the finished article going out to schools across Scotland in the new session.
The Big EASYE
My sincere thanks to all who organised a visit for the Big EASYE our S1-3 activity event at the end of May. I was very impressed with the whole event which has allowed us to consider running a whole school suspended timetable activity week during the final week of the session in June 2007. This will be the time when we will attempt to have our excursions abroad, residential visits and visits to various places of interest. More information will be provided early in the new term.
Can I record my thanks to Mr Andy Collins (PT Student Support) who pulled together so much of the pre-organisation of the events.
Meet the Management Team
Can I apologise for the fact that we were unable to have our final planned Meet the Management Team session during this term, I am afraid that we simply ran out of time. Our next session is planned for Monday October 2nd 2006 which will follow on from the Parents Association AGM at 7.00pm.
HMIe Inspection Report Action Plan.
Our inspection report was published on 2nd May. The school has prepared an action plan to respond to areas identified by the inspectors which required attention. A copy of this action plan is included with this newsletter and as always I would welcome your comments.
SQA Exam Results and Senior Re-coursing
Senior pupils who wish to change courses following their examination results which are due out on Tuesday 8th August are invited to visit on Wednesday 16th August from 11am-12noon to meet with members of senior management to discuss their course options.
Happy Holidays
May I wish each of you a very happy summer holiday and look forward to welcoming our beautifully attired students on their return on Tuesday 22nd August 2006.
Mark Edie
