Dear Parents,
This
academic year seems to have disappeared
in a flash and as the year ends we have
some staff leaving. Mary Radcliffe
retires after over 20 years of dedicated
service to the school. Many may think of
her as a Form IV teacher but her locus
extends much further than that as Senior
Teacher and it would be impossible for me
to list here all that she does and has
done: suffice to say there are a number
of people who are replacing her. Craig
and Emily McCarthy leave to take up posts
at The New Beacon School in Kent, Gemma
Douglas will become part of the Dollar
Academy PE staff from September while
Lynne Jenkins and her family are moving
back to Yorkshire.
We
have a number of new staff replacing
those who are leaving. Karen Thomson will
assume Mary’s role as a Form 5
teacher, Judith Page will take on the
teaching of Art in the Senior School
while Fiona Grant takes on the PE and
Girls’ Games role. Carol and Mark
Dibnah come to teach French, Latin, ICT,
Maths and some History between them and
Jonathan Doak will join Florence Proctor
teaching Science. Ruth Grahame also
returns from maternity leave to rejoin
Wendy Duncan in Form III. Jimmy Cox has
been appointed Director of Studies to
oversee academic development throughout
the school aided by Wendy Duncan and
Louisa Wood who take on posts as
Curriculum Co-ordinators in the Middle
and Junior Schools respectively.
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Mary Radcliffe |
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Children
in the new Forms 6, 7 and 8 will
be the first to benefit from a
change in the tutorial system.
Previously pupils in these years
have had a Form Registration
Teacher and an Academic Tutor.
These roles are being merged to
ensure greater continuity and the
Form Tutor will now have
responsibility for the academic,
extra-curricular, social and
pastoral development of their
form members. This will help the
children get the maximum benefit
from the school and give a single
point of contact for them and
their parents. The daily contact
that the tutors will have with
their tutees at registration is
being extended and so all
children should now be in their
classrooms by 8.30 am each
morning.
Our Common Entrance candidates
will all move on to the senior
school of their choice with many
achieving top grades. Tonight
sees the first performance of
“The Wizard of Oz”
towards which the children have
worked very hard during intense
rehearsals over a short period of
time. Inside information suggests
plenty of fun will be had by the
audience. We wish all of our
leavers every success at their
new schools. |
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We
have an increasing number of children
with special dietary needs because of
allergies etc. In order that we can
monitor carefully what these pupils eat,
if your child falls into this category
and you have not already done so please
put in writing to Mrs Rathborne the
specific needs along with professional
advice where appropriate. Please do not
deal directly with the kitchen staff.
Term
got off to a flying start with a party of
54 children from our Senior Choir and
Pipe Band touring Norway. The trip was a
great success with our musicians playing
to audiences ranging from primary age
school children to residents at an old
people’s home. The Summer Concert
was, once more, a triumph, the Music
Competition produced high class
performances and the Grade exams a very
high proportion of distinctions and
merits.
The
two new style Sports Days were both
successful and there was plenty of fine
athletic prowess on display. Two school
records were broken by Ross Davies over
the course of the term and we picked up
gold medals in five events at the
Scottish Prep Schools Athletics meeting
at Fettes. In a rain affected season the
1st XI were unbeaten and we had ten
representatives of the school in the two
Scottish Rounders teams. Our swimmers
performed well at the Merchiston Gala and
yesterday’s house Gala showed the
depth of talent in the pool.
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Sports Day |
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Form VI Camp |
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Form V E.S.B. Exams |
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The
camps for Forms V, VI and VII were all
highly successful with the children being
exposed to new experiences and being
taken out of their comfort zones. It is
through these types of activities that
they learn to work together, broaden
their interests and discover more about
themselves and each other.
The support for Sport Relief at the end
of last term raised surpassed our
expectation with over £6,400 being
raised – a big “thank you”
to all who supported the day. As always,
there have been other fund-raising
activities for charity, not least 2B’s
recent sumathon, and the collections
after performances by 2A and Form III for
Rachel House and the WWF respectively.
Your support is much appreciated.
Concern
for the environment has always been
important to the school community and we
are pleased to announce that we have now
nailed our colours to the mast and have
registered with Eco-Schools Scotland.
Small amounts of recycling have been
going on for years but the children have
increased the intensity and do much
sorting themselves, supported by the
office, kitchen and grounds staff. A
children’s Eco-committee has been
set up with representatives from all year
groups. It has met twice already this
term and is bubbling with energy and good
ideas. Over the coming terms the
committee will see to it that all the
children are able to play an active part
in helping us work towards our first Eco-schools
award. |
Senior Music Tour to
Norway |
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The Headmaster announces
the C.E. results |
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Finally,
a couple of requests. First, please do
not walk on the grass next to the tennis
court – the children are
specifically asked not to do this but, as
so often, they are likely to follow in
their parents’ footsteps! Second,
please check the name tags inside your
children’s school clothing over the
holiday. Uniform has gone missing and
this is usually just as a result of
pupils taking home the wrong things
inadvertently. If you find uniform not
belonging to your children please bring
it in to the office as soon as possible
in order that we can reunite it with its
rightful owner before replacements are
bought.
As
usual the school will be open throughout
the break for children and parents to
visit to find their new pegs, classrooms
etc. I hope that you and your children
have a relaxing summer holiday. |
TERM DATES:
WINTER
TERM 2008: August 28th – December 12th (Half
Term October 20th – 24th)
SPRING TERM 2009: January 7th – March 26th
(Half-Term February 9th – 13th)
SUMMER TERM 2009: April 22nd – July 8th
(Half-Term May 25th – 27th)
School Calendar
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