8 February 2022: A summary of the Q&A at the last meeting of the Parent Council on 26 January 2022 is now available:
Q&A at the Parent Council meeting 26 January 2022
You can also catch up on the full proceedings of the meeting via YouTube:
Parent Council
Recording of Parent Council meeting on 26 January 2022 available
28 January 2022: Many thanks to everyone who was able to attend the meeting of the Parent Council on 26 January.
If you were unable to join us, or you want to listen again to any of the items, the recording is now available on YouTube.
Recording of Parent Council meeting 26 January 2022
The meeting covered the following agenda:
- The current Covid situation in the school
- Prelims at JGHS
- The Council’s new group to meet with parents of children with ASN in mainstream schools
- Progress in discussions on Active Schools provision
- The consultation on a new GME secondary
- Concerns raised with the Council by Parent Councils on parental engagement in schools
First Parent Council meeting of the year is this Wednesday 26 January
21 January 2022: We are delighted that the first meeting of the Parent Council for 2022 will be held this Wednesday 26 January at 7 pm.
Once again we will be using MS teams to host the meeting and details of the joining link will be circulated by the School next week, so please look out in your email.
There will be updates on:
- The current Covid situation in the school
- Prelims at JGHS
- The Council’s new group to meet with parents of children with ASN in mainstream schools
- Progress in discussions on Active Schools provision
- The consultation on a new GME secondary
- Concerns raised with the Council by Parent Councils on parental engagement in schools
If there any particular issues you would like to raise at the meeting, please contact the PC:
Email us at jghscouncilcomms@gmail.com
Information about meeting on 30 November 2021
The recording of our last meeting and summary of the Q&A are now available:
Listen to the meeting on 30 November 2021 on YouTube
Q&A from meeting on 30 November 2021
Events and Fundraising group
There will also be a Parent Council-led meeting (online) on Thursday 10 February for parents interested in joining an Events and Fundraising Group, with the hope that we can look forward to more in-person events in the coming year.
If you would like to be involved, contact the PC on jghscouncilcomms@gmail.com.
School communities and parental engagement
10 January 2022: The City of Edinburgh Council is holding open meetings for parents in January and February to discuss the impacts of Covid-19 on school communities and parental engagement.
The first of these meetings is Tuesday 11 January 2022, and will be followed by similar discussions on Tuesday 25 January, and Tuesday 22 February 2022. All the meetings are at 6.15 – 7.15 pm.
Parents are welcome to join any of the meetings on MS Teams through this link:
Click here to join the meeting
This is an opportunity to let the Council hear from parents about how changes, such not allowing parents to attend events in school, are affecting school communities. The Parent Council encourages parents to join one of the Council meetings to raise any issues.
For more information please contact: Parental.Engagement@edinburgh.gov.uk
JGHS Festive Fundraiser 2021
We hope that you are looking forward to the holidays.
Sadly once again, it is not possible for us to gather in the Usher Hall to enjoy our traditional Christmas concert and, for a second year, the JGHS Parent Council hasn’t been able to hold its usual fundraising events.
Like last year, we are launching a Festive Fundraiser in aid of our successful Small Sums Fund, so that we can continue supporting important educational projects at JGHS, and providing help to our pupils who need it most.
If you can, please do make a donation:
Look out for the “Parent Council Fundraising” button at the bottom of the list of payment items for your JGHS student(s). All funds raised during the Festive Fundraiser go directly to the JGHS Small Sums Fund.
You can find out more about the initiatives supported by this year’s Fund below:
More information about the Small Sums Fund
Thank you!
Recording of the Parent Council meeting on 30 November now available
Update 8 December 2021: Many thanks to all those who were able to attend the meeting of the Parent Council on 30 November.
if weren’t able to make it, or would like to listen again, the recording of the meeting can be accessed on YouTube.
JGHS Parent Council meeting 30 November 2021
You can also view the slides from Bob Shankland’s presentation on arrangements for SQA qualifications and assessments in 2021/22, and Ian Porter’s presentation on pupil support structures at JGHS.
Views from parents on Education Scotland and SQA consulation
25 November 2021: Many thanks to all the parents and carers who submitted responses to the Parent Council survey on the future of Scotland’s educational assessment system.
The comments have now been collated and sent to the Scottish Government’s Education Reform Consultation.
The full submission made by the Parent Council can be read at the link below.
Seeking your views on Scotland’s assessment system
23 November 2021 – update: The Parent Council wants to hear from parents on the issues raised in the current Scottish Government education consultation on the replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the reform of Education Scotland.
The Scottish Government has made a significant proposal for reform, and the complex consultation requires knowledge of the roles of different educational bodies, and an understanding of Curriculum for Excellence.
A summary of the consultation is presented here
We recognise that not everyone will have time to deal with all the issues raised. Therefore to simplify this consultation, the Parent Council is asking for views on the single question below.
What would you like Scotland’s secondary education assessment system to look like in the future?
Please submit your comments here
All responses can be submitted anonymously, but you if you would like us to contact you about your response, please leave your name and email address.
We are asking for comments by midday on Wednesday 24 November 2021.
The Parent Council will collate parents’ comments and send them on to the consultation.
Respond directly to the Scottish Government consultation
We are disappointed that greater steps have not been taken to make the consultation more accessible to parents and will be making that point in the consultation response.
If you are able, please also submit your own individual response to the consultation.
Details can be found here along with further information on the background, including CfE, Education Scotland and the SQA, and links to the OECD reports.
Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority: consultation
The consultation deadline is Friday 26 November 2021
Contact the Parent Council
As always, the PC can be contacted by email.
Next Parent Council meeting on 30 November 2021
19 November 2021: The next meeting of the JGHS Parent Council meeting will be held online on Tuesday 30 November at 7pm. We will send out the link before the meeting via the school email.
At the meeting we will hear from:
- Donald Macdonald (HT) – overview and parents’ questions
- Bob Shankland (DHT) – review of SQA assessments in 2020/21 and look forward to 2021/22
- Ian Porter (DHT) – supporting children’s mental health
- Eliot Ambrose (Active Schools Co-ordinator) – Active School update
There will be the opportunity on the night to ask questions via the Q&A typed chat facility, but if you want to raise an issue in advance please email the PC and we will try to include it in the updates:
You can find info about previous meetings of the PC on 7 September and 13 October here:
JGHS Parent Council meeting 7 September 2021
Recording of Annual General Meeting now available
15 October 2021: Many thanks to everyone who was able to attend the Annual General Meeting of the Parent Council on Wednesday 13 October.
Meeting recording
If you were not able to join us, the recording of the meeting is now available to view on YouTube.
Recording of AGM on 13 October 2021
The minutes and responses to the Q&A will be posted once we have the final versions.
Welcome to our new committee members
We are also very pleased to welcome the new committee members who joined this year. All our members are now listed below:
- Sarah Scott (Chair)
- Kirstin Leighton (Secretary)
- Ros Ingle (Treasurer)
- Laura Bird (Communications co-ordinator)
- Hilary Snaith (Communications co-ordinator)
- Nicolas Boyes (Committee member)
- Chris Brickley (new Committee member)
- Karen Burke (Committee member)
- Anna Christal (Committee member)
- Graeme Davis (Committee member)
- Cath Downie (Committee member)
- Rob Dunbar (new Committee member)
- Vera Eory (new Committee member)
- Ruth Fowler (new Committee member)
- Orla Hobson (new Committee member)
- Sarah Jordan (new Committee member)
- Ailsa Macintosh (Committee member)
- Lynne Mackintosh (Committee member)
- Aileen Nimmo (Committee member)
- Cressida Peake (Committee member)
- Vikki Plant (Committee member)
- Katy Ruggeri (Committee member)
- Steffi Schultze (new Committee member)
- Lisa Sutherland (Committee member)
- Penny Tarsia (Committee member)
- Charles Warlow (Committee member)
The committee can be contacted at: jghscouncilcomms@gmail.com
