22 December 2024: Wishing everyone a peaceful, restful and restorative festive season, from all at James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council.
Parent Council
Presentations from November meeting of Parent Council
26 November 2024: Many thanks to those who joined the online meeting of the Parent Council.
The meeting heard an update on recent activities by the Parent Council, a presentation by DHT Nigel Cotter on the SQA exam results at JGHS in 2024, and a report from HT Neil McCallum.
The presentations from the meeting, and the link to the meeting recording on YouTube are now available.
James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council meeting, 26 November 2024 (opens on YouTube)
Parent Council November 2024 update (opens as pdf)
SQA results at JGHS (opens as pdf)
Headteacher update November 2024 (opens as pdf)
If you have outstanding questions that were not addressed by the meeting, please let us know.
JGHS Parent Council meeting 26 November 2024
17 November: The next meeting of the JGHS parent council will be on Tuesday 26 November at 7 pm on MS Teams. The meeting link will be circulated by the school, and all parents and carers are most warmly invited to join us.
Agenda
- Brief report from the Parent Council
- Report by Mr Cotter (DHT) on the 2024 SQA exam results at JGHS
- Update from Mr McCallum (HT)
- Q&A
If there are any issues that you would like to raise, you can email the PC in advance of the meeting, or put them into the chat on the evening.
Previous meeting
Information presented at our AGM on 9 October, and at the last online meeting on 10 September is availalble below:
New members of Parent Council appointed at AGM
9 October 2024: The Parent Council held its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 9 October 2024 in the school library.
The following officer bearers were appointed for the 2024/25 session:
- Tiziana Basciani – co-Chair
- Hilary Snaith – co-Chair
- Liz Hilton – co-Vice-Chair
- Sam Ross – co-Vice-Chair
- Kirstin Leighton – Treasurer
- Padraic Kinsella – Secretary
- Kate Pinault – Communications coordinator
- Julita Burgess – Refreshments coordinator
New members joining the Parent Council:
- Duncan Bell
- Shane Buckeridge
- Adam C
- Ulrike Peter
- Séamus Spencer
Reports presented at the meeting
Annual PC reports and meeting agenda
Parent Council report – Hilary Snaith (opens as pdf)
Active Schools update – Eliot Ambrose (opens as pdf)
Headteachers update – Neil McCallum (opens as pdf)
Minutes
A draft of the minutes of the meeting are now available. The minutes will be formally approved at the next in-person meeting on 29 January 2025.
Minutes of 2024 JGHS Parent Council AGM (draft, opens as pdf)
JGHS PC refreshments and fundraising activities 2023-24 – Aileen Nimmo (outgoing refreshements coordinator, opens as pdf)
Annual General Meeting on 9 October 2024
28 September 2024: The Annual General Meeting of the James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council will be held on Wednesday 9 October at 7 pm in the school library. All parents and carers are most warmly invited to join us for this meeting.
The key business of the meeting will the appointment of the members and office bearers of the parent council, and presentation of the annual reports and accounts.
All carers and parents are very welcome to come to meetings of the Parent Council. If you would like to get more invovled with our activities and become a member of the PC for the upcoming session, please let us know before the meeting, or volunteer on the night.
The following people have indicated that they are willing to stand as the PC office bearers:
- Co-chairs: Tiziana Basciani, Hilary Snaith
- Vice-chair: Liz Hilton
- Treasurer: Kirstin Leighton
- Secretary: Padraic Kinsella
- Comms: Kate Pinault
- Refreshments: Julita Burgess
Draft agenda
- Formal business of AGM
- PC report for 2023/24
- Treasurers report for 2023/24
- JGHS Trust comments
- Appointment of office bearers and PC members
- Headteacher’s report – Neil McCallum
- Active School report – Eliot Ambrose
- Discussion, including school capacity issues, especially study space for S6; establishment of short life working groups; use of digital education and phone
- AOB
If there are other topics you would like to have raised at the meeting, please contact the Parent Council.
Reports
JGHS Parent Council Report 2023-24
JGHS Parent Council refreshments and fundraising
JGHS Parent Council Accounts 2023-24
Links to related documents
Roles and responsibilities of Parent Councils
Parent Council meeting information
10 September 2024: Many thanks to all the parents and carers who joined the meeting of the JGHS Parent Council this evening.
Update 2 December 2024: The meeting recording is now available on YouTube:
James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council meeting 10 September 2024
The slides presented are now available:
Welcome and introduction from the Parent Council (opens as pdf)
A summary of the information discussed by the Headteacher is also available:
Headteacher’s report 10 September 2024
Pupils and parent surveys June 2024
Information about the surveys discussed by Mr McCallum about pupil and parent experience at the school, carried out in June 2024, is available at the links below:
Results of pupil survey (opens as pdf)
Results of parent/carer survey (opens as pdf)
Parent Council meeting on 10 September 2024
7 September 2024: The next meeting of the James Gillespies High School Parent Council will be this Tuesday 10 September at 7 pm on MS Teams. All parents and carers are warmly invited to join the meeting.
The meeting agenda will be:
- Welcome and brief report from the Parent Council
- Report from the Headteacher on activities in the school including updates on:
- Results of school survey (Summer 2024)
- Website, communications and the school app
- Use of mobile phones in the classroom
- Facilities in the school, including changes to toilets and provision of study space for S6
- Open Q&A (questions can be posted in the chat)
The joining link for the meeting will be shared by the School via email.
If you have any questions that you would like to raise in advance of the meeting, please email the Parent Council:
Welcome back!
18 August 2024: It’s hard to belive that the new school sesssion has already started, but here we are!
The Parent Council hopes that all parents, carers and young poeple at James Gillespie’s High School enjoyed some rest and relaxation over the summer break, and managed to find at least a little bit of sunshine!
First meeting on 10 September 2024
The Parent Council will hold its first meeting of the School year on Tuesday 10 September at 7 pm. The meeting will be online via MS Teams, and the link will be shared in email from the School in the week of the meeting.
Details of the agenda will be posted on our website in advance of the meeting, and included in the Friday newsletter from the Headteacher.
We very much hope that you wil be able to join us.
Upcoming meetings for 2024/2025
The list of all our meetings for the year is given below:
- Tuesday 10 September 2024, 7-8.30 pm (online)
- Wednesday 9 October 2024 – AGM, 7-9 pm (in person at JGHS)
- Tuesday 26 November 2024, 7-8.30 pm (online)
- Wednesday 29 January 2025, 7-9 pm (in person at JGHS)
- Tuesday 25 March 2025, 7-8.30 pm (online)
- Wednesday 4 June 2025, 7-9 pm (in person at JGHS)
If you have any issues that you would like to see addresed by the Parent Council, or if you would like to get involved, please get in touch via email:
Learning Together – Engaging parents and carers
18 August 2024: Parent and carers may have seen the recent information on “Learning Together” – the City of Edinburgh Council’s strategy for engaging parents and carers in learning and school life.
You can read a copy of the document below:
Learning Together framework summary
The CEC is currently reviewing the strategy – if you have comments on the issues raised, that you would like to share with the Parent Council, please get in touch:
Notes from Parent Council meeting on 5 June 2024
23 June 2024: The JGHS Parent Council meeting on Wednesday 5 June and discussed a number of issues, including:
- a brief report on Parent Council activities since the previous meeting in March 2024;
- the Empowered Learning strategy and use of digital tools in teaching at JGHS, presented by DHT Laura Stewart;
- an update from HT Neil McCallum including details of the recent Equally Safe at Schools survey, and the attainment of pupils at JGHS and their onward destinations
Copies of all the presentations are now available (all links open as pdfs):
Report from the Parent Council June 2024
Presentation from Laura Stewart on Digital Learning at JGHS
Headteacher’s update by Neil MacCallum
If you have any comments, please get in touch with the Parent Council via email:
Many thanks to all parents and carers for your support and engagement over the past year. We hope that you have a restful and restorative break over the summer, and look forward to welcoming you our meetings again next session. Dates and further details will be posted here once confirmed.
JGHS Parent Council 