theChat

Updated 12 February 2026: A number of updates from the Parent Council were shared in the Headteacher’s newsletter this week.

City of Edinburgh Council Education Consultative Forum (ECF) meeting

The ECF meeting for parent representatives from mainstream secondary schools in Edinburgh was held on 4 February.

At the JGHS Parent Council’s request, an item related to rising rolls in Edinburgh schools was added to the agenda.

Meeting report (opens as pdf)

JGHS rising rolls subgroup

The rising rolls subgroup has produced a document outlining the case for more space to be made available at JGHS, and has obtained information via an FOI request on the current use of teaching spaces at the school. Both documents can be access below:

Making the case for more space (opens as a pdf)

Use of teaching spaces at JGHS (opens as a pdf)

English Reading Circles – S1 & S2

A huge thanks to all parents and pupils who so generously contributed to the Book Drive. The final total raised was £1105!!

The donations mean that we have now been able to purchase all 160 of the books requested by the English department, (at a total cost of £642) and the campaign is now closed.

The PC worked with the JGHS Trust to raise funds for pre-owned book sets for S1–S2 English Reading Circles. Purchasing books through the Trust has allowed us to claim Gift Aid on donations, increasing their value.

Since the donations exceeded the total amount needed for this project, the Parent Council has asked the English department to extend the initial list and to consider including additional titles for children with additional support needs

One teacher will pilot the Reading Circles programme later this year, and the full prorgramme will be rolled out in 2026/27.

Online Resource – “The Chat”

The Parent Council encourages families to explore the new online resource that provides support for children as they learn about friendships, relationships and growing up.

theChat Website

The official launch on the new resource was on 4 February 2026.

Next Parent Council Meeting:

The next meeting of the Parent Council will be held online on Tuesday 24 March 2026, 7–8:30 pm via MSTeams.

If there are any issues that you would like to raise, please contact the Parent Council via email.

Email the Parent Council

9 January 2026: In 2024 the Chat undertook a project to understand how parents support children (from 3- to 18-years-old) around a whole number of topics to do with growing up, puberty, relationships, keeping safe and sexual health.

As part of that engagement, one of the things the project team found was that parents wanted a one-stop-shop for information to help them support conversations with their child.

As they spoke about all the issues, parents also said that the NHS is a trusted source of information and support. This is why that partnership of NHS Boards (NHS Borders, NHS Grampian, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Tayside and NHS Western Isles) has created a new online parent resource.

On Wednesday 4 February 2026 the Chat parent resource is launched:

the Chat

On visiting the Chat parents can look for what they are interested in – depending on the questions their child is asking, or for more in-depth support on topics that they want to talk about. The project team hope the resource supports many fascinating, surprising and occasionally funny or challenging conversations.

The team is hosting a lunchtime webinar 12.30 to 1.30 on Wednesday 4 February 4 to talk about the Chat and celebrate the launch – everyone is welcome.

JGHS Parent Council

Recent activity and updates from the Parent Council