Forum for parents with children with Additonal Support Needs

12 March 2022: The Council has set up a forum for meeting with parents with children with ASN in mainstream schooling, which feeds into discussions with Councillors and senior Council staff at the CCwP (Consultative Committee with Parents) before each Education, Children and Families Committee meeting (6 per year).

The last meeting was on 31 January and looked at Digital Learning and Pathways for Support.  The minutes and presentations can be found here.

Minutes of Meeting on 31 January 2022

Empowered Learning – David McKee 31 January 2022

Terms of Reference for ASN in Mainstream Schooling Forum

Get involved

The Parent Council would like to hear from parents who have issues they would like raised via this this group.  Please contact the PC email to be put in contact with our rep on the group.

Email the Parent Council

Choice, attainment and positive destinations research project

5 March 2022: James Gillespies High School is taking part in a research project being led by Stirling University on the impact of Curriculum for Excellence on attainment, subject choice and student experience. 

Take part in the project

As part of the research, the investigators would like to speak with a group of 4-6 parents with a child/children in S4-S6 to learn about their experience of supporting their child to make subject choices. 

There will be an online meeting with the group on Monday 14 March at 7 pm (about an hour). If you would be interested in participating, please contact the Parent Council by email:

Email the Parent Council 

Further information is available on the project website and on Twitter:

Choice, Attainment and Positive Destinations

Twitter

NE/SE Locality Parent Engagement meeting

11 February 2022: The NE/SE Parental Engagement Locality Group Meeting with City of Edinburgh Council was held on 1 February 2022 via Microsoft Teams.

You can read the minutes of the meeting and access presentations on the Learning Estate and the CEC Digital Consortia below:

Minutes of NE/SE Locality Meeting 1 February 2022

CEC Learning Estate Update – January 2022

CEC Digital Consortia Update – February 2022

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

Impacts of Covid-19 on school communities

26 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 was on Tuesday 11 January 2022, and was followed by similar discussions on Tuesday 25 January.

A report from the first meeting is now available:

Covid IIA Meeting: Lessons Learned  11 January 2022

The last opportunity to attend a meeting is on Tuesday 22 February 2022, at 6.15 – 7.15 pm. 

Parents should join via MS Teams through this link: 

Click here to join the meeting

These meetings let the Council hear from parents about how changes, such not allowing parents to attend events in school, are affecting school communities.

For more information please contact: Parental.Engagement@edinburgh.gov.uk

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.

Latest newsletter from Connect is now available

20 January 2022: Connect is a long-standing parents’ group, providing links for parents and families with teachers, third sector organisations, and local and national government in Scotland.

Connect website

You can read their latest newsletter here (January 2022

The newsletter has information on a range of topics including:

  • Connect Survey Report
  • Early Learning and Childcare
  • Education Reform 
  • Introducing the Equality and Equity Toolkit
  • Connect Campaigns: Letter to the First Minister on the Health and Wellbeing Census
  • Latest Education Updates

You can subscribe to the Connect newsletter here

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 Christmas Concert 2021

Sadly, due to the ongoing pandemic, the School was not able to host its usual Christmas concert in the Usher Hall.

Instead, pupils and the JGHS music department recorded performances by the wonderfully talented ensembles and bands at the school, and put together a fantastic online Christmas concert.

You can view it now via YouTube – Happy Christmas everyone!