Welcome back!

JGHS Parent Council would like to welcome you back to – and for those who are new, welcome you into – James Gillespie’s High School for the 2021/22 session.

The Parent Council is here to represent all parents and carers at the school, including by: 

  • putting forward parents’ views
  • consulting and providing feedback to the school
  • providing refreshments at school events
  • fundraising for school projects, equipment, books and trips
  • co-ordinating with other Parent Councils
  • making representations to the City Council

The Parent Council meets several times a year and we encourage everyone to get involved in whatever way they feel able. 

We will shortly be publishing our calendar of PC meeting dates for the session and reporting on the survey of parents which we carried out before the summer holidays.  

In the meantime, there is more information on the PC’s work on the website and we can be contacted at jghscouncilcomms@gmail.com for any questions or to raise any issues.

Parent Survey – your views are important

Update 25 August 2021 – **Please note that the survey is now closed**

This year has been unlike any other. The school and everybody connected with it has faced upheaval and disruption, and at the same time families have had to deal with their own personal challenges.  The Parent Council wants to look ahead positively to next year, planning for working on what matters most for families.

To do that we need to hear from YOU.

Please click here to complete the survey

Priorities

What do you think we should be focusing on in 2021/22?  A lot of our work this year has focused on SQA assessments, capacity challenges for the school, online learning and Active Schools. What matters to you for the coming year? Are we missing something important? Mental health and well-being? The school in its community? Social events and fundraising? Engaging with planning for education policy in the future? You let us know.

Engagement and communication

How would you like the PC to engage with you, and what do you want our meetings to look like?  This year we have had to move meetings online – has this worked for you, and what should we be looking to do in the future and can we make online meetings work better? Do you want us to communicate with parents in ways we are not doing at the moment?

Volunteering

Is there something you are really interested in? Is there something you are really good at, or expertise you can offer? Whatever it is, and however much time you can devote to it, please let us know.  The school is a community and everything that we can bring to supporting it benefits us all.

If you haven’t already put forward your views, please complete the survey which should not take more than 5 minutes.

Please click here to complete the survey

Scotland Learns newsletter

17 June 2021: Education Scotland has issued its latest newsletter – Scotland Learns.

There is loads of information about a wide range of topics including:

  • National e-learning offer
  • Professional learning and leadership
  • Curriculum support
  • Digital learning and teaching
  • Sharing practice
  • Supporting parents and carers
  • Inclusion
  • Community learning and development
  • News and resources

Read the newsletter online

Find out more about Education Scotland

Recording of Parent Council meeting on 8 June now available

8 June 2021: Many thanks to those who were able to join us for the Parent Council meeting this evening.

If you would like to listen to the meeting again, or were unable to attend, a recording is now available.

Recording of Parent Council meeting on 8 June 2021 (on YouTube)

You can also view the slides from presentations on the SQA Alternative Certification Model, given by DHT Bob Shankland, and the Active Schools provision, by Eliot Ambrose.

SQA Alternative Certification Model (opens as pdf)

Active Schools (opens as pdf)

We will make the minutes and copies of the presentations as soon as we get them.

Next Parent Council meeting on Tuesday 8 June 2021

1 June 2021: Our next Parent Council meeting will be on Tuesday 8 June at 7 pm.

We are hoping to hear about the following issues:

  • Donald McDonald (Headteacher) – School update
  • Bob Shankland (Deputy Headteacher) – SQA Alternative Certification Model
  • Jeff Warden (Deputy Headteacher) – New timetable
  • Eliot Ambrose (Active School Coordinator, City of Edinburgh Council) – Active Schools planning for 2021/22

If parents have questions or issues they would like to raise in advance of the meeting, please let us know via the Parent Council email address.

Email the Parent Council

The link to join this meeting on MS Teams has been shared via the School email account.

You can catch up with the recording of our last meeting on 12 May, and view the presentations by DHTs Laura Stewart on school capacity and Ben Lewis on reorganising the school communities.

Recording of Parent Council meeting 12 May 2021

Details of the Question and Answer session 12 May 2021 (opens as pdf)

Note of Parent Council meeting 12 May 2021 (opens as pdf)

Capacity Update 2021/22 – Laura Stewart (opens as pdf)

Pupil Support Restructuring – Ben Lewis (opens as pdf)

Sports activities for S1-S3s in the run up to summer

Active School clubs running for S1-S3 until the summer

22 May 2021: Active Schools is offering a range of sporting opportunities for S1-3 running up to the summer holidays. 

Places are limited and must be booked by Monday 24 May.

More information and booking details

New rugby sessions for S1 girls

Boroughmuir Rugby club are going to be running some excellent new sessions for NEW S1 Girls’ Rugby, beginning on Wednesday 2 June.

The sessions are run by Boroughmuir RFC rugby coaches and are open to players just starting out or players who have experience of rugby.

Sessions will involve lots of fun, games, skills, positional skills and teamwork.

Each session will start at 4.30 pm on Wednesdays at the Meggetland rugby pitches, Meggetland Wynd, EH14 1XN.

If you are interested in attending please contact Justin Loveridge, Rugby Academy Manager.

Email Justin Loveridge

S1 girls rugby poster

Edinburgh City Council Consultative Committee with Parents

22 May 2021: A meeting of the Council’s Consultative Committee with Parents (CCwP) meeting took place on Thursday 13 May. 

There was good news at the meeting in the form of £5.9 million for the Council to support Covid-19 recovery funding, which will be used to retain extra school staff employed this year. 

The meeting also heard about the ongoing parental concerns on the SQA’s Alternative Certification Model that had been raised at Locality meetings. 

The meeting discussed implementation of a new funding model for Active Schools, and the impact this will have on the activities that are offered, and how they are financed.  JGHS Parent Council, the School and our Active Schools co-ordinator have been collaborating to ensure that the current range of activities at the school can be retained in 2021/22.

A number of sports activities will be running for S1-S3 pupils in the run up to summer 2021. Booking must be made by Monday 24 May.

More details and club booking info

A recording of the CCwP meeting is available

CCwP meeting 13 May 2021

Edinburgh Council engagement with schools in the SE/NE Locality

21 May 2021: The Council’s SE/NE Locality meeting took place on 27 April 2021 and looked at the following issues:

Edinburgh School estate

An update on developments across the school estate was given by Robbie Crockatt, Acting School Estate Planning Officer.

Learning Estate Update April 2021

Holiday arrangements

Possible changes to school holiday arrangements to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee were discussed.

SQA Alternative Certification Model

The Council gave a further update on arrangements for SQA assessments, following a number of concerns raised by Parent Councils.

SQA Alternative Certification Model update April 2021

Secondary PC chair meeting 31 March 2021

Issues such as pressure on pupils and schools, the lack of contingency arrangements for Covid-19 outbreaks and the SQA’s failure to put in place an appeals process were discussed.

A note of the SE/NE Locality meeting can be found here

Recording of parent council meeting on 12 May 2021 now available

19 May 2021. The James Gillespie’s High School Parent Council met on Wednesday 12 May 2021.

Along with the usual updates from the Headteacher Mr Donald McDonad, Deputy Headteacher Laura Stewart gave an update on school capacity, and Deputy Headteacher Ben Lewis updated the PC on the current plans to organise the school communities.

A recording of the meeting can now be watched on You Tube

Recording of Parent Council meeting

The presentations given by Laura Stewart and Ben Lewis are also available.

Capacity Update 2021/22 – Laura Stewart

Pupil Support Restructuring – Ben Lewis

Next Parent Council meeting on 12 May 2021

1 May 2021: The next meeting of the Parent Council will be held on Wednesday 12 May 2021 at 7 pm via MS Teams.

Along with the usual updates from the Headteacher Mr Donald McDonad, Deputy Headteacher Laura Stewart will give an update on school capacity, and Deputy Headteacher Ben Lewis will update the PC on the current plans to organise the school communities.

The joining link for the meeting will be circulated in an email via the JGHS admin team.

Everyone is most welcome to attend.

The next meeting of the Parent Council will be on Tuesday 8 June.