Fundraising

Happy New Year 2026

5 January 2026: Welcome to the New Year, hopefully rested and refreshed after the festive break.

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Parent Council will be held on Wednesday 28 January 2026 at 7 pm in the JGHS Library – as always, all parents and carers are most welcome to attend.

The agenda will be available shortly.

If you have any questions or comments that you would like to share, please contact us by email:

Email the Parent Council

Book Drive

Many thanks to those who have been able to donate to the Parent Council’s Bookdrive fundraiser.

About the JGHS bookdrive

If you would also like to make a contribution, the JustGiving page is still available:

JGHS bookdrive Justgiving page

JGHS bookdrive fundraiser

7 December 2025: The Parent Council’s Small Sums Fund distributes funds raised by the school back to the School Community. 

Small Sums Fund

English reading circles for S1 and S2

This year we have been raising funds to buy books that will support pupils in S1 and S2 to (re)discover a love for reading and literature, in reading circles in English classes.

The English curriculum team have develped a fantastic list of books across all genres that small groups of pupils can get together to read and discuss. Titles include books from mystery and detective fiction, contemporary fiction, adventure, comedy, graphic novels, thrillers, and science and historical fiction – truly something for everyone.

The funds raised will buy packs of 5 copies of the same book, so that all pupils in a reading circle will have a copy to take home and read.

To make the funds go as far as possible, we are buying pre-owned, as well as new books. We have already bought sets of Nancy Springer’s “Enola Holmes – the Missing Marquess”, Katherine Rundell’s “The Explorer”, and Malorie Blackman’s “Robot Girl”.

Please support if you can

We are working with the James Gillespie’s Trust, a registered charity, so that we can claim gift-aid on any donations made, and make the funds go even further.

JGHS bookdrive fundraiser – Justgiving

If you are able to donate, please visit the Trust’s justgiving page – all the funds that come through this appeal will go directly to buying books that will go into school.

Many thanks!!

Reports from PC meeting on 25 March 2025

25 March 2025: Many thanks to those who joined the Parent Council meeting this Tuesday.

Agenda

  • Health and Wellbeing – Inclusion X – Ian Porter and Anna Kirkwood
  • Comment from Tracy Urquhart, Senior Manager Quality Improvement Officer, CEC
  • Update from the JGHS Parent Council
  • Headteacher’s report
  • Q&A

Meeting recording

Watch the meeting recording (opens on YouTube)

Summary of meeting discussion (from transcipt, opens as pdf)

Presentations

Inclusion X suport at JGHS (Anna Kirkwood and Ian Porter, opens as pdf)

PC report 25 March 2025 (Hilary Snaith, co-chair; opens as pdf)

Finance update 25 March 2025 (Kirstin Leighton, treasurer; opens as pdf)

Headteacher’s report 25 March 2025 (opens as pdf)

Policy documents

The headteacher mentioned a number of school policy documents in his comments. You can access a range of these policies on the JGHS website:

JGHS policy documents

Next meeting

The next meeting of the Parent Council will be on Wednesday 4 June in the school library at 7 pm – all parents and carers are very welcome to join us.

Combining Passions to Support Our Students

Come and enjoy a relaxing facial at JGHS this summer, and help raise funds to support the maths classes for Pupil Equity Fund students.

5 July 2024: One of the amazing maths teachers at JGHS, Donna Aitken, is passionate about making mathematics accessible and enjoyable for all students.

Over the past two years, she has run support classes specifically for our Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) pupils. The feedback from students has been overwhelmingly positive, with many sharing that these sessions not only improved their exam performance but also boosted their overall confidence and morale.

But as well as teaching maths, a few summers ago Donna also successfully completed a facial course, which she thoroughly enjoyed. 

Donate-what-you-can facials

Over the holidays this year, she is combining her passion for maths with facials, and is offering ‘donate-what-you-can’ facials at the school to raise money for the Pupils Equity Fund, and continue supporting the students who need it most.

Here are the available dates and times:

  • Thursday 18 and Friday 19 July
    • 9.30 – 10 am x 2
    • 10.30 – 11 am x 2
    • 12 – 12.30 pm x 2
    • 1 – 1.30 pm x 2

This is wonderful opportunity to relax and rejuvenate while supporting a great cause. To book your session please email Donna with your preferred time:

Email Donna to book your facial

The funds raised will primarily provide hot snacks at the after-school sessions, calculators, and other essential mathematical resources that our students might not otherwise afford. Any remaining funds will support other school initiatives aimed at empowering our young adults.

February Fundraiser

2 February 2024: As was mentioned at the PC meeting on Wednesday 31 January, the Parent Council is launching Fundraising February!

The Parent Council’s Small Sums Fund distributes funds raised by the school back to the School Community. More information about the Small Sums Fund is on our website.

Last year, the projects we supported included:

  • SfL:  Bike repair tools
  • PE:  Sports strips and dance leotards
  • Art & Design:  Resources for the photography club 
  • GME:  Basketball hoop & ball for Darroch playground 
  • Modern Studies:  Anti-racist books 
  • English:  Subscription to The Week Junior 
  • Modern languages: Pearson online textbook subscriptions 
  • Geography/ES Digimaps subscription 

This fund is made up primarily by donations by parents and carers so we are asking you all to consider supporting important educational projects at JGHS, and providing help to our pupils who need it most.

Whilst we normally request donations to the Fund around Christmas time, the Parent Council acknowledges that December is often a difficult month for families so this year we are having a Fundraising February.  If you can, please consider playing a donation via Parent Pay:

Click here to visit ParentPay

Look 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 Fundraising February go directly to the Small Sums Fund.

Thank you!!

Thank you!

25 February 2023: The Parent Council would like to say a special thank to all the parents and carers who so generously donated the the 2022 Festive Fundraiser campaign in aid of our Small Sums Fund.

JGHS Festive Fundraiser 2022

In December, the total raised on ParentPay was £910, which will now all go towards funding a wide range range of staff projects. Past projects have included subscriptions to periodicals, specialist books and equipment for learners with additional support needs, specialist art equipment, and equipment for Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

The next round of applications to the Small Sums Fund will be towards the end of this academic year.

You can find out more about the Small Sums Fund and the projects we have funded here:

JGHS Parent Council Small Sums Fund

The Parent Council will also raising money for the Small Sums Fund on the refreshment stalls at the upcoming Spring Fling concerts and other in-school events – so please look out for us!

Christmas Concerts 2022

8 December 2022: The James Gillespie’s High School Performing Arts Faculty invites you to the Christmas Concerts 2022! 

This year there will be two performances of the Christmas concert on Tuesday 13 December at 5 pm and 7.30 pm, in the Muriel Spark Theatre at James Gillespie’s High School. Tickets can be booked via Parent Pay.

Refreshments and pupil showcase

In the time between the two shows, there will be a mini-fayre in the Forum, Malala Building, with a home baking stall, crafts table and refreshments, in aid of the Parent Council’s Small Sum’s Fund.

Some pupil committees will also be showcasing their work. 

All parents are warmly welcome to attend this part of the evening, even if they do not have a ticket for one of the concerts.  It would be helpful if guests could bring cash to this event if possible please! 

Programme

5.00 – 6.15 pm Concert 1 in the Muriel Spark Theatre

6.15 – 7.15 pm Refreshments in the Forum (Malala)

7.30 – 8.45 pm Concert 2 in the Muriel Spark Theatre  

We are delighted that Tony Marsh will be videoing the concert. The recording will be available by the 31 January 2023. 

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.

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:

Donate here via ParentPay

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:

Small Sums Fund 2021

More information about the Small Sums Fund

Thank you!