Thursday 24th June 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
End of Term and Next Session: Parent Update 24 June 2021
This final update for the session will cover the following
End of Term
This session will end on Friday 25 June at 12:15pm. This is in line with our normal finishing time for a Friday. All school transport will run as normal.
Covid Guidelines – Summer
From Wednesday to Friday all students in school have been keeping a record of their own close contacts. By Friday all students should have a list of their close contacts from Wednesday through to Friday. Please keep these documents safe as they will be required by the Health Protection Team should your child test positive for Covid 19 at the start of the holiday.
If a child receives a positive result on a Lateral Flow Device at home during the summer, they must report the result online at www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result, self-isolate and book a confirmatory PCR test. This can be done via www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. The Health Protection Team (HPT) advise visiting a community or drive-through test site as this is the quickest way to get tested, or parents/carers can order a home test kit. It is important that children begin self-isolation immediately after they receive a positive result from the LFD test, and do not wait until the result of their PCR test.
SQA Results Day – 10 August
On Wednesday 23 June students received their Provisional Grades Report in school. The reports for those absent were posted and should arrive by the weekend. If there are any concerns relating to these provisional results please contact the school by email: penicuik_hs@midlothian.gov.uk. A reminder that the school will close on Friday for the summer break, therefore any concerns should be emailed before this time. The SQA Appeal service opens on 25 June 2021. Students can access appeal information via this link SQA Appeals 2021 – what you need to know. This guide will also be posted on our website. Please click on this link: SQA Appeals 2021 Student Booklet June
On 10 August 2021 all students will receive their SQA results via post or text. If there are any concerns relating to their SQA results, please email penicuik_hs@midlothian.gov.uk. Your query will be forwarded to the appropriate member of staff.
Next Session
The current date for all students to resume is Wednesday 18 August 2021.
We have not changed timetable early this year, therefore students will be issued with their timetables on the morning of their first day back. Arrangements for the first day back will be sent to parents/carers once final decisions have been made.
The Covid 19 Education Response Group (CERG) will continue to meet over the summer. They will be looking to update health and safety advice as we move towards the new session in August 2021. There is some chance there will still be mitigations in place in August 2021 therefore information about the situation into August will be sent out on all parents/carers nearer the session start date.
We understand that there may be some disruption during the first week as we navigate our new timetable and adjust to potentially new mitigations. Senior students who require re-coursing will be invited by Guidance staff to attend a re-coursing meeting during one of our staff in-service days (Tuesday 17 August).
Information regarding school lunches for 2021 can be found in the accompanying letter. Please click on this link: Lunches letter June 21
Head Teacher Message
Over a year ago it is doubtful that anyone could have foreseen the depth of disruption that Covid 19 was going to wreak on society and in particular the education of our children. Over that time I have read and dealt with many local and national guidance documents, written numerous operational documents and sent hundreds of communications to parents and carers. Throughout this period there is one thing that has shone through and that is humanity is never diminished in any situation and that communities are more than capable of supporting and protecting the vulnerable. Throughout this pandemic we have tried to honour the commitment we must have morally to look after your child and educate them. I know many of you have written to say how much you appreciate it and I also know on occasions that we may not have met some of your expectations. In those cases, I hope you have found us open to criticism and willing to strive to improve. I am extremely proud of the staff and the young people in this school. We are a very strong community and are continuing to look for ways to grow and change what we do to the benefit of the young people in our care. To all parents and carers, I would like to say thank you for your on-going support of staff and your children. It is only working together that we can truly ensure that young people will learn both emotionally and academically and become productive and happy adults and that is the real endgame.
To all of you who have lost loved ones during the pandemic, I offer my sincere sympathies on behalf of the school community. To those of you who have sick loved ones or are unwell yourself, I wish you all a speedy recovery. I hope the summer brings new hope, new freedoms and lots of sunshine.
Best wishes
Craig Biddick
Head Teacher
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