Life @ EA

Thursday 20 June

Well, if your house is anything like mine, the counting has begun, and we are into single figures! In our case it is based on how many cycles into school in the rain are left but it could also be on the number of sleeps left, or perhaps, more poignantly, how many days left of being ‘at the Edinburgh Academy’. But the countdown has begun for many. Term ends next week, after Exhibition, and we do regard Exhibition as a compulsory and very important event for all our students to attend. Before then, we still have lots to do and there are a whole range of events coming up in this final week of the term. For many the cricket, tennis and athletics’ seasons are drawing to an end, although The Games is still to happen and I look forward to this event in particular as, with the Big Picnic happening as an integral part of the day, this is a wonderful event when our whole community gets together. So far, the weather looks kind…. I would like to signal my sincere thanks to all our students who have chosen to represent the Academy in sporting activities this term, in whatever sport that might be. Sport still remains very important to us and the health and wellbeing impact that it has on the lives of young people needs no further proving in my mind. Before the final sporting events of the year (and that includes a busy programme of Division competition next week) we have the Summer Concert on Thursday night in the Main Hall at 7pm. I am looking forward to another night of high quality music. In other cultural areas the Art Department (based in Donaldson’s) have their Exhibition next week and, as an addition this year, we are having a special Parents’ Viewing of the Art Exhibition on the last Wednesday of term (26th June) between 3.40-5.40pm. The Exhibition has a range of work, not only from our senior years but a number of pieces from our junior pupils also. I am hearing that coffee/tea and even biscuits may be available if that helps make your minds up! Opening on Friday this week is also the Design &Technology Exhibition. This takes place in the James Clark Maxwell Science Centre from this coming Friday through to Exhibition Day next Friday. It is open every day after school until 6pm and all are most welcome. On show will be design work from our Geits right through to our 7ths A Level pupils. It is worthwhile just confirming the details for the Junior Division Music Soloists Competition next week and to invite parents who might like to come along to the event to support. The finals of this competition will take place on Monday 24th June (Geits-2nds) and Tuesday 25th June (3rd-4ths) - both competitions will take place at lunchtime (12:40-1:30pm) in the Main Hall. Parents are most welcome.

It has been a delight to welcome our new 2nds, due to start in August with us, to school today for their two-day induction process and on Friday we will meet all our new Geits for their induction process. Our Transition Team are doing a wonderful job in planning the transition process for new students to the Senior School, including both Junior School students, as well as new students to the Academy. It is wonderful to see a strategically planned set of events to support all our new students coming to the school. My thanks have to go to Mr Turley and Mrs Petrie who are the masterminds of this process, and they are already busy planning their P6/Geits Ceilidh for September. I am looking forward enormously to seeing our P6 students in their musical, the Wizard of Oz, which runs on Thursday and Friday nights this week. It sounds as if it will be a wonderful show.

I am conscious that, of late, my News Sheet has sounded more and more like a diary of events, rather than any uplifting or strategic message from the Rector, and for that I must apologise. At this time of year, as reports and the writing of a rather worrying number of speeches are looming into view, I am certainly guilty of sometimes oversimplifying. As my old headmaster used to write on his reports (I’m not sure we could get away with this nowadays) “must do better, Mr Welsh, must do better.”

With best wishes
Barry Welsh
Rector