Life @ EA

Letter from the Rector 

18 May 2020

Dear Parents / Guardians

As we enter this final week before we break for Half Term on Friday afternoon, I thought it was a good time to send out another News Sheet, having rather naively relied on my Rector’s Assemblies that we have been recording to act as the principal communication of late. Given the low hit rate on YouTube, it is pretty clear that my future does not lie in being a Blogger or ‘Insta influencer’ and so it is best I return to this form of communication! Our Assemblies’ collection is HERE, in case you missed it.

Let me first start by thanking Mr Jarrold and Mdme Heintze for their VE Day celebration assemblies in commemoration of 75 years since the end of WW2 last week. While it is exceptionally hard to fully commemorate the sacrifice that so many men and women made for the freedoms that we enjoy today, I am glad that we continue to honour those who gave their lives to free Europe from the tyranny of Nazi rule. This week is our last full week before Half Term begins on Friday afternoon. Half term ends on Wednesday evening the 27th of May with our online and remote courses starting again on Thursday, the 28th of May. As is usual the school staff will assemble virtually on the Wednesday of that Half Term to spend time on Continuing Professional Development with a focus on refreshing and improving the new IT skills that we have been using in this new period of remote learning and readying ourselves for further developments after the Half Term break. I have to thank Miss Anna Millar and her IT team for all their hard work in supporting our online learning provision – not only in providing support to our teaching staff, but also to many families who have been contacting the team to get guidance and tips. The whole team have done a superb job in supporting and maintaining this move to an online system and I am sure they are looking forward to the Half Term break when it comes. It goes without saying that we wish all our students and their families an amazing and restful Half Term and I pray for some good weather, so we can enjoy some time outside in the sun and away from the computer screens.

I would like to wish members of the 4ths the very best of luck this week as they embark on their traditional week of assessments. This week marks the midpoint in the progression of the two-year National Five course and these assessments are important to us in the gathering of evidence about how our students are faring with these courses. As this year has shown, having this data from an exam process has huge value: heaven forbid should the 2021 exam diet be impacted by a resurgence of COVID-19, then this data will provide a useful basis on which to build our future predictions. Whilst talking about predicted grades I must thank my senior academic team and the Heads of Department in the Senior School who have been working incredibly hard with their team members to provide a full list of data and predicted grades for the SQA. We are nearing the end of that process and will be submitting grades for approximately 270 of our senior students. When, therefore, you consider the range of subjects that each of our students undertake, the data entry is in the thousands and I must sincerely thank Mr Andrew McCann who, as Exams Officer, has a great deal of responsibility in ensuring that these grades are entered accurately. Recent articles in the Sunday Times (HERE) certainly do not help build confidence amongst our families, but I have to thank all our teachers for the care and diligence that they have shown in compiling these grades. Many thanks to the small number of parents who have been communicating in to the School on a regular basis to suggest the grades that they think their sons and daughters should be getting. While this information is interesting, I am afraid it can have no bearing at all on our predicted grade system and we can only send through predicted grades to the SQA based on reliable and factual evidence that we have collected over the last year (or two years in the case of Nat 5.) and that we can support with accurate evidence. ‘He usually pulls it out of the bag in exams’ is, unfortunately, not going to pass the SQA’s auditing and moderation process. Please trust and have confidence that our Heads of Departments have followed the SQA standards very closely, have read the supporting documents and have predicted as accurately as they can, ensuring that our candidates receive the grades that their hard work and dedication deserve. We have no control over how the SQA then processes our predicted grades.

Whilst also mentioning the 4ths, communication came out on Friday last week regarding the Duke of Edinburgh Award opportunities that become available as students begin the 4ths. Our current 3rds have the opportunity to begin the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. A hugely valuable and enjoyable course, the Bronze Award encourages students to devote themselves to the acquisition of new skills, new physical activities, community service and, of course, an outdoor pursuits expedition. It is a wonderful and widely respected award and I would encourage all members of the 3rds to consider embarking on this course. Our 3rds will also shortly have information regarding the options for joining the Combined Cadet Force and deciding between the Army or RAF sections. Running parallel to the CCF on a Monday afternoon is also a service opportunity and I hope we will be able to send further information to the 3rds and their parents shortly. Whilst mentioning the D of E please do remember Ms Isherwood's Skills for Life course that is available online at the Edinburgh Academy YouTube channel. In what will be an ever more competitive world, facing an economic downturn, acquiring some very strong academic grades alongside opportunities to show character development, engagement in the wider world, an understanding of our place in society, and developing strong leadership skills alongside teamwork ability, will be vital. Engagement in activities such as the CCF, service for the community, or the Duke of Edinburgh award are all such examples of extending oneself beyond the curriculum. As we say often to the school in our Main Hall assemblies, it is so important to engage fully in all the opportunities that the school provides: mostly to seek further personal development and improvement but also to honour the sacrifices that are being made by your parents in allowing you to attend the Edinburgh Academy.

Today marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Week and assemblies this week would have normally been focussed on supporting good mental health and trying to support those who might struggle in this area. There are some excellent resources available HERE which certainly deserve a look – lockdown has meant that we all sometimes feel isolated from our friends, sometimes stuck in Groundhog Day, that feeling that the days are blurring into each other. Do remember that our Pastoral Team are available for you – do get in touch if you feel you have any concerns. In these difficult times, it's never been more important that we're kind to ourselves and support our family and friends with their mental health and wellbeing. Stay safe and be kind.

I know that many of you will be looking at recent developments in England as the lockdown process there has been reviewed and certain changes have been made. It is clear that the ambitious plans to reopen some schools on June 1st are producing considerable amounts of newsprint as unions and the government debate the various pros and cons of school opening. It is important to remember that in Scotland the 'Stay at home, Stay safe' instruction remains in place and, as yet, there have been no confirmed plans to reopen any school in Scotland. Whilst the Senior Management Team are preparing our plans for reopening, should we get the permission and direction from the Scottish Government to do so, we have to wait for this permission to be given. When it is, we will liaise with the Court of Directors, the Parents’ Association and the Common Room, to ensure that we only open when we can provide a safe environment for people to return to. To simply waste the months of lockdown with a premature opening does not seem sensible. Please do wait with patience for further communication on the issue of school reopening. I, along with all our staff, are very keen to find a way to have at least some students back at the Nursery, Junior and Senior School at some point in June, but until then, please do continue with our remote education package. In the Senior School, Mr Bryce and his Division Teams are working hard to produce the final online Division competitions of the school year, which will include piping and drumming, soloist performances and a range of new competitions to finally decide the Division Cup for 2019/20. Will Houses make it a back-to-back victory, will Carmichael regain the trophy after the shock of last year, or have Cockburn or Kinross done enough to win the trophy? Do get yourself involved if you can!

Have a wonderful Half Term when it comes.
 

With best wishes

Barry Welsh
Rector