Welcome Back

Dear Parents/Carers

We hope all our families have had a relaxing and happy summer and we are very much looking forward to welcoming all pupils back to school on Tuesday 17 August.

We are particularly excited to welcome all our new S1 pupils. The new S1s will be greeted in the foyer by staff as soon as they arrive at school and will be directed into the Theatre for a welcome assembly. They will meet me and be reintroduced to Ms Devlin, their Year Head, and the Guidance team. They will also meet the rest of their registration class and their S6 buddies, who will accompany them to their classes during week one. We are aware that Tuesday will be their first experience of normal lessons at KGS, and we hope that they enjoy being introduced to their new teachers and subjects.

I am delighted to have been appointed as the new Head Teacher for Kirkwall Grammar School and I am very keen to get to know parents, as well as pupils and staff. Kirkwall Grammar School has a history of excellence, and I am looking forward to finding out more about the school and building on the brilliant work already happening.

I know that a happy and successful school relies upon a strong home-school partnership, with us all working effectively together. Whilst covid-restrictions remain in place, we are limited in the engagement activities that we can offer as the Scottish Government have asked that visitors to the school are at a minimum until at least the end of September. Once these restrictions are lifted though we hope to hold several events which will provide us an opportunity to meet properly. These events will take place at various times, including some virtually, which I hope will enable families to attend. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me by email or phone if you have any questions or concerns.

Along with this letter are a few Key Reminders which we hope will help all pupils and parents feel confident about the return to school. The Scottish Government have asked that we retain our covid preventative measures from before the holiday so we will continue to ask pupils to sanitise their hands regularly and to wear face coverings in communal areas.

If anything is unclear, you can always contact me using: claire.meakin@glow.orkneyschools.org.uk

I look forward to seeing you all very soon.

Yours faithfully
Miss C Meakin
​Head Teacher