Dear Parents and Carers

We hope you all have had a positive week. Our senior pupils have now started their national examinations and it’s been lovely to see so many of them in school revising.  Mr Ewing has included a full update below.

Our new session timetable starts on 7th June and the week before is a shorter week, owing to the bankholidays on Thursday and Friday for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Therefore, the staff are planning to use the 3 days (Monday 30th May – Wednesday 1st June) to have a mini activities ‘week’.  Assemblies have taken place today to explain the activities on offer for pupils and there’s a Microsoft form for them to complete by Thursday 5th May. (Pupils will need to sign in to complete the form.) Almost all activities are free of charge and I know the ‘week’ will be a great success. Please ask your child to head to the homepage of our website to sign up.

Today’s update contains 5 notices:

1. SQA reminders (Mr Ewing)
2. Celebrating success reminder (Mr Harvey and Mrs Watson)
3. Reminder about a CLD project about prom dresses
4. Message from Voluntary Action Orkney
5. Message from Koolskools about uniforms.

We hope you all have a relaxing weekend,
Miss Claire Meakin
Head Teacher

SQA Exam Update
Exam leave for S4/5 and S6 pupils began on Monday 25th April. The exams started on Tuesday with Higher Politics.
A small number of pupils who are sitting very few exams but will be returning to KGS next session will have arrangements put in place for them during part of study leave.

Exceptional Circumstance
The Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (EECCS) supports learners who are either:

• unable to attend the exam or prevented from completing the exam due to a personal circumstance outwith their control (such as a medical issue) or
• affected during the exam by a disruption, or other exam circumstance, reported by the chief invigilator

It is available for all exams that appear in the exam timetable.
There is no charge for this service.

• Only schools, may submit requests. they have experienced a valid exam exceptional circumstance
• they have completed all the compulsory non-question paper components
• an estimate has been submitted for them
• alternative evidence is available

The service is not available to learners who complete the exam, even if they feel they have underperformed due to a personal circumstance beyond their control. Learners who have underperformed relative to their estimate will be eligible for the 2022 appeals service.
If your child is not able to attend an exam, they should contact Mr Ewing [email protected] as soon as possible on the day of the exam
 
Appeals Service
If on results day a pupil feels their result is lower than expected, they may be able to appeal that result.
Appeals can be prioritised if pupils have a conditional place at university or college. There is no charge for appeals.
Eligibility criteria for Appeals 2022 are in place to support fairness and to ensure that learners are accessing the service on an equitable basis. Therefore, the following criteria must be met:

• Learner’s estimate is greater than their certificated grade. For example, if the learner’s exam result is a grade C but their estimate was a grade B.
• All centres must submit an estimate to SQA for each learner per subject/level. Estimated bands of zero or blank will not be eligible.
• Learners must have taken and/or submitted all coursework and formal assessments including exams.
• At least one component of the course assessment must be marked by SQA. Fully internally assessed courses are not eligible for appeals

The deadlines for submitting a priority appeal are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 16 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres - Friday 19 August at 5 pm

Results of all priority appeals will be released to centres on Monday 5 September and sent to UCAS on Tuesday 6 September.
 The deadlines for submitting all other appeals are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 30 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres – Friday 2 September at 5 pm

Further details on Exceptional Circumstances and Appeals can be found here:
Support services for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher learners (sqa.org.uk)

Exam Timetables
The Exam timetable, study support and results day resources can be found here. Pupils were issued with personalised timetable in school earlier this week.
Exam timetable and learner apps - SQA

Results day
This year's results day is Tuesday 9th August. Pupils can sign up to get their results by text and details are in the Your Exams link below
Your Exams 2022 (sqa.org.uk)

Immersion timetable
There will be a series of immersion events during study leave across the school to support pupils in the days leading up to their exams. The immersion timetable has been sent to pupils and is also on the KGS website

Studying in school during exam leave
When a pupil has finished an exam, they should leave school. S1 to S3 pupils are still working in classes so it is important that disruption is kept to a minimum.
We have had quite a few pupils studying in school and pupils are very welcome to do so but can all pupils please:
Wear dress code (top layer)
Sign and out of school only at the following times: start of the day, break and lunch time and at the end of the school day. This will be strictly enforced.
Be prepared to study and not to socialize
Pupils not studying will be asked to go home.

The school is keen to celebrate the successes of pupils both in and out of school. For example, we are aware that pupils are competing in sports finals events across the country. We would like to recognise and celebrate these and other achievements.

Please continue to share the pupils' achievements, so that we can acknowledge and celebrate this in school. Please contact: [email protected]

​https://www.orkney.gov.uk/News?postid=5753 

 Kirsty Rochford and Brian Cromarty from VAO will be in school for a volunteering drop in on Tuesday 3rd May at lunchtime. They’ll be set up at the theatre doors, and there’s no need to make an appointment. They’d like to see anyone who’d like to get involved in any aspect of volunteering:
 

• Take part in Care Home TV, making up and hosting quizzes for the elderly online.
• Help out at the folk festival at the end of May
• Looking for something to do over the summer
• If already helping out a club, register free for a Saltire Award

 
If you’re interested but unavailable at that time, please email [email protected]

Home - Koolskools
The Koolskools primary ethical supply chain benefits everyone involved in it. We start by caring for our planet and the small-scale farmers producing the Fairtrade cotton in developing countries; next the developing country factory employees making the finished garments; then the schools, parents and pupils buying and wearing these uniquely ethical, high quality and affordable clothes.
www.koolskools.co.uk

Dear Parents and Carers

I can’t believe we’ve only been back 4 days – they’ve certainly been busy!

Today we said goodbye to our senior pupils as they head off onto study leave in preparation for their national examinations. We wish them every success!  Mr Ewing has a full update below.

We’ve been asked to remind all parents that all schools across Orkney will be open on 2 May but closed on 2 and 3 June due to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Today’s update contains 3 notices:

1. An SQA Exam Update (Mr Ewing)
2. Dress Code (Mr Harvey and Mrs Watson)
3. New Orkney initiative to support young people in distress (Ms Devlin)

We hope you all have a relaxing weekend,

Miss Claire Meakin
Head Teacher

SQA Exam Update
Exam leave for S4/5 and s6 pupils will begin on Monday 25th April.
A small number of pupils who are sitting very few exams but will be returning to KGS next session will have arrangements put in place for them during part of study leave.

Exceptional Circumstance
 The Examination Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service (EECCS) supports learners who are either:

• unable to attend the exam or prevented from completing the exam due to a personal circumstance outwith their control (such as a medical issue) or
• affected during the exam by a disruption, or other exam circumstance, reported by the chief invigilator

It is available for all exams that appear in the exam timetable.
There is no charge for this service.

• Only schools, may submit requests. they have experienced a valid exam exceptional circumstance
• they have completed all the compulsory non-question paper components
• an estimate has been submitted for them
• alternative evidence is available

The service is not available to learners who complete the exam, even if they feel they have underperformed due to a personal circumstance beyond their control. Learners who have underperformed relative to their estimate will be eligible for the 2022 appeals service.
If your child is not able to attend an exam, they should contact Mr Ewing [email protected] as soon as possible on the day of the exam
​
Appeals Service
If on results day a pupil feels their result is lower than expected, they may be able to appeal that result.
Appeals can be prioritised if pupils have a conditional place at university or college. There is no charge for appeals.
Eligibility criteria for Appeals 2022 are in place to support fairness and to ensure that learners are accessing the service on an equitable basis. Therefore, the following criteria must be met:

• Learner’s estimate is greater than their certificated grade. For example, if the learner’s exam result is a grade C but their estimate was a grade B.
• All centres must submit an estimate to SQA for each learner per subject/level. Estimated bands of zero or blank will not be eligible.
• Learners must have taken and/or submitted all coursework and formal assessments including exams.
• At least one component of the course assessment must be marked by SQA. Fully internally assessed courses are not eligible for appeals

The deadlines for submitting a priority appeal are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 16 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres - Friday 19 August at 5 pm

Results of all priority appeals will be released to centres on Monday 5 September and sent to UCAS on Tuesday 6 September.
 The deadlines for submitting all other appeals are:

• Learner direct - Tuesday 30 August at 11.59 pm
• Centres – Friday 2 September at 5 pm

Further details on Exceptional Circumstances and Appeals can be found here:
Support services for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher learners (sqa.org.uk)

Exam Timetables
The Exam timetable, study support and results day resources can be found here. Pupils were issued with personalised timetable in school earlier this week.
Exam timetable and learner apps - SQA

Results day
This year's results day is Tuesday 9th August. Pupils can sign up to get their results by text and details are in the Your Exams link below
Your Exams 2022 (sqa.org.uk)

Immersion timetable
There will be a series of immersion events during study leave across the school to support pupils in the days leading up to their exams. The immersion timetable has been sent to pupils and is also on the KGS website

Studying in school during exam leave
When a pupil has finished an exam they should leave school. S1 to S3 pupils are still working in classes so it is important that disruption is kept to a minimum.
Pupils are welcome to study in school but only if they follow these guidelines
Wear dress code
Sign and out of school only at the following times: start of the day, break and lunch time and at the end of the school day. This will be strictly enforced.
Be prepared to study and not to socialize
Pupils not studying will be asked to go home.

As we enter the Summer Term it is great to see the vast majority of our pupils arriving to school on time, wearing the correct Dress Code and conducting themselves in a manner that makes everyone in the school community proud.

When a pupil comes to school without Dress Code then they are lent a Dress Code item from the Office. This is signed for and should be returned at the end of the day. Unfortunately, a number of lent Dress Code items have not been returned. Could we ask that parents/carers check with their children and make sure that if a Dress Code item has been lent to them it has been returned.
​
As we say farewell to our 2022 leavers, families may now be wondering what to do with KGS Dress Code items. If you would like to donate items to help replenish our stock of spare Dress Code then please hand them into to the main reception.

​New Orkney initiative to support young people in distress: Ms Devlin and Mrs Firth had a meeting with Claire Allison of the Blide Trust in Orkney (see the Mental Health link in the Orkney Support Services tab on the school website) who described a new initiative (to Orkney) that the police and ambulance service are now able to offer young people aged 16 and over if they have been called out to them and they are in distress. It is a short-term intervention – a connected and compassionate response to adults and young people over the age of 16. It is called DBI (Distress Brief Intervention). Our understanding is that this is an immediate offer to the young person of daily contact from a trained team and help to make a plan to manage their distress in the short and longer term, as well as helping them to refer themselves to other agencies where appropriate.  The school will build on our connections with the Blide Trust as they are keen that more young people feel able to use their services and building in Victoria Street.  

Dear Parents and Carers,

We hope you have all had a happy Easter break. We are really looking forward to seeing everyone back in school tomorrow and wanted to give you a quick update on the latest covid-19 mitigations.

The Scottish government have updated their guidance and are recommending the following protective measures:
 
Stay at home and isolate
If anyone has symptoms of covid-19 or has tested positive, they should stay at home and isolate inline with the latest advice from NHS.
 
Hand hygiene
Washing hands thoroughly, at the right time and using appropriate products helps to prevent the spread of covid-19. We will continue to have hand sanitiser available for pupils, staff and visitors and we will continue regular surface cleaning.
 
Ventilation
This will continue to be a focus and we will be monitoring classroom and exam spaces to ensure we are maximising the air flow opportunities.
 
Twice-weekly LFD testing
The advice to test twice-weekly no longer applies (although local health teams can deploy testing as one of a suite of measures for outbreak management purposes if necessary).
 
Face coverings
Scottish Government Update: The legal requirement to wear a face covering in most indoor places and on public transport is being replaced with general safety guidance for people who are managing a workplace or organisation. From 18th April, schools should apply the approach within that workplace guidance to the use of face coverings by staff and secondary pupils in indoor communal areas in schools. In practice this means that the wearing of face coverings will not be mandatory, but it will remain encouraged in indoor communal areas in line with the workplace guidance. Any individual who wishes to wear a face covering in a school setting should continue to be supported to do so.
 
Therefore, we will no longer require pupils, staff or visitors to wear face coverings in communal areas.  We will obviously continue to fully support those who choose to do so though.
 
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE will continue to be readily available including disposable gloves, plastic aprons and face masks.
 
Visitors to school
There are no restrictions on visitors entering the school although they will be expected to comply with the school’s routine measures and arrangements.  Therefore, we are now able to restart in person activities, e.g. parent council meetings, transition events and parents’ evenings.
 
If you, or your child, have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to seeing you very soon,

​Miss Claire Meakin
Head Teacher