Parent and carers' update - Friday 4th November

Dear Parents and Carers, 
​
This week’s update contains opportunities for you to contribute your thoughts on the future direction of Scottish education, both in terms of SQA qualifications and assessments and what you think Scottish education should look like in the future.  

There are also links to advice and financial support which are available to families who are struggling in these difficult economic times. 

​Mr Neil Ewing 
Acting Head Teacher 

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Today’s update contains 15 notices 
1. Papdale Halls of Residence Autumn Newsletter 
2. Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment/Hayward Review 
3. National Discussion Scottish Education 
4. Understanding options available after school (SDS) for parents and carers of Secondary pupils, Thursday 10th November 
5. Family Fridays @KGS 
6. Breakfast@KGS 
7. SQA Exam Result Appeals 
8. E-sgoil Study support for senior pupils 
9. Celebrating success 
10. Cost of Living Crisis Support Scotland 
11. S4-6 pupils: SQA Additional Assessment Arrangements for pupils who need additional support in SQA exams. 
12. Scottish Child Payment 
13. Free school meals and clothing allowances 
14. Billie Theatre Performance 
15. Right to Food survey 

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1. Papdale Halls of Residence Newsletter  
The Autumn Papdale Halls of Residence Newsletter can be found here in the external resources section: 
https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/E/papdale-halls-of-residence.htm 
2. Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment/Hayward Review 
For your information, the public consultation for the Independent Review of SQA Qualifications and Assessment/Hayward Review is now live.  Links to the public consultation can be found below.   
https://www.gov.scot/groups/independent-review-of-qualifications-and-assessment/ 

​3. National Discussion Scottish Education  
We would encourage as many parents as possible to engage in the national discussion regarding the future of Scottish education. You can find all the resources here: 
https://consult.gov.scot/national-discussion-scottish-education/ 

4. Understanding options available after school (SDS) for parents and carers of Secondary pupils, Thursday 10th November 
Skills Development Scotland careers advisers are hosting a webinar for parents and carers of secondary pupils on 10 Nov at 6:30pm to discuss the options available to young people when they leave secondary school, and resources and support available from Skills Development Scotland. Parents and carers can register for our session here:  
https://Understandingoptionsavailableafterschool.eventbrite.co.uk 

5. Family Fridays @KGS 
Over the course of this session the Parent Council would like to invite parents into KGS on Friday mornings for school visits. The visits would be in small groups and run between 10am and 11am. Each visit would include a tour of the school in action, a chat with the Senior Leadership team over a cup of coffee, and a visit to some classrooms.  The next visit will be on Friday 18th November and parents can email [email protected] by Wednesday 16th November to book a place.  

6. Breakfast@KGS 
Breakfast is available for pupils from 8.20am. The breakfast menu is on the school website and includes toast and cereals with hot food such as filled rolls and scrambled eggs available on demand. 


Securing the Best Outcomes (Joe McCall) 

7. SQA Exam Result Appeals 
The SQA appeals process concluded this week with the release of updated results. Pupils in the school who have successfully appealed their grade have been contacted by Mr McCall. Updated certificates will be forwarded to those pupils by the SQA in the coming weeks. All other grades issued by the SQA in August remain unchanged. The SQA inform us that the appeals process is now formally closed. 

8. E-sgoil Study support for senior pupils 
A reminder that Webinars are now available in almost all subjects 
Registration for Evening Webinars will be via the link below. 
(Pupils must log on to Glow before accessing the link to the registration form, and should check the timetable carefully before choosing the webinars they wish to attend.) 
https://www.e-sgoil.com/study-support/ 


Promoting Positive Behaviour and Relationships (Mr Harvey) 

9. Celebrating Success   
At KGS we are keen to reward pupils for hard work, effort and generally doing well. This is done by issuing House Points. Each week the registration class that receives the most House Points receives a prize which you may have seen shared on our website and Facebook page. We have also started issuing individual certificates when pupils amass 20 or more House Points in a term. These are emailed to both pupil and parent/carer. Look out for these in your email inbox during the term 


Securing the Highest Level of Universal Support (Ms Devlin) 

10. Cost of Living Crisis Support Scotland  
A new Scottish Government website has been launched to signpost advice and financial support available to people in Scotland. It includes information about support with increasing energy bills, Scottish and UK social security payments and benefits, support with housing costs, payments for families, as well as where to get further advice, benefit calculators, and wider health and wellbeing information. The website can be accessed at the link below: 
https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot 
11. S4-6 pupils: SQA Additional Assessment Arrangements for pupils who need additional support in SQA exams. 
School staff are in the process of having discussions with S4-6 pupils with a learning difference, eg. dyslexia and ASD regarding special arrangements needed for their Prelim examinations in January 2023 and SQA examinations in May 2023.  
At National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels staff can make a request to SQA for the following:  

• extra time 
• a staff member or reader pen to read exam scripts 
• a scribe  
• a prompt  
• a small room out with exam room with a small group of pupils 
• a word-processor to type scripts 
• digital papers - papers in a pdf form format. 
• scripts printed on yellow, blue, green, pink or purple. 

Your child’s class teacher needs to provide the SQA with evidence that the special arrangement (known as an accommodation) is needed on a day-to-day basis in school to access class activities, tests and assignments and that it has made a significant positive impact on their attainment. 
In addition, the KGS Curriculum Support department needs to provide the SQA with evidence of a specific learning need, for example dyslexia, visual impairment, ASD etc. 
Please ask your young person if they feel they need these accommodations to discuss them with their class teacher.  If your young person is unsure if they meet the SQA criteria, please ask them to speak with Ms Marie Phillips in room GO38.  

12. Scottish Child Payment 
The Scottish Government have made important changes to the qualifying criteria for SCP. From 14 November all children under the age of 16 whose carers receive means tested benefits will be entitled to £25 per week, per child. Previously, only children under the age of 6 met the criteria and the figure currently is £20 per week. 
The eligible benefits are: 
· Child Tax Credit 
· income-based Jobseeker's Allowance 
· income-related Employment and Support Allowance 
· Income Support 
· Pension Credit 
· Universal Credit – if your UC is reduced to £0 by a sanction or a deduction, you can still get Scottish Child Payment 
· Working Tax Credit. 

Claims can be made: 
1. By telephone by calling 0800 182 2222 
2. Online through www.mygov.scot/scottish-child-payment 

There has been very little coverage of this on television or in the press and we are concerned that families will miss out 

13. Free school meals and clothing allowances 
Orkney Islands Council provides assistance with free school meals and clothing allowances to families on a low income who meet the eligibility criteria.  
The current clothing allowance is £120.00 per eligible primary child and £150.00 per eligible secondary child. More information can be found here: 
https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/S/School-Meals-and-Clothing-Allowances.htm 

14. Billie Theatre Performance 
On Wednesday 16th Nov S3 & S4 pupils will have the opportunity to watch the production of “Billie” by Rolled Up Theatre 
This production explores through the eyes of young people, the prevalence, impact, and effects gambling can have on individuals, families, friends, and the wider community. The play does include reference to a range of risk-taking behaviours, drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc, as well as references to death and bereavement. There is mild swearing.  
Following the 35-minute play, there will be a short interactive facilitated session that will pose questions and raise awareness's on several areas in the play and a range of risk-taking behaviours. It will endeavour to empower the audience to make more informed choices and decision making. 
 
15. Right to Food survey 
The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) is the democratically elected voice of Scotland’s young people. They work to make sure young people's views are listened to by decision makers. 
 
One of SYP’s current priorities is to ensure that young people in Scotland can access their right to food. Every person has the right to have food that is accessible, readily available, and adequately meets their dietary needs. 
 
As part of their campaign on the Right to Food, they want to find out about young people’s experience in accessing food and gather their opinions on different solutions to problems within our food system, including universal free school meals. The results of this research will be used to shape their calls to decisions makers about immediate improvements to food provision for young people.  Pupils have been invited to complete the survey, which is on the KGS website.