Dear Parents and Students

Happy Holidays! Well done, we made it through another really tough year. Despite all the disruption due to COVID 19, you have all achieved some amazing things. I really enjoyed this week’s achievement assemblies, led by Mrs MacPhie, and I would like to share her script below – I think it provides a very good summary of the outstanding work of staff and students. I would also like to draw your attention to our updated Dress Code policy so that we can all make a great start on this after the summer holidays. The policy can be accessed at the following link:

Forrester-HS-Dress-Code.pdf (forresterhighschool.org.uk) (more…)

Dear Parents and Students

I am writing to let you know the arrangements for the end of term. The summer holidays will begin at 12:00noon on Friday 1/7/22. We will have a slightly shorter day and an extended break to say farewell to some of our staff who are leaving us for pastures new.

I would also like to take this opportunity to formally thank Mr Brown, Ms Groves, Mrs McNinch and Dr Hayhurst for their fantastic service to the school and local community and to wish them all the very best.

I will write a further update towards the end of the week (or thereafter) to summarise some of the outstanding achievements and work of students and staff. Meanwhile, please see information below regarding some of the supports available over the summer holidays.

Thanks and best wishes

Stephen Rafferty

Head Teacher (more…)

We were delighted to welcome our P7 parents to school last night. There was a great turn-out, despite the weather (and despite competing with the football). Thank you for supporting this event – we are really looking forward to working with you and your young people.

Please find below the presentation slides.  

P7 Parents Information Evening June 2022

Stephen Rafferty

Head Teacher

Dear parents and students

The holidays are fast approaching and we have a lot to cram in between now and the 1^st July, when school breaks for the summer.

P7-S1 Transition

Tonight, we welcome our P7 parents for an information evening prior to next week’s P7 to S1 transition visits. A huge amount of work has gone into preparing everyone for the three-day visit both here and in the primary schools. There have been opportunities to visit school for various events and we are really looking forward to getting everyone together for the first time.

Celebrating Success and Award Ceremony

Tomorrow afternoon, we will celebrate some of the successes of the year with an award ceremony for all our prize winners. This event has been scaled down this year, due to COVID, and may look quite different going forward.

Parent Council (Parent Forum) Annual General Meeting 14/6/22

Our Parent Council are hosting its Annual General Meeting in school next Tuesday from 7:00pm. All parents are included in our Parent Forum and are warmly invited to attend this meeting. The meeting will be face to face with the opportunity, if preferred, to attend online.

During this meeting, office bearers are appointed for the following school year (Chair, Deputy, Treasurer and Secretary).

If you would like to attend this meeting in person or online, please let us know using the survey linked below:

https://forms.office.com/r/zXYCPDUjUe

Anxiety Supports for Parents and Carers

The Early Intervention team at CAMHs have added two new Anxiety Resources to help parents support their child or teenager, the new leaflet is attached here:

https://forresterhighschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Resources-for-Overcoming-Anxiety-and-Worry-v2.pdf

You can also find all the resources on the CAMHS NHS Lothian website – Online Resources (nhslothian.scot)

New Resources include:

A relaxation booklet for children

A Self Help Guide for parents on supporting their child with anxiety 

Part 1 : Understanding and Talking about worries

Part 2 : Anxiety Traps

Part 3 : Overcoming Anxiety

Part 4 : Looking After Yourself and Further information  

These are added to the previously available resources which were developed by CAMHS and Psychological Services:   

Parent’s Anxiety Workshops Recorded information sessions. These are also available in BSL.  

Part 1: Understanding Anxiety https://vimeo.com/637899585/a4a632bd0c   

Part 2: Supporting your child with anxiety https://vimeo.com/637889751/e2d94cf5d5

Computerised CBT for parents on Supporting their Child/Teen with Anxiety a module course you can work through at your own pace via the platform Silvercloud at  https://cyplothian.silvercloudhealth.com/signup/  this is free to sign up using the Access code: Lothian

The flyer also highlights some useful websites and resources and links to the adult mental health website Home – Wellbeing Lothian

Finally, thank you for your continuing support with getting students into school on time and in as close to dress code as possible. There has been a great improvement in both of these over the last few weeks.

Thanks and best wishes

Stephen Rafferty

Head Teacher

Dear Parents and Students

In case you haven’t heard, Saturday is Cup Final Day – no not that cup final but the Lothian Schools’ League Cup Final involving a certain team from Forrester. The S2 boys, coached by Kieran Millar, have been outstanding ambassadors for the school at home and on their travels. They were unbeaten in the league and narrowly missed out on being crowned league champions after an entertaining 3 -3 draw with first place George Watsons. Although I’m sure they will go on to more glory next year, the League Cup is their last opportunity to lift some silverware this season. So, if you have a spare 90 minutes (plus extra time) please come and give the boys your support.

As Kayden’s poster (displayed all over the school and below) shows:

Date: Saturday 28^th May

Kick-off: 9:30am

Venue: Meggetland

Thanks and best wishes

Stephen Rafferty

Head Teacher

P.S. Many thanks to students and parents for your great support with uniform as we began the new timetable this week. This has made a visible difference to the way we look and feel as a school and to the value we place on learning.

Dear Parents and Students

I am writing to share some important information for the start of our new timetable on Monday 23^rd May. We are starting the timetable early this year to give everyone the best possible chance to make progress in their new courses. The new timetable also gives us all an opportunity to reset and make a fresh start, with the majority of COVID measures hopefully behind us. (more…)