Dear parents and students
I hope that you and your families continue to stay well. Please find below an update for this week.
Reopening School in August
A decision has now been reached by the Council on a model for reopening schools in August, and we have begun to plan how this will work at Forrester. All Edinburgh Schools will follow a similar model. It is expected that 33% of children will be in school at any one time, while the rest of the school will be learning at home. Young people would be in school for whole days on a rota basis to be worked out by individual schools. A letter from the City of Edinburgh Council, providing more detail, will be distributed later today or early next week. We will let parents and students know the expected pattern of attendance by Wednesday 24th June.
Parent Council
It was great to see some familiar faces at our virtual Parent Council AGM on Tuesday night which was attended by 22 people. We are fortunate to have such a supportive and constructive group of parents. Although it was a really positive and constructive meeting, it is clear that everyone is feeling the effects of the extended lock-down and coronavirus on their lives. Support networks, like the parent council, are so important at this time and the PC would urge you to contact them for any support they can give.
The class of 2020
In normal circumstances, this would have been a week of celebration in the school with staff due to join our S6 Class of 2020 for a final farewell at the Senior Prom. Unfortunately, like many things, Prom had to be cancelled. However, when things return to ‘normal’ we will arrange a suitable celebration. Meanwhile, Mrs MacPhie has produced the following video as tribute to our fantastic Class of 20202.
Hub School
It was Forrester Cluster’s turn to staff the Hub School this week and it was great for me to see some young people engaged in their learning. It was also great to see the dedication and adaptability of the staff who looked after groups ranging from P1 – S2.
Blended Learning
Given that remote and blended learning are here to stay, we are working hard to ensure that students have access to high quality online learning. To support this, Mr Carter has provided the following link which will take you to a series of parental guides:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXw8f6GseX3yXiW-o4sBVvkgIZLYoJCiS
In the video below, Mr Carter explains some of the work being done to support us as we move towards a blended model of learning (learning in school and at home).
You can also find previously shared support material at the links below:
https://forresterhighschool.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Tutorial-to-Support-Home-Learning.pdf
Families Edinburgh Magazine
The link below will take you to the families Edinburgh Magazine which is a great resource produced by Edinburgh City Council. This edition features activities and resources for surviving lockdown – it even has a section on cutting hair!
https://issuu.com/familiesonline/docs/edinburgh_3_?fr=sOTJiMzE1MTMyMDM
Coming Up
Looking forward to next week where, if all goes well, we will have:
- A Summer 5K with a difference!
- P7 – S1 Virtual Transitions
- Virtual Awards Ceremony
Thanks, and best wishes.
Stephen Rafferty
Head Teacher