Category Archives: COVID-19

Changes to contact tracing for children and young people – 10 September 2021

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Dear Parent/Carer,

Please find below a letter explaining the changes to contact tracing for children and young people. I hope that this is useful and helps to answer any questions that you may have with regards to recent changes in the procedure. Should you wish to discuss the contents of this letter further, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Download: 20210914082543309_ParentCarersLetterSchools10sept2021

 

Many thanks,

Craig Knight

Depute Headteacher

Pupil Support During the Summer Holidays

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Pupil Support Team

The Pupil Support Leaders will be unable to respond to emails and make contact with parents/carers/pupils during the Summer break. If you wish to leave a message for a Pupil Support Leader, please email: dalkeith.hs@midlothian.gov.uk

This email will be picked up by the pupil support team on Monday 16th August.

If you need to speak to someone urgently regarding child protection, please contact the Emergency Social Work service on 0800 731 6969 or Police Scotland 101 or 999 in an emergency.

As previously shared, these key contact may also be useful:

Ms Preston

Depute Headteacher

Dalkeith High School

Lateral Flow Testing for Senior Pupils Attending School

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Dear Parent/Carer,

As you may be aware, both staff and senior phase pupils attending school will be invited to participate in the COVID-19 asymptomatic testing programme. Attached are 3 documents relating to Lateral Flow Testing at Dalkeith High School.

Download: Midlothian Privacy Notice.docx  :  Consent Form Pupil Version  :  Letter

Information is also available on the Dalkeith High School YouTube page (https://youtu.be/DJIAOh4jx7s).

Regular collection of test kits will be available from Monday 22nd February as detailed in the attached letter, however we would encourage senior pupils who will be attending school for practical subjects or those senior pupils attending the Hub to collect test kits prior to returning on Monday 22nd February.

Test kits will be available to collect from the school office on Friday 19th February at the following times and pupils should bring a completed consent form or ensure this is returned electronically prior to collecting test kits. Electronic forms can be sent to Dalkeith.hs@midlothian.gov.uk

 

Lothian – 9:00am to 9:30am

Buccleuch – 9:30am to 10:00am

Dalhousie – 10:00am to 10:30am

Melville – 10:30am to 11:00am

 

Please note, test kits are currently only available for those senior pupils who will be physically attending school.

 

Kind regards,

Craig Knight

Depute Headteacher

Dalkeith High School

0131 654 4701

Update from the Headteacher re Contact Tracing

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Dear Parent/Carer,

I am contacting you today regarding the procedures that will be put in place for any possible contact tracing that may need to take place at the start of the school holidays in response to the identification of positive cases of Covid-19.  I have attached a letter from Midlothian Council to explain the procedures that will be used.

Download: Parent letter 141220 (1)

Download: Close Contact Log DHS (1)

I understand that some parents/carers will be keeping their young person at home on Monday and Tuesday to reduce the number of contacts in the period leading up to Christmas Day in a bid to protect others in the family.  Please let the school know if you intend to do this and we will amend the register accordingly.

I will issue my last weekly newsletter of 2020 on Friday as normal.

Thank you in advance of your support,

Mrs Dobson

Update from the Headteacher – Friday 9 October 2020

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SQA
Earlier this week an announcement was made in the Scottish Parliament by John Swinney, Deputy First Minister of Scotland regarding the SQA exam diet for 2021. Exams have been cancelled for National 5 courses but will remain in place for Highers and Advanced Highers. National 5 courses will now be awarded on the basis of teachers estimates formed through the gathering of evidence throughout the school session. The SQA will work with schools throughout the year providing guidance and feedback to teachers on the correct standards for each grade. Further information will be issued by the SQA in the coming weeks to support schools with this approach. Content has been removed from courses at all levels to mitigate against the possible loss of learning time in the months ahead. Exams for Highers and Advanced Highers will begin two weeks later than normal, again to increase the time available for learning.

I am pleased that we now have clarity about the way ahead and this will allow our pupils and staff to know what they are aiming towards. The school will continue to provide updates as we receive more detailed information from SQA.

Contingency Plan
All schools in Midlothian have been asked to produce a Contingency Plan to explain to families the actions that the school will take to address challenges that we may face in the months ahead. It is the aspiration of all schools to remain open and provide pupils with full-time in-school education, however the safety of all in the school remains the priority. Please take the time to read the Contingency Plan for Dalkeith High School which is below.

Download: DHS Contingency (1)

PE
As PE classes continue outside, we would like to provide a suggested kit list in order to ensure students remain warm, dry and safe whilst working outdoors. The following items will ensure your child can participate in Covid-safe activities, continue to develop their wellbeing and enjoy their PE experience:

• Waterproof Jacket
• Fleece or warm jumper
• Hat/Gloves
• Appropriate footwear

Any family who is concerned about the financial impact of purchasing these items should email me to request support.
As always the PE department will continue to review educational guidance and look to provide alternative wellbeing activities. Please look for more information on the school website.

DHS Bees
With summer now a distant memory, it is almost time to put DHS’s first colony of honey bees to bed for the winter. Having arrived in July courtesy of our newly formed partnership with Newbattle Beekeepers Association, the colony has gone from strength to strength and it is incredibly hypnotic to sit on a sunny day and watch them zip in and out of the hive on their quests for nectar and pollen. Our senior class of budding beekeepers have all honed their skills in manipulating bees on the frames and have watched baby bees chewing their way out from their wax capped cells, marked our queen so we can more easily find her and have extracted and jarred a small amount of honey. We have provided plenty of food so the colony has enough winter stores to see them through the cold, dark months ahead and we are eagerly awaiting the spring so that we can split the colony currently occupying “Buzzingham Palace” to provide a second hive for our BGE pupils to take charge of. If you’d like to read more about our learning and successful partnership with NBA then please take a look at https://newbattlebees.org/Dalkeith-High-School-Bee-Project

Thank you for your ongoing support as we chart our way through a very unusual year.

With very best wishes,
Allyson Dobson