Dear Parent/Carer,

James Gillespies’s High School – Dress Code Survey

As you will be aware James Gillespie’s High School recently moved into the new and wonderful new Malala building.  We are due to move into the Spark Building and the Liddell Building in August 2016 which represents an exciting time in our school’s history.

It has been a few years since JGHS made an update to its school dress code and we view the move into our new Campus in August 2016 as the ideal time to update our dress code following consultation.

Staff and pupils in JGHS have been surveyed over the past couple of weeks and we would very much like to hear from parents within the James Gillespie’s community.  All parents with pupils from P5 upwards in an associated primary and up to S6 in JGHS will have the opportunity to complete a survey and also provide comments if they wish.

The online survey can be accessed here:  JGHS Dress Code – Parental Survey

The current Dress Code arrangement is on our school website.

http://jamesgillespies.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/School-Dress-Code.pdf

Vote Section: You will be given four broad choices as vote options as follows:

Option 1: No change to dress code

Option 2: Uniform – polo shirt and sweatshirt

Option 3: Uniform – Blazer and tie

Option 4: No preference

Comment section: Once you have selected your option you will be forwarded to ‘free-text’ comments section.  This is the place to mention any caveats or suggestions you have regarding the finer details within your choice and also allows you to share thoughts on the other options as you see fit.

Once you have completed the vote and comments box (or if you do not wish to comment) simply press submit.

This survey will remain active until Thursday 13 August 2015.  Any forms submitted after that date will not be counted.

If you have any queries about the technical use of the survey please email Eilidh.grant@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk.  (Please note only votes and comments about dress code that are submitted through the online survey will be counted.  Comments and votes cannot be sent by email).

The data gathered will be read and analysed by Mr Macdonald (Headteacher) and his senior team early next session and following discussion with both the Pupil and Parent Councils the final decision on James Gillespie’s Pupil Dress Code (commencing August 2016) will be shared with you by the October break.

Many thanks for your time and support with this survey and for your ongoing involvement in our thriving school community.

Yours sincerely,

Ms Eilidh Grant (on behalf of the Dress Code Review Team)

Please return your Transport Survey as soon as possible .

The official opening of the Tollcross Evelyn Jamieson Library.  We were delighted to welcome members of Evelyn’s family to Tollcross to celebrate this historic event.  P5 were able to show them how important the library is to us. we even had some special cake! Thank you Mrs Robertson expert baker!

Two of our senior pupils achieved top awards at the prestigious Scottish Primary Mathematical Challenge this year. This afternoon they were awarded their certificates and much sought after prizewinner’ mugs.

Researchers working on behalf of National Museum of Scotland are seeking families who have not visited the Musum. Although children may have visited with school they will not have visited with mum and dad. If your family is willing to take part in a study then please contat Sheena on 0131 555 1104 or on sheena.muncie@scotinform.co.uk. Children would ideally be aged 6+. We are looking for two families and it’s a great opportunity to tell us about what makes for a good day out. We are looking forward to hearing from you. All participating adults will receive an incentive for taking part.

We had a great week with the pupils from  Colegio Joaquin Blume in Madrid. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and make new friends. Thank you to everyone at Tollcross Primary and Colegio Joaquin Blume who helped to make this visit a success. 

Unfortunately we have an outbreak of Head lice.

Having head lice, also called nits, doesn’t mean you’re dirty. Children are most commonly affected, but anyone with hair can catch them.
Head lice are tiny insects that live in human hair. They’re very small (about the size of a sesame seed) and are browny-grey in colour.
They have six legs, each with a claw on the end. They use these to cling on to hair, and they survive by biting the scalp and feeding on blood. This often causes itching, but not always.
The female head lice lay eggs in sacs that stick to individual hairs. A baby head louse then hatches 7 to 10 days later.
If your child has head lice, you might be able to spot the remains of the tiny white egg in their hair. This is called a “nit”. Some people also use the word “nit” to mean “head lice”.
The baby head louse is ready to have babies of its own 10 to 14 days later.
Head lice crawl from head to head when you’re close to someone who has them. Children are particularly at risk because they’re often in close contact with other children at school.
Head lice can’t fly or jump, and it’s very rare to get head lice from a pillow or a towel as they can’t survive away from a human head for very long.
How to spot head lice
Head lice can be difficult to detect, even when you closely inspect your child’s head.
If you think your child may have head lice:
Check your child’s hair. The most common places for head lice to lurk are in the hair behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
If you still can’t spot any lice, comb the child’s hair with a special nit comb. These are available from most chemists. It’s easier to spot head lice as they fall out if you comb the hair over a piece of white paper.
Find out more about how to spot head lice.
Treating head lice
If head lice are present, you need to treat your child.
You should only treat your child if you find live head lice, which confirms a live infestation. Don’t treat “just in case”.
Head lice are tough. They can’t be killed by washing with normal shampoo or normal combing. Because they reproduce so quickly, you’ve got to kill them before they spread to others.
If your child has head lice, check everyone in the family. You’ll need to treat everyone affected to get rid of them.
You can treat head lice by wet-combing hair with a special comb, or by using medicated lotions or sprays available over the counter at pharmacies.
Find out more about the treatment of head lice on the NHS website.

The City of Edinburgh Council is committed to supporting the development of childcare services including Breakfast Clubs, Afterschool Clubs and Holiday Provision across the Authority. As a requirement of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, the Council also has a duty to consult, plan and publish these plans in relation to Out of School Care provision in the city.

We have carried out a mapping of current Out of School Care provision and have developed a Survey Monkey in order to consult with as many parents and carers as possible. We are very keen to canvas everyone’s views for whom Out of School Care is of relevance. The systematic gathering of data will help us to establish existing barriers, identify where challenges are presented and help us to plan for future Out of School Services for all of our families.

Link to Out of School Care Survey 2015

If you need any further information on the survey, please contact Christine McKechnie on 0131 529 2412 or christine.mckechnie@edinburgh.gov.uk

Congratulations to all the boys and girls,from P6 and P7, who took part in the Primary Schools Swimming Gala at the Commonwealth pool this morning. As always the children were a credit to Tollcross. We are particularly delighted that the Freestyle team won a Bronze medal. Well done everyone!