We have had a very successful first week at St. Ninian’s with all students now having experienced a full seven days of school. All the Y7 and Y9 students have been getting their bearings on the sites new to them and meeting new staff. All has gone very well so far. By the end of this week the new sites will seem like home I am sure. Of course we have welcomed back all students, however, a special mention must go out to Y12 and Y10 who are now embarking on the next phase of their education at Advanced and GCSE levels. I am sure we wish them all the very best in the challenges ahead.
We also have quite a few new staff working at school this year. I will highlight staff in future entries on the blog. For now though welcome to all of you as well.
Lower School (Park Road) has seen no change over the summer. Purely a few repairs and a deep clean ready for the new school year. Of course this historic building is now entering the last academic year in which it will be a school site. We do intend to mark this momentous year for the building over time – watch this space for more details on this as we plan tours for former students etc.
Upper School (Ballaquayle Site) has seen a great many changes this summer. The department of education has carried out a series of works to ensure the site is friendly to all students, staff and visitors – those able bodied and those with mobility issues. As such, we have a number of new lifts and ramps on the site. The work is not quite finished but is nearly there. In addition we have had some toilet refurbishment to improve facilities for students as well as refurbishment to the sports complex roof and also the roof in the Business Education area. Mr. Cowley has given some more detail as to the work taking place at the new Lower School on the Bemahague site elsewhere on the website.
The exam results this year were very pleasing indeed. At A2 level the students produced an excellent set of grades and we are very pleased for the Y13 of 2010/11. At GCSE we had a good set of results which has resulted in around 110 students returning to take A levels at school. I will place more details on the blog regarding results in the next few weeks.
Before I finish this entry on the blog I would like to mention the Community Council. We are working very hard to get this group running fully this eyar. The idea is to have a Home/School group that helps the school and community work closely together. It will hopefully organise events to help parents find out more about education, help local groups get to use the facilities we have to offer and also help the school raise funds in these difficult financial times. If you feel you could help in this area please do come along to the Community Council AGM on Wednesday 21st. September at 7pm at Upper School. Refreshments will be provided and the meeting will last one hour. The main task on the night is to elect a committee to serve as our Community Council for the academic year 2011/12.
Thanks for taking time to read the blog. I hope you have found it interesting. I will try to update it in the next few weeks with more information that I hope will prove useful.
A.C. Fox
Headteacher, St. Ninian’s High School.
