Dear Parents,

Prelim exams for SQA courses will take place between 2nd and 13th February. These exams are important for three main reasons.

• They give a clear indication of a student’s progress. After the prelims there is still time to address issues affecting progress. In some cases the prelim provides evidence that the pupil may be better taking the qualification at a different level or concentrating on fewer subjects.
• Students gain valuable experience of sitting assessments under formal exam conditions.
• If a student is unable to attend an exam due extreme circumstances, such as serious illness, the prelim results can be used as evidence of the student’s attainment through the SQA’s Exceptional Circumstances Consideration Service

Prelim exams are no longer used to provide evidence to the SQA for students who underperform in the final SQA exam. The Post Results Service is the only route for upgrading a result.

Pupils should spend some time in the Christmas break revising for prelim exams. Dates for prelims will be set once a new secondary timetable for 2015 has been finalised. Class teachers will advise pupils on what and how to study for their subject.

Prelim exams will be done during class time and a normal timetable will be in operation.

We wish all our pupils well in the prelim exams.

Andy Creighton

SQA Coordinator

Transitus & Secondary PE - Thursday 18 December

Dear Parents,

There is a change to the PE timetable for Transitus and Secondary this Thursday in order to accommodate the Christmas Play rehearsals. Transitus and S1 will swap with S2-S6 and now go to PE in the afternoon; S2-S6 will go to PE in the morning. Therefore, please can any parents of Transitus and S1 children who usually drop them off in Largs drop them off at the school for 9.00am instead. If you wish to collect your children in Largs after PE please contact the school to arrange this. S2-S6 should come to school as normal at 9.00am. They should then follow their normal travel arrangements home.

Nico completed this painting in art yesterday using acrylic paint and a palette knife:

We are having a hard working and exciting day practicing for the play... Hope to see lots of you there!

S4 have planned and carried out an experiment looking at the effects of fertilisers on algal growth.

S3 are looking at uses of enzymes. Here they are planning an investigation on rennet and cheese making. After they had their investigation planning approved they carried out their experiments.

I had a chance to listen to Miss Rukin rehearsing with the senior choir this afternoon - they sounded brilliant!

Senior school artists are continuing to work hard and make good progress on their expressive folios:

S1 - 3 pupils involved in the after school drama club have been rehearsing for their part in the school Christmas play:

S2/3 Dramatists have been working well in drama. This weeks they were looking at stage directions and how to block a script correctly as well as doing some improvisation activities using props: