Parent/Carer Updates

Dear Parent/Carer,

As we move further into the school year, I would like to take the opportunity to share some important information about school life, our expectations, and some of the exciting developments taking place at Gairloch High School.

Staying Informed: Our school app

Our school app is used to keep parents and carers informed through push notifications about important updates, events and activities. While our website remains the main source of information, the app provides a quick and convenient way of directing you to the information you need.

The app does not require any sign-up and can be accessed either on a smartphone or through a web browser using the link below:

🔗 https://bit.ly/ghs-app

Our Values

Following extensive consultation with pupils, parents, staff and other stakeholders, our school values are:

• Respect

• Kindness

• Responsibility

• Ambition

We would be grateful if parents and carers could continue to reinforce the meaning and importance of these values at home. They underpin everything we do as a school community.

Pupil Standards

Our pupil standards were developed in partnership with pupils as part of our ongoing youth empowerment work. We ask all parents and carers to support us in reinforcing these expectations:

• Always promote the school's vision, values and aims.

• Always engage positively in learning and try your best.

• Always comply with the school's dress code and wear uniform smartly.

• Always follow school policies and expectations.

• Maintain a minimum attendance level of 90%.

• Set a positive example both inside and outside school.

• Always support others and contribute positively to the school community.

Preparedness for Learning

To ensure pupils are ready to learn each day, we ask that they come to school with:

• A fully charged Chromebook.

• Essential learning equipment including stationery and calculators where required.

• Appropriate PE kit on PE days.

Your support in helping pupils prepare each morning is greatly appreciated.

Break and Lunchtime Opportunities

A wide range of activities continue to be available during break and lunchtime, and we encourage all pupils to become involved.

These include:

• Access to the school library.

• Organised and free-choice activities.

• House events on designated days.

• Football on the astroturf on non-House Event days.

• Clubs and activities including Art Club, Bingo and LGBTQ+ sessions on selected days.

These opportunities provide valuable chances for pupils to develop friendships, interests and wider skills. Should pupils wish to explore another opportunity, please encourage them to ask a member of staff in the first instance.

School Improvement Priorities

As part of our ongoing self-evaluation and improvement work, our key focus this year is ensuring that learning and teaching is consistently very good across the school.

A range of activities are supporting this work, including teacher professional learning, youth empowerment initiatives and opportunities for pupils to help shape improvements.

🔗 https://www.gairlochhigh.org.uk/plans-reports 

Self-Evaluation and School Policies

We are commencing this year's self-evaluation activities and would welcome input from all stakeholders.

Information on how pupils, parents, carers and other members of our community can become involved, alongside access to key school policies, can be found here:

🔗 https://www.gairlochhigh.org.uk/self-evaluation

Senior Phase Leadership Programme

Our S4-S6 pupil leaders continue to make a significant contribution to school life through our evolving Senior Phase Leadership Programme.

Alongside their leadership and support duties across the school, participants are engaging in a range of development opportunities, including our Human Skills and AI programme and collaborative work with colleagues from Glenurquhart High School.

I would like to thank all of our senior leaders for their commitment, enthusiasm and willingness to contribute positively to our school community.

Pilot Projects: Filling curriculum gaps and enhancing learner development

This year, we continue to pilot a number of innovative learning opportunities, including Interdisciplinary Learning and our Human Skills and AI programme.

These projects are designed to help learners better understand the rapidly changing world around them and to develop the skills, knowledge and resilience needed to cope, adapt and thrive in the future.

It is important to emphasise that these programmes are not designed to promote any particular technology. They do not involve learner-facing AI tools, with the exception of carefully managed simulations used with our S4-S6 leadership group within a secure online learning environment.

Further information and the rationale for these projects can be found below:

🔗 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TGX5ccIDZNJ1re7GP0_goB6436r2eoUb/view?usp=sharing

🔗 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ykvkuJ1kbLuU6MLS3FRH1tYC09h19SQz/view?usp=sharing

Thank you for your continued support of Gairloch High School. By working together and reinforcing high expectations, strong values and positive attitudes towards learning, we can ensure that all young people have the opportunity to achieve their full potential.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Yours in Education,

Stuart Caddell
Head Teacher
Gairloch High School