The week started with a Parent Teacher Association (PTA) meeting.  The PTA are a really enthusiastic group who seek to arrange events to help parents to meet each other and meet staff.  These events are also intended to raise funds which can be put towards activities which will benefit pupils.  the group met in the learning support area as the PTA had recently donated £200 to help provide resources for some of our more vulnerable young people.  The next main event is a Murder Mystery night on Saturday 12th March at 7.00 and I hope the PTA will be supported in planning the event and/or a good turn out at the event.

On Wednesday we had a practice of our interim fire evacuation arrangements.  At present we do not have access to one of the main stairwells and a section of corridor.  Alternative routes have been identified and checked with our H&S advisers.  It was important that all staff and pupils had the opportunity to practice an evacuation using the interim arrangements.

On Thursday I met with a medal winning athlete Fiona Davidson.  Fiona has trained with the UK cycling team and was the sighted athlete at the front of a tandem in the Paralympics in London and at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  She is working with us as part of an initiative called ‘Winning Scotland Foundation’.  Between now and summer she will work with a group of around 24 pupils from S3-S5 with a view to helping them to set and achieve ambitious goals.

As a school we have been achieving a fair bit of sporting success of late.  On Wednesday our S1 football team beat Hazlehead Academy to reach the last 16 in the Scottish Cup.  On Thursday a group of our youngsters took part in a NE football event and came home with the trophy.  that evening our S3 football team boarded a ferry to Orkney to play Kirkwall Grammar school in the Scottish cup.  At lunchtime on Friday, in front of a large Kirkwall crowd (and 2 keen Harlaw parents) they put up a great display.  The 5-1 victory has secured them a place in the last 16 in Scotland and a game in Edinburgh against Broughton High School.

Winning pupils and coaches from NE tournament

S3 team before 5-1 win at Kirkwall