September 2018

Kilmarnock Academy

Inside this issue:

Exam Success

Official Opening

1

RAF 100 Event

Period Poverty

Social Subjects

2

Family Learning

Parent Council AGM

Modern Languages &

Gaelic

Support for Learning

3

Good News 4

Issue 4

RESPECT

COMPASSION

INTEGRITY

DETERMINATION

We are delighted to report that our young people did extremely well in the recent SQA

exams. We achieved some of our best results which is a real credit to the hard work and

dedication of pupils and staff. Parents are also integral to this success and we are looking

forward to our first full session as a merged school. The following pupils should be

particularly proud of their academic success:

S4 (Excellence in National 5 Awards) S5 (Excellence in Higher Awards)

Ben Crosby, Abby Mitchell, Kyle Emily Cheyne, Cameron Clive, Ross Whip

Henderson, Kirstin Law and Euan Handling Orin Strachan and Amy Richardson

S4

These young people surpassed

expectations, achieving excellent

results.

Sarah Smith, Nicole Bulloch, Dillan

Morrison, Cameron Maxwell, Erin

Johnston and Charlotte Murray.

On Tuesday 11th September, the campus was officially opened by William McIlvanney’s son and

daughter, Professor Liam and Doctor Siobhan McIlvanney. Pupils, parents, MSPs, Dignitaries and

representatives from education and local government attended the ceremony, followed by a tour

of the campus.

On 31st August, twenty S2 pupils were invited to the RAF 100 event at the Glasgow Science Centre. Former Kilmarnock Academy pupils, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier and Air Marshal Stuart Atha invited us so they could meet pupils from their old school. Our pupils also got a chance to see a Typhoon flyover and take part in many interactive STEM stalls, highlighting the different career paths the RAF has to offer and the state-of-the-art technologies that they use. Our day finished with time to explore the Science Mall. Our pupils got lots of inspiration about where STEM can take them and had a fantastic day!

Page 2 Kilmarnock Academy

Every female pupil attended a special assembly to launch the Period Poverty campaign. Pupils were told about the supports on offer in school and how to access free sanitary products. This was led by Kirsty

Dalgleish (Principal Teacher of Pastoral Support) and 15 senior girls who are now Wellbeing Ambassadors. The senior girls will be on hand to offer support and advice as well as ensuring products are kept stocked up. Paige Holland (S3) designed and made the bags to store the sanitary products, donating her costs to the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.

On Thursday 6th of September S4 pupils studying National

5 Modern Studies travelled to the Scottish Parliament in

Edinburgh. Pupils engaged in a workshop with the

Parliament's Education Service on democracy in Scotland

before attending First Minister's Questions in the Chamber.

Following this, pupils were given the opportunity to put questions to their MSPs, Willie Coffey

SNP, Colin Smyth LAB and Brian Whittle CON. This experience has undoubtedly benefitted

their studies and, according to Colin Smyth on Twitter, pupils were a credit to Kilmarnock

Academy.

On Friday 31st of August, Stevie Erskine, from HMP Kilmarnock, visited Ms Milne's S4 Modern

Studies class studying Crime and the Law. Stevie gave an interesting and informative presentation

on the issues faced by prisons in the UK and the role of prisons. This brought the topic to life and pupils have been able to link their knowledge to real life as a result.

This event was a huge success with a number of S1 parents and

pupils attending. They received an introduction to the

pilot programme, got to sample some of the canteen's excellent

food and were then taken on a guided tour of the building.

Over the next few weeks they can look forward to sessions on

Fitness, Cookery Skills, Budgeting and many more. Our thanks

to all who attended and we look forward to seeing you again on

Tuesday at the same time!

There was a great turnout for the Parent Council AGM on the 4th

of September. Kevin Handling was voted in as Chairperson and

nominations for Office Bearer posts continue.

Our S1 pupils are all settling in very well in the Modern Languages and Gaelic Department. We are looking forward to celebrating the European Day of Languages on Wednesday 26th September. All S1 pupils have now been registered for online homework and should be completing it twice a week. We are encouraging them to do so. All pupils in S2 & S3 should also be doing online homework. Our online homework is available at:

www.pearsonactivelearn.com

Pupils have their usernames and passwords!

Page 3

Over the last two weeks, Support for Learning staff have been

extracting selected S1 pupils on a one-to-one basis to test their

reading abilities with the NEALE analysis of Reading Ability

(NARA). This assessment will allow us to both identify and

group pupils on their reading ages and comprehension levels

which will help us to deliver targeted and bespoke support

through our highly effective system of Closing the Literacy Gap.

Assessments will be carried out until the September weekend when tutorial groups will

commence.

Homework alerts are now issued via Microsoft Teams. Pupils

have all had training on how to download the app, available for

free from Google Play or iTunes store.

William McIlvanney Campus

Sutherland Drive

Kilmarnock

KA3 7DF

KILMARNOCK

ACADEMY

Page 4

Calendar

17/09/18—Work Experience

21/09/18— Holiday

24/09/18— Holiday

24/09/18— Work Experience

25/09/18— S4 Info Evening

03/10/18—S5/6 Info Evening

10/10/18—S2 Parents Evening

15/10/18—Holiday all week

Well done to Heather Anderson in S1 who took part in the Scottish

National and Scottish Open highland dancing championships at the Cowal

Highland Gathering in August.

S4 pupils were selected to attend a week-long Fashion & Textiles course

at Dumfries House.

@WMCKilmarnockAcademy

The Kilmarnock Schools Pipe Band had a fantastic day at the Edinburgh Tattoo. The pupils

were tremendous ambassadors for their schools and their performances were outstanding.

To highlight International Literacy Day on the 8th of September,

Miss Shaw and Ewan Carmichael (S2) presented at every assembly.

They talked about the importance of literacy and how it permeates

everyday life. They also made everyone aware of the difficulties

some people face if they struggle with literacy.

All pupil assemblies this

term are focused on the

school values:

RESPECT

COMPASSION

INTEGRITY

DETERMINATION

We welcome a few new staff to our team. Miss Howie, our new Gaelic Teacher,

Miss Northcote to Technical Education, Miss Yorston to the Modern Languages

department, Miss Lawrie to Physical Education, Mr Brown to the Business

Education department and Mr Hodge is our new Principal Teacher of Mathematics

and Numeracy. We are also very fortunate to have six newly qualified teachers

start with us: Mr Keachie, Mr Love, Miss Miscampbell, Mr Shaw, Miss Smith and

Miss Stewart of the Music, PE, History, Physics, RE and Biology departments

respectively.

Well done to all pupils who took part in the whole-school fun run on Wednesday 26th September.

It was a fantastic day, with many pupils dressing up! All money will go to the school fund.