Head Teacher Updates

29th February 2024 

Can I take this opportunity to update you on a number of things as we find ourselves at the end of February with only four weeks of this term left. Firstly many thanks to parents and pupils who attended last night’s Options Choice evening. It was great to see so many and good for those who managed along to both be given the whole-school perspective in terms of the Choice of Course process and be able to talk to faculty staff about particular courses / appropriate levels of study going forwards. Thanks also go to our senior pupils who shared their own experiences of progressing into S4. S5 and S6. 

Can I also update you on where we are in terms of pupil movement during the school day. We are delighted with the success of our electronic system for recording pupils out of class across the day. There is no question that the number of pupils leaving lessons has now reduced. A more effective tracking system also means that where we do have any concerns, we are more easily able to identify these and share with yourselves where necessary. Following the successful introduction of our new system, all toilet facilities are now open once again. 

Finally can I share our recent success with our Depute and our S5 ROV lads were last week once again recognised for their commitment to excellence by the Society for Underwater Technology at Subsea Expo. “The President’s Award” was presented to our Depute Head Teacher  in recognition of his mentoring of young people in both technological and life-skills and to the boys – in the first time this award has been awarded to a group of pupils - for their “innovation, entrepreneurship and enthusiasm in running a highly professional, technical youth business; one that puts many fully fledged companies in the shade”. All success is, of course, cause for celebration but it’s always particularly pleasing to have recognition from beyond our immediate school community. 

Head Teacher 

9th January 2024

I hope you all had a lovely holiday and are beginning to get back to normal as we move into 2024. Certainly it’s good personally to be back at Mintlaw Academy once again following my surgery end of last term. It’s a busy start to the term with year group assemblies this week ensuring all pupils, Seniors and S1-S3 are aware of the changes into next week as our Prelim diet starts. Can I take this opportunity to wish all our senior pupils sitting exams over the next few weeks all the very best. 

As a new year starts, can I also take the opportunity to highlight that we are once again looking for your help in working to curb vaping around the school campus. I am very pleased to highlight that the issues in school have certainly improved but vaping remains a concern across the wider campus. With that in mind we are sending out a letter tomorrow around the concerns of vaping, which I hope you will take the opportunity to discuss with you son / daughter and we will follow this up with individual communication with yourselves where we suspect your son / daughter may be involved in vaping. Hopefully together we can make some real progress in this area across 2024. 

Once again, can I wish you all the very best for 2024. Hopefully once again this is a very good year for the Mintlaw Academy School Community. 

Head Teacher 

2nd November 2023

Currently across the school campus we are trialling – with some toilet settings only – removing the external door from some group toilets. The decision has been made to prevent pupils using the toilets as a social space, an issue we have highlighted previously. Pupil privacy is not compromised. 

We have already noticed a significant difference in terms of appropriate access to the identified boys’ toilets. Previous to the decision there were groups of young people consistently spending extended periods of time there both during social times and between classes. 

This week we are trialling a similar approach with one set of girls toilets. Our plan is to monitor closely between now and Christmas, evaluate with both pupils and parents and make a permanent decision going forwards into Term 3. 

It is probably worth noting that in all new build schools, open plan toilets with individual, often unisex, cubicles are very much the norm and whilst perhaps initially raising some concerns, seem to prove a very effective model. 

Head Teacher 

30th October 2023

It’s good to be back to school today following the October break. Hopefully everyone had a chance for some rest and recuperation and wasn’t too bothered by the stormy weather. I’m delighted to say our pupils are looking great today with almost everyone in School Dress Code so a big thanks for your support in this. 

Just a quick update that I am now booked for my second hip surgery on Monday 27th November, 4 weeks from today. Although earlier than I had anticipated, it means that the 4 week period from then till the holidays, plus the holidays themselves should see be back to fit and healthy by the start of Term 3 so my plan would be to return on Monday 8th. It will be good to finally get back to normal. 

Here’s hoping for a successful if busy Term 2. 

Head Teacher 

1st June 2023

As we move into June, the end of the SQA exams and of the current timetable and get ready to move on to next session’s one on Tuesday, I thought it time to share a number of areas with yourselves in terms of where things are across the school. 

Firstly a reminder that next Monday, 5th June is a holiday across the Mintlaw Cluster Schools. The weather looks to be good over the weekend so l trust you all have a lovely weekend. 

As years one to five become our new S2 to S6, it’s always good to remind ourselves of key processes to ensure we all move forwards positively. Can I ask please that you ensure your son/daughter comes to school on Tuesday to start their new timetable in appropriate School Dress Code. It was lovely to see our new S6 today in School Dress Code across the year group. A reminder of our Dress Code is on our website but essentially we are looking for a shirt and tie, plain black trousers or skirt and black footwear. It would be great to start our new timetable with all pupils in appropriate dress code as a real marker of moving forwards positively. 

I would also like to take the opportunity to remind all parents/ carers that it is important you do not contact your son/daughter during the teaching day. I’m sure you can all appreciate that phone calls / texts during lessons are quite disruptive to ongoing learning and teaching and I have been made aware this is something that does appear to be on the rise. Pupils are clear that they should not be using their phones during lessons unless it is part of learning in that particular subject area so good to ensure everyone is clear about the importance of that. Phones are a key part of where we are in society but it is important for our young people that we work with yourselves as parents to support them in knowing when they should and should not be on them. If you do need to get in touch with your youngster urgently during the teaching day please contact the school office who will ensure any message is passed on. Of course contacting them yourselves during interval / lunch is fine. 

We are also keen as a school as we move into the start of our 23/24 session to tighten up on late arrival to class which has become an increasing issue over recent months. I would ask for your support in ensuring your son / daughter is able to get to school in plenty time for the start of the school day and also to discuss with them the importance of getting from lesson to lesson promptly in order to ensure classes can start sharply across all year groups across the school. 

We are running Induction programmes for S4 – S6 today and tomorrow and will ensure the information above is shared with our new S4 – S6 pupils as part of the programme of events each year group will participate in. We will also share with our new S2/S3 during year group assemblies in June. I would repeat though, your help in reinforcing the messages would be most helpful. 

Looking forward to next session, we are looking as a school at potentially opening a Facebook page. The purpose would be to more broadly share achievements and celebrate success across our school community. As you will be aware we already have a number of Twitter pages, a whole school one and separate pages for individual Faculties. However, we are aware that many of yourselves are already on Facebook and would welcome a page to share our successes across the school via it. I will share more information on this one in August when we have had the opportunity to look at how best to set our new page up. Hopefully this will be a welcome addition for yourselves in your being able to share in the many activities going on across the school in session 23/24. 

Once again in closing can I take the opportunity to wish you all a lovely long weekend. Good to enjoy some much needed summer weather across the North East! 

Head Teacher

22nd February 2023 

Can I ask please that both before registration and even more importantly at the end of the school day, parents / carers do not drop off / pick up young people within the marked taxi zone area. Pupils being transported to school by taxi will have agreed reasons for this and it is important taxi drivers are able to access the drop off / pick up zone to allow pupils to access the school safely. 

Thanking you in advance for your support with this. 

Head Teacher