Author Archives: lkadmin

Dear Parent / Carer / Colleague

The Scottish Government have announced that anyone required to self-isolate, due to contact with someone who has had a positive test for coronavirus (COVID-19) will need to do so for 10 days following updated clinical advice.

The change, taking effect from Monday 14 December 2020, will apply as follows:

-Someone who, from 14 December, has been contacted through Test and Protect; their Local Health Board or Education Authority and have been notified to self-isolate, should do so for 10 days.
-Someone who was previously instructed to self-isolate will, from 14th December, be able to stop self-isolating ten days from when they were first notified to do so.
-Close contacts include members of the same household who test positive for COVID-19 – from 14th December, will now only need to isolate for 10 days, rather than 14.

Please see this letter for further information.

Please click here for the updated Free Schools Meals/BACS information.

The Scottish Government has announced there will be no changes to the planned Christmas and New Year holiday dates for schools. This means Midlothian schools will close for the festive break on Tuesday 22 December and will reopen to pupils on Wednesday 6 January, as planned.

Please click this link for further details.

Please find attached this month’s newsletter.

Please see the attached letter detailing this year’s Storehouse appeal.

The law on all forms of physical punishment of children in Scotland changed on 7 November 2020. From this date all forms of physical punishment of children became against the law in Scotland. Scotland is the first part of the UK to ban the smacking of children.

This change in the law is about making things better for children in Scotland.

For more information visit the Scottish Government website.

Please see the contingency plan below for St Luke’s. This details scenarios that may occur as we continue to operate under COVID restrictions and National Guidance for schools.

I’m writing to thank parents, carers and pupils who are helping keep local people safe and ultimately saving lives by complying with national coronavirus restrictions. I am sure you will appreciate the significant effort of all of our staff working in schools to do the same. However, I also need to stress we must remain vigilant as local cases of coronavirus are rising. As is the case across other areas in Scotland, this is, in part, because of transmission within local gatherings.

We continue to work alongside NHS Public Health and Police Scotland to protect local people. Please remember the restrictions in place on indoor gatherings in private homes. You should not meet anyone from outside your household inside your home or their home. This ban includes extended family members although you are permitted to provide care or support to a vulnerable person in their home and there are exemptions for childcare and tradespeople doing essential work. The rules on indoor gatherings apply to you and your family, including your young people over the age of 12, so we ask you to help them understand the rules and set an example for them too.

Where there are breaches of the legislation, Police Scotland will engage, explain the legislation and encourage compliance and will use enforcement action as a last resort.

We know that the overwhelming majority of people of all ages are following the rules and realise not meeting friends and family is hard, particularly on young people. However, to reduce the number of transmissions of the virus and keep schools open, all of us, young and old, need to do our bit by complying with the rules.

Thank you again for you and your family’s continued support.

Fiona Robertson

Executive Director Children, Young People and Partnerships