Life @ EA
Rector’s Blog
Wednesday 18 March
Dear Members of the Edinburgh Academy Community,
I am sure you will have seen by now that the First Minister has announced that all schools in Scotland will close on Friday for the foreseeable future. Following this announcement, I wish to confirm that the Academy will also close at the end of the school day on Friday afternoon. We will put on what activities we can after school on Friday; but we will not be open for the normal school day from Monday next week (23rd March 2020).
As has previously been explained, from that point onwards we will move into a programme of ‘Online Learning’ using a combination of Firefly and Homeroom. Many of our teachers have already set up other communication pathways with their classes as well; and the hope is that we will support all our students as best we can in the remaining two weeks of the term. Term ends ‘as normal’ on Friday 3rd April and so please understand that our teaching staff will be following the normal term dates – online education would be normally be expected to cease for the duration of the school holidays.
We do not have a clear idea, as yet, as to when we will be able to reopen. I will endeavour to let you know as soon as any further details are apparent. As of today, the SQA, GCSE and A Level exam processes are still on. A further statement about SQA exams is due tomorrow from the Deputy First Minister. As soon as I have those details, I will let you know what this process will look like for our exam candidates.
Activities, camps, trips and a range of events that are due to happen over the Easter holidays and into the start of the Summer Term will have to be postponed. These are the inevitable victims of the ‘social distancing’ regime that we will all have to follow. Events such as the Spring Concerts, CCF camps, P5 camp, the rugby tour to South Africa and many others will inevitably be impacted. We are all desperately sorry to lose these amazing opportunities for our students. Further details will be made available about these events as and when we have a clear idea about when we can reopen.
The priority now is that we all look after each other and do the very best that we can to follow the advice about protecting ourselves from the Covid-19 outbreak. As soon as I have any further updates and information from the Government, I will let you know.
With very best wishes, and many thanks for your ongoing support of the Academy,
Kind regards
Barry Welsh
Rector
