The following letter was sent to all Parents and Carers today. It outlines our expectations in relation to uniform, as below as well as arrangements for purchasing uniform directly from the school during the summer holidays. The letter also outlines the financial assistance available to families who are eilgible.

Our position on uniform remains the same- all pupils are expected to wear something that identifies them as a pupil of Culloden Academy and nothing else with a logo. The reasons for this are:

• It improves school security by making it easier to identify intruders. This has been a problem in Inverness schools recently and since keeping you safe is part of my job, I need your help with it.
• I think we still have work to do to get back to the level of community feeling we had prior to lockdown and masks. All wearing similar clothes is part of that sense of being a community and allows a simple focus on what matters- learning.
• Dressing for the task at hand- learning- encourages better conduct and improves the atmosphere for learning.
• Could help to reduce truancy by identifying pupils when not in school.
• It heightens the reputation of the school in the community- some of whom are future employers of our young people.

Congratulations to the S2 and S3 pupils who submitted their short sagas for the ‘Young Writers’ competition organised by Miss Scott.  We had a number of pupils chosen for publication. This is fantastic.  Well done!

On Friday, we had our last My Future Friday session of the 2023/2024 academic year! Highlife Highland were our employers of the week, with David Shaw (Active Schools), discussing the many branches within Highlife, and entry level positions available. He discussed where to find vacancies, and the benefit of having volunteer experience listed on CVs for young people entering the world of work. Huge thank you to David for coming along and increasing our student’s awareness of local opportunities.

Last week our Higher Economics class had their first University experience with an event hosted by the Scottish Government, the Royal Economic Society and Economics students at the University of Glasgow. Pupils participated in activities in the morning and then attended a lecture in the afternoon by Economic Historian Professor Jane Humphries who discussed “Do economists care?”. The day wasn’t without a few mishaps but the pupils involved were an absolute credit to themselves and the school.

In June 2024, DYWICH hosted 43 employers, from 14 sectors at Culloden Academy. Each year group had a 50-minute session to network, discover opportunities and pathways into industry, gain confidence in speaking with employers, find summer jobs and learn industry information. They also got to take part in various activities being run at the employer stalls, from guessing games and quizzes, through to practical tasks.

The winners of this season’s Maths Brain-Teaser Challenges are:

• Gold: Ailish Boyd S5, Amy Lainton S6
• Silver: Freddie Hoare S4
• Bronze: Zoe Marsden S4

Participants entered seven rounds of Brain-Teasers, gaining points for each correct answer. Well done to all who entered!

Last week two Culloden Academy pupils travelled through to the University of Aberdeen to receive their certificates for the Scottish Mathematical Council Maths Challenge.  The day started with a presentation on Polyhedra where pupils got a chance to handle some ancient carved stone balls and consider the possible links with polyhedra.  After this guests were treated to lunch, followed by the awards ceremony.  A big congratulations to Amy Lainton S6 and Micah Macdonald S2 for their success.

Applications are open for Free School Meals and School Clothing Grants for August 2024. If you previously received Free School Meals or a Clothing Grant, you must apply now.

The School Clothing Grant is £160 for Primary School children and £172 for Secondary School children.

Am I Eligible?

Your household must receive at least one of the following:

• Income Support
• Universal Credit (where the monthly earned income does not exceed £796).
• Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
• Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
• Child Tax Credit, but not in receipt of Working Tax Credit, and your income is less than £19,995 (as assessed by the HMRC)
• Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit and an income below £9,552 (as assessed by the HMRC)
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit

You can also apply if:

• You are 16 to 18 years old and receive any of these benefits in your own right.
• You have no recourse to public funds, normally due to immigration status.
• You are a family waiting for your first monthly Universal Credit award notice.

Clothing Grants are paid throughout July and August, before the new school year begins. However, if your child is over 16 years of age on 30 September, you will not receive payment until the school confirm that your child has returned to school after the summer holiday.

Some photos from the Duke of Edinburgh expedition that took place this weekend, involving walking across Scotland from Ullapool to Croick, near Ardgay.

This morning, we had SSEN Distribution in for our weekly My Future Friday session. They discussed the broader SSE umbrella and two of the other business units (transmission and renewables). Super exciting time within the energy sector, which is thriving in the Highlands & Islands! Lots of opportunities for our students when they move from education into employment. Huge thank you to Gary and Declan who took the time to come along and present to over 80 students!