School Updates
The information below is our latest news.
Mr McKay
(Head Teacher)
S4/5/6 EASTER SCHOOL 2024
Please see below the Easter School timetable which we will offer during the first week of the holidays. Young people need to sign up in advance with the named teachers and please remember that there will not be any canteen facilities or school buses.
SAMH EASTER SUPPORT SESSIONS
Please see below a timetable of online support sessions being offered by SAMH over the Easter break
lets connect easter workshops.pdf
HMIe visit 26th February to 1st March 2024
Hi everyone, we are being visited by the Inspectors for Education at the end of February. They will come to see our school, spend time in classes, speak with young people, staff, partners and parents and carers about the school. At the end of their visit, the team will meet with the Senior Leadership Team of the School and representatives from SLC to discuss their findings. Later on next term, they will publish their report.
As part of their pre-visit work, the Inspection team have a series of questionnaires. We will share the staff ones and pupil ones in school and the parent/carer one and the partners one are at the links below. They don't take too long to complete, so if you have some time, please let them know your thoughts.
They close on the 16th February. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
S4 Parents Evening
Please see the letter below which has been issued.
S4/5/6 Supported Study - Jan - March 2024 (after school)
Please see the schedule below. Sessions last for an hour after school and young people must make their own arrangements for getting home after them.
Each Monday, young people may use the ICT rooms for independent study, to access Scholar, e-Sgoil or Ai support
S5/6 January 2024 Prelims
Please see below the timetable which has been distributed to young people
Update - 8th November 2023 - Strike cancellation
As you may have picked up over the weekend, Unison have cancelled their planned Industrial Action on the 8th November whilst they consider a revised offer from CoSLA. School is open to everyone as normal.
Planned Industrial Action update - Nov 8th
Please see the letter issued on the 2nd November re - Industrial action affecting S1-3.
Industrial Action - 8th November 2023
Please see below the letter issued by email
Parent-Carer notice of strike 8th November 2023
S2 and S4 Mental Health and Wellbeing survey
Planned Industrial Action update - Sept 22nd
re-strikes next Tue-Thur
Below is the communication sent to all parents/careers parentpay email address today.
From Uddingston Grammar School
Please see the link below for the letter we have been asked to distribute regarding planned Industrial action by Local Government unions on the 26/27/28th September 2023
Industrial Action letter Sept 2023
In the event of the planned industrial action being carried out, young people should log into their Google classes and follow their normal school timetable. Teachers will be posting learning materials, resources and tasks each period and will be 'live' in the Google classes either by video function or by live chatbar function. This means that young people can interact with them. Young people should not use the video function on their device. We know that not all young people will be able to access online learning at the time on their timetable, so all tasks and materials will be posted and young people can still access these.
We are likely to find out via press release if the strikes are to be cancelled/postponed. If they do occur, school will re-open as normal on Friday.
Parentportal is live for all of our parents/carers - please see below
School session 2023/24
Welcome back everyone. This year we are joined by around 1380 young people and over 100 staff. We have a number of new permanent additions to our teaching staff this Session, including Mrs McGregor and Mr McKenzie in Support for Learning, Mr Gallacher in Computing, Ms Wilmott in Art, Ms Hunter in PE, Mrs Cairns in Music, Mrs Hughes in Languages, Ms Anderson in Maths, Ms Cunningham in History and we are also joined by Mr Campbell, acting DHT for S1.
Over the Summer we had another phase of our building works completed, adding 4 large classrooms and a smaller classroom within the existing footprint of the school which will raise our capacity to take in our growing roll. This will be the last of the internal works before ay additional external works are undertaken. Remember, as the roll rises space comes under more demands eg the canteen area and the car park - parents/carers are reminded that they should not use the car park as a pick-up or drop-off as queues are likely and we need access for ASN transport.
Our monthly newsletters will be issued again on the website and via parentpay and parent portal and we will continue to communicate with home via email and groupcall (text message)
Welcome back everyone.
Please see below information about the Parent/carer online evening on the 24th May
S3 Parent/Carer Evening letter
Please see below a letter regarding Parent Pay Fusion App for P7 as well as the presentation for the Paris trip
EASTER SCHOOL S4/5/6 2023
April 3rd - April 6th
See the link below and sign up before we finish for the breakEaster School 2023
Please see the links below for information discussed at the S2 into S3 Curricular Pathways evening:
https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/
Please click on the box below for the link to the S2 into S3 Curricular Pathways PowerPoint
Mrs McTiernan
S2 into S3 Curricular Pathways PowerPoint
Please see the SQA page for the Supported Study Timetable for S4/5/6 at N5/Higher and Advanced Higher.
Please see below the link to the letter for Planned Industrial Action on the 28th/1st March 2023
Parent/Carer letter - 28th/1st March
Please see the link below for the S2 into S3 subject choice information booklet
Please see the links below for the S4/5 subject choice information
Senior Options Booklet 2023-24.docx
Please see the link below for the S2/4/5 Careers Information Evening Letter (2nd March 7-8.30pm)
Careers Evening Letter March 2nd 2023
Please see below links to the S2 Parent/Carer Evening letter and the online appointment booking guide
S2 Parents/Carer Evening - Feb 23
Please see the link below for our 2022/2023 School Handbook
Uddingston Grammar School Handbook
Please see the link below for a letter issued on the 20th January about planned industrial action on 3rd February
Parent/Carer letter re - 3rd February
Please see the link below for a letter issued on the 21st December about planned industrial action in January 2023
Please see the link below to a letter regarding planned teacher industrial action in January 2023
Parents/carers letter December 2022
Please see below a letter we have been asked to share by Public Health regarding the Strep A cases you may have heard about in the news.
Streptococcal schools letter 7-12-22
Please click the buttons below to access the PowerPoints from the S1 Parental Engagement Evening.
Mrs McTiernan
Please see below letters sent home via parentpay email about planned industrial action.
Industrial action update letter 7th December
Please see below the S4 December Prelim timetable - this has been issued to young people, sent home via parentpay email, and is on the Base Classroom
We have an online S1 Parent/Carer Consultation Evening on 2nd November 2022 4.15-7pm. Please see below the letter sent home and the online booking guide.
Please see below the letter confirming the closure for the State funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on the 19th September 2022
Planned industrial action on the 6/7/8th September has been postponed. Schools will be open as normal.
Please see below a letter from SLC confirming the postponement of planned Industrial action on the 6/7/8th September
Due to planned Industrial Action, all SLC schools will be closed on Tuesday 7th, Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th September. Please see below a letter from our HQ.
Please click on the link below to see a letter from SLC about possible strikes affecting schools on the 6/7/8th September 2022.
Please click the link below to access the whole school welcome back letter
Please click the link below to access the S1 Parent/Carer welcome letter
S1 Parent/Carer Welcome Letter
Covid-19 information update (May 2022)
Please see below a letter from Professor Leitch
School Trip Day 2022 (S1-4)
Please see the brochure below. Young people need to sign up with the trip leader by Wednesday 10th May. It will be put on parentpay following this.
The Scottish government has published revised guidance for how schools operate after Easter as part of the covid mitigations. You can read the guidance here;
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-reducing-the-risks-in-schools/
S2 INTO S3 PERSONALISATION AND CHOICE BOOKLET
Google Forms accessible via Page 6
Please click below for the link to the S2 into S3 Personalisation and Choice Information Booklet.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or queries.
Mrs McTiernan
S2 INTO S3 PERSONALISATION AND CHOICE BOOKLET
LINK TO P7 VIRTUAL PARENT/CARER MEETING
//www.loom.com/embed/2b2ad58e8ce1441282671f712c7b50bc
HPV Letters
School Uniform Letter
Parent/Carer School Uniform Letter January 2022
January 2022 update
We have received updated letters from the NHS for 'low risk' contacts. These letters are for young people and staff deemed 'low risk' contacts of someone within the school who has subsequently had a positive test returned for covid-19. 'This means they may have shared a classroom or had some other low risk contact in school.'
On the 5th January, the First Minister issued new guidance around self-isolation following a positive covid result/close contact covid positive result. The revised guidance is below;
December 2021 update
Currently, whether it is an omicron variant, or delta, schools have to treat each case as the same.
From 11th December, anyone in a household with either type of covid must now isolate for 10 days, irrespective of their own test results or vaccine status.
Public Health may ask the school to assist with some contact tracing - seating plans and so on. If a youngster is identified as a close-contact, they may be contacted by Test and Trace and issued with the 'Low risk contact' letter (below).
This still allows non-household contacts of positive cases to be exempted from isolation if they are fully vaccinated adults/aged under 18, asymptomatic and return a negative PCR test.
Below is a letter from Professor Jason Leitch to all families across Scotland regarding covid-19
Also below is a letter from the NHS for young people deemed 'low risk' contacts of someone within the school who has subsequently had a positive test returned for covid-19. 'This means they may have shared a classroom or had some other low risk contact in school.'
Possible Catchment Review
October 2021 update - below is a copy of the letter distributed.
Dear Parent/Guardian
Statutory Consultation Proposal: change the catchment areas of Newton Farm Primary School and Hallside Primary School to balance pupil numbers more effectively within the two schools and to alter the secondary school those pupils in the rezoned area would attend from Uddingston Grammar to Cathkin High.
We are looking for your views on realigning the catchment areas for Newton Farm Primary School and Hallside Primary School, and thereby also changing the secondary school for those pupils in the affected areas from Uddingston Grammar to Cathkin High School.
We are inviting responses to this consultation by Monday 6 December 2021
There is a period of Statutory Consultation for this proposal which will commence Monday 25 October 2021 and conclude on Monday 6 December 2021.
A virtual public meeting, to which you are invited, to discuss the proposals will be held on
9 November 2021 from 6pm-7pm
10 November 2021 from 6pm-7pm
To register your intention to attend one of these meetings please call 01698 452088 or email educationconsultations@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
If you are unable to participate in this form of public meeting then please call 01698 452088 to discuss alternative options.
Consultation Process
Consultation is an essential part of the policy making process. It gives us the opportunity to consider your opinion and views on what we are proposing.
Following the closing date, all responses will be analysed and considered and used to inform and influence the decision making process along with a range of other available information and evidence.
When the consultation period has ended, the Council will collate all of the relevant written representations received during the consultation period and oral representations made at the public meeting. Thereafter, the following information will be provided to Education Scotland (formerly HM Inspectorate of Education, HMIe):
- A copy of relevant written representations made to the Council on the proposal (or summary of them if agreed with Education Scotland)
- A summary of oral representations made at the public meeting
- Other relevant documentation, so far as is practicable.
Education Scotland may make contact or visit the schools affected by the proposal and will report back to the Council on the educational aspects of the proposal taking account of the above, and in so far that Education Scotland considers them relevant, any written representations made directly to them.
After receiving Education Scotland’s report, the Council will review the proposal taking account of relevant written representations received during the consultation period, oral representations made during the public meeting and Education Scotland’s report. The Council will then prepare and publish a consultation report which will include a recommendation on the proposal and make it available for inspection. The Council will inform any person who made relevant written representations on the proposal of the publication of the report. The consultation report will be published 3 weeks before the proposal is formally considered by the Executive Committee of the Council.
You are encouraged to submit your views by writing to:
South Lanarkshire Council
Education Resources (Central Support Team)
NewtonFarm/Hallside - Consultation Response
Freepost SC05520
Hamilton, ML3 0BR
or by email: educationconsultations@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
or online via the South Lanarkshire Council’s website’s consultation page.
Go to the consultation documents at
A copy of the letter can be viewed here
September 2021 - SLC are considering a catchment review between Newton Farm and Hallside Primaries. At this point, it is only a consideration - more details follow.
The statement is below,
‘The Council is considering a catchment review between Newton Farm and Hallside Primary Schools to better balance pupil numbers more effectively across the two schools. This will have implications for the associated secondary school. There is an Executive Committee meeting being held Wed 22 September to consider the matter and we will update again following the meeting.’
There is an attached Committee paper which will be discussed on the 22nd September.
Committee Paper re - NFPS and HPS catchments
I'll let you know any more details as and when I receive them.
School re-opening August 2021
Please see below a welcome back letter from Mr McDaid, Executive Director of Education
Please also see below a letter from NHS Public Health about the new self-isolation guidance
Please also see a letter outlining what happens when we have a positive case
Please see a 'shortish' video welcome back below
Please also see an updated risk assessment for the August re-opening
Hi everyone,
below is a series of letters and items of communication we have issued around the Coronavirus pandemic and how it has/is affecting school business.
5th August 2021
LFD covid test kits will be available for collection by pupils from 10 am on Thursday 12th August (Inset day). Please collect your kits so that you can take a test on Sunday evening prior to returning to school. New S1 will need to be accompanied by an adult as we do not have completed consent forms for you. Thanks.
Below is the letter and assessment portfolio copy regarding the Alternative Certification Model the SQA are running this year
below is a letter from the Director of Public Health. Take care everyone.
on the 18th December, the First Minister, Ms Sturgeon announced an extension to the Christmas break, with staff and the children of key workers and vulnerable young people returning to school from the 6th of January (SLC return date) and online learning taking place from the 11th of January 2021. Currently, we expect to reopen for normal day-to-day teaching from the 18th January 2021.
Self-isolation dates changed from the 14th December to a 10 day period, Please see the letter from NHS confirming this National change here
on the 8th of December, the DFMS, Mr Swinney announced that there would be no external examinations for Highers or advanced Highers and that instead, they would follow the same programme as the National 5 qualifications. view his statement here
on 26th November, the Scottish government published their guidance for the Christmas holiday period. It can be accessed here
on 17th November, the First Minister Ms Sturgeon announced that South Lanarkshire (and North) was to move from the current Level 3 covid restrictions to Level 4 restrictions. This would begin on Friday 20th November at 6pm and continue through until the 11th of December. Schools are open as normal.
Watch part of the statement here
A summary of the Level 4 restrictions is provided below;
the other Level restrictions are here:
and the Scottish government guidance for schools is attached here:
Scot Gov Level 3 and 4 school advice
The general covid guidance we receive from Education Scotland and the Scottish Government is attached here:
Strategic framework for opening schools
Below are our letters regarding cases identified. Before these are posted, everyone involved has been informed and the relevant actions taken.
If your youngster has to self-isolate, there is classwork on the google classrooms and if you are in S1-3 there is literacy and Numeracy work in the base classroom and if you are in S4-6 there are e-Sgoil links and Scholar materials in your base classrooms. Please go to the Working at Home page for more information.
Keep well everyone.
in this sections you will find copies of the letters and guidance issued by us/to us about the safe re-opening of schools.
information about Face Coverings
Below is the letter from NHS Lanarkshire regarding the case in the school community
The link below takes you to our Friday am message to all young people
attached is the formal welcome back letter from the 11th August
Below is the Risk assessment prepared for young people and staff returning to school
I have attached the guidance sheet we will issue to youngsters on Day 1 and take them through the points on it.
Attached is a Parent/Carer information leaflet regarding school openings from SLC (7th August 2020)
Attached is a Parent/Carer information leaflet regarding school transport arrangements from SLC (7th August 2020)
Below is the letter issued 5th August about the arrangements for re-opening on the 12th August.
Young people will use the sanitisers and go straight to their registration class each day on coming into the school building in the morning to avoid a build up in The Street. If young people still had money on your card for a school lunch, it will still be on it, and if young people have retained a locker key it MUST be returned to the office - there will be no lockers issued until guidance changes. Only ASN taxi's should be in the car park before and after school - if you are dropping your youngster, please drop them outside school and they will then walk in and go to their dedicated entrance.
The classes are
3rd August 2020
Below is a letter from Mr McDaid, Executive Director of Education about the reopening of schools. The details for the phased arrangements will be posted here on the 5th August.
30th July 2020
Below is the guidance from the Scottish Government about the reopening of schools from the 11th August 2020. I'll update you with what SLC say.
Below is a statement from the Deputy First Minister Mr John Swinney about reopening.
The final decision will be taken on the 30th July 2020.
See the video clip below
Mr Swinney statement - 23rd July 2020
On the 16th July, the First Minister and the DFMS John Swinney released more advice about reopening schools in August as well as school transport. This will be reviewed before we return. You can read it here;
Scot Gov School transport 16th July
Below is the letter dated 24th June about re-opening and it follows the announcement that all pupils return on the 12th August. It discusses this as our Plan A and the contingency, Plan B, should full re-opening not happen.
Next is a letter from Mr McDaid, Executive Director of Education, regarding planning for re-opening
OPENING DAY ARRANGEMENTS (PLAN A and PLAN B - contingency)
Below is an outline of Plan B - the contingency (which hopefully we will not require)
What will a week look like under lockdown?
Group A is S1/3/4
Group B is S2/5/6
Each week in school is split by a weekend. You will be in school either 2 or 3 days each week, The best way to look at it is your week starts on a Thursday and you are in school until the following Wednesday. You are then at home undertaking learning in Google classes until the following Thursday when you come back to school. (See the letter above)
See a larger copy of this here
Below is a copy of our School Calendar assuming all things are back to normal in August - we still have an Inset to put in (Inset 2 has been changed to let young people back on the 12th August). If we are still 'socially distancing' then this will be updated to reflect changes in Parents Evenings and so on.
School Calendar session 2020/21
Attached is the information received from Scot Gov about return to schools and the routemap for everyone out of lockdown
To access GROUPS in Glow email please watch this video
Important: Could all pupils please login to their GLOW email and check the GROUP section. DHT's and teachers will be emailing them through this. If you have any problems with this please email the school office for help. gw18uddgoffice@glow.sch.uk
To access Glow Groups on your mobile phone, you'll first need to access them on a desktop or laptop computer. This video shows you how to re-direct Group emails into your inbox.
A common problem occurs when trying to access Glow or Google Classroom on a device that already has a personal Gmail account. Watch this if you need to know how to remove a personal Gmail account from your device.
Pupils can download Outlook to their phones and link this to their GLOW accounts so they can use their emails and view GROUPS (this is how DHT's and their teachers will contact them). This tutorial explains all
We are in the process of implementing Google Guardian Email Summaries for Google Classroom. For more information please read this letter. Pupils can read this letter.
Change of Timetable and new google codes letter is below
To all our future S1's : Preparing you for Uddingston Grammar letter below
Our Change of timetable letter is below
See letters from Mr McDaid below
SCHOOL IS CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
From Thursday 25th March, SLC will supervise youngsters of essential workers in Hub establishments (we are not one of those). Parents MUST apply using the link below
Arrangements will be made for the children of the following groups:
Essential workers - a google form to register who these are will be distributed;
Free meals entitled children - who may attend at lunchtime.
SQA - the exams have been cancelled for this year. Read the SQA statement here
Trips - foreign trips between now and the Summer have been cancelled or postponed and we will inform parents and carers about refunds as and when the companies involved give us those details.
Working at home - in the Pupils & section of our website, you will find a working at home link. Young people should find their teacher/subject, and work will be made available for completion at home should you have to self-isolate or the school closes
We will keep you updated here and on twitter as the situation progresses. All school activities which are not teaching and learning eg visits, Leaver's Ball, Award Ceremony, Parents Evening etc have now been cancelled until further notice. School trip refunds/Leavers Ball refunds will be issued once the situation becomes clearer and young people who did not return their locker key must do so as soon as school re-opens. Funds on the school dinner tickets will be carried forward for when the school re-opens. We spoke to all young people and explained this as well as giving them guidance from Public Health.
We will keep you updated here and on twitter as the situation progresses.
Guidance for parents and carers can be found at the NHS links below;