Boeing, Boeing

A huge thanks to all who were involved in staging or attended this year’s superb senior Drama production. The standard seems to get higher and higher each year!

One highly impressed critic wrote on social media:

‘A hilarious night at James Gillespie's High School enjoying this year's senior drama, the breakneck-farce 'Boeing Boeing,' translated into English in 1962 and said to be the most performed French play in the world. It’s the Sixties and suave bachelor Bernard couldn't be happier: a flat in Paris and three gorgeous air-hostesses all engaged to him without knowing about each other. But Bernard’s perfect life gets bumpy when his Irish pal Robert comes to stay and a new and speedier Boeing jet throws off all of his careful planning. Soon all three stewardesses are in town simultaneously, timid Robert is forgetting which fibs to tell to whom, and catastrophe looms... brilliant performances by Robert Davis, Maddie Cassidy, Jack Richardson, Michael Barker, Stella Clancy and Lori Stott, in a show entirely produced, directed and staged by school students’

Special thanks to  to Malcom Hardie and Zee Sulleyman whose leadership from behind the scenes continues to ensure that our seniors’ talents are recognised, nurtured and celebrated.

Sad to think that this is the last year in High School for Maddie, Jack, Michael and Stella but I’m sure we’ll hear more of their acting talents in the future.

Governance review

This blog by Frank Lennon on School Governance is well worth a read.

OECD tables

OECD league tables
Today's news in relation to league table positions for Scotland makes very uncomfortable reading.

We will need calm and clear heads in the coming weeks. We must avoid knee jerk reactions.

Fidelis et Fortis

The clock that never worked, the sinister Green Lady, the day we nearly drowned the Queen Mother – it’s all in a sparkling new book, Faithful and Brave: A Celebration of James Gillespie’s High School. Commissioned by the James Gillespie’s Trust to mark the opening of our new campus, and penned by award-winning journalist John MacLeod – himself a former Gillespie’s pupil – Faithful and Brave is 304 fact-packed and heavily illustrated pages, covering our entire history from the last days of Mr Gillespie to Callum Skinner’s Olympic glories in August 2016. A gripping read, a physically beautiful book and the perfect present, with a warm foreword by Grant Stott – it’s unputdownable. Buy your copy right now. And another for a friend!

1. Email the school at: Admin@jamesgillespies.edin.sch.uk to reserve a copy and arrange for collection. Price £17.99
2 Electronic payment:
TSB Sort Code: 30 13 01; Account number 00972295
• Price is £17.99 if collected from school
• Price is £21.25 if the book is to be posted.
The book will also be available for sale at various school functions in the next few weeks.
The formal launch of the book will take place on the evening of Wednesday 14 December at the school. Details to follow.

Paolozzi Art Competition

Amidst 39 nominations from 15 secondary schools in this year’s Paolozzi Art competition I am delighted to that

·         Ellie Byron was the outright winner in the category ‘Spirit of Paolozzi’

·         Anna MacKenzie was awarded a commendation for ‘Talent and Creativity’

·         Pepa Chesworth-Russell was awarded a commendation for the category ‘New Directions’

 The award ceremony took place last night at the National Gallery of Scotland on the Mound.

 Warmest congratulations to the girls for winning these prizes and continuing the JGHS winning run in this highly prestigious competition.

Sincere thanks to Stella Christie, Iona Molleson, Stephanie Troon and Jane Wood for their leadership and inspiration in supporting our charges towards this latest success.

Invictus Games Assembly

Great assembly this morning where the main topic was the incredible athletes and what they achieved at last week's Invictus Games in Florida.

This video was shown to the assembled audience. You could hear a pin drop as they learned what can be achieved when there's a will.

This is Micky Yule's poignant and inspirational story.

Public speaking success

We have great pleasure in announcing that two of our S3 pupils, Linus West and Paul Tiplady, took part in the Procurator Fiscal’s Public Speaking Competition on 27^th April at the Sherriff Court and were the overall winners of the Edinburgh final. They were up against stiff competition from three other schools (The Royal High School, St Margaret’s High School and Craigmount High School) and spoke with great eloquence and passion on the topic that “society is losing out as our TV and movie screens do not reflect it.”  Their glittering success at the final followed on from a tough qualification round where they spoke on the concept of “what it means to be a refugee in Scotland today” in competition with another three Edinburgh schools. By achieving such standards, the students have demonstrated a strong ability to engage with challenging topics, construct convincing arguments and present their ideas in a measured and thoughtful manner. They are a credit to the school and reflect the importance that is placed upon critical thinking skills at James Gillespie’s High School.