Pupils in P7 transfer to high school in August following their P7 year. This is known as S1 (high school in Scotland runs from S1 through to S6).
We recognise that the transition to high school marks a significant step in your child’s life. We understand that for many young people, it can be an exciting and rewarding time, but also a daunting and challenging one.
For this reason, we participate in two programmes to try and support pupils in making this step:
- The City of Edinburgh Council’s own transition programme which takes place in May-June each year;
- Our own ‘extended transition’ programme where we work with other local primary schools and our cluster high school throughout P5-7.
James Gillespie’s High School
The majority of our children transfer to James Gillespie’s High School at the end of Primary 7. This is our cluster high school.
Please see the following page which contains information about the transition into S1 at James Gillespie’s High School:
Contact details for James Gillespie’s are as follows:
James Gillespie’s HS
Lauderdale Street
Edinburgh
EH9 1DD
Email: admin@jghs.edin.sch.uk
Tel: 0131 447 1900
Click here to visit the JGHS website
Transfer to High School
Please note that pupils from Preston Street PS do not automatically transfer to James Gillespie’s High School. Your child will only be allocated a place at James Gillespie’s High School if:
(a) you live in the James Gillespie’s High School catchment area (and have not requested a place at another high school);
(b) you live outside the James Gillespie’s High School catchment area and make a successful placing request to James Gillespie’s High School.
To check which high school catchment area you live in please refer to this site: Find your catchment school – the City of Edinburgh Council
If you do not live in the catchment area for James Gillespie’s HS, you will need to apply for a place – regardless of which primary school your child attends. The same applies if you live in the James Gillespie’s HS catchment area, but wish your child to attend another high school. For details of how to apply for an out of catchment place at high school, please visit https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/school-places/school-placing-requests
The extended transition process
At Preston Street, we work closely with the high school and the other cluster primary schools (the schools whose pupils also transfer to James Gillespie’s PS).
Pupils in P5, P6 and P7 participate in regular joint learning events with their peers from Royal Mile Primary School. We also participate in a number of extra-curricular sporting events with Sciennes and James Gillespie’s PS, including regular friendly football matches and joint running club activities. Here are some examples of such activities:
Winter Series Running Event with James Gillespie’s and Sciennes
P6 joint basketball with Royal Mile PS
P5 Activity Day with Royal Mile PS
In P7, pupils have the opportunity to participate in the ‘Young Leaders in Learning’ programme. The programme sees young people visiting each other’s schools to find out about how different schools operate and share ideas about learning and teaching.
Here are a couple of examples from our Young Leaders in Learning programme:
Young Leaders in Learning visit to James Gillespie’s PS
Hosting a Young Leader visit
Pre-COVID, our P7 pupils also had the opportunity to perform alongside S1 pupils at the James Gillespie’s High School Christmas Concert, and at the JGHS ‘Spring Fling’ which is held in the high school’s very own theatre! We hope that these events will return in 2022-23.
Here is a glimpse of the annual Christmas concert:
P7 Usher Hall Christmas Concert
All these events mean that your child will have plenty of opportunity to get to know staff and pupils from JGHS before he / she starts high school.
When your child is in P7
Parents will be informed of transfer arrangements no later than November of the pupil’s last year in primary school. The Head Teacher will ensure that all parents receive a school booklet and will be happy to discuss any issues with you.
In June, every child in P7 who is going to a City of Edinburgh Council high school participates in a visit to their new high school. This can take place over one day, or a series of days. During the visit, pupils follow their new S1 timetable and get to know the school, their new classmates, and some of the key staff who will be supporting them. Pupils who are going to James Gillespie’s High School also participate in a special transition sports event, led by senior high school pupils. Pupils in P7 will receive information in advance of their visits. (Schools outside Edinburgh, and private schools, may arrange their visits on different dates – these will be communicated directly to parents.)
If you wish to find out more about high schools in Edinburgh, visit:
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/directory/14/secondary_schools