School Updates and Letters
Upcoming events
Dear Parent/Carer,
I hope all Braes families have had a pleasant summer, and we look forward to seeing our young people back in school on Wednesday 12th August. The staff at Braes are proud of the efforts of our young people in the 2026 Qualifications Scotland examinations, and we also look forward to continuing to support our pupils as they progress throughout session 2026/27. Please see an update on a number of matters below :
School Improvement Plan
Please see below the link on our school website to the Standards and Qualities Report and outline of this session’s strategic priorities :
Photographs
A school photograph company will be in school to take photographs of pupils in S1, S3, S5 and S6 on Friday 21st August. Once each pupil has had their photograph taken, they will be issued with a note to take home with details about how to order the picture, should parents/carers wish to do so. There is no obligation to purchase the photograph.
Communications from school
To find out more about the school, or to keep up with latest developments, please visit our school website www.braeshigh.com. The School App has been discontinued. However you will be able to see a record of communications to parents/carers on the website. In addition, there are multiple active Bluesky feeds from departments and the main school feed An electronic newsletter showcasing the many talents and achievements of our young people will also be issued regularly throughout the session. The school calendar can viewed via the link below :
Parent/Carer groups
Our Parent Council plays a significant role in our school’s ongoing development. The Annual General Meeting of the Parent Council takes place on the evening of Tuesday 1st September at 7pm. If you would like to be part of this discussion please email braeshigh.parentcouncil@gmail.com. We are fortunate to also have a second parent group, Friends at Braes, our parent-led fundraising group. The Annual General Meeting of Friends at Braes takes place on Tuesday 22th August at 6.30pm. For further details of the meeting please email friendsatbraeshigh@gmail.com.
Uniform
Braes High School pupils are well known for their high standards of school uniform. As a reminder, school uniform consists of a school blazer, school shirt, school tie, school skirt, trousers, or leggings (black and unbranded). Pupils can also choose to wear a school jumper or cardigan if they wish to do so. Plain black school shorts can also be worn. Jogging trousers, tracksuit tops, hoodies and jeans are not part of the school uniform and should not be worn to school.
Friends at Braes run a well supported and used uniform recycling facility. There is a uniform rack at the school reception where parents/carers and pupils are welcome to access the available uniform. Donations of pre-loved uniform can also be handed into reception. For further information please contact either your young person’s Pastoral Head, or email Friends at Braes at friendsatbraeshigh@gmail.com.
Staying hydrated during lessons
There are a number of water fountains in the school for use by pupils. We would ask young people to bring a reusable water bottle to school to use these. Pupils can drink water in class and should fill bottles during interval and lunch breaks.
School Buses
As a reminder, Falkirk Council’s school transport policy notes :
Criteria for free school transport
Pupils who are under 8 years of age and live more than 1 mile from their catchment school or are 8 years of age or older and live more than 2 miles from their catchment school.
Under 22 travel passes
At present, the Young Persons' Free Bus Travel Scheme does not cover transport to and from school. Under 22 passes can only be used where there is sufficient excess capacity after all pupils who hold Falkirk Council distance entitled bus passes have been granted travel.
This means that those young people with Falkirk Council distance entitled bus passes will be prioritised for spaces on school buses. Thereafter, young people who have the Under 22 travel pass can use any spare capacity on school buses. At the end of the school day, younger pupils will be offered these spaces first. It is therefore possible that some young people who have an Under 22 travel pass may not be able to access a school bus if there is no spare capacity.
Further information, including timetables can be gained from Falkirk Council’s website, linked below
Schools: Secondary schools - Braes High School - Falkirk Council
At the end of the school day. pupils will be advised to stay on the standing areas on either side of the new Maddiston classroom units and wait for staff to direct them onto buses. Pupils with Falkirk Council bus passes will be invited to board first. Thereafter, young people who have the Under 22 travel pass can use any spare capacity on school buses. At the end of the school day, younger pupils will be offered these spaces first.
Maddiston Primary School P7 classes
We are pleased to have P7 classes from Maddiston Primary School with us this session. While the young people from Maddiston will still follow their own lessons in their own spaces, we look forward to the pupils enjoying being in the Braes High School campus and taking part in a range of events and activities across the school year.
Traffic around school
We are grateful to parents/carers for the sensible approach to driving and parking in and around the school. The only pick-up and collection point for pupils is situated at the front of the school building. No other area in the school grounds should be used for this purpose. This is to ensure pedestrian safety. In particular, the area around the bus bay will be very busy. Unless by prior arrangement parents/carers should not drive in this area.
Extra-Curricular Clubs and Activities
Each session, Braes pupils enjoy the various clubs and activities that staff run for young people. These are being collated at present and will be circulated to pupils and parents/carers in the next couple of weeks.
To conclude, I would wish all our young people the very best for the session ahead. We will be starting the year with assemblies celebrating the many achievements and contributions of our young people last session, and setting standards and expectations for the year ahead. Many thanks for your ongoing support of your young people and the school as parents/carers.
Yours faithfully,
Iain Livingstone