Results were released today by email, text or post

The waiting is finally over as thousands of pupils across Edinburgh receive their exam results today.

Early indications are that candidates have improved on their performances from 2013 and that Edinburgh’s overall good performance has been maintained. In total 8,642 pupils sat 41,949 exams this year in over 70 subject areas; ranging from Mandarin to Woodwork Skills.

Highlights include:

• By the end of S6 59% of all pupils have got Highers – a 4% improvement on last year and a 15% improvement since 2008.
• By the end of S5 51% of all pupils have got Highers – a 10% improvement since 2008 and maintaining last year’s good results.
• Craigroyston High School and Wester Hailes Education Centre have shown particular improvement in the number of pupils gaining five or more level 3 qualifications; this year achieving 100% and 99% respectively. This is an increase of 28% for Craigroyston and 26% for Wester Hailes Education Centre since 2010.

Peter Reid, an S5 pupil from Firrhill High School, who sat Higher exams in German, History, English, Chemistry and Physics, said:

I’ve studied really hard for these exams and after my Advanced Highers I’m hoping to study law and Mandarin at university. I’ve just got back from a course in China and loved the country and the language.

Education Convener, Councillor Paul Godzik, said:

Early indications from the SQA exam results show that 2013 has been another really positive year for all our pupils and I’m delighted at all their successes.

To have nearly 60% of our pupils get a Higher by the end of S6 is a real achievement and I want to congratulate all our teaching staff on their commitment to delivering learning experiences of the highest standards. Our pupils should be very proud of themselves too – all their hard work has certainly paid off.

Our drive to improve literacy has also proved successful with 99% of our pupils now gaining an award in English by S5.

The Council is committed to making sure all school leavers enter a positive destination of employment, training or further education – last year a record number of 90% of them did so.

Initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are also going a long way to making this a reality for many of our ex-pupils. This is something we are keen to build on in the coming years and look forward to seeing many more placements and positive results.

Additional information

This is draft information, pre-appeal with no national or comparator information at this stage.

Results by end of S4

• 97% of S4 pupils gained at least one award in English at level 3 or better  (maintaining previous year’s results and a three percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 97% of S4 pupils gained at least one award in Mathematics at level 3 or better  (maintaining previous year’s results and a three percentage point  improvement since 2008).
• English and Mathematics at level 3 or better – 95% (maintaining previous year’s results; three percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 3 or better – 94% (one percentage point up on the previous year: a thee-year improvement trend and a five percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 4 or better – 80%  (maintaining previous year’s results and a four percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 5 or better – 40% (one percentage point up on the previous year and a four percentage point improvement since 2008).

Results by end of S5

• 99% of S4 pupils gained at least one award in English at level 3 or better (three percentages point up on the previous year and a four percentage point improvement since 2008)
• 99% of S4 pupils gained at least one award in Mathematics at level 3 or better (two percentage points up on the previous year: a five percentage point improvement since 2008).
• English and Mathematics at level 3 or better – 97% (two percentage points up on the previous year and a six percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 3 or better – 95% (two percentage points more than the previous year: a five percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 4 or better – 84% (three percentage points more than the previous year: a seven percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 5 or better – 55% (one percentage point more than the previous year and continues a five-year improving trend and an eight percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 1+ award at level 6 or better – 51% (maintaining previous year’s good results and a ten percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 3+ awards at level 6 or better – 31% (maintaining previous year’s good results and a five percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 6 or better – 15% (one percentage point less than the previous year but an improvement of three percentage points since 2008.

Results by end of S6

• 1+ award at level 6 or better – 59 % (four percentage points more than the previous year and a fifteen percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 3+ awards at level 6 or better – 41% (maintaining previous year’s good result and a nine percentage point improvement since 2008).
• 5+ awards at level 6 or better – 29 % (maintaining the previous year’s good results and an eight percentage point improvement since 2008).
• Advanced Highers at 1 award at level 7 – 21 % (one percentage point more than the previous year and a seven percentage point improvement since 2008).

Sheila Paton, Principal of Wester Hailes Education Centre, recently featured in the Children in Scotland Magazine explaining how the Wester Hailes breakfast club is giving students from some of the most deprived households in Edinburgh a nutritious and healthy start. We reprint the article here with their permission.

The south western area of Wester Hailes, Edinburgh is a known area of social deprivation in the Capital.  At 44%, our school free meals entitlement is one of the highest in the City, with the average entitlement approximately 18% for Edinburgh City as a whole. Over the last 3 years we have introduced a range of initiatives to promote and inculcate a proactive and ambitious culture to raise attainment and achievement.  We are rightly very proud of the positive outcomes that have resulted from this. Our learners have very positive relationships and there is a respectful ethos on our campus.

All of our students engage in individualised planning and tracking of their learning through our computerised tracking system.  Every student has a mentor with whom they meet each morning and regular one to one interviews with their Mentors ensure that Students review their learning and plan their next steps. Our curriculum supports a broad General Education from S1 –S3 and a senior phase.  Our students have the opportunity to access the full range of National Qualifications as well as an ever-increasing number of accredited and vocational options.  We are a vibrant community and our students participate and lead in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, C.E.C. and National events.  We have high expectations and place a great emphasis on developing positive relationships and using restorative practices to resolve issues.

We support our students throughout the day, and throughout their educational journey.  We know that if students are to be able to concentrate fully on their learning then a nutritious and healthy start to the day is essential.  In 2011 our youth worker, Shirley Menzies, began a Breakfast club, with the initial aim of ensuring that all of our young people, who needed to, were able to start the day with food.  For many youngsters the breakfast we provide is the first meal that they will have had since the free lunch provided in school the day before.

Over the years however we have realised that our Breakfast Club is meeting a whole variety of support needs.

Breakfast

Starting at 7.30 a.m. and open until school begins at 8.25 a.m., 20 -25 youngsters of all ages from Secondary 1 to Secondary 6 drop in to our club.  They will find the school bulletin on one of the tables which they can read or Shirley can help them be aware of what is happening in school that day.  Breakfast consists of porridge or cereal, toast and a variety of toppings, however, our menus also provide a link with the Curriculum; during Scottish Week for example oatcakes, porridge and kippers will be on the menu, and croissants feature when we partner with the French Department.  Students learn about healthy options, are encouraged to include fruit and fibre, and to have a balanced and varied diet.

Life skills 

At the breakfast club, the students have to sit with others from a variety of year groups at small tables to eat.  They are always pleasant and friendly toward each other and learn how to enjoy a social meal and use the appropriate cutlery. They are responsible for making their own toast, pouring cereal or porridge and doing their dishes before leaving.

Warmth and shelter

The club also provides a safe and warm haven for students arriving early in the morning, particularly during the winter months.  Many of our students do not have warm winter clothing, shoes or boots and in the club they can be in a warm and heated room within the school in a supervised situation.

Raising attendance and attainment

Last week our whole school attendance was 97.1%, a first for Wester Hailes Education Centre; 5 years ago at the same period it was 86%.  Having a nurturing and safe environment and providing a hot meal for some of our young people has contributed to this improvement and high attendance is inextricably linked to raising attainment – two years ago 9% of our S4 students were achieving 5 or more standard grades at level 5, for the last 2 years this has risen to 22%.  This year all of our S4 Students achieved 5 or more standard grades at level 3.  9% of our S5 pupils are also achieving 3 or more Highers– the first time that this has risen above 0% since records began.

Social 

The students enjoy meeting a mix of pupils of all ages – apparently it is the place to be for the most up to date gossip! 

MELISSA’S STORY

Melissa (name changed) lives with an Aunt and an Uncle and is one of our looked after and accommodated young people.  Sometimes her Aunt and Uncle don’t get on and during those periods Melissa stays out, missing the evening meal, returning only when it is time to go to bed so that she won’t have to be part of any confrontations.  Having had to move to be with her relatives, Melissa now lives in another part of the city and has to travel for half an hour in order to get to us.  Despite this she is always one of the first to arrive at 7.30a.m.  The calm environment that Shirley has inculcated is an opportunity for Melissa to have some time for contemplation and to gather her thoughts after what is usually a noisy and chaotic start to the day at home.  She also takes the opportunity to catch up with homework and plan for the day ahead.

Editor’s notes

This article was originally featured in the September 2013 issue of the Children in Scotland magazine. Find out more about Children in Scotland.

Also see this previous post about breakfast clubs. If you’re interested in breakfast clubs, or want to find out if your school offers them, contact your Head Teacher.

Breakfast clubs are another way in which we’re ensuring that our children’s and young people’s outcomes are not undermined by poverty and inequality (Strategic Outcome 6).

This week we said well done to Castleview Primary and Nursery which achieved two ‘Excellent’ grades and six ‘Very Good’ grades in a recently published Education Scotland inspection. We also reported on how St Crispin’s pupils have made their mark with a fantastic art exhibition, how students at WHEC are benefiting from the Breakfast Club there and how agencies are working together to addresss youth offending.

In other news…

Liberton’s Patron of Reading appointed

Author Linda Strachan talks to Liberton High School

The award-winning Edinburgh author, Linda Strachan, was delighted to be appointed as the very first Patron of Reading to Liberton High School this week. The Patron of Reading is the designated children’s author with whom the school forms a personal attachment, and Linda will work with the school to raise the profile of reading for pleasure with pupils, parents and staff. Head Librarian Christine Babbs said, “This is an amazing opportunity for the whole school to work with such a wonderful writer.”

St. Thomas of Aquin’s pupil wins Scottish Sprint Canoe Championships

St. Thomas of Aquin’s pupil Fiona Denvir canoes to victory

S3 pupil Fiona Denvir has won the Scottish Sprint Canoe Championships after competing in the event at Strathclyde Country Park Regatta Loch. The achievement is more impressive considering she took up the sport less than two years ago. It is also a historic event as Fiona is the first female in Scotland to win this title!

Fiona trains with the St. Thomas of Aquin’s School Canoe and Kayak Club and the Forth Canoe Club. The two clubs work in partnership; a bond that has been assisted by funding from the council’s Pathways into Sport grant.

Congratulations Fiona, what a great achievement!

Drummond Community High School join the independence debate

On Wednesday it was exactly one year until the referendum on Scottish independence. Pupils at Drummond Community High School joined in the debate on the day. Two pupils went head to head to debate – one for independence, the other for the union – in an event filmed for BBC’s Newsround. Both will be voting in the referendum next year, so this event was great practice in engaging with politics. They did a great job of putting forward their arguments, proving themselves to be confident individuals and responsible citizens. You can view the video on the Newsround website.

And finally…

Pupils showed racism the red card at a special event at Hibernian FC yesterday.

The event involved local primary seven pupils from St Mary’s Primary Leith and Lorne Primary schools coming to the club to participate in a day of fun and interactive education for Show Racism the Red Card.

The young people engaged in various activities throughout the day that promoted anti-racism, anti-sectarianism and overall messages of equality and respect.

More information and photos of the event can be found in The Edinburgh Reporter.

Did we miss anything? You can send us your stories or simply leave a message below to share your news with the city!

Wester Hailes Education Centre has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award. This is in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

The International School Award is a badge of honour for schools that do outstanding work in international education, such as through-links with partner schools overseas. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools. This equips young people with the cultural understanding and skills they need to live and work as global citizens.

Wester Hailes Education Centre’s international work includes a wide range of cross-curricular projects. Many of these projects are in conjunction with partner school Barkly West High School in South Africa. S2 students are currently studying renewable energy in Scotland and South Africa, comparing wind and solar power. The project findings are shared amongst students at both schools to enable the young people to appreciate the interdependence of people and the environment.

Head Teacher Sheila Paton said:

I am delighted that the school has been recognized by the British Council for our International Education over a wide range of curricular areas. We are committed to enriching our students’ education and to developing their skills, knowledge and values so they will flourish as responsible global citizens.

For more information on the International School Award see the British Council website or take a look at this video:

A £125,000 investment by the City of Edinburgh Council is set to make swimming more accessible and more affordable for hundreds of young children and families across the Capital.

Starting from this weekend (Saturday 12 October), a host of measures are due to be introduced over the next two years that will increase swimming provision and access to pools for those who need it most.

The programme includes:

• free swimming during school holidays,
• top up swimming classes for P2-3 pupils,
• free family splash time sessions
• swimming classes for women and children from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities

Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s Culture and Sport Convener, said:

Swimming is a fantastic activity that is not only fun but keeps you fit and healthy too. The purpose behind providing a free programme of swimming is to open up our pool facilities to those that may never have tried swimming before or to encourage parents to take their children along for a fun family swim.

We’ve worked closely with our partners in Edinburgh Leisure and sportscotland to produce a programme that specifically targets children and adults who need support the most and also benefits the most number of people for the money available. It builds on what was proposed by Splashback and, I believe, goes even further to ensure that children from all over the city have the opportunity both to learn to swim and enjoy it at the same time.

Between Saturday 12 October and Monday 21 October, free swimming for primary school children will be available between 12-4pm in four city pools every day during the school holidays (with some exceptions – see Edinburgh Leisure and Wester Hailes Education Centre for details).

The pools are Leith Victoria Swim Centre, Gracemount Leisure Centre, Dalry Swim Centre and Wester Hailes Education Centre.

These free swim session for juniors will be repeated during school holidays until April 2015 and will also include the pool at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre.

Further to this, from January, the Council will also provide additional swimming lessons for P2/3 pupils in eighteen schools designated as ‘positive action’ schools (where over 40% of pupils are entitled to free school meals). These will be run with Edinburgh Leisure, who will provide additional teaching support to help these children develop early aquatic skills, knowledge of pool safety, and – in many cases – introduce them to swimming for the first time.

Other measure to be introduced next year include:

• The launch of a ‘Family Splash Time’ programme, which will provide parents and their children with eight weeks of fun, two-hour, swim sessions.
• Extending the successful ‘Female Only Swim’ sessions held at Leith Victoria to other parts of the Capital. These sessions are targeted specifically at the BME community where cultural and religious barriers may prevent women from participating in swimming.

The £125,000 funding for accessible and affordable swimming was agreed by the Capital Coalition earlier this year in recognition of Splashback’s commitment to increasing swimming opportunities for young people.

Graeme Gardiner, Director of Operations at Edinburgh Leisure said:

We are delighted to be supporting this swimming initiative.  We passionately believe in the positive impact that sport and physical activity can have on individuals and communities and we want to inspire everyone in the city to be more active and healthy.  This swimming initiative provides a great way of encouraging people to get active and try out swimming.

Read the minutes from Capital Coalition meeting on swimming.

This week we have reported on the achievement of the International School Award at Wester Hailes Education Centre and the Council’s 125K investment to help make swimming affordable and accessible to children and families.

Here is what else has been happening…

Edinburgh’s Pupil Lawyers

Photo by Lesley Martin

If you want to find out how a Scottish criminal jury trial works ask an Edinburgh secondary school pupil.

On October 5^th eight secondary schools presented their cases before advocates in the Sheriff Court in Chambers Street in mock criminal trials. With the help of advocates, solicitors, procurators fiscal and court officials the pupils took the parts of lawyers, accused, witnesses and court officials as they prosecuted or defended two cases.

The MiniTrial project is the brainchild of Lord Kinclaven, who wants pupils to learn about Scottish law, not by reading about it, but by taking part.

The school involved were Boroughmuir High School, Currie High School, James Gillespie’s High School, Portobello High School, Queensferry High School, St Augustine’s High School, The Royal High School and Wester Hailes Education Centre.

For further information about in-school MiniTrials please contact Joan Spencer.

Roseburn pupils get involved with NSPCC appeal for schools

Last week NSPCC Scotland launched their Now I Know appeal at Murrayfield Stadium with the help of pupils from Roseburn Primary School. The 32 pupils were joined by the new charity’s ambassador, Duncan Bannatyne OBE and various sporting and TV stars including former Scotland football manager Craig Brown.

Speaking at the launch, the NSPCC’s Director of Fundraising, Paul Farthing said:

The Now I Know appeal will fund 200 trained volunteers to go into every primary school in Scotland.  Our volunteers will help children understand and identify abuse in an age-appropriate way and who to turn to if they need help.

To find out more about the campaign visit www.nowiknow.org.uk/scotland 

Pirniehall Primary visit new housing project

The 21st Century Homes project will create 1,400 new homes through out Edinburgh. Pupils  from Pirniehall Primary School joined Councillor Cammy Hay to visit the construction site of the development in West Pilton to learn about what’s going on in the community.

The pupils are also taking part in an art competition based on the ambitious housing project. The competition calls for pupils from schools in north Edinburgh to respond to the question ‘what does home mean to you?’ with an artwork. The competition is open to all pupils from Pirniehall, St David’s, Forthview and Craigroyston Primary Schools, Oaklands School and Craigroyston Community High School. For more information see the competition poster (PDF).

Read more about the 21st Century Homes project.

Tackling waste at lunch time

An exciting new recycling scheme is set to be piloted in four Edinburgh schools. Food waste is to be collected and recycled to help reach the Scottish Government’s environmental targets. The trial will to help find out how much food waste there is in our schools. Pentland and Sciennes Primaries have been choosen as sites for the pilot so far.

If successful, food waste recycling will be rolled out across the city. Vice-Convenor of Transport and Environment Councillor Jim Orr supports the scheme. He said:

In order to meet our targets of recycling at least 50 per cent of our rubbish we all have to make more of an effort. Collecting leftover food from schools will send a fantastic message to pupils – the future generation of recyclers.

The collected food will be recycled by anaerobic digestion at Scottish Water’s Deerdykes facility. As well as reducing landfill waste this type of recycling can turn waste food in to a fertiliser or a fuel-source.

And finally…

Some blooming great news for Davidson’s Main’s primary. Last year we reported on the school getting involved with the Urban Pollinator Project, in which pupils sowed, tended and learned in their  own meadow. The project is a collaboration between various city councils, universities and wildlife trusts to help understand insect pollination in urban areas. It is now in its final year, but funding – courtesy of the Evening News’ Get it Sorted Together Campaign – will help the school sow a perennial meadow in its grounds. This is a great opportunity for the pupils to continue their learning about biodiversity and using the outdoors in their education.

Find out more about the Urban Pollinators Project.

Read the Evening News article here.

Did we miss anything? You can send us your stories or simply leave a message below to share your news with the city!

Director of Children and Families Gillian Tee

A regular update from Gillian Tee, the Director of Children and Families, on recent meetings, visits and events.

In this update, Gillian tells us about visits to Craigroyston High to meet their new Head, a trip to WHEC to celebrate their recent achievements, and the official opening of the new Seaview centre. We also get an update from meetings including the Consultative Committee with Parents, Head Teacher meetings and the annual Academic Service at St Giles’ Cathedral.

Craigroyston Community High School

Head Teacher Steve Ross

I ensure that I visit all new Head Teachers in their school to see how they are settling into their post. I enjoyed meeting Steve Ross and hearing his vision for the school, especially his desire for many more young people to stay on at school beyond Secondary 4 and for the development of a flexible and responsive senior phase which meets their needs.  He introduced me to his senior management team and many staff as we walked around the school. I was especially pleased to meet the staff who had ensured that 100% of S4 pupils achieved five Standard Grades this year. This is a very impressive achievement. The discussion with the Pupil Council was really interesting.  They were rightly very proud of their school and shared their ideas enthusiastically. 

Consultative Committee with Parents (CCwP)

This meeting is going from strength to strength.  The agenda is informed by both local issues emerging from the Neighbourhood Parent Forums and strategic matters from committee business.  The focus of this meeting was on three areas:

1. Web Communications

James Coltham presented details of work carried out in developing web communications for parents. A group, which included parents as well as officers, will continue to develop new ways of presenting information for parents on the website. If you have any ideas for the development of this site please contact James Coltham at james.coltham@edinburgh.gov.uk or on 0131 469 3484.

2. Rising Rolls in Schools 

Billy MacIntyre, Head of Resources, presented information from the Education, Children and Families Report on Primary School Estate Rising Rolls (PDF, 440KB). Primary school rolls are projected to rise to a peak of nearly 31,000 pupils by 2019 which is an increase of 4,080 (15.2%) on the provisional September 2013 roll of 26,920. He set out the predicted impact on the primary school estate; considered historical patterns in school rolls and future primary school roll projections at a city-wide level; and focused on addressing the pressure which is expected to arise in August 2014 at some primary schools in meeting catchment demand, particularly at the P1 stage.

The Council is committed to ensuring that all Primary 1 pupils can be accommodated in their catchment school. Increasingly though it will not be possible to accommodate non-catchment pupils in their out of catchment school.

At the start of the 2013/14 school year in August 2013, there were approximately 5,000 spare places in the primary estate; however, these are not necessarily in the right locations of the city to address rising demand.

The Estate Strategy and Rising Rolls Working Group has considered accommodation pressures facing ten city primary schools in future years and explored a range of potential solutions, including in some instances to build new accommodation for August 2014 in order to meet anticipated catchment demand, should this prove to be required. The Council has set aside £14.9m to extend schools which are under pressure to meet catchment needs.

3. School Placements

Moyra Wilson, Senior Education Manager, provided information on school placement requests and the appeal process where out of catchment placing requests had been unsuccessful. Council policy for parental choice was outlined, together with priorities for placements and grounds for refusal of placing requests.

Find out more about the Consultative Committee with Parents over on the Council website.

Wester Hailes Education Centre (WHEC) celebration

Wester Hailes Education Centre pupils

Sheila Paton, Principal of WHEC, invited me to join this event to celebrate their achievements and to thank all staff for their support and hard work.  She highlighted a number of positive areas including the transformation of their learning environment and the introduction of more innovative learning approaches. The impact has been the improved outcomes for their young people and staff feeling rewarded and valued for the work that they do.

Attainment at WHEC has improved significantly. This year every single pupil achieved 5 or more passes at Standard Grade 3 or more and these passes included Numeracy and Literacy.  One third of cohort achieved at least one Higher by the end of S5 which is a 23% increase on the previous year and the best this has been in ten years.  The pupils now have the qualifications they will need, they have a record of regular attendance and they have increased confidence in the ‘soft skills’.  This is their passport to future employment.

Education, Children and Families Committee

This was a full committee meeting and covered a wide range of issues including:

• Vision for Schools in Edinburgh
• Primary School Estate Rising Rolls
• Improving Support for Children and Young People in Need in Edinburgh – Consultation on a Proposal to Close Wellington Special School in Midlothian
• Parental Engagement
• Outdoor Play and Active Learning
• Co-operative Childcare and Education
• Integrated Literacy Strategy Early Years
• Preventing and Responding to Bullying and Prejudice in City of Edinburgh Council Schools
• Special Schools – Proposals for the Future Development of Panmure St. Ann’s
• Improving Positive Destinations 

We also have a programme of annual reviews which provide progress on our services areas. At this meeting we had comprehensive updates on Services for Children and Young People who are Looked After and Accommodated and Social Work Services for Children with Disabilities

For further information on this meeting please read the comprehensive report by John Heywood, Departmental Assistant to Cllr Paul Godzik, Convener of Education, Children and Families Committee.

Primary Head Teacher Meeting

This was my first meeting with the Primary Head Teachers this session and I always appreciate the opportunity to talk to them and hear their feedback on any issues. I spoke about the budget proposals for next year and encouraged them to engage in the process and seek the views of their wider school community. Head Teachers have been fully engaged in this process in previous years and have shared well-considered responses to proposals. I welcome their feedback, insights and ideas in looking at ways that we can continue to improve outcomes for our children and young people. 

The Standing International Conference of Inspectorates: General Assembly and International Conference

I was invited to attend this conference with the theme of ‘Transforming Inspection to Support Improvement for All’. We were welcomed by Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages who provided an overview of the Scottish educational context. Dr Bill Maxwell, Chief Executive of Education Scotland, spoke about the Scottish approach to improvement and the important role of Education Scotland in supporting the strong educational system. The main aim of the conference was to present the latest developments and encourage discussions about current trends and challenges facing inspectorates across Europe. It was a thought-provoking event and helpful to gain an international perspective. 

Official opening of Seaview

Having fun at the new centre

It was a privilege to attend the official opening of the £2.4m Seaview centre which is a facility which can accommodate up to 60 children and young people aged between five and seventeen with a range of disabilities and additional support needs to provide regular short breaks full of activities. Also based at Seaview is Family Focus which provides outreach support and respite to children and young people from birth to 16 years who have disabilities and complex care needs in their own home and in the community.

The centre was opened by 19-year-old Ryan Moffat who had used the former centre for the past nine years, and Cllr Paul Godzik, Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee.

Seaview user Ryan cuts the tape to open the centre

We adopted a unique approach to designing the new centre by involving staff and young people from the very start of the process, inviting them to take part in consultations where they were asked what they would like to see in their new centre. The children’s ideas ranged from floating lights to a wheelchair swing and tree house in the garden, all of which have been included in the design team’s plans. Features requested by staff, such as improved access and plenty of space for wheelchairs and hoists have also formed part of the final design. All built on one level, the new centre boasts colourful, fun decor, living and sleeping areas as well as a sunny, safe, fun outdoor space with something for all ages and abilities.

Carol Mentiplay, Seaview and Family Focus Manager, said that what makes the centre so special is all the work that went into taking on board the ideas from both young people and staff.  The children and young people voted to keep the name Seaview, even though you can no longer see the sea. They choose a “sea view” bathroom mural to remind them of the old building.

You can read more about the official opening in this previous blog post.

Children and Families Long Service Awards Ceremony

We celebrated the Long Service Awards at the City Chambers to mark 25 years of service in the Council for staff in Children and Families.  This year 83 people qualified for their Long Service Award. At the ceremony the guests were entertained by a piper and highland dancers from Broughton High School and guitarists and a singer from Portobello High School.  The young musicians and dancers were fabulous!

Pride in our People Events

The purpose of these events is to bring people together from different services in their locality in order to reflect on where we are as an organisation and discuss what needs to be done to lead the Council onto even greater success in the future.

We have many excellent achievements to be proud of and some significant challenges to overcome as we transform the Council to deliver even greater value to all of the people we serve.

At these events the Corporate Management Team and leader of the Council, Councillor Andrew Burns, had the chance to listen to staff views and ideas on how we can deliver better outcomes together. Already the local events have been attended by hundreds of staff and we have heard a wide range of ideas for change which are informing and influencing improvements. 

You can watch the Pride in our People video below…

Tomorrow’s People in Scotland Awards

Tomorrow’s People works with severely disadvantaged young people helping them on their road to employment, training and further education through their Working It Out programme. This event was an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the young people who had benefited from the support. I had the pleasure of presenting the Edinburgh Young Person of the Year Award to Sean Mill and hearing of his achievements. Congratulations Sean! 

Head Teacher Executive Meeting

Each term I meet with Head Teacher representatives from the nursery, primary, secondary and special sectors to collectively discuss a range of strategic matters. Key items discussed at this meeting were increasing behaviour support in secondary schools, ways to reduce exclusions and feedback on the integrated facilities management arrangements. As usual the discussion was constructive and solution-focused.  

Academic Service

One of the highlights of my year is the Academic Service which is held annually in St Giles’ Cathedral. It is an event which explicitly values education and the role of the teacher in learning and recognises and celebrates educational achievement in Edinburgh, from preschool to post school. This year we had a wide range of schools attending this prestigious occasion and both staff and pupils enjoyed the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate all the work undertaken throughout the year.

Before we begin the round up, just a quick reminder that the deadline for our Christmas Card competition is next Wednesday 13 Nov, so you still have time to dazzle us with your designs!

This week we heard about the Liberton Primary and Nursery Class inspection report, we had a report from the last Education, Children and Families Committee, and featured another Director’s Update giving us an insight into recent meetings, visits and events attended by Gillian Tee. We also heard how Edinburgh is Getting it right for every child.

In other news…

Learning Festival for Wester Hailes parents and carers

Wester Hailes Education Centre today hosted a Learning & Teaching Festival for local parents and carers to find out about the learning experiences of the children and young people at WHEC and its local cluster schools - Canal View PS,  Clovenstone PS, Sighthill PS and Calderglen Nursery.

The day’s programme included a welcome from Senior Education Manager Karen Prophet followed by a number of lively performances from pupils at the five schools.

We look forward to hearing how the day went!

A formula for success

The STG Racing team

Good luck to the five pupils from Craigroyston Community High who this week headed off to Austin, Texas for the World Championships of F1 in Schools.

The team, STG Racing, are the Scottish champions and have been busy raising funds ahead of the trip.

Team Manager Joe Dudgeon said:

We’re quietly confident that we have a good car and our testing has all been positive. [...] The whole experience of competing against the best in the world in this global competition will be beneficial for our future.

Good luck to the team! We hope to feature a report from them when they get back.

Bike loan scheme gives pupils pedal power

A bike loan scheme is making it easier for pupils to receive on-road cycle training in schools in Edinburgh, it was reported this week.

Ten primary schools which have low bike ownership amongst pupils are currently borrowing cycling equipment from a pool of 130 bikes to teach children how to cycle safely.

Read more about the scheme on the Council website.

Animation competition to reveal the city’s hidden stories

Another bumper round-up this week! Thanks to everyone who has sent in stories – do keep them coming.

During the week we reported on how the Council have won a Gold Award for the Portobello Park consultation, published images of new primary school accommodation, featured a message from Cllr Godzik about registration week, gave an update on recent inspections of our residential units, and asked for your feedback on national plans to increase nursery hours. We also asked you to let us know what you’re doing for Children in Need.

Here are some other stories we wanted to share with you…

Staff Award success for Children and Families

Staff from Oaklands School

Well done to all the finalists at last night’s Staff Awards ceremony at the Assembly Rooms. We were proud to see a range of Children and Families staff, establishments and projects represented. Congrats to:

• The Customer First individual winner Douglas Bishop, a CLD worker supporting students of English for speakers of other languages.
• Our Disabilities Consultation Team, who won Customer First Team award for their work consulting children with disabilities and their families. Read more about this in previous blog post “From teleporters to tenders”.
• Oaklands School, who scooped the Leader’s Award for their work supporting children with complex disabilities to become more independent.

We hope to bring you photos and videos of the winners next week.

Public Sector Employer of the Year

Brenda Baxter and colleagues at the Modern Apprenticeship Awards

Staying on the award theme, the Council was also this week named Scotland’s first Public Sector Employer of the Year at the Modern Apprenticeship Awards (pictured).

Chief Executive Sue Bruce said:

This is fantastic news. One in a hundred of our employees is now a Modern Apprentice and so it is great to have this recognition of the work we are doing to help so many young people make a positive step at this very important stage of their lives.

You can read more about that in this press release.

Northfield resident shoots for the stars in STV documentary

Michala (far right) at the STV Appeal event

A resident of Northfield Young People’s Centre has appeared in a documentary for the STV Appeal 2013. Michala Elliot featured in Broke not Broken, a special programme that was part of the TV campaign to address youth and child poverty.

For 18 months Michala has been a volunteer coach at StreetSoccer – a project offering disadvantaged youngsters the chance to get involved with football. Michala’s confidence and self-esteem has been built up by this and, in turn, she helps others, including those with learning difficulties, to take part.

Her football success doesn’t stop there, as Michala recently represented Scotland in the Homeless World Cup in Poland. Her goal is to become a professional football coach and she got the chance to pick up tips from the Scotland manager, Ally McCoist, when she met him and other celebrities at the STV Appeal Big Live event. Well done Michala!

Peers in Schools visit for WHEC

Wester Hailes Education Centre hosted a talk from a member of the House of Lords on Thursday to encourage students to engage more with the political and parliamentary process.  Lord Sutherland met with senior Modern Studies students for an hour to talk about the work and role of the House of Lords. This was followed by a Q&A session on various aspects of the parliamentary process and life at Westminster generally.

Lord Sutherland with the senior Modern Studies students

Stuart Sinclair – curriculum Leader of Social Subjects at Wester Hailes Education Centre said:

This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to interact with someone who knows the parliamentary system inside out and learn more about our Parliamentary system.

The visit was arranged through the Lord Speaker’s “Peers in Schools” programme, which has been running across the UK since 2007 and has so far involved around 50,000 young people, sending members of the House of Lords into schools and colleges across the country to give talks in support of the citizenship curriculum. For further information, see the Lord Speaker’s web page.

Broughton High celebrates successes

Saskia’s got talent!

We love success stories on this blog, so we were delighted when John Wilson, Head Teacher at Broughton High, got in touch to share some of the recent successes they’ve been celebrating.

Readers may recognise 1st year pupil Saskia Eng (pictured) for her recent success at Edinburgh’s Got Talent. Other successes include “most improved young Scottish Sportsperson 2013″ William Bosi, Scottish Open TaeKwonDo Champion David Hand and a dazzling performance by Music School student Harmony Rose. Check out Broughton’s website for these and other stories.

If you have similar success stories to share, get in touch!

Careers in Renewable Energy Event

Photo via Wikipedia

Pupils and staff from 10 secondary schools explored the job opportunities in offshore renewables in a special one day workshop at the Corn Exchange last week.

The event was hosted by The Crown Estate and the Council to highlight the range of different jobs available in areas such as engineering, research & development, marine planning, law and communications.

Representatives from ScottishPower Renewables and Artemis, along with The Crown Estate, Edinburgh College and Anderson Strathern provided interactive sessions outlining the career paths open to students interested in offshore energy and its related areas.

Karen Prophet, Senior Education Manager, said:

The employment opportunities available within this sector in the future are varied and not something that young people may have even have considered as a possible career.

Review of polling places

The Council has a duty to review polling districts, polling places and stations in Edinburgh every five years.  We have reviewed our polling stations and propose some changes to ensure that they are as easy to use and reach for people as possible, including those with a disability.

Importantly, it has been agreed with the Director of Children and Families Gillian Tee that schools will be closed for in-service days at fixed date elections (European, Westminster, Scottish Parliament and Council elections).  The only additional closures will be for schools being used as polling places for shorter-notice elections such as the independence referendum.  This will mean much less disruption to pupils and parents.

The Council is seeking feedback on these proposals and would appreciate your support in letting other parents know of the consultation.  Full details of the proposals, including maps, are available at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/elections or from the City Chambers.  Comments about our proposed changes are invited until next Friday 22 November.

Edinburgh Guarantee pledge wall unveiled

The Pledge Wall

A “pledge wall”, designed to promote employers who support the Edinburgh Guarantee, has been unveiled this week. The wall aims to raise awareness of the partners’ commitment to the future success of the Guarantee, recognising the strong support provided that has been pivotal to our success. It’s a highly visual cue for businesses to get involved, and gives tangible examples of what has been done already.

The wall itself displays the company’s logo and outlines what The Edinburgh Guarantee is all about. To date, eleven organisations have made their pledges, which can be viewed at www.edinburghguarantee.org.

And finally… a tasty profit for Woodlands coffee morning

Ryan, Elliot and Andrew with Principal Teacher Catriona Weir

Budding young chefs at Woodlands School held an SOS! (Support Our Sport) campaign coffee morning this week to raise funds for a multi-sports play area, ahead of November 26, the date of their People’s Millions TV head to head competition, which could see them scooping £50,000 towards the project!

The pupils baked cakes and served in the Acorn Café at the school to help raise awareness of the campaign, led by the ‘Friends of Woodlands School’, and made an impressive £65 profit. The event was attended by children, staff, parents and carers and members of the public.

We’ll feature more on the school’s campaign next week.

Have a great weekend!

Three Edinburgh schools are set to take part in Phase 1 of the Scottish Government’s ambitious new Pathfinder Project.

The project brings together seven schools from three Local Authorities with the aim of identifying what practical changes are required to give children in Scotland the very best education, raise attainment and close the attainment gap between those from different social backgrounds.

The three Edinburgh Pathfinder schools – Wester Hailes Education Centre, Broughton High School and Trinity Primary School - were selected on the basis of  demographics, levels of attainment and, above all, a committed and enthusiastic approach to self-improvement.

Head Teachers Sheila Paton (WHEC) and John Wilson (Broughton) attended the launch of the Pathfinder Project in Edinburgh on 4 November where they shared how their schools were making a difference to the lives of children and young people in Edinburgh.

All the schools involved will have the opportunity to work with a range of professionals who are specialists in the 3 step Improvement Framework for Scotland’s Public Services and will be fully supported with appropriate resources and training.

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Mike Russell, speaking at the launch, welcomed the opportunity the Pathfinder Project gave for the Scottish Government to learn from the schools taking part. He encouraged Head Teachers to continue to innovate, to trust teachers and not to be reluctant to adopt innovative approaches to school improvement. He stressed however that improvement and outcomes for children and young people must be measurable.

The expectation is that Phase 1 of the Pathfinder Project will end in April 2014.

We’ll feature more about the project in due course so watch this space!

This week we reported on research showing the potential of mobile tech for learning in Edinburgh’s schools and we heard about a new service which is helping families to find their strengths and tackle problems.

We also urged readers to support Woodlands School’s bid for £50,000 of funding in the People’s Millions contest. We’re delighted to report that the young people at Woodlands School are today celebrating winning the cash, which will go towards making their dreams of an all-weather, multi-sports pitch a reality.

The SOS! Support Our Sport Campaign, by the Friends of Woodlands School, won the most telephone votes in the contest, run by ITV and the Big Lottery Fund, on Wednesday. You can read more about the campaign on the People’s Millions website. Well done Woodlands!

In other news…

Awards celebrate outstanding achievements

Wednesday night saw the annual Children and Families Achievement Awards. 350 children, young people and adults from Children and Families gathered at the Assembly Rooms for the celebrated event, hosted by Councillor Paul Godzik and Grant Lauchlan.

Cllr Godzik said:

I am incredibly impressed by the high standard of entries to this year’s awards and it was a privilege to be able to reward projects making such an impact on their local community.

It is particularly important to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of those helping improve the lives of young people in Edinburgh – all those nominated deserve a huge well done for their commitment to making the city a better place for everyone.

We’ll be featuring more about the various winners over the coming weeks (along with some photos and videos), but in the meantime you can see the full list of winners, highly commended and all nominations in the official awards booklet.

New ebook teaches pupils about organ donation

Photo via STV News

A new ebook aimed at teaching pupils about organ donation has been launched at Castlebrae High School.

As STV News reported yesterday , pupils heard from Rory Mair about the “life-changing difference” that a vital transplant had made to him and his family.

Head Teacher Derek Curran said:

I’m sure meeting with Rory today and watching the videos of the families touched by organ donation will help highlight to pupils just how important organ donation is to those waiting on life-saving transplants.

Pilrig pupils at national conference

Pilrig Park pupils with their Learning Ladders

On Tuesday, Pilrig Park were invited to lead two workshops and perform at the Education Scotland National Conference in Glasgow on promoting diversity and equality. Head Teacher Ellen Muir told us:

Our workshops were on the learning ladders and how the impact of these helped us take risks and create a relevant and inspiring curriculum. Young people spoke at both of the workshops. Our theatre arts performers were chosen to close the conference and performed for 25 minutes with pieces about young peoples rights.

It was a hugely positive day and we received lots of positive feedback. Some delegates said that our workshops were inspiring and that the performance at the end of the day was the highlight of the conference. Lots of HMIe attended both our workshops and the performance and we got great feedback from them to. A really enjoyable day. 

You can read more about the Learning Ladders in this blog post from earlier in the year.

Fraser hits new heights as trampolining champ

Proud mum Julie McLeod, a support assistant for the East Neighbourhood Children’s Practice Team, sent us this photo of her son Fraser (11) winning two gold medals last weekend at the Scottish National Championships in Perth for Trampolining and Double Mini (DMT).

A member of the Two Foot Higher club in Musselburgh for the past 2 years, Fraser also received a trophy for best overall in Form (execution) of his routine. The competition age range varies from age 8 up to 25.

We bet Fraser was jumping for joy!

And finally, it’ll be all light on the night…

Young people from across the city played a part in the grand opening of Edinburgh’s Christmas Festival last Sunday. The event brought together schools and community groups with performances along George Street, with thousands of visitors enjoying the singing, dancing and music. The event culminated in the switch on of the Christmas lights by Sir Chris Hoy.

Among those taking centre stage were senior students from Wester Hailes Education Centre, who put on their own spin on “6 geese a laying” in their performance of one of the 12 Days of Christmas.

If you were involved too, why not let us know how it went in the comments below?

And if you couldn’t make it, you can get a flavour of the event in this short video by the Edinburgh Reporter:

This week we reported a couple of book-related stories – how Craigour Park pupils become published authors and what happened when the Book Bus came to Tynecastle High. We also got an update on efforts to consult on services for disabled children, announced the winners of our Design a Christmas Card competition, and launched a new internet safety competition.

But that’s not all! Here are some other things people have sent in…

Green Pencil Award winner announced

Congrats to Leith Primary’s Jack Elliott, winner of this year’s Green Pencil Award for creative writing on an environmental theme.

20 finalists from P4-P7 attended the awards ceremony at Central Library, where Jack was presented with the overall prize by Edinburgh Makar, Ron Butlin.

See the full list of finalists and as read Jack’s excellent piece, “Winter Banter”, in this press release on the Council news blog.

The Green Pencil Award finalists

Major investment in schools announced

St Cuthbert’s Head Teacher Catriona Taylor welcomes the news of extra funding with P7 pupils and Cllrs Godzik, Fullerton and Burns.

A proposal to invest £30m upgrading schools, nurseries and other buildings will go before councillors next week, with a commitment to upgrade all schools currently identified as in ‘poor’ condition.

Totally Sound wraps up its 10th year with South Bridge show

Disco Funk star Nile Rodgers with performers earlier this year

Totally Sound youth music project have been very busy celebrating their 10^th birthday this year, including a ‘thank you’ party for all who have supported the project over the years and a birthday concert at Summerhall which featured 35 performers from 10 high schools as well as trainees and college students.

Former Totally Sound participants ‘Mad Tango’ headlined the ‘Electric Stage’, rounding off a spectacular evening that showcased a diverse range of performances including rap and hip hop and Japanese folk songs. Disco funk superstar Nile Rodgers made a surprise visit to congratulate the project on reaching its 10th anniversary. His message to the young people was ‘keep doing what you’re doing!’

The final celebration is happening tomorrow (Saturday 7 Dec) afternoon at South Bridge Resource Centre. It will be another fabulous musical event with loads of talent on show with over 40 young people taking part, many performing their own original material.

Will Totally Sound get lucky again with another a surprise guest? Come along to enjoy the show and find out! For more information phone 558 3545 or email cld-southbridge@ea.edin.sch.uk.

Progress for Portobello Park development

Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, welcomed two key milestones for a new Portobello High School this week. Speaking on Wednesday, he said:

Today marks some important milestones in our bid to build a new Portobello High School on Portobello Park. I am pleased that the City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill Committee has recommended to the Scottish Parliament that the general principles of the bill be agreed to and that it proceeds as a Private Bill. I now look forward to the Scottish Parliament considering this report in due course.

Craigroyston pupils get baking for homeless charity

Pupils from Craigroyston Primary got into the Christmas spirit early by taking part in Shelter Scotland’s Great Gingerbread House Sale.  The campaign challenged schools to bake and build gingerbread festive treats, to help the housing and homelessness charity’s Christmas appeal.

In Scotland, around 4,800 children will wake up homeless this Christmas – enough to fill 28 primary schools!

Scottish Gas worked with Craigroyston Primary to help 35 P1 pupils, 28 parents and six staff take up the challenge of baking and building 35 sweet gingerbread homes. The delicious treats are due to be sold at the company’s Shelter Scotland Christmas fundraising day next week.

WHEC staff and students out in the cold for city’s homeless

Also in support of homeless people, brave students and staff from Wester Hailes Education Centre slept out on George Street on Friday night in aid of the Rock Trust.

Miss Dancer, from the school’s languages department, said:

Having now experienced a night outside on the pavement I think we were all left contemplating just how terrifyingly lonely it must feel to find yourself on the streets night after night without the protection and comforts we were offered by the lovely staff at Rock Trust.

The Rock Trust supports young homeless people in Edinburgh & the Lothians. So far WHEC have raised over £300 in combined donations from staff, family and friends and hope to hit £400 once all the pledges are collected.

Ministerial visit for Firrhill High

Firrhill High wrote to tell us about the visit they had from Mike Russell MSP last month, as part of a focus on the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence, looking at Learning in Languages, Physics, and the integration of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme within the curriculum.

You can read the full report on Firrhill High’s website (PDF).

Pupils pitch in to clean up Edinburgh

School pupils, community groups and local councillors donned gloves and brooms last Friday in a mass bid to make Edinburgh a litter free city.

Hundreds of people volunteered to tidy up their communities at coordinated clean-ups as part of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Clean Up Edinburgh campaign. The “day of action” saw areas affected by litter and graffiti transformed by the volunteers, who were joined by the Council staff from environmental services and all departments across the organisation.

Good job everyone!

And finally…

Staff were working flat out yesterday as high winds hit the city – you can read about the disruptions here and don’t forget to follow the Council website, Twitter account and Facebook page for updates during severe weather.

A unique service for teenage mums who want to stay in school while looking after their babies has been featured in the local news this week following its success at the Children and Families Achievement Awards.

Our Young Mums’ Unit, based at Wester Hailes Education Centre as part of our Hospital and Outreach Teaching Service, helps young mothers across Edinburgh stay at school and ensure they can boost their own children’s learning at the same time.

The award nomination described the unit’s aims as maximising attainment and achievement for all young mums and their babies throughout Edinburgh. In consultation with existing young mums, the resource was developed to meet the needs of those learners who want to stay in their own school. By helping the girls develop in their role as parents, we can ensure that their babies have the best start in life.

“Two for the price of one” is a unique opportunity to positively help two lives and work towards a positive outcome for young mums and their children.

Councillor Paul Godzik said:

It’s a fantastic service that enables teenage mums to continue in education, with many of them leaving the school with the qualifications that can ensure a better future for themselves and their child.

The Achievement Award judges praised the “positive, purposeful project aiming to end a cycle of disadvantage”.

Read Tuesday’s full article about the Unit on the Edinburgh Evening News website. Also see this earlier blog post from December 2012 which talks more about the service.

Tanisha Carr hits the books with daughter Sienna. Picture: Esme Alle via Edinburgh Evening News

This week we heard about the recent Abbeyhill Primary School and Nursery Class Inspection and how the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award struck gold in 2013.

In other news…

WHEC lottery funding to celebrate Commonwealth connections

Wester Hailes Education Centre has received lottery funding to send three pupils to the Northern Cape, South Africa to visit their twin school, Barkley West High School.

During the visit they will learn Tswana dancing and teach the South African children Scottish country dancing. This will be followed by a return exchange visit where primary school children from feeder primary schools will attend workshops in Tswana dancing. The project will culminate in a final Commonwealth celebration event with South African and Indian dancing.

‘Be Part Of It’ 2014 Games programme kicks off

Last week the first event of the ‘Be Part of It’ 2014 programme took place – the P6/P7 sportshall athletics finals held at Meadowbank.

200 children (10 teams of 20 pupils) plus their teachers and supporters were packed into the main Games Hall at Meadowbank Stadium. Each school was representing a Commonwealth country. Following the heats in November and December, the Finals line up was as follows:

• Bonaly Primary School - Australia
• Bruntsfield Primary School - New Zealand
• Dean Park Primary School - Malawi
• James Gillespie’s Primary School - Jamaica
• Leith Primary School - Canada
• Nether Currie Primary School - Botswana
• Niddrie Mill Primary School - Bahamas
• Sciennes Primary School - Scotland
• St Joseph’s Primary School - Nigeria
• St Peter’s Primary School - Tanzania

The opening ceremony culminated in the mass recital of an Athletes oath led by Callum McGregor, a P7 pupil at St Peter’s:

We declare that we will take part in the ‘Be Part of it Games of 2014’ in the spirit of true sportsmanship, recognising the rules which govern them and desirous of participating in them for the honour of our Commonwealth and for the glory of sport.

The competition itself commenced with the Girls’ relay and their energy and commitment set the tone for a tremendously competitive event. At the final tally of points Bonaly and St Peter’s emerged as the top two. These schools will now go forward to the East of Scotland Finals next month.

For further information on the full ‘Be Part of It’ programme see the Commonwealth Games 2014 – Edinburgh events brochure (PDF).

Edinburgh’s Holocaust Memorial Day event – next Tuesday

Holocaust Memorial Day (27/28 Jan) is a national day of remembrance for those affected by the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

Edinburgh Inter-Faith Association in partnership with The Royal High School have put together an event featuring international speakers sharing their experiences alongside the pupils of Royal High who will perform readings and pieces of music focusing on the theme of this year’s HMD: Journeys.

The public event is taking place on Tuesday 28 January at 6.45pm at The Royal High School. It will be followed by a reception with complementary food and drinks.

Find out about the event and how to attend on the Holocaust Memorial Day website.

St Augustine’s pupils look forward to 5 STAR future

An innovative and award-winning development programme has been brought to St Augustine’s RC High School, aimed at helping talented students improve their skills and boost their chances of securing employment.

Delivered by business law firm DWF, the first “5 STAR” workshop took place on Tuesday 14 January at DWF’s offices. The session with P3 pupils focused on developing workplace behaviours and gave participants the chance to draw learnings from the firm’s experts.

Depute Head Catherine Chrystal said:

Our young people aspire to ambitious goals and the experience offered by this programme will help them to develop the confidence and resilience to achieve them.

As well as offering a chance to build their employability skills, working closely with DWF has given our Year 3’s a valuable insight into life in a professional setting.

Read more about the programme in this press release on DWF’s website.

And finally… could you foster?

Yesterday saw another bustling drop-in session for potential foster carers to come along and hear more from staff and local carers about what’s involved. If you’re interesting in becoming a foster carer you can call 0800 174 833 or pop along to our next drop-in on Thursday 13 March.

Find out more at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/fostering.

This week we reported on how a Comms SQA is paving the way for Craigmillar young people and how the number of school leavers going on to positive destinations has reached a ten year high.

In other news…

Schools film competition launched

Last year’s awards

Screen Education Edinburgh has just announced the 2014 Edinburgh Schools Film Competition.

Now in its sixth year, the competition is open to all pupils in nursery, primary and secondary education within City of Edinburgh establishments who are producing films; whether animation, live action or experimental.

Find out more about the competition on the Screen Education website. The deadline is Friday 18 April.

Pupils are a Class Act on stage

About 70 pupils from Broughton, Craigmount and James Gillespie’s High, Trinity Academy and Wester Hailes Education Centre (WHEC) have been working with professional playwrights in workshops to develop dozens of plays which premiered at the Traverse Theatre this week, as part of the venue’s Class Act schools project.

Pupils at WHEC celebrated a successful premiere of their original play, Blood Isn’t Thicker Than Water. They described the experience as transformational and said it had boosted their confidence.

S6 pupil Ashleigh Hibberd, 17, said:

It was scary doing this at first – I hadn’t ever done anything like it before. But it was great to meet the directors and I’m excited about putting the play on at the Traverse. I think my writing has really improved.

Did you get along to one of the performances? Let us know how it went in the comments section below!

Easter Sports Camp announced

Our Sports Unit have published details of the Multi-Sports Camp taking place this Easter. They are aimed at P3-P7 pupils and run from Monday 7 – Friday 11 April and then from Monday 14 – Friday 18 April 2014.

The events welcome players of all standards to come along and have fun. Each day you will take part in fun games & challenges and practice skills within each of the sports on offer. All of our camps are delivered by professional coaches from the Sports Development Team. This is an excellent opportunity to keep active and enjoy your Easter holidays.

Download the Multi-sports camp 2014 poster and application form (PDF).

Mandarin Scholarship for Firrhill pupil

When Mike Russell MSP visited Firrhill High School last year (pictured), he requested if Head Boy Peter Reid would write a blog post on his summer trip to China, which had been organised by the Tianjin Education Committee and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools.

Peter took up the challenge, and his blog was yesterday featured on the Engage for Education website.

As a result of Peter’s outstanding commitment to learning about Chinese language and culture, he is one of the twelve Scottish young people who have been awarded a scholarship to study Mandarin in Tianjin next year. This life-changing scholarship, the first of its kind in Europe, is a result of the successful partnership between Tianjin Education Commission and the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools.

Congratulations Peter!

And finally… Happy (Chinese) New  Year!

As we’re sure Peter already knows, today is Chinese New Year and marks the start of the Year of the Horse. Check out Education Scotland’s website for more about Chinese New Year.

Director of Children and Families Gillian Tee

A regular update from Gillian Tee, the Director of Children and Families, on recent meetings, visits and events.

In this update, we hear about recent meetings with Children’s Partnership Chief Officers, HM Inspectors, the Council’s extended Corporate Management Team and Head Teachers from all sectors in the city. We also hear about visits to establishments and schools, a recent Pride in our People event, and a scenario planning exercise aimed at finding solutions to current and future challenges.

Children’s Services Integration Meeting

This was a meeting with Sue Bruce, Chief Executive, City of Edinburgh Council and Tim Davison, Chief Executive NHS Lothian, to discuss how we take forward the development of integrated children’s services in Edinburgh. This will involve much closer links with children’s health services. A paper outlining our proposals will be developed for wide consultation and engagement.

Children’s Partnership Chief Officers Group

This group meets every two months to discuss strategic matters relating to children’s services. The membership is Chief Superintendant Mark Williams, Commander Edinburgh City Division, Police Scotland, Joan Fraser, Chair of EVOC Network of Voluntary Organisations for Children and Young People and Families, Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener Education, Children and Families and Sally Egan, Associate Director and Child Health Commissioner, NHS Lothian.

The focus of our discussion was on the Children’s Services integration agenda and discussing ways we can join up our services and intervene earlier to improve outcomes for children and young people in Edinburgh.

Meeting with Fiona Pate, HM Inspector

I was pleased to meet Fiona Pate, HM Inspector, Education Scotland who is our new Area Lead Officer. We enjoy very effective working relationships with our colleagues in Education Scotland and I am looking forward to working with Fiona to build on these further.

Extended Corporate Management Team

There are regular meetings with the extended Corporate Management Team to look at key issues and see how we can address these collectively. This meeting had two important items for us: ‘Recruiting Foster Carers’ and ‘Affordable Childcare’.  We had a helpful discussion about a whole council approach to recruiting more Edinburgh foster carers and to developing more affordable childcare throughout Edinburgh.

Granton Primary School visit

I enjoyed my visit to Granton Primary School and my discussion with the new Head Teacher Shelagh Dow. During my tour of the school I was pleased to see the new facilities including space for music, drama and general purpose space which are being really well used. I was pleased to meet the Pupil Council to hear about their excellent work.  I am looking forward to hearing about their progress including their work to achieve their second green flag.

Pride in our People event

The programme of local visits is gaining momentum and the recent event took place in St Thomas Church mainly for staff in the west of the city. I was pleased to see so many staff attending from across a wide range of services. The Corporate Management Team provided an overview of achievements and challenges within their service areas. We then took the opportunity to listen to staff ideas on how we can improve service delivery. These suggestions are thought-provoking and are helping to inform and influence our thinking.

Wester Hailes Education Centre

Sue Bruce, our Chief Executive, was keen to visit WHEC to congratulate them on their significant attainment improvements and achievements. We enjoyed our tour of the school, meeting the staff and talking to Sheila Paton, Head Teacher. Sue left feeling hugely impressed with the work going on at the school and the commitment and dedication of our staff.

Primary, Secondary and Special Head Teachers Meetings

Each term I meet with all the primary, secondary and special Head Teachers to share information on key issues.  I updated them on a wide range of issues including the budget position, the development of affordable childcare, community access to schools and proposals for collaborative school improvement planning.  I am delighted with the progress schools are making in continuing to increase the number of school leavers into positive destinations, delivering 2 hours of sport and PE and improved school attendance.

Scenario Planning

At a recent ADES Forum Directors of Education undertook a scenario planning exercise led by the Virtual Staff College.  It was very thought-provoking and informative.  It helped us consider our longer term planning and informed our strategic thinking in finding solutions to our current and future challenges.

I was so impressed with the exercise that I asked the Virtual Staff College to offer this opportunity to our senior leadership team. Tynecastle High School hosted the event and we were warmly met by sixth year pupils to take us to the workshop. We worked together to consider what the current cues are in the system that indicate future scenarios. By thinking creatively and collectively we were able to develop numerous ideas for solutions to our challenges which we can begin to consider immediately.

Clovenstone Primary School visit

I enjoyed my visit to Clovenstone Primary School and meeting the Head Teacher Carolyn Didcock.  The school was looking great and it was good to hear about the many positive developments including the good links with community centres, the cluster learning festival and the excellent support from the Children’s Services Management Group Co-ordinator Gordon McLean.

Dean Park Primary School visit

I enjoyed my visit to Dean Park Primary School to meet Rehanna Shanks. We discussed a wide range of issues particularly the excellent links with Balerno High School and the key role both schools play at the heart of the community.

Satisfaction with schools and nurseries in the capital is increasing every year according to the Edinburgh People Survey.

Residents were asked to rate nursery, primary and secondary schools in their neighbourhood as part of our annual survey for 2013.

Satisfaction levels with increased by:

• 10% for secondary schools,
• 7% for primary schools
• 9% for nurseries.

This is the fourth year running that there have been increases and this year are the highest levels recorded.

Success stories include:

• Boroughmuir High School being named secondary school of the year in Scotland
• impressive exam results at Wester Hailes Education Centre (WHEC) and Craigroyston Community High School
• Education Scotland inspection report for Castleview Primary School which achieved an ‘excellent’ for its curriculum

Cllr Paul Godzik, Convener of the City of Edinburgh Council Education, Children and Families Committee, said:

It’s great news that satisfaction levels with our schools and nurseries have been increasing on a yearly basis. This is testament to the dedicated work of teaching and nursery staff across the city.

The successes achieved by the likes of Boroughmuir, Wester Hailes Education Centre, Craigroyston and Castleview reinforces the Capital Coalition’s commitment to ensure every child in Edinburgh has the best start in life.

About the survey

The Edinburgh People Survey is our annual citizen survey, which measures satisfaction with our services. It identifies areas for improvement and gathers information about residents which is not available through other sources or at neighbourhood level.

The survey is undertaken through face-to-face interviews conducted in the street and door-to-door. We survey around 5,000 residents each year, .

On Monday Wester Hailes Education Centre took part in Commonwealth Class’s World’s Biggest Assembly, to celebrate Commonwealth Day and mark the run up to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Schools worldwide are trying to make the World’s Biggest Assembly happen by starting their school days across the time zones with assemblies. Each school will be celebrating the values and connections of the Commonwealth’s diverse global family.

The assembly focused on the schools award winning links with South Africa. At the assembly a group of pupils Tswana dances they had learnt on their recent visit to the Northern Cape in South Africa.

Ms Sheila Paton, headteacher, said

Three of our fourth year girls recently spent a week in South Africa being taught local dances. Commonwealth day gives us the focus to celebrate our partnership with Barkly West high school in South Africa. The whole school is gearing up to celebrate the Commonwealth games and Game On Scotland recently recognised excellent Games-related learning by awarding a plaque to our school. We plan to hold a big celebration in May that will feature the South African dances that were showcased at the assembly today. We are committed to making the most of the learning opportunities on offer around the Games to enrich our students learning and to enable them to be global citizens

It’s not only teachers at the school that have international ambitions following the assembly. Katie Ritchie, a fourth year student, said

We had an amazing time in South Africa learning various dances and making new friends. Following the assembly, we plan to lead dance workshops and organise a whole school Commonwealth Games celebration in May when we will host 3 students who will travel from South Africa

About Commonwealth Class

Commonwealth Class enables schools to take part in online debates, competitions and work on projects with the aim of giving young people a unique and hands-on international learning experience of the Commonwealth family. Commonwealth Class is a collaboration between the BBC, the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Find out more about Commonwealth Class.

In this bumper new week we brought you a report on an author’s visit to Tynecastle High for World Book Day, an update on how we are doing on helping young unemployed people on activity agreements, details of the world’s biggest assembly at Wester Hailes Education Centre, an update on the council’s budget for 2014/15 and how it reflects on Children and Families, a report from the recent meeting of the Education, Children and Families Committee and the news of Cowgate Under 5s excellent inspection report. Phew!

In other news…

Children’s Commissioner visits the Edinburgh Families Project

Tam Baillie, the Children’s Commissioner for Scotland, had lunch with staff at the Edinburgh Families Project (EFP) at the end of January.

Fran Ronney, manager of EFP, talks about his visit:

He looked around our building and discussed the aims of the project, the challenges and the successes we experience in the work we do. Tam was interested in why this project was established in 2008, and the developments to the service since then. In particular we discussed social pedagogy and the application of an attachment promoting approach in our work with children, young people and their families. I hope and believe his visit gave him a healthy nutritious lunch, and some food for thought.

Caine Hulbert’s prize winning drawing of an alien with Greyfriar’s Bobby and the Castle

Other-worldy World Book Day for prize-winning pupils

Pupils from St. David’s RC and Roseburn Primary Schools scooped the first prize in an art competition for World Book Day. Napier University’s Scottish Centre for the Book invited pupils from Edinburgh schools to submit  front cover designs for a guidebook for visitors from outerspace.

Out of 3,000 children Caine Hulbert from St. David’s RC Primary School and Bethany Connor from Roseburn Primary came out on top, in the P5-7 and P1-4 categories respectively. Congratulations to you both!

WHEC pupils get the keys to the castle

Five S4 pupils from Wester Hailes Education Centre won this years ‘Keys to the Castle’ competition organised by Historic Scotland and Springboard UK.

With their  ideas for improving visitor services at Historic Scotland visitor attractions such as Edinburgh Castle the team beat off competition from around 5o other groups from across Scotland.

The pupils enjoyed the spoils of their victory when they and the school’s  Nat 4 Geography class were invited to attend a VIP day out at Stirling castle. On the day they were awarded their trophy and treated to lunch and a range of fun activities including a tour of James V Palance, meeting characters from history and handling replicas of important artefacts. Castle staff also explained the careers associated with preserving our national monuments and heritage.

The team are keen to enter the competition again this summer term. Fingers crossed the trophy will be coming back to WHEC in 2015!

And finally… Primary pupils get to grips with climbing with Edinburgh Leisure

More than 1300 of our pupils will be scaling the heights of the world’s largest indoor climbing centre as part of a new project.

P4Rocks, which is delivered by Edinburgh Leisure and Active Schools and part funded by City of Edinburgh Council, will see children aged 7 – 8 years from 40 schools enjoy sessions at Edinburgh Indoor Climbing Arena (EICA) Ratho.

Children will be shown that climbing is a unique sport in which boys and girls are equally capable, which requires balance, technique and leg strength.

The sessions will take place during school hours, with information about cluster clubs to follow, with the aim of allowing the children to continue with the sport if they wish.

Adam Cruttenden, Manager of EICA Ratho, said:

it is an excellent opportunity for children to develop their physical side and stay in shape; mentally [rock climbing] promotes focus and other positive attributes. It is fantastic that now hundreds more young people will have the opportunity to try climbing, thanks to this partnership with Edinburgh Leisure and Active Schools.

This week we brought you news about entreprenurial clever cookies at Kaimes School, a report on the response to our Early Years survey, an update on developments from Family Solutions and explored science and engineering week at Prestonfield Primary School.

In other news…

WHEC seniors win Edinburgh Dance Competition

Well done to the senior students from Wester Hailes Education Centre who were involved in the Edinburgh Schools’ Dance Competition on Friday 14th March. They came first place in their category. Lots of work went in to creating this dance which followed the theme of ‘7 Deadly Sins.’  Everyone at the WHEC is very proud of them.

Congratulations on this fantastic achievement!

Global Food Citizens in our primary schools

Following a successful bid to the Education Scotland ‘Food for Thought’ Fund, six Edinburgh  primary schools have been working together with Whitmuir Organic Farm, the Eco-schools team and Eco-Schools Scotland on the ‘Growing Global Food Citizens’ project. The schools involved are:

• St John’s RC
• Gracemount
• Carrick Knowe
• Davidsons Mains
• Murrayburn
• Craigour Park

Teachers have learned to develop exciting ways of exploring food education with pupils as part of the project, which is the first of its kind in the UK. Staff worked together on a five day course to become global food citizens and also developed practical projects in their schools with pupils. The projects include creating raised beds, building outdoor ovens and giving pupils first hand experience of growing, cooking and eating their own food.

To find out more, or to register your interest to take part in the project in August e-mail Helen Stockham at ecoschoolsinedinburgh@edinburgh.gov.uk or call 0131 469 5277.