EIS-FELA: Time running out to avert escalation of college lecturers dispute

The EIS has called on the Scottish Government and College Employers Scotland to take definitive action to ensure that college lecturers receive a fair and fully funded pay award.

College Employers Scotland have made clear to negotiators from the EIS-Further Education Lecturers Association (EIS-FELA) that their current offer would be funded through significant job losses across the publicly funded further education sector.

EIS-FELA members have been engaged in industrial action short of strike (ASOS), in the form of a resulting boycott and work to contract, since May 2023 and should have received their pay award one year ago.

Without an acceptable and fully funded offer, the EIS-FELA membership will escalate their industrial action campaign to include national and rolling strike action, alongside targeted strike action in the constituencies of key Scottish Government ministers, including the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education.

As politicians from the Scottish Government and all other parties at Holyrood return from the summer recess, EIS-FELA intends to take the campaign for a fully funded and fair pay award directly to parliament, with a rally planned outside the Scottish Parliament to coincide with the first FMQs of the new session.

College Employers Scotland have also this week refused a request made by the EIS to extend the current industrial action mandate. In the absence of such agreement from College Employers Scotland, the EIS has continued with the implementation of a national re-ballot for both action short of strike and strike action that has opened today (Thursday 31st August 2023).

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley, said, “Time is running out, on both the Scottish Government and College Employers Scotland, to avert the escalation of the crisis in Scotland’s colleges. No group of workers, least of all those in public sector institutions, should be told by their employers that they must sacrifice jobs to finance an already unacceptable pay offer.

“College Employers Scotland have yet to offer evidence that they have made clear to the Scottish Government that any acceptable pay award must be fully funded.

“The Scottish Government too must end its intransigence and avert this crisis by ensuring that no pay offer to hard working college lecturers is financed by job losses. EIS-FELA members are prepared to take substantial strike action, on top of action short of strike, in pursuit of a fully funded and fair pay award. They do so with the full backing of the EIS behind them.”

EIS-FELA President, Anne-Marie Harley, said, “College lecturers should have received a fair pay award a year ago and have been forced into the unacceptable situation of escalating their industrial action to a wide-ranging programme of strike action, including targeted strike action in the constituencies of Scottish Government ministers.

“We do so alongside a re-ballot of our members to ensure that we can continue this fight for fair pay for as long as it takes. EIS-FELA will never trade jobs for pay and both College Employers Scotland and the Scottish Government must act swiftly to avert strike action through providing a fully funded a fair pay award for college lecturers that does not result in job losses.”

A full programme of strike action is provided below:

  • Thursday 7th September: National strike Day.

Rolling Action Week One:

  • Monday 11th September: New College Lanarkshire and Orkney College.
  • Tuesday 12th September: Glasgow Clyde College and Sabhal Mor Ostaig.
  • Wednesday 13th September: Forth Valley College and UHI Moray.
  • Thursday 14th September: Glasgow Kelvin College and NESCoL.
  • Friday 15th September: Fife College and UHI North, West and Hebrides.

Rolling Action Week Two:

  • Monday 18th September: West College Scotland and Newbattle Abbey College.
  • Tuesday 19th September: UHI Argyle and Ayrshire College.
  • Wednesday 20th September: South Lanarkshire College and Shetland College.
  • Thursday 21st September: Dumfries & Galloway College and Dundee & Angus College.
  • Friday 22nd September: UHI Perth and Edinburgh College.

Rolling Action Week Three:

  • Monday 25th September: UHI Inverness and West Lothian College.
  • Tuesday 26th September: City of Glasgow College and Borders College.
  • Targeted Action: 2nd, 3rd and 4th October:
  • Glasgow Clyde College: First Minister’s constituency.
  • Fife College: Cabinet Secretary for Education’s constituency.
  • Dundee & Angus College: Deputy First Minister’s and Minister for FE’s constituency.

Diversity and inclusion in schools

Scotland ‘leading the way’

Castleton Primary School in Glasgow has become the first in Scotland to fully embed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) inclusive education across their school curriculum.

In 2019 the Scottish Government launched a dedicated package of resources to help all schools build on existing good practice to promote equality, reduce bullying, and improve the educational experiences of LGBT children and young people.

This includes:

  • teaching resources to ensure subjects across age groups include LGBT identities, issues and history
  • training for teachers and school leaders to approach topics with knowledge and confidence, and to help effectively challenge homophobia, biphobia and/or transphobia in the school environment and wider community

A recent report on the approach by Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) found it improved the attitudes and experiences of pupils and staff, including LGBT young people.

Following a visit to Castleton Primary School on Tuesday August 22nd, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “I was very pleased to visit Castleton Primary School which is the first in Scotland to fully embed LGBT inclusive education right across the curriculum.

“Many schools across the country already take positive steps to educate learners about LGBT identities and issues but this is an important milestone. We will continue to do all we can to help young people to reach their full potential in a diverse and inclusive society.

“We know that this approach has already improved experiences for many young people, with pupils reporting fewer instances of anti-LGBT behaviour, language, and bullying, both in school and the wider community.  It is clear that this inclusive approach to education is already delivering real results for young people.

“Scotland’s education system must support everyone, and it is vital the curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools. The inspirational work being undertaken at Castleton and schools like it across the country highlight how inclusive education can help to stamp out prejudice and I look forward to seeing further progress on this work in the coming months and years.”

Jordan Daly, Co-Founder and Director of Time for Inclusive Education said: “LGBT Inclusive Education supports schools to proactively address homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic prejudice and bullying, and ensures that young people see themselves, their families and the world around them in what they learn.

“We have been privileged to work with Castleton Primary School to take this forward, and are encouraged by reports from pupils and teachers about the positive impact that this has had on their school experiences. 

“Schools in Scotland have free access to professional learning, teaching resources, and a structured implementation Toolkit, provided by the Scottish Government, and we would encourage all teachers to engage with these resources to begin improving outcomes for LGBT young people and families in their school community.”

HMRC: Claiming Child Benefit for teenagers studying or training after completing their Nationals

Parents have until 31 August to tell HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that their 16-year-old is continuing their education or training, if they wish to continue receiving Child Benefit.

Many teenagers who recently received their Nationals exam results will be considering their future and whether to stay on in education. Child Benefit payments stop on 31 August after a child turns 16, but parents can extend their claim if their child is continuing in approved education or training.

It is easy for parents to update their Child Benefit record. They can use the online service on GOV.UK or the HMRC app to tell HMRC about their child’s plans.

HMRC recently wrote to parents about extending their Child Benefit claim. The letter included a QR code which, when scanned, directs them to GOV.UK to update their claim online. Any changes will be applied to their Child Benefit claim immediately.

Child Benefit will continue to be paid for children who are studying full time which can include:

  • Highers
  • International Baccalaureate
  • home education – if it started before their child turned 16 or after 16 if they have special needs

Child Benefit will also continue for children who are studying on an unpaid approved training course through the ‘No One Left Behind programme’.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit can provide financial support to families, so make sure you don’t miss out if your teenager is still eligible.

“You can quickly and easily extend your claim online or via the HMRC app, just search ‘Child Benefit when your child turns 16’ on GOV.UK.”

Parents will need a Government Gateway user ID and password to use HMRC’s online services. They will need their National Insurance number or postcode and 2 forms of ID to register on GOV.UK.

The UK Government is offering help for households. Check GOV.UK to find out about cost of living support, including help with childcare costs

Education Convener: Welcome to the start of the new school year

Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor Joan Griffiths, extends a warm welcome to all our young people, families, carers and teaching staff with the start of the new school year today:

Cllr Griffiths said: “It’s that exciting time of the school year as the first day of the new term starts after the summer holidays. For many of our young people this will be their first experience of being in one of our early years settings, Primary One or S1.

“It can be quite daunting having to settle in new surroundings but I know all our amazing staff will do everything they can to make their first day as welcoming as possible.

“I hope everyone had a fantastic summer break and was able to relax and enjoy the holidays. I want to wish everyone a lovely first day back at school and a successful and enjoyable year ahead.”

Celebrations as Edinburgh pupils receive exam results

Levels of attainment for pupils across Edinburgh remain above those achieved before the Covid pandemic, while passes in vocational courses continue to climb, according to exam results released yesterday.

More than 9500 pupils in the Capital received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) on Tuesday (8 August). 2023 was the second year since 2019 that pupils sat formal exams and attainment remains high in comparison. Different assessment models were used in 2020 and 2021 due to the impact of the pandemic.

Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have also increased, with 48 NPA courses leading to 941 passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. This is compared to 26 NPA courses and 296 passes in 2019.

A total of 51,941 resulted awards were certificated for 9,583 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 85 subjects ranging from Accounting to Urdu.

National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 78% (up one percentage point from 2019 but down one percentage point compared to last year) and Highers saw passes of 78% (up two percentage points from 2019 though three percentage points lower than 2022).

Notable results include:

  • By the end of S4, 48% achieved 5 passes at National 5 or better (5 percentage points up on 2019 but 1 percentage point down on 2022)
  • By the end of S5*, 63% achieved 1 or more Higher passes or better (6 percentage points up on 2019 and the same as 2022)
  • By the end of S6* 69% achieved one or more Higher passes (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 3 percentage points up on 2019)

Pupil Vincent Rodziewicz, who is about to start S6 at Craigmount High School, said:This year I got an A and a few Bs and I was quite surprised by these results, they were very positive actually – I expected to do worse in Maths.

“I don’t feel that stressed about the way exams are done though, I don’t mind being in a big hall.”

Zaneta, who is an S5 pupil at Craigmount, added: “I was really nervous, but I think my results are good – I wasn’t really expecting straight As.

“It will give me a lot of confidence going into S5 as well, because I know it’s going to be a difficult year.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said:The Covid pandemic may seem like a distant memory for some, but recent years have posed a real challenge for pupils and teaching staff in all our schools who have had to deal with the impact on learning and teaching.

“All our teachers and staff have worked extremely hard in preparing pupils for these exams, as well as parents/carers whose support is invaluable and, most of all, our young people themselves should be praised for their hard work and achievements.

“We want to make sure all school pupils are able to fulfil their potential by attaining the highest level of achievements possible and by receiving the best possible experience – every learner’s journey is unique. We look forward to building on the success of this year’s learners as they move through the senior phase and onto positive destinations.”

Additional information – analysis

Results by the end of S4
5 passes at National 5 or better – 48% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 5 percentage points up on 2019)

Results by the end of S5*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 63% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019)
3+ passes at Higher or better – 44% (same as 2022 but 6 percentage points up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 24% (same as 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019).

Results by the end of S6*
1+ pass at Higher or better – 69% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 3 percentage points up on 2019)
3+ passes Higher or better – 51% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019)
5+ passes at Higher or better – 38% (2 percentage points down on 2022 but 2 percentage points up on 2019)
1+ pass at Advanced Higher – 31% (1 percentage point down on 2022 but 4 percentage points up on 2019)

*based on the percentage of S4 pupil roll.

Edinburgh Napier University’s Business School earns AACSB International accreditation

Business School recognised by prestigious organisation

Edinburgh Napier University has earned business accreditation from AACSB International, the longest-serving global accrediting body for business schools.

The accolade, which recognises ENU’s Business School for excelling in teaching, research, curriculum development, and student learning, is held by less than six per cent of global institutions that offer business degrees.

Founded in 1916, AACSB is a global non-profit association that connects learners, educators, and businesses worldwide. To gain accreditation, The Business School successfully completed a rigorous review process conducted by business education peers.

ENU now joins a network of nearly 1,000 accredited institutions, including more than 40 in the UK.

Professor Christine Cross, Dean of The Business School, said: “AACSB international is a globally recognised benchmark for business education excellence and obtaining this accreditation is a testament to our unwavering dedication to providing high-quality education and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

“Through rigorous evaluation of our academic programmes, faculty qualifications, research initiatives and student outcomes AACSB accreditation reaffirms that Edinburgh Napier University is at the forefront of business education.

“As we celebrate this achievement we also reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment that equips our students with the skills and the mindset necessary to address the challenges of the business world with empathy, integrity and resilience.

“Looking ahead Edinburgh Napier University will continue to push boundaries and maintain the highest standards of education, research and community engagement.”

Stephanie M. Bryant, executive vice president and chief accreditation officer of AACSB, said: “Edinburgh Napier University’s commitment to earning accreditation is a true reflection of their dedication—not only to their students, alumni network, and greater business community, but to the higher education industry as a whole.

“Today’s students are tomorrow’s business leaders, and the addition of the Edinburgh Napier University to the network of AACSB-accredited business schools will have a lasting positive impact for their institution, both locally and globally.

“We congratulate Edinburgh Napier University and Dean Christine Cross on earning accreditation and applaud the entire team—including the administration, faculty, staff, and students—for their roles in earning this respected honour.”

Millions of children get access to life-saving defibrillators

Every state school in England now has a defibrillator with 20,376 devices delivered to 17,862 schools

The government has confirmed that all state-funded schools in England now have a life-saving defibrillator, drastically increasing the chances of surviving cardiac arrest for all state school pupils in England.

Following the government’s £19 million rollout, over 20,000 defibrillators have successfully been delivered to almost 18,000 schools since January.

In June, the Department for Education oversaw the successful completion of deliveries of defibrillators to secondary schools. Now, all eligible primary, special and alternative provision schools who did not already have a defibrillator have received deliveries, boosting their numbers in communities across the country.

Today’s milestone marks another step in the government’s commitment to delivering stronger, safer communities across the country.

In July 2022, the government committed to delivering these devices before the end of the 2022 to 2023 academic year to ensure that all state funded schools in England had access to a defibrillator, following the campaigning from Mark King of the Oliver King Foundation to ensure all schools have a defibrillator.

Mark tragically lost his son, Oliver, after he suffered sudden cardiac arrest at school during a swimming lesson when he was 12-years-old.

Secretary of State for Education Gillian Keegan said: “Having access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chance of pupils, teachers and visitors surviving a cardiac arrest.

“Thanks to the tireless campaigning of Mark King, Jamie Carragher and Nicola Carragher we are proud to say that every state-funded school in England now has access to a defibrillator.

“Teachers and pupils across the country can now be reassured that they will have access to one on school grounds should tragedy strikes.”

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, said: ““Having access to defibrillators in schools drastically increases the chance of pupils, teachers and visitors surviving a cardiac arrest.

“Thanks to the tireless campaigning of Mark King and Jamie Carragher we are proud to say that every state-funded school in England now has one of these potentially life-saving machines.

“So however rare these events are, teachers, parents and pupils across the country can now be reassured they will have access to a defibrillator on school grounds, should the worst happen.”

Oliver King Foundation founder, Mark King: “We as a family and foundation will continue to strive for change so no other family has to suffer as we are.

“We would like to say a massive thank you to Nadhim Zahawi, Lord Stuart Polak, Jamie Carragher and the DfE for helping us aim for legislation. Oliver’s memory will live on and lives will be saved.”

Large schools have been provided with 2 or more defibrillators so that they can be strategically placed in areas of the schools where a cardiac arrest is more likely, such as sports halls.

A defibrillator is a machine that is placed externally on the body and is used to give an electric shock when a person is in cardiac arrest i.e. when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. Prompt defibrillation can help save a person’s life.

The government is also supporting schools in making defibrillators available to the community, with 1,200 external heated defibrillator cabinets being provided to primary and special schools by the end of 2023 in areas of deprivation, where provision is generally lower.

The rollout will build on existing requirements for schools to teach first aid as part of the curriculum, with secondary school pupils being taught life-saving methods such as CPR and the purpose of defibrillators. This rollout will help protect schools and their local communities against cardiac arrest, delivering wider access to these devices.

UK Government to crackdown on ‘rip-off’ university degrees

Students and taxpayers will be better protected against rip-off degree courses that have high drop-out rates, don’t lead to good jobs and leave young people with poor pay and high debts, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary have announced.

Under the plans, the Office for Students (OfS) will be asked to limit the number of students universities can recruit onto courses that are failing to deliver good outcomes for students.

The UK has some of the world’s leading universities, but a minority of the courses on offer leave students saddled with debt, low earnings and faced with poor job prospects. The government wants to make the system fairer for them, but also for taxpayers – who make a huge investment in higher education and are liable for billions of pounds in unrecovered tuition fees if graduate earnings are low.

Figures from the Office for Students show that nearly three in ten graduates do not progress into highly skilled jobs or further study 15 months after graduating. The Institute for Fiscal Studies also estimates that one in five graduates would be better off financially if they hadn’t gone to university.

The government wants to make sure that universities and colleges are offering the same standard of high-quality provision expected in our schools, and that young people are encouraged to choose the path that is right for them – whether it’s a university degree, a higher technical qualification, or an apprenticeship.

As part of today’s announcements, the government will also reduce the maximum fee that universities can charge for classroom-based foundation year courses to £5,760 – down from £9,250 currently.

These are an additional year of study designed to help prepare students for degrees with specific entry requirements or knowledge, such as in medicine and veterinary sciences. However, research shows that too many people are encouraged to take a foundation year in some subjects like business where it is not necessary.

The Office for Students will also continue work to make it easier for students to assess the quality of each university course, including its earnings potential, so that they can make the most informed decision about where and what to study. We are asking the Office for Students to ensure that courses which fail to deliver good earnings are subject to stricter controls.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said: The UK is home to some of the best universities in the world and studying for a degree can be immensely rewarding. But too many young people are being sold a false dream and end up doing a poor-quality course at the taxpayers’ expense that doesn’t offer the prospect of a decent job at the end of it.

“That is why we are taking action to crack down on rip-off university courses, while boosting skills training and apprenticeships provision. This will help more young people to choose the path that is right to help them reach their potential and grow our economy.”

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “Students and taxpayers rightly expect value for money and a good return on the significant financial investment they make in higher education.

“These new measures will crack down on higher education providers that continue to offer poor quality courses and send a clear signal that we will not allow students to be sold a false promise. Wherever they choose to study, it is vital students can gain the skills needed to get great jobs and succeed – supporting the Prime Minister’s priority to grow our economy.”

Philip Augar, chair of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “This is another strong signal for universities to control such recruitment as is not in students’ best interests and I hope the sector responds constructively.

Edward Peck, Vice-Chancellor and President Nottingham Trent University and panel member of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “Following careful consideration and extensive consultation, the reform agenda for higher education being pursued by Government is consistent with the approach articulated in the Augar Review.

“The alignment of the fee for Foundation Years with that of Access to HE for lower cost subjects is in the interests of students as is the proposition that the future refinement of the quality framework deployed by the Office for Students, including potential selective student number controls, should make subject appropriate use of graduate salaries.”

Baroness Alison Wolf, panel member of the independent Review of Post-18 Education and Funding, said: “I am delighted that the government has introduced reforms for foundation year courses, whose current meteoric growth is hard to justify educationally or in cost terms.

“Aligning their fees explicitly with college-based access courses should also promote the greater alignment of further and higher education to which the government is, rightly, committed.”

The government has already taken decisive steps to make sure young people and adults can access more high-quality training opportunities.

This includes rolling out new T LevelsHigher Technical Qualifications, establishing a network of 21 Institutes of Technologyand working with employers of all sizes to create more apprenticeships in a wider range of exciting roles. Plans to expand UCAS to allow students to apply for apprenticeships alongside traditional degree have also been announced so thousands more young people can benefit from a wider choice of high-quality options.

Alongside the measures announced today to boost the quality of higher education, the government is going further still to support people and employers to take advantage of the wide range of free training options available to them, helping to fill skills gaps, get people into work and support the Prime Minister’s priority of growing the economy.

This includes launching a new digital platform from the autumn where people and employers can search for everything from apprenticeships and T Levels to Skills Bootcamps and essential skills courses – all in one place. 

The government is also making it easier for employers to take on apprentices. This includes by cutting the steps needed to register to take on an apprentice by a third and updating 100 apprenticeships in sectors such as construction and healthcare so they reflect the latest technological advancements and so they work better for employers and apprentices.

Anthony Impey, Chief Executive of Be The Business, said: “Small businesses are run by some of the country’s most impressive and resilient people, but they are time poor and lack the resources of their peers in much larger companies.

“So these changes will make a real difference in opening up apprenticeships at a time when small businesses are looking for all the help they can get to boost their productivity.”

FD Works, Top 50 SME apprentice employer and accountancy firm based in Bristol said: “At FD Works, we believe that the power of apprentices is unmatched. The passion and perspective they bring have been a huge part of our ongoing success, but as a small business, our time is incredibly valuable.

“The investment far outweighs the cost already, but the Department for Education is continuously improving the system with us in mind, which is clear in this latest update.

“As an innovative company, we’re really excited to see changes happening that will help us move quicker, share more opportunities, and empower even more apprentices to find a career they love.”

Jane Gratton, Head of People Policy, British Chambers of Commerce said: “Apprenticeships are key to boosting technical skills in the workforce and helping firms tackle skills shortages.

“However, many firms with great apprenticeship opportunities have found the process difficult.  So it’s good to see Government taking steps in the right direction to reduce the complexity and excess bureaucracy in the apprenticeship system.

“We also need more candidates to choose the apprenticeship route to employment and so we welcome initiatives that raise awareness and help match people to the great jobs and training available in local business communities throughout the country.”

RoSPA: Collaboration and education are key in reducing UK child deaths

  • First of its kind NCMD report released today which RoSPA contributed to
  • Data shows that collaboration and education are ‘vital’
  • Road collisions and drowning are two of the biggest killers

Collaboration and education are key in keeping the nation’s children safe from injury and death, that’s the message today from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in the wake of new child mortality data released by a leading University.

Data from the University of Bristol’s National Child Mortality Database (NCMD) team, created in collaboration with RoSPA and other key organisations, shows that 644 children aged up to 18 in England died due to traumatic injuries between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2022; of these, 211 died because of a vehicle collision, 160 died due to violence and maltreatment, and 84 died by drowning.

A further 189 died due to other traumatic injuries such as drug or alcohol poisoning, suffocation, falls, choking, foreign object consumption, fires, electrocution, falling objects and dog attacks.

According to RoSPAAccidents remain the UK’s biggest killer of children and young people up to the age of 19, and are the biggest cause of preventable, premature death up to the age of 60.

The report (which used data from the NCMD cohort, a first-of-its-kind initiative to collect comprehensive and timely information on every child death in England) sought to identify risks and patterns from the 9,983 child deaths that occurred in England between 1 April 2019 until 31 March 2022.

Ashley Martin, Public Health Advisor at RoSPA, worked closely with the NCMD on the report. He said: “We welcome this valuable report and data analysis that is an important step forward in understanding the scale and causes of accidental death among children, a significant number of which occur in their own homes.

“The report confirms the tragic toll of accidental death among children and the effects on their families and makes vital recommendations to Government ,organisations and. charities.

“Now, we need to come together to understand how to use these findings to reduce the death toll and keep more children and young people safe from harm.”

In terms of road collision data, the report found:

  • There were 211 deaths of children and young people due to vehicle collisions over the last three years.
  • Death rates were highest for 15-17 year olds, with children in deprived areas disproportionately affected. There were 37 (17.5%) deaths of children aged under 5, 70 (33.2%) deaths of children and young people aged 5-14 years, and 104 (49.3%) deaths of young people aged 15-17 years.
  • Collisions where the child was in the vehicle as a driver or passenger were most common (35% of all deaths)) followed by deaths where the child was a pedestrian (32%). The most common type was car or van collisions for 15-17 year olds and pedestrian collisions for those aged 10-14.
  • Contributory factors in these crashes were speeding (27%), risk taking, consumption of drugs and alcohol (by the child or driver) and non-use of appropriate safety equipment (20%). In some instances, complex home circumstances was identified as a factor. Road design was also a factor in many collisions.

Rebecca Guy, Road Safety Manager at RoSPA, said: “We strongly support the recommendation that all primary school children receive road safety education and are looking at ways we can build on our previous work with parents and schools.

“We also believe that road layout and design needs to be suitable for all – pedestrians, cyclists and motorised vehicle users included and agree that support for witnesses to vehicle collisions should be improved.

“We look forward to taking the results of these findings and using them as a basis for our lifesaving accident prevention work.”

The report also showed that deaths due to drowning increased over the three years, with 20 deaths in 2019-20, rising to 37 in 2021-22.

They occurred most commonly in inland bodies of water (such as a river or lake) or in the bath and increased over the three years. The children and young people most at risk were those aged under five or over 15, males, those living in the most deprived neighbourhoods, and children from a Black or Black British ethnic background.

Over half the deaths occurred during the summer months, although some evidence shows that deaths in the spring were rising the fastest. In 83% of cases, the child or young person was unsupervised at the time of death. Five of the seven deaths of children under one who drowned in the bath were in a bath seat.

David Walker, Head of road and leisure safety at RoSPA  and Executive Lead at the UK National Water Safety Forum, said: “This report is a clear call to action that better support and awareness is needed for families and communities – so that everyone can enjoy and respect the water.

“As we look forward to World Drowning Prevention Day on 25 July, this report provides yet more evidence that all Government departments, led by Cabinet Office, must take a coherent and coordinated approach to drowning prevention across the UK.”

“We have become friends by going on this journey”

Afghan students who fled their home country celebrate Edinburgh Napier graduation

A group of Afghan students who came to Edinburgh Napier University following the evacuation of their home country have spoken of their pride at graduation.

Tens of thousands of people fled Afghanistan when the country’s government fell in 2021, amid the Taliban insurgency and withdrawal of international troops.

Amin Ul Haq Majeed, Bilal Rafi, Rafi Ullah Jabarkhail, Ahmad Reshad Halimi, Allahdad Afghan, Idress Rasooly, Mujeeb Rahman Fazli, Ibrahim Anwari and his brother, Abdur Rahim Anwari, have since made Edinburgh their home and completed their studies at ENU in several different subjects, including Computing and Business Management.

They picked up degrees during the University’s summer graduation ceremonies at the Usher Hall.

Abdur Rahim Anwari already had an offer to attend ENU when the evacuation of Kabul took place two years ago.

The 29-year-old said: “Suddenly everything changed. I informed Edinburgh Napier and they replied very quickly, offering me support such as hardship funds so I could study. This was a turning point for me.

“I didn’t even have ten pounds in my pocket when I arrived.

“It was a very difficult time, but thanks to the support from the University we have made it through.

“My fellow Afghan students were in the same situation. We have become friends by going on this journey together. We’re very thankful to the University.

“It is impossible now, but one day I want to go back home to Afghanistan with what I have learned.”

Bilal Rafi said: “2021 in Afghanistan was a very big problem – we lost everything when it all happened. But when we came here, Edinburgh Napier University helped us get started, and I am very thankful for that.

“It was a very scary time. We didn’t know anyone here and our families weren’t safe back home. Everything was at risk. Everything was unstable.

“On the first day when I came to the University, I didn’t know anyone – except Amin. We didn’t know anyone and we didn’t have anything.

“But it gave us the motivation, the inspiration to complete our education, and finally complete our degree.

“You can feel it when you are here in a safe place and your family is at risk. It was very difficult, mentally, especially for the first four, six months – I couldn’t sleep at night.

“But later on, with the help of Edinburgh Napier University, especially the Safeguarding Team, we did it.”