Fancy a bit of family fun in the Drylaw secret orchard this Wednesday? Come along for a free outdoor activity session with Paul our gardener and Alia our youth worker.
There will be snacks, drinks, craft, gardening, and tree care going on in a relaxed and informal setting within the beautiful orchard on Easter Drylaw Avenue.
Wednesday 6th August
10.30 meet at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
OR: 10.45 meet at East Orchard, between 6 and 8 Easter Drylaw Avenue.
Nature craft and gardening activities. Relaxed and friendly staff.
FREE! Please bring sunhats, water bottles and suncream- it’s going to be warm!
To give prospective students the opportunity to speak to lecturers about their application and course options for the 2025/26 session, Edinburgh College is hosting an Exam Results Drop In event at its Sighthill Campus this Thursday (7th August).
From 10.30am to 2pm, prospective students will be able to speak to lecturers about their course options following the release of exam results, and will get the chance to secure a place on a course for the upcoming academic session.
Those who have changed their mind about their original course choice, or who have not yet made an application for college but would like to study this year are also encouraged to attend.
Edinburgh College offers courses across a wide range of subject areas within the Creative Industries, Construction and Engineering, Health, Wellbeing and Social Sciences, and Tourism, Hospitality and Business faculties. Courses are delivered in a variety of study modes, including full-time and part-time study, and cater to the diverse needs of today’s student.
As well as this, Student Services will be on hand at the event to provide advice on funding options and access to learning support for those who are seeking further information about their study options for the coming year.
The Edinburgh College course clearing phone line will also be open for applicants and prospective students to call from 9am to 4pm between Tuesday 5 and Friday 15 August to discuss their applications and courses ahead of the new term.
The course clearing line number is 0131 297 8300.
Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford said: “Clearing is a crucial time for applicants and prospective students who are still exploring their options for the next step in their educational journey.
“At Edinburgh College, our fantastic range of courses are not only delivered by expert teaching staff, but are also designed to provide students with the skills they need to either continue their learner journey or achieve their chosen career.
“I strongly encourage you to come along to our clearing event or reach out to our teams through our dedicated clearing line to find out how you can Experience Edinburgh College.”
The Government’s manifesto commitment to deliver a genuine living wage for working people took a step closer today as it set out new considerations for the Low Pay Commission when recommending next year’s National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.
Discriminatory age bands to be removed as new Low Pay Commission remit delivers progress towards a single wage rate for adults.
Government places cost of living at the heart of the remit a year on from its first inclusion, meaning more money is being put into the pockets of hardworking people – delivering the Plan for Change.
Low Pay Commission to continue longstanding approach of assessing the impact of wage reforms on different sectors, ensuring recommendations support both economic growth and fair pay.
The Westminster Government’s manifesto commitment to deliver a genuine living wage for working people took a step closer today (5 August) as it set out new considerations for the Low Pay Commission (LPC) when recommending next year’s National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.
Around 3 million workers benefitted from last year’s decision to include the cost of living in the LPC’s remit for the first time. This led to a record cash increase in the Minimum Wage for apprentices and those under 18, and a £1,400 annual boost for full-time workers on the National Living Wage from April.
Higher wages for the lowest-paid workers not only provide greater financial security for families but also mean more money in the pockets of working people to spend on the things they need – supporting businesses and driving economic growth across the country as part of the Plan for Change.
With younger workers being held back by discriminatory age bands, the updated LPC remit will drive forward the Government’s commitment to delivering a single adult pay band.
The LPC will consult with employers, trade unions and workers on narrowing the gap between the 18–20-year-old rate of the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage and will put forward recommendations on achieving a single adult rate in the years ahead.
The remit will also ensure that the LPC continues to actively consider the cost of living in its recommendations for National Living Wage rates to apply from April 2026.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “Low pay drags down living standards for our workers and in turn hurts our high streets and local businesses.
“This Government’s Plan for Change will put money back in people’s pockets, with this new remit marking the next step in considering how we ensure a fair deal for our lowest paid workers while maintaining a competitive economy that boosts businesses and their employees alike.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We promised to make low pay a thing of the past, and deliver a wage people can live on, and that is exactly what this government is determined to deliver.
“We have already taken bold action to Make Work Pay with more than 3 million workers seeing a huge boost in their pay following our increase to National Minimum and Living Wage.
“This remit is the next milestone in our plan to get more money in working people’s pockets, raise living standards in every part of the UK, and get our economy growing.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “We are delivering on our promise to make sure every worker receives a fair wage.
“Fair pay which supports working families is integral to our Plan for Change, because when working people are properly rewarded with more money in their pockets, businesses thrive and our entire economy benefits.
“To ensure the right balance is struck between the needs of workers, business affordability, and the wider economy, the LPC is being asked to consult on several issues before recommending the new rates.”
Baroness Philippa Stroud, Chair of the LPC, said: “We are pleased to receive our remit from the Government. Already, since the beginning of the year, we have spent significant time speaking with workers and employers, to understand the pressures in the economy and the effects of the most recent increases in the minimum wage.We have held a successful call for evidence and received detailed submissions from all sides.
“Our recommendations on the minimum wage are always finely balanced. More than ever, it is important that we draw on first-hand evidence from those affected by our decisions.
“I look forward to working with the rest of the Commission over the autumn to reach a shared view on this evidence and deliver our advice to the Government in October”
TUC General Secretary, Paul Nowak said: “Boosting the minimum wage isn’t just good for workers – it’s good for business too. When low-paid workers have more money in their pockets they spend it locally – supporting shops, cafés and high streets.
“That’s why the government is right to set out its ambition to raise the floor of the minimum wage and end the outdated and unfair youth rates.
“The minimum wage has been one of the big success stories of the last 25 years – lifting pay at the bottom and proving the doom-and-gloom merchants wrong. But it’s important that it keep rising so that it better reflects what it actually costs to get by in Britain today.
“A bolder, more ambitious minimum wage isn’t a risk. It’s the next step in building a fairer, stronger economy where hard work is properly rewarded.”
The number of 18-year-olds from Scotland’s most deprived areas securing places at university has increased by 100 to 1,960, a new record high, officials figures have shown.
The number of young Scots who have secured a place at university this year has also increased to a new high.
There have been 16,340 acceptances for 18-year-olds to Scottish higher education institutions so far which is up 4% on last year, according to UCAS. Overall acceptances to Scottish institutions have risen by 10 to reach 35,940.
There are also 5,300 Scots domiciled applicants with ‘holding offers’, up 2% on last year. In the coming weeks, many of these applicants will convert to acceptances as offers are processed by universities.
Minister for Higher and Further Education Graeme Dey said: “I congratulate the thousands of young people across Scotland who have secured a place at university today. It is tremendously encouraging to see another rise in those accepted to university.
“I am particularly encouraged to see another increase in 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas who have secured a place. We are determined to widen access to Higher Education and this shows the important work being done by our universities and colleges to ensure progress continues to be made.
“These figures show the great strength and resilience of Scotland’s education system.
“Our resolute commitment to free tuition and our enhanced student support offering means that access to university remains based on the ability to learn and not the ability to pay, ensuring that the opportunity of a university education is available to everyone, regardless of their background.”
Change for the better happens when people stand together and demand it. Scotland Demands Better is the march and rally for all of us.
On Saturday 25 October thousands will come together in Edinburgh to demand that politicians make the changes we need for a society where every household can thrive and prosper.
We’re holding a series of public meetings across the country, and we’ve just got dates for the first three – in Glasgow on 4 Sep, Edinburgh on 9 Sep, and Dundee on 11 Sep. We’ll be sharing further details on the Scotland Demands Better website in the coming days.
On the updated Scotland Demands Better website, you can also download our new toolkit, with lots of inspiration and ideas about how you can get involved and mobilise people in your communites. You can also order a Promo Pack, with posters, leaflets, badges, and stickers.
On Thursday 14 August at 1pm and then again at 7pm we’re hosting free online events where activists can join to talk about how the campaign is going so far, and how we can best organise transport to get people to Edinburgh on the day.
In honour of Dolly Parton Day (today, August 5), Guinness World Records, celebrating its 70th anniversary later this month (August 27) officially reveals that larger-than-life global superstar Dolly Parton has been named aGuinness World Records ICON.
The elite superstar joins a select group of individuals whose world record achievements have transcended their field and inspired people across the globe.
Her timeless tunes have captivated generations for decades, earning her 11 Guinness World Records titles.
Not slowing down for a second, Dolly’s remains as influential and relevant today as ever. Newly confirmed record titles come with the release of her album “Rockstar” in 2023 and her and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” remix in 2025 (full list at end of release):
Most consecutive decades with Top 10 album entries on the Billboard country chart (female) – 7, with “Rockstar”
Longest span of No.1 hits on the US Top Country Albums chart (female) – 46 years 197 days, with “Rockstar”
Most decades with a Top 20 hit on the US Hot Country Songs chart – 7, with “Please Please Please”
Most Top 10 entries on the US Top Country Albums chart (female) – 49, with “Rockstar”
Singlehandedly shaping the music industry, one cherished song at a time, Dolly’s 66 studio albums, the most studio albums released by a female country singer,include a plethora of hits including “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” “I Will Always Love You,” and many, many more.
Dolly’s ICON status also transcends the field of music. From her current project of “DOLLY: A True Original Musical” to the Dollywood theme park and Dolly’s Imagination Library, her “cup of ambition” has been poured into her passions as an actress, writer, producer, businesswoman, philanthropist, and arts advocate.
Dolly was presented with her official ICON certificate by GWR spokeswoman Amanda Marcus at her studios in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Dolly is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated writers and performers in the history of country music, as reflected in her many Guinness World Records certificates, but her reach and influence extends far beyond the musical world,” said Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief at Guinness World Records,
“There are so many projects close to her heart – poverty relief, education, medical research and of course the Imagination Library free-books campaign – and it’s these important, life-changing initiatives that propels Dolly into a different league. She truly is a living legend, and it’s an honour to bestow GWR ICON status upon her.”
The number of students achieving passes at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level, as well as in vocational and technical courses, has increased across Scotland this year.
The poverty-related attainment gap has also narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level over the 2024-25 academic year, according to the results data published by the Scottish Qualifications Authority.
The number of pupils and students achieving passes in vocational and technical qualifications and awards, such as construction, hospitality and business, has reached a record high of 110,380 – this represents a year-on-year increase of 22.6% compared to 2024.
The pass rate for National 5 and Highers is also up, when compared to both last year and the pre-pandemic set of results, back in 2019, while the total number of Higher entries passed the landmark 200,000 level for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010.
Commenting, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “Congratulations to all of Scotland’s school pupils, students and adult learners for all that they have achieved in their qualifications this year.
“These results are evidence of a strong recovery in Scotland’s schools, following the pandemic, with more passes at every level compared to last year. They are a testament to the hard work of learners, teachers and parents and carers.
“It is, furthermore, encouraging to see that the poverty-related attainment gap has narrowed at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher levels. While there is more to do, each success of every young person from the most disadvantaged areas creates a route out of poverty. These results also show the strength of Scotland’s vocational and technical qualifications, which play a key role in preparing so many young people for the future.
“I know that some young people will be disappointed with their results. I want to reassure them that there are a wide range of options and routes for success available, with support on hand throughout this week via the dedicated helpline run by Skills Development Scotland.
“Today is a chance for our young people to pause and reflect on the totality of their achievements this past academic year. I offer my sincere thanks to Scotland’s hard working teaching profession, who work to support them all, the parents and carers whose encouragement can be so instrumental to success, and to the young people themselves – well done.”
Attainment for learners across Edinburgh remain high, with record number of passes in vocational courses
Over 12,860 candidates in Edinburgh received their results from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) today.
Attainment remains high with sustained performance when compared to 2024 across most key measures, with a significant improvement in the percentage of S4 young people achieving 5 National 5 qualifications with a grade of C or above. The results also show improvement in all measures compared to 2019 (pre-pandemic).
Passes in National Progression Awards (NPA), vocational courses equivalent to National passes, have increased, with more than 1,700 candidates attaining awards in NPA courses leading to a 61% increase in the number of passes at levels 4, 5 and 6. Qualifications were awarded in a range of subjects including stonemasonry, digital media, beauty, exercise and sport leadership and roofing.
A total of 50,923 awards were certificated for 12,864 candidates (includes special schools, adults and mainstream secondary pupils) in over 92 subjects, with an increase in the number of vocational courses offered across our secondary schools.
National 5s saw passes (A-C grades) of 80% and Highers saw passes of 78.5%, this is an increased in pass-rates for 2024 and 2019 (pre-COVID).
Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish said: “It has been fantastic to see the wide range of qualifications and awards achieved by our young people, representing the hard work, effort and commitment of learners, and our dedicated teachers and school staff.
“Each and every one of our young people’s journey and achievements are unique to them and today’s results mark the next step in their journey whether that’s to college, university, an apprenticeship or into the world of work.
“We want to provide inclusive, equitable and relevant curriculum pathways into further or higher education and to the workplace for every single learner in all of our schools.
“There is much to celebrate and be proud of in this years’ set of results and my thanks to all those who have supported our learners to this point including school staff and parents and carers.”
Alex Blues – S5 leaver -positive destination with a local building firm, said: “Practical subjects like PE, woodwork and furniture making have been the highlight of my high school experience.
“PE has taught me the value of teamwork while furniture making gave me the chance to develop hands-on skills. Both subjects offered me a chance to grow in confidence. I left school at the end of S5 and have now found employment with a local building firm.
Sneha Gadi – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said: “My time at school has helped me grow into myself, supporting me not only academically but personally too.
“I’ve had many opportunities to explore what I’m interested in and get involved with my community, which has helped my confidence. After school, I’m hoping to study medicine at university and work towards a career where I can make a difference.”
Sam Easton – S5 returning to school and hoping to go to university, said:“I’ve never had a clear idea of what I want to do after school, so I’ve kept my options open, taking on subjects I enjoy in a variety different of areas.
“This year that included Maths, English, Economics, Modern Studies and Art & Design all at Higher level. This year I am hoping to do Maths, Modern Studies and Art & Design at Advanced Higher level.
“Looking forward I would like to go to university and taking Advanced Highers this year would allow me the flexibility to apply to places in England as well.
“I’d like to combine my creativity with a more academic subject if possible and in S6 I will explore how this could be achieved in different courses and opportunities that are on offer.”
Katie – S6 leaver – completed Film and Media NPA and is going on to study at university, said: “I liked that there was lots of choice of subjects and school supported our decisions.
“There were lots of resources and supports available. I’m looking forward to studying film, media and business management at university.”
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has announced that she will not stand in next May’s Holyrood elections.
Ms Forbes said: ‘After careful thought over recess, I’ve decided not to seek re-election to @scotparl next year. I’ve written to the First Minister this morning (see below).
‘I will continue to serve the First Minister, the Government and my constituents to the best of my ability until May 2026.’
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGORR) convened a SGORR Ministerial meeting last night to co-ordinate the response to Storm Floris.Justice Secretary Angela Constance chaired the meeting.
Utilities companies are working to reconnect properties with the weather impact on power networks expected to continue through the night. 43,000 homes were affected.
The Transport Scotland Resilience Room (TSRR) and the Multi-Agency Response Team (MART) remain activated to monitor and report on conditions.
Trunk road Operating Companies have responded to multiple fallen trees and damaged infrastructure across the network and have engaged specialist resources to assist.
There have been 119 incidents on the rail network caused by Storm Floris, including 75 tree related incidents. Of those, 85% were due to third party trees.
With winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the country, a significant clear-up job will be required to inspect lines and carry out repair work before it is safe to restore a full service.
ScotRail is urging customers to check their journey before they travel via the app, website or JourneyCheck. The train operator will also provide updates across social media channels throughout the night.
Ms Constance said last night: “As expected, there has been significant disruption, particularly across the travel networks. We are still in an amber warning, and the advice remains to stay well informed, keep yourselves and others safe and avoid travel if you can, until the danger has passed.
“Power cuts are affecting a significant number of properties, and while utilities companies are working hard to reconnect supply in the face of challenging conditions, this will undoubtedly take some time to complete. The weather is expected to improve tomorrow (Tuesday), but the recovery period – both to reconnect homes to power and get transport back to normal – will require some time to clear the debris.
“We will continue to receive updates throughout Tuesday and will have a better idea on public transport tomorrow morning.”
The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.
Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.
Wednesday 6th August
10.30 meet at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre
Nature craft and gardening activities. Relaxed and friendly staff.
