Day: November 5, 2026

Go-ahead for additional school in-service days agreed

Helping teachers prepare for major curriculum changes

Local councils will be able to request up to two extra in-service days this academic year, so that teachers can prepare for the most significant curriculum changes in more than a decade.

The Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) – which brings together the Scottish Government, local authority body COSLA, and teaching unions – has agreed up to two additional in-service days, which will form part of multi-year support for implementation of the updated curriculum.

Additionally, a short-term working group involving councils, unions and the Scottish Government will assess what additional support schools and teachers require to implement the refreshed curriculum, with a routemap to be published early next year.

Draft curriculum materials have now been made available to teachers by Education Scotland, which will be tested and refined through engagement with the profession. These have been co-designed by Education Scotland with input from over 1,500 primary and secondary teachers, early learning practitioners, and a range of other experts including from the Gaelic Medium Education sector.

The materials are being deliberately shared by Education Scotland in draft, as part of a process of engagement and testing with a sample of teachers ahead of wider engagement around more advanced drafts in early 2027. More than 3,800 teachers, practitioners, council education leads, and experts have so far registered an interest in reviewing the drafts and providing independent feedback to inform future drafts.

Education Scotland and Qualifications Scotland are working closely to develop qualifications for learners on the basis of the updated curriculum and aligned with it for the senior phase, for learners aged 16-18.

Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “This is a significant milestone in delivering the most substantial curriculum reform in a decade.

“The draft materials build on the strengths of Curriculum for Excellence and respond to the OECD’s call for greater clarity, stronger progression and a clearer focus on knowledge. By aligning curriculum, qualifications and assessment reform, we can deliver changes that work in the classroom and improve outcomes for young people.

“Teachers must have appropriate time and support to prepare properly – investing in dedicated time now will ensure high-quality learning and teaching for young people once the updated curriculum is implemented in August 2028.

“I have encouraged local councils to align additional days with existing school holidays to minimise disruption and look forward to taking forward a new curriculum designed to deliver excellence in our education system.”

Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS) General Secretary Greg Dempster said: “AHDS is very pleased that we now have an agreement in place for two additional in-service days during the remainder of this school session, and that is work underway to ensure that further development days are swiftly agreed for subsequent years.

“This time investment is absolutely essential to enable school leaders and their teams to undertake the planning and preparation necessary for implementation of changes to our curriculum to be successful.”

School Leaders Scotland (SLS) General Secretary David Barnett said: “We are pleased that an agreement on additional in-service days has now been reached.

“This will allow schools to plan with confidence on giving staff time to engage with the draft curriculum materials and begin the process of what will be major curriculum reform.”

Councils will decide the exact dates for the additional in-service days, which are intended to be aligned to the existing holidays, based on local holiday timetables. Dispensation for the in-service days will be granted under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

City Art Centre to present biggest-ever exhibition of acclaimed printmaker Ade Adesina

ADE ADESINA: BARD

7 NOVEMBER 2026 – 11 APRIL 2027

A major exhibition bringing together 15 years of work by Aberdeen-based artist Ade Adesina will open on Saturday (7 November 2026).

City Art Centre will present the biggest exhibition of work to date by acclaimed printmaker Ade Adesina, bringing together an expansive collection of his monumental linocuts, etchings and woodcuts.

Born in Nigeria in 1980 and now based in Aberdeen, Adesina explores urgent global themes, including climate change and colonial histories, drawing on the past and present to imagine possible futures. His work carefully balances beauty with a darker undercurrent, revealing the impact of human intervention on the natural world.

Informed by his African roots, his experiences of British culture and his extensive global travels, Adesina’s practice is deeply rooted in the traditions of Fine Art printmaking. At first glance, his works may appear to be classical landscapes or still lifes. However, closer inspection reveals complex narratives and richly layered iconography, inviting visitors to look beyond the surface and discover the stories within.

The exhibition, titled Bard, includes new works created especially for the show. It offers visitors an opportunity to experience the breadth and ambition of an artist whose distinctive approach to printmaking explores the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world.

Running until Sunday 11 April 2027, the exhibition is presented as part of RSA200: Celebrating Together, marking the occasion through a showcase of contemporary artistic practice and the work of one of Scotland’s leading printmakers.

Councillor Margaret Graham, Culture and Communities Convener, said: “We are delighted to welcome this major exhibition by Ade Adesina to the City Art Centre. As one of the most significant showcases of his work to date, Bard offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore the extraordinary scale and detail of his printmaking.

“Ade’s work addresses some of the most pressing issues of our time, from climate change to colonial history. It is an ambitious and thought-provoking exhibition which celebrates the diversity of artistic talent in Scotland – well worth a visit!”

 Ade Adesina said: “I’m delighted to present ‘Bard’ at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre, a place that holds special significance for me.

“It was one of the first galleries I visited as an art student, and I remember being so overwhelmed by the quality of the work on display that I questioned whether I could ever make it as an artist. To return now with my own exhibition feels particularly meaningful.

“On a personal level, this body of work brings back memories of different times in my life and the ups and downs of trying to build a career as an artist. Each piece holds something of the circumstances in which it was made: the doubts, setbacks, discoveries and moments of joy. Seeing these works together allows me to reflect on that journey and the experiences that have shaped both my life and my practice.

“Printmaking is the medium I have chosen to tell stories through landscapes and still life, bringing together places, events, memories and imagined worlds. My work reflects on our relationship with nature and the histories that shape us, preserving memories and recording experiences while drawing connections between different cultures and environments. Presenting these stories in Edinburgh, a city with such a rich storytelling tradition, feels especially fitting.

“I hope visitors will find their own connections within these images and discover something new each time they look. Above all, I hope someone beginning their own creative journey visits this exhibition and leaves feeling encouraged to keep going, even when the path ahead feels uncertain. It’s hard, but it’s possible.”

Curator Stuart Fallon said: “Ade Adesina is one of the most important printmakers working in Scotland today.

“The exhibition showcases Ade’s incredible skill, and dedication to the medium – including epic landscapes and intricate still lifes in linocut, woodcut and etching. We’re very pleased to bring together the largest survey of Ade’s remarkable work to date, including over 60 works, spanning 15 years of his career.”

We Don’t Trust You!

Publication of Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey

The Scottish Household Survey: Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey report, published yesterday, contains key findings for the survey question on trust in public institutions in Scotland.

In 2025, adults in Scotland were most likely to trust the Health System and the Police (both 74%). Trust was lowest for the Scottish Government (46%) and Local Government (50%).

The Scottish Government (45%) and Local Government (41%) attracted the highest levels of distrust in 2025, while distrust was lowest for the Police (19%), the Education System (20%) and the Civil Service (22%). Compared with 2023, distrust increased most for Local Government (from 35% to 41%) and the Health System (from 18% to 24%).

‘Net trust’ is the difference between the percentage of people who expressed trust in an institution, and those who expressed distrust. More adults expressed trust than distrust in six of the seven institutions.

The Police had the highest net trust (+54 percentage points), with 74% of adults expressing trust and 19% expressing distrust.

Net trust in the Scottish Government was neutral, with equal proportions of adults expressing trust and distrust.

Trust varied across population groups. Adults aged 16 to 34 generally reported higher levels of trust than adults in the older age groups, while disabled adults reported lower trust and higher distrust than non-disabled adults across all institutions.

Trust was also generally higher among minority ethnic groups and lower among adults living in the most deprived areas. Differences by sex and urban-rural classification were less pronounced.

Trust in all seven institutions was lower in 2025 than in 2022, with the largest declines for the Scottish Government and Local Government (both down nine percentage points).

Changes in trust since 2023 were generally smaller than those seen earlier in the period, with trust levels increasing slightly for the Justice system and remaining stable for four of the seven institutions (the Police, Scottish Government, Civil Service and Education system) – suggesting that the decline in trust may be stabilising.

Over the 2023 to 2025 time period, however, distrust increased for most institutions and fewer adults selected “don’t know”, indicating that views may have become more defined over time.

The Trust in Public Institutions (2025): Findings from the Scottish Household Survey report provides key findings relating to Trust in Public Institutions in Scotland from the Scottish Household Survey.