The Total Craigroyston team has produced an annual report, which centres around the project’s aims of:
How are things progressing? See for yourself (below) …
Craigroyston Celebrates ‘Very Good’ Inspection
All at Craigroyston Community High School were delighted to read their recently published Inspection report.
The school was inspected by Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools in November 2014. The Inspection found the following key strengths:
The Inspectors also noted that they found innovative practice at the school in partnership working and the school’s approach to developing a curriculum that focusses on employment. This innovative will be shared across Scotland as highly effective practice.
The full report can be read on the school’s website
www.craigroyston.edin.sch.uk
and at www.educationscotland.gov.uk
or click on links below
Minister welcomes increase in provisional entries for Highers
Education Secretary Angela Constance called in at Craigroyston Community High School this morning and welcomed news that a record number of students will be sitting Highers this year.
Ms Constance was welcomed to Craigroyston by senior students Donna Cheyne, Joe Dudgeon, John Gallacher and Rebecca Morton before meeting staff and pupils to hear about the progress being made in introducing new qualifications as part of Curriculum for Excellence.
The introduction of new qualifications is progressing well, with provisional entries for Highers indicating a record high number will be sat this year.
The figure, which follows on from last year’s record number of passes at Higher, was welcomed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning during her Craigroyston visit.
New Highers have been introduced this year, alongside the existing Higher qualifications for this year only. School departments are able to use this flexibility to phase in the new qualifications in the way that best serves the interests of the pupils. From the 2015/6 school year onwards, all pupils will be studying the new Highers.
The total figure of 217,976 provisional Higher entries this year (across S5 and S6, and including both new and existing Highers) is five per cent up on the corresponding figure from this time last year. This figure comprises 120,557 provisional entries for new Highers, and 97,419 provisional entries for existing Highers.
Ms Constance said: “The ongoing reform of our education system is preparing our young people for the world of work and further and higher education. Scottish education now offers more flexible learning opportunities for our young people and new National qualifications, which were introduced at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, are now well established.
“In August last year we saw a substantial increase in the number of both Higher entries and Higher passes. I am very pleased that we are again seeing a substantial interest in provisional entries for Higher. It is very positive to see greater numbers of young people aspiring to higher levels of qualifications in our schools.
“This shows that ambition, more than ever, is alive and well in classrooms across Scotland, in no small part thanks to the work of teachers who continue to do an excellent job. This bodes well for Scotland’s economic future.
“We know from provisional entry data from the Scottish Qualifications Authority that significant numbers of those pupils taking Highers this year have been studying the new Highers. We listened to schools who requested flexibility, and we acted. I have seen today how schools are making good use of this flexibility, to phase in the new qualifications in a sensible way.”
Positive Parenting Programme
The first North Incredible Years programmes are detailed below. (Flyer and application form also attached).
Please share this information widely with your colleagues and the parents and carers you work with. Please also consider carefully if any family you are working with would benefit from this support and discuss making an application with them. Please submit any application forms to helena.reid@ea.edin.sch.uk
West Pilton & North West
Circle Haven Project Craigroyston Primary School
Wednesdays, 9-11.30am from 25 February. Crèche available.
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre Pilton Drive North
Thursdays 12.30-2.30pm from 26 February. Crèche available.
Leith & North East
Craigentinny Early Years Centre, Craigentinny Primary, 4 Loganlea Drive, EH7 6LR
Thursdays 9-11.30am from 5 March. Crèche available.
For further info contact Helena Reid helena.reid@ea.edin.sch.uk or calling 07795127954. Helena would also be happy to arrange an awareness raising session with any staff team.
PoPP for Parents Application Form
Two men have been arrested and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act after police in North Edinburgh recovered a large quantity of Class C drugs.
As part of Operation Quarterlight, officers conducted a search of a vehicle in Pennywell Road at around 2pm yesterday (Friday). Around 30,000 diazepam tablets were recovered and two men aged 25 and 20 were detained.
A further 400 diazepam tablets, a half kilo of cannabis and a quantity of other suspected stolen items were later recovered following a search of two addresses by police. The recovered drugs are valued at over £35,000.
Both men are scheduled to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday (26 January).
Inspector David Happs said: “This was a significant recovery of potentially harmful drugs, which have been seized before they could cause harm to our communities.
“Operation Quarterlight action continues across Edinburgh and in addition to identifying those responsible for vehicle crime, this initiative will assist us in targeting criminals using their vehicles for committing other crimes, such as the transportation of illegal drugs.
“Police Scotland is committed to tackling drug crime within our communities and will always act on information we receive from the public.
“Anyone wishing to report crimes of this nature in their local area can do so by calling on 101 or by making an anonymous report via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
Volunteers at Muirhouse Community Shop have illustrated the season of goodwill by creating hand-crafted Christmas gifts for people in need.
Muirhouse Community Shop was asked by Fiona Henderson, Community Access to Schools worker at Craigroyston Community High School, to hold a painting session to support the ‘Empty Bowls’ initiative.
Empty Bowls, an international grassroots effort to fight hunger, was founded in the USA. The basic premise is simple: potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity – Empty Bowls has raised millions of dollars to donate to hunger-fighting organizations.
Volunteers at Muirhouse Community Shop were delighted to support the cause and local people enthusiastically got to work to decorate bowls which were later displayed in both the Community Shop and the High School.
The Muirhouse bowls were then filled with goodies donated by the local community and they’ve now being wrapped and will be donated to people in need.
Christmas can be a very tough time when you don’t have much, so these heartwarming little gifts will bring some welcome seasonal cheer into some local homes this Christmas.
For further information on Empty Bowls visit
www.emptybowls.net
Pictures by TRIM
Muirhouse residents invited to take part in regeneration focus group
Ashley McDonald is a final year Geography student at the University of Edinburgh. As part of her final year study, she is undertaking research on the regeneration taking place in Muirhouse and she’d like to hear from YOU!
If you live in Muirhouse or Pennywell and you’d be interested in taking part in a small focus group to discuss your opinions on the regeneration and the area’s future, email Ashley for further details at: amcdonald1168@gmail.com
Ashley has booked Muirhouse Millennium Community Centre next Tuesday -(25th November) from 6.30pm – 8.30pm.
Tenants and Residents In Muirhouse (TRIM) is absolutely delighted to once again work in partnership with Energy Scotland
Many residents will recall Dagmara from Energy Scotland in the community shop a few months back, giving out free advice and arranging home visits etc. For the past few months we have been in talks about bringing the advice sessions back and we want them BIGGER!
So why not pop in to North Edinburgh Arts for free advice on all things home related: how to keep your home warm the cheapest way, what are the best deals out there, can you get support for your fuel, is out of date food really that bad for you? And it is hoped that Fire Scotland will also be in attendance!
Wednesday 10 December
10am – 2pm
FREE Refreshments provided
Robert Pearson, TRIM
