Category: North Edinburgh News

Council warns school placing requests ‘may not be met’

It’s often a worry for parents when their wee ones make the step up to ‘big’ school, but even more so for the parents who choose to send their child to a school outside their catchment area.  It’s not always possible to get a place at the school you’ve chosen for your child, and many face an anxious wait over the coming weeks …

The City of Edinburgh Council is warning parents who have applied for primary school places outwith their catchment that they may not be met due to the pressure of rising rolls.

A report to the Education, Children and Families Committee on Tuesday (5 March) will list the schools where placing requests may not be met.

The number of P1 registrations has increased by 3.5 per cent on last year to 4632 and the Council has received more than 700 placing requests so far for the next school year.

There has been a decrease in the number of these requests following a concerted campaign to encourage parents to learn more about their local catchment school and the benefits of their child attending there. This has led to a 15 per cent reduction on the number of requests received last year.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “Parents who have submitted a placing request should be prepared for the fact that they may not get the place they were hoping for and recent experience has been that appeals are unlikely to be successful. However, their child will be registered with their local catchment school and will start next August alongside other local children.

“Historically, Edinburgh has had a high rate of placing requests when compared with other parts of Scotland. However, since I became Convener of Education I have met a number of parents who faced similar situations in the last few years. Happily, they report things have worked out and that their local catchment school is providing very well for their child. I would encourage all parents who are thinking about placing requests to reconsider their catchment school and perhaps pay it a visit, as it is becoming clear many requests will be refused this year.”

To help ensure there are enough places for catchment children, planning permission has now been received for extra classrooms at three city primary schools – Wardie, Trinity and Granton, all of which need of more classroom space due to the large number of registrations. These extensions will be in place by August, and a planning application for new classes at Victoria Primary is also being considered.

A working group made up of parent, officer and school representatives has been set up to look at the challenges facing city schools in light of rising rolls and an increase in population.

WARDIE - extension agreed
WARDIE – extension agreed

Forthview superheroes get on their bikes!

On 28 February Forthview Primary’s I-BIKE crew organised a Superhero Day as part of the The Big Pedal, a national competition to see which schools in the UK bring the most bikes and scooters to school.

There will be three Big Pedal days at Forthview, where the numbers of children, parents and staff bringing their bikes and scooters to school will be recorded. Superhero Day was the fantastic first day, and this will be followed by further Big Pedal days on Friiday 8 March  and Wednesday 20 March.

forthview2

Active Kids is back at Sainsbury’s

active kids 006Primary 7 pupils from Davidsons Mains Primary School were delighted to show some of the equipment that the school bought with vouchers from the Sainsbury’s Active Kids 2012 scheme.

Active Kids is a voucher collection scheme that enables nurseries, schools, Scout and Guide groups and sports clubs to collect vouchers and redeem them for sports, cooking and gardening equipment and active experiences.

Vouchers can be earned for every £10 spent in main stores, in petrol stations and when you buy groceries online and for every £5 in convenience stores (exclusions apply). Vouchers will be issued  until 22 May.

David Bainbridge, Sainsbury’s Blackhall Store Manager said: “It’s important to help keep children enthused about all different kinds of activities – from play to sport – and we’re confident that Active Kids 2013 will help achieve this goal.”

The NEN needs an enthusiastic fundraiser!

The North Edinburgh News is looking for someone to help us put the paper on a secure financial footing. We would like to hear from anyone who is interested in a short-term contract to identify and contact potential advertisers and sponsors in the north Edinburgh area, who would be willing to advertise in the paper and thereby provide us with an income stream.
Previous experience is not essential, but would be useful. The main requirement is for someone who is enthusiastic, conscientious, well-organised, committed to supporting the voluntary sector and able to work on a freelance basis without close direction.
fundraiser pic
For further information, contact Martin Hinds – mhinds@blueyonder.co.uk or phone 07590 406 019

Leith MP focuses on food bank fears

Mark Lazarowicz, MP for North and Leith, visited a ‘pop-up’ food bank outside the Houses of Parliament this week, and earlier today he at the Kirkgate collecting signatures for a petition to highlight the issue of growing poverty and the increased reliance on food parcels across the UK.

Mr Lazarowicz said: “Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are now forced to get support from food banks. Leith is the latest area where a food bank is being set up. I have enormous respect for the dedication of staff and volunteers who are helping through food banks to meet the growing need for food aid but that need is a clear sign of Government failure.

“The depressed state of the economy combined with cuts in welfare support have led many people, both in and out of work, to turn to food banks as a last resort. The growth of food banks is stark evidence of the failure of Government economic and employment policy. Food banks show just how much people in our community care for the most vulnerable but they shouldn’t have to be a substitute for Government action. That’s why I am supporting this petition, which calls for the government to ensure there is an accurate count of the number of people using food banks in Scotland and for Government action to ensure that no families in the UK go hungry.”

Before Christmas, the North and Leith MP took part in food collection drives at local supermarkets and he recently attended a meeting at South Leith Parish Church Halls to look at setting up a food bank in Leith.

Britain’s largest network of food banks, the Trussell Trust (which is involved in the proposal to set up a food bank in Leith), estimates that they will need to support in excess of 260,000 people over the next year.

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Local football sides in weekend action

This weekend sees four local football sides in action.

Muirhouse based Civil Service Strollers are playing host to borders side Selkirk FC in the King Cup, Selkirk find themselves near the bottom of the First Division and Civil Service are occupying fourth spot in the Premier League. Civil will be hoping to bounce back from their dire weekend last week where they were beaten 7-3 by Midlothian club Whitehill Welfare.

Leith manager Derek Riddell with the Alex Jack Cup. (Picture: Thomas Brown)
Leith manager Derek Riddell with the Alex Jack Cup. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Spartans travel to Peffermill to play Edinburgh University in the King Cup also, Spartans were also beaten last week by Stirling University and they will be hoping to return to winning ways tomorrow.

Match of the day has to be the Craigroyston v Leith Athletic fixture, Leith and Craigroyston are contenders for promotion from the first division and played each other at the tail end of last year in the Alex Jack Cup Final which leith ran out one nil winners.

All the games kick off at 2.30pm and you can find more information at the East of Scotland FA website

Art project planned for Granton tunnel

A project initiated by the Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust will see the tunnel at Granton (behind Morrisons) transformed from bare walls to an Innertube map art extravaganza.

The project which is being managed locally by the Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre will see a design which is featured around the Innertube Map painted onto the walls in the tunnel.

Local youngsters get practising for taking part in the project. (Picture: Thomas Brown)
Local youngsters get practising for taking part in the project. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Leith-based artist Chris Young has been commissioned to come up with the design, work with local young people to develop the design and implement it. Chris has been involved a variety of community lead projects and is looking forward to starting at the Granton site next week.

The design that Chris proposed at the site was then taken to local young people at Fet Lor Youth Centre and they had a chance to make comments and even have their own artwork included in the plans.

Last night Chris attended their youth club and they had the opportunity to prepare a design and painting their design. Around 13 young people took part and these young people will all be involved in the implementation of the project on the tunnel.

Don’t worry, if you would like to have the chance to get involved or fancy doing some painting at the tunnel with Chris then please contact Thomas Brown at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre on 0131 315 4989 or email thomas@drylawnc.org.uk   Over the coming weeks we will be updating on the progress at the tunnel and keeping you informed how you can get involved.

You can see a short video below of what the young people made at Fet Lor and also see their finished product.

Granton Campus hit by food scare

EdColl Tuna sandwiches may be the cause of an outbreak of illness at Granton Campus – the former Telford College – yesterday afternoon. Seven students and staff were taken to hospital suffering from an allergic reaction which is being linked to tuna.

Head of Communications at the college Moira Findlay said “An isolated incident occurred this afternoon at Granton Campus of Edinburgh College, where a small number of students and staff suffered an allergic reaction.

The incident is currently under investigation, but it is believed that this may be linked to a batch of tuna sandwiches.

An ambulance team from Scottish Ambulance Service attended to a small number of patients on site, who responded well to treatment.  Almost all have been admitted to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, for observation.”