Schools and early years settings across Edinburgh have welcomed back children and young people, parents and carers, teachers and school staff after the summer holidays.
Over 53,000 secondary and primary school learners will head back to the classroom this week, along with dedicated teaching and school staff. This includes 25,057 secondary school pupils in S1 to S6 and 28,307 primary school learners in P1 to P7.
Around 3,500 new Primary 1 pupils are starting their school journey including 55 sets of twins.
Over 4,400 young people will start secondary school and transition into S1 at one of our secondary schools.
The brand-new Currie Community High School building will welcome 920 learners through its doors for the very first time.
As a brand-new school year gets underway, Education, Children and Families Convener, Councillor James Dalgleish, said: “There’s always a buzz in the air this time of year as a new school year and new term begins.
“For some of our children and young people, the new school year will mark the start of an exciting milestone as they start in P1, S1 or in one of our early years settings. I am confident that our fantastic teaching and school staff will do all they can to support children and their families to settle in as quickly as possible.
“I hope that families, children and school staff alike return well rested after a relaxing and enjoyable summer break. I wish everyone a brilliant start to the new school year and a successful year ahead!”
Increasing tree production to help tackle climate change
The First Minister has opened a new £26 million facility to help grow more trees for Scotland’s forests and woodlands.
Newton Tree Nursery, near Elgin, will support Forestry and Land Scotland to almost treble their tree production – from seven million to nearly 20 million trees per year by 2029. It will help support the sustainable management of Scotland’s national forests and land and help tackle the climate emergency, while also supporting the rural economy.
Seedling operations at the redeveloped tree nursery began in March 2025 and 12 million trees have already been established within the glasshouse. The new nursery is the UK’s largest and most advanced tree-growing glasshouse and sets a new standard for bio secure, sustainable, and high-volume forest nursery production.
The facility ensures that an adequate supply of high-quality trees is available to supply the publicly managed forests of Scotland with those forests supporting rural economies, providing flood mitigation, improving biodiversity and sequestering carbon.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Scotland’s world-renowned forests and woodlands are a natural powerhouse, and one of the most important resources we have to tackle the climate emergency.
“Our investment in this state-of-the-art glasshouse will not only contribute to environmental sustainability and help to restore habitats, but it will also support rural jobs and the sustainable use of timber in the construction industry. The Newton Tree Nursery project is a national asset, powering Scotland’s green recovery, forestry resilience, and environmental goals for decades to come.
“Tackling the climate emergency and growing Scotland’s economy are two of my government’s top priorities and together they go hand in hand. We cannot do one without the other and innovative, industry leading facilities like the Newton Tree Nursery will play a vital role in achieving these goals.”
Forestry and Land Scotland CEO Kevin Quinlan said: “Newton Nursery represents a major investment by the Scottish Government in the future of forestry in Scotland.
“It strengthens Forestry and Land Scotland’s ability to supply young trees at the scale and standard needed to support a resilient, productive and sustainable forest resource.
“This is especially important for the timber industry – which continues to grow as Scotland looks to reduce reliance on imports and embrace timber as a low-carbon material of the future. By increasing capacity at Newton, we’re investing at the very start of that supply chain – ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality planting stock for years to come.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has issued its tenth wildfire warning this year and urges the public to avoid the use of naked flames outdoors.A ‘very high’ risk of wildfire comes into effect from today – Wednesday, 13 August – and remains in place until Tuesday, 19 August.
The affected areas across Scotland are:
13-15 August – eastern areas
16-17 August – eastern and western areas
18-19 August – most of Scotland, including east, west, central belt and southern uplands.
Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife.
Group Commander Niall MacLennan is one of the SFRS Wildfire Tactical Advisers. He said: “During periods when the risk of wildfires is high, we want people to avoid using portable barbecues, discarding cigarettes on the ground or lighting campfires in or near areas of vegetation as these all pose a significant threat.
“We know the vast majority of wildfires are started by human behaviour, so acting responsibly can lower the chance of a fire starting in the first place.
“Help us protect remote and rural communities, who can be hugely impacted by wildfires, by following the safety advice and being familiar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”
Wildfire prevention and safety advice can be found on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s website.
Following a sell-out success in March, local charity LifeCare Edinburgh is delighted to announce the return of its popular Afternoon Tea at the LifeCare Hub on Cheyne Street on Thursday 4th September.
Guests can look forward to a delicious spread of homemade cakes, savoury treats, and endless cups of tea and coffee, all served in the heart of one of Edinburgh’s most loved community spaces. It’s the perfect chance to enjoy a relaxed afternoon with friends, family, or neighbours – all while supporting a fantastic local cause.
But this event is more than just tea and treats – every ticket sold will directly support LifeCare’s urgent fundraising appeal to keep the Hub running. With rapidly rising costs, the charity is calling on the community to help protect the services so many people rely on.
Sarah Van Putten, CEO of LifeCare said: “The LifeCare Hub is a lifeline for thousands across the city. Whether it’s classes for isolated older adults, support for unpaid carers, or just a welcoming place to connect, the Hub brings people together.
“This Afternoon Tea is a chance to enjoy a lovely afternoon whilst helping us secure the Hub’s future.”
The Hub, which first opened in 1975 as ‘Stockbridge House’, now welcomes over 47,000 visits a year, offering 80+ weekly activities for all ages. As a charity, LifeCare works hard to ensure that its services are affordable or free, so no one is left out.
Union body accuses Conservative and Lib Dem Peers of “doing the bidding of bad bosses” by voting to keep workers on zero hours contracts and allowing employers to sack workers unfairly
TUC urges government to “stand firm” as the Employment Rights Bill is set for parliamentary ping pong
The TUC has told Conservative and Lib Dem Peers to “get out of the way” and “stop trying to block” stronger rights for millions of workers.
The union body is urging the government to “stand firm” in the face of cynical attacks on the Employment Rights Bill, with the Bill set for parliamentary ping pong after Peers tried to dilute key workers’ rights in the Lords last week.
The TUC says the Tories and Lib Dems are doing the bidding of bad bosses by voting to keep workers on zero hours contracts and allowing employers six months to sack workers unfairly.
Conservative and Lib Dem Peers also voted to attack teaching assistants’ pay and exempt voluntary work on heritage railways from restrictions on employment of children.
The Bill will return to the House of Commons in September for MPs to consider the Lords’ amendments. The two houses will continue to vote on amendments in a process known as “ping-pong” until a way forward is agreed.
The TUC points out that a significant number of the Conservative Peers trying to block stronger rights for workers are Hereditary Peers.
Many of the amendments to the Bill seek to overturn the Labour government’s manifesto commitments, something the House of Lords has traditionally avoided.
Defying their own voters
The TUC says Conservative and Lib Dem peers are defying their parties’ own voters – and the public at large – by attempting to water down the Bill.
A recent TUC mega poll revealed huge support across the country and across the political spectrum – including Conservative voters – over key policies in the Bill.
According to the polling, every Conservative and Lib Dem seat has overwhelming support for banning zero hours contracts and statutory sick pay from day one.
The TUC says this shows “how out of touch” the Peers are.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “It’s time for Tory and Lib Dem Peers to get out of the way and stop trying to block stronger rights for millions of workers.
“They are doing the bidding of bad bosses by voting to keep workers on zero hours contracts, allowing bosses to sack workers unfairly and attacking teaching assistants’ pay.
“The sight of Hereditary Peers voting to block stronger workers’ rights belongs in another century. It’s plain wrong.
“Banning zero-hours contracts and protecting workers from unfair dismissal are common-sense protections that the vast majority of the people, including Tory and Lib Dem voters, want to see become law.
“These Peers are not just out of touch, they are actively defying their own voters – and the public at large. The government must stand firm in the face of cynical attacks and deliver the Employment Rights Bill in full.”
We are excited to share a delicious community meal with you tomorrow. We do our best to have a variety of options, including vegetarian and often a delicious pudding. What’s on the menu tomorrow:
Carrot and lentil soup
Chorizo and sweetcorn pasta
Cauliflower and sweetcorn pasta (V)
Garden salad
Banana bread
Please check the board or ask our volunteers about allergens. And just a heads-up, our food is served until it runs out! Do come along and enjoy. Thank you!
The GHF-run food distributions in Gaza, Palestine, have become sites of “orchestrated killing and dehumanisation”, not humanitarian aid.
A new MSF report documents the horrors witnessed by MSF staff at two clinics that regularly received mass influxes of casualties following violence at sites run by the GHF.
MSF calls for the immediate dismantling of the GHF scheme and the restoration of the UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism.
An analysis of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical data, patients’ testimonies, and first-hand medical witnessing at two MSF clinics in Gaza, Palestine, point to both targeted and indiscriminate violence by Israeli forces and private American contractors against starved Palestinians at food distribution sites run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
MSF calls for the immediate dismantling of the GHF scheme; the restoration of the UN-coordinated aid delivery mechanism; and calls on governments, especially the United States, as well as private donors to suspend all financial and political support for the GHF, whose sites are essentially death traps.
A new MSF report, This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing, documents the horrors witnessed by MSF staff at two clinics that regularly received mass influxes of casualties following violence at sites run by the GHF, an Israeli-US proxy that has militarised food distribution.
Between 7 June and 24 July 2025, 1,380 casualties, including 28 dead, were received at MSF’s Al-Mawasi and Al-Attar clinics in southern Gaza, located near the GHF-run distribution sites.
During those seven weeks, our teams treated 71 children for gunshot wounds, 25 of whom were under the age of 15. Faced with no alternatives to find food, starved families frequently send teenage boys into this lethal environment, as they are often the only males in the household physically able to make the journey.
In May 2025, the genocide in Gaza, Palestine, took a further disturbing turn as Israeli authorities sought to dismantle the UN-led humanitarian response and replace it with a militarised food distribution scheme run by a previously unknown entity — the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). All four distribution sites operated by the GHF are located in areas under full Israeli military control and “secured” by private American armed contractors.
MSF’s report ‘This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing’ draws on medical data, patient testimonies and first-hand medical witnessing to demonstrate that what has been branded as “aid distribution” is in fact a system of institutionalised starvation and dehumanisation.
MSF calls for an immediate cessation of the GHF distribution mechanism and urges states and private donors to refrain from funding what is essentially a death trap.
This is not aid. This is orchestrated killing.pdf — 2.63 MBDownload
MSF operates two primary healthcare centres in southern Gaza located in close proximity to the GHF distribution sites. Between 7 June and 24 July 2025, these health centres received 1,380 injured people, including 28 dead bodies from the GHF sites.
This represents only a fraction of the total number of people killed and injured at the distribution sites. MSF’s two health centres — due to their sheer proximity to the GHF sites — now place biweekly orders for body bags.
Over a seven-week period in June and July 2025, MSF staff treated 174 people for gunshot wounds originating from the GHF sites. The vast majority of those injured — 96 per cent — were young men. This reflects a grim survival strategy: families are sending the youngest and fittest to retrieve food.
The injured who arrive in our clinics are normally covered in sand and dust from time spent lying on the ground while taking cover from bullets.
A significant number of injured patients coming from the Khan Younis distribution centre (SDS3) had gunshot wounds to the lower limbs. The anatomical precision of these injuries strongly suggests intentional targeting of people within the distribution sites, rather than accidental or indiscriminate fire.
Of the 28 dead bodies received in our health centres, all but one were young men (aged 20–30 approximately) with gunshot wounds to the upper body.
Due to the widespread disruption caused by Storm Floris, Royal Mail has confirmed that there will be delays to the delivery of SQA results in several parts of Scotland.
In particular, we (SQA) know deliveries to the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland will be delayed due to the adverse weather. Further localised delays to deliveries may occur at short notice.
If any affected candidates wish to know their results, they should contact their school or college in the first instance who should be able to help them.
Alternatively, learners can submit an enquiry via the SQA website at:
and their query will be responded to by our team after 12 noon on Tuesday 5 August.
We are not anticipating any impact on the MySQA text and email service.
Over 147,000 young people will receive results today
SQA will offer a free appeals service and a dedicated advice line
Support and guidance are available to the tens of thousands of young people across Scotland awaiting the results of their SQA qualifications today.
Over 147,000 learners across Scotland will receive the result(s) of their SQA Nationals, Highers, Advanced Highers, and Skills for Work Awards on Tuesday 5 August. Learners completing National Progression Awards, National Certificates, and Awards are also certified on Tuesday 5 August and throughout the year.
All learners will receive a copy of their Scottish Qualifications Certificate delivered to their home address by first-class post, while everyone who signed up for and activated a MySQA account will also receive their results by text and/or email the same morning.
If learners do not receive their certificate with their post, they can contact their school, college or training provider, who can provide results and work with SQA to find out what has happened to the certificate.
Guidance and next steps
These results will allow young people to take the next step on their learning journey; either continuing at school, moving on to college or university, or entering employment or a workplace-based training programme.
Many of those receiving certification have completed vocational courses, qualifications, and apprenticeships in schools, colleges and other training centres, including Skills for Work Awards, National Progression Awards, and National Certificates, in areas ranging from Barista Skills and Beekeeping to Esports and Construction.
Stuart McKenna, Chief Executive of the Scottish Training Federation – which represents over 140 organisations operating in the field of work-based training across Scotland – explains the importance of vocational training and qualifications within schools, and the routes that can open-up to young people as a result:
“Vocational qualifications, awards, and apprenticeships offer young people an invaluable opportunity by combining education with practical experience.hese pathways open the door to further learning, career development, and employment by helping young people gain real-world skills that employers actively seek.
“With a strong emphasis on hands-on, experiential learning, these courses help young people understand the world of work, explore different industries, and build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in their future careers.”
Appeals service
SQA’s free appeals service opens at 9am on Tuesday 5 August and candidates can submit an appeal directly via the SQA website, or ask their school, college, or training provider to submit one on their behalf.
A senior marker will carry out a marking review of SQA-marked assessments, and a grade may go up, down, or stay the same. Learners are advised to speak to their teacher or lecturer before submitting an appeal.
Priority appeals are available for learners who have a conditional offer for a college or university place or for a training or employment offer.
These must be submitted to SQA by Tuesday 12 August or by Thursday 21 August if the learner’s school, college or training provider submits the appeal for them. All other appeals must be submitted by Tuesday 26 August or by Friday 29 August if the learner’s school, college or training provider submits the appeal for them.
Annette McKenna, Senior Operations Manager at SQA explains: “If you’re concerned about your results for National 5, Higher, or Advanced Higher, you can appeal your grade for free, but I’d encourage anyone considering this to chat with their teacher or lecturer first – they can help you think through your options and what’s best for you.
“Learners can be confident that the qualifications they’ve earned are fair and credible, reflecting the knowledge, understanding, and skills they’ve developed through their hard work.
“Similarly, colleges, universities, and employers can trust that the high standards and integrity of our qualifications have been upheld.”
SQA’s Candidate Advice Line will be available on Results Day from 8am to 6pm, then Wednesday 6 August to Friday 8 August from 8:30am to 5pm. The line can be reached on 0345 279 1000.
Skills Development Scotland’s expert advisers will also be on hand to offer guidance on course vacancies at colleges and universities, Confirmation and Clearing, Foundation, Modern and Graduate Apprenticeships, jobs, volunteering, or staying on at school.
Their helpline can be reached at 0808 100 8000 and will be open from 8am to 8pm on Tuesday 5 August and Wednesday 6 August. It will be open 9am to 5pm on Thursday 7 August and Friday 8 August.
Annette McKenna added: “I encourage anyone who has any queries or needs advice come Results Day, to call the helplines where dedicated members of staff will be happy to help and guide you.
“Remember, whether your achievements are what you expect, or not, there are many different routes available to shape your future success.”
More information is available on the Results Day pages of the SQA website
There have been incidents of off-road bikes being ridden illegally on roads, in parks, on pavements and in other public spaces, resulting in injuries to both riders and members of the public.
There has also been damage to parks, fields, green spaces and private property.
Anti-social off-road bike use is more than just a nuisance, it’s a danger to the rider and the public.
Do you have information about these bikes and those people using them? You can report what you know to us or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Young Scottish musicians will help to sell Scotland to Germany on Ian Murray trade trip
Young Scottish musicians will be centre stage in Germany this week as part of Scottish Secretary Ian Murray’s Brand Scotland campaign.
The event is part of the Secretary of State’s Brand Scotland campaign, which is selling the best of Scotland to the world, and encouraging inward investment to Scotland – creating jobs and putting money in people’s pockets. Part of our Plan for Change, our Brand Scotland work overseas will bring real returns for people back home.
Members of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland (NYOS) and their guest soloist, Ryan Corbett, will perform at a business and government breakfast event at the British Ambassador’s residence in Berlin. Hosted by the Scottish Secretary and the UK’s Ambassador to Germany, Andrew Mitchell CMG, the event will put the best of Scotland in front of key business investors, including those from the energy, space, technology, life sciences and food and drink sectors.
While on his two-day trade mission to Berlin the Scottish Secretary will also meet Michael Meister, Minister of State for Federal-State Relations in the German Federal Government. In addition, Mr Murray will visit the Bundersat, the upper house of the German Parliament and meet with representatives from the Lander, the 16 federated states of the German Republic at the British Embassy.
This visit is part of a series of international engagements designed to showcase the very best of Scotland to global audiences and encourage international businesses to invest in Scotland’s economy.
Mr Murray’s visit to Germany comes shortly after the UK and Germany signed a new treaty, which is part of the UK Government’s ongoing work to reset our relationship with our European neighbours. Mr Murray is taking advantage of that reset to drive forward his Brand Scotland campaign.
Later this year he will travel to India and Sweden.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: “Scotland’s cultural excellence is one of our greatest assets in attracting international investment and driving economic growth. The National Youth Orchestra of Scotland represents some of our most extraordinary musical talent. I’m delighted that they are able to join me in Berlin, and this performance will demonstrate Scottish culture at its finest.
“My Brand Scotland campaign is about selling all that is fantastic about Scotland to the world, to encourage both exports and inward investment in Scotland, and I’m very pleased that we have been able to fund this event in Berlin. Brand Scotland is a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, bringing real rewards for people in Scotland.”
The breakfast event is being put on thanks to a £2,700 grant from the Scotland Office Brand Scotland fund. This is the first of a number of world-wide events which will be funded by Brand Scotland through the UK Government’s FCDO network.
Scotland’s national youth orchestra is performing at the prestigious Young Euro Classic festival under the baton of acclaimed conductor Catherine Larsen-Maguire, presenting the European premiere of a new accordion concerto by Scottish composer Jay Capperauld.
On the morning of their performance, members of the NYOS orchestra will join politicians, politicians, diplomats and business investors at the Scottish “Symphony and Sausages” breakfast. Guests will be served a full Scottish breakfast, including smoked salmon, haggis and black pudding, with the embassy chef learning to make potato scones specially for the occasion. Breakfast will be accompanied by Irn Bru and Walkers Shortbread.
The Berlin visit comes just ahead of a major speech on culture which Mr Murray will deliver in Edinburgh. In it, he will outline how Scottish culture drives social connections while contributing significantly to economic growth.
He will highlight the UK Government’s direct investment in Scottish culture, including the recent £1.5 million contribution to the refurbishment of the much-loved Edinburgh Filmhouse.
