Brunstane Primary School – The NEN

£10 million project confirmed to modernise Edinburgh primary school

Brunstane Primary School in Edinburgh is to benefit from a £10 million investment to retrofit its campus and become one of the greenest schools in the capital.

GRAHAM has been appointed as lead contractor by City of Edinburgh Council and commenced works in October 2024, with completion expected in winter 2025.

Consisting of a three-storey tower with 12 classrooms and a single storey southern block with eight classrooms, an administration office, amenity space and infant block, improvements will enable the building to be carbon neutral in operation.

This includes much-needed repair works, new cladding on the external walls and roof, replacement of existing windows and curtain walling, and floor finishes and redecoration across the full building. Accessibility to the building will also be improved with the removal of existing steps and the introduction of new ramps to certain areas around the school.

An air source heat pump and electric heating system will replace the existing gas network, whilst installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of the tower block will boost the school’s sustainability credentials. Importantly, this aligns with the City of Edinburgh Council’s ambition to become a net zero city by 2030.

Serving the communities of Brunstane and Portobello, the primary school has a current roll of 263 and provides early learning and childcare for up to 96 children. The school will remain operational throughout the construction period, with temporary classrooms installed on site, to ensure education is uninterrupted.

Gary Holmes, regional managing director at GRAHAM Building North, said: “The significant investment made by City of Edinburgh Council to modernise Brunstane Primary School will create a vibrant and inspiring education centre.

“GRAHAM has a proven track record of delivering best-in-class education facilities across Scotland and we’re proud to play a role in helping shape Edinburgh’s next generation of school environments which prioritise accessibility and sustainability.”

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Councill, said: “We have over 100 schools supporting thousands of pupils and we’re making every effort to make sure they are as welcoming, accessible, and sustainable as possible.

“Our £10 million investment in Brunstane Primary is a perfect example of this work, with energy efficiency improvements and repairs planned for the whole building.

“We have ambitious net zero aims as a city and this extends to upgrades to our schools, many of which are aging. I’m excited to see the difference this retrofitting roll out will make.”

PIC: Artist impression of completed Brunstane Primary School, courtesy of Architype

Fort Kinnaird hosts storytelling events at local schools

New report reveals reading for enjoyment is at it’s lowest in nearly 20 years

More than 190 Edinburgh children have taken part in storytelling sessions designed to inspire a love of reading, as new research reveals that reading for enjoyment among 8 – 18-year-olds in the UK is at its lowest since 2005 – for almost two decades.

According to the National Literacy Trust, reading for enjoyment is proven to build a child’s confidence as well as make them feel happy and relaxed, yet only 41.5% of children and young people from Scotland say they enjoy reading in their free time.

The events have been organised by Fort Kinnaird as part of the Young Readers Programme, an award-winning initiative between its co-owner British Land and the National Literacy Trust, that aims to encourage children to read outside of the classroom.

Storyteller Luke Winter joins P3, P4 and P5 for Young Reader’s Programme at Niddrie Mill Primary School, Edinburgh.

Children from Castleview, Niddrie Mill, and Brunstane primary schools enjoyed a performance from a professional storyteller and took part in a range of fun activities including a bookmark making workshop. Each child was also given a book of their choice to take home for free, the third book this year gifted as part of the wider programme.

2024 marks the thirteenth year of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, and since the programme launched at Fort Kinnaird, it has supported more than 2,700 school children and seen more than 8,200 books donated across Edinburgh.

P4 – Young Reader’s Programme comes to P3, P4 and P5 at Niddrie Mill Primary School, Edinburgh.

The Young Readers Programme is especially designed to provide additional support and help with the development of children in under privileged areas by giving them better access to books.

The National Literacy Trust research revealed that fewer young people who received free school meals (FSM) said they enjoyed reading when compared to their peers who did not receive free school meals (39.5% FSM vs 43.8% non-FSM).

P4 – Isla 8 and Marcie 8. Young Reader’s Programme comes to P3, P4 and P5 at Niddrie Mill Primary School, Edinburgh.

Liam Smith, centre manager at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Supporting our community is at the heart of what we do, so we are incredibly proud of the Young Readers Programme and all the local children and families we have been able to support over many years.

“It’s such a rewarding initiative, hearing how the children are inspired by the stories and activities and seeing just how excited they are to take their own book home. This is a programme that really makes a difference and we’re so pleased to be a part of it for another brilliant year.”

Martin Galway, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust, said: “Sparking a love of reading can change a child’s life. It can inspire children’s imagination, provide comfort and escape, build confidence, and support improved literacy skills which are the foundation for all learning.

“Through the Young Readers Programme, we have partnered with British Land for the last 13 years – giving children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to experience enchanting storytelling events, and to choose and keep books that speak to their interests and passions.

“Our goal is to inspire a love of books and reading that will stay with them forever, which in turn will provide them with essential literacy and life skills they need to succeed and reach their own goals.”

Primary School to close after sink hole opens up in playground

Pupils and teaching staff from Brunstane Primary School will be relocated to other local schools after a decision was taken to close the building as a precaution ahead of the start of the new term.

Ongoing investigations relating to planned energy retrofit works at the school have revealed issues with the ground conditions including a small hole in an area of the playground next to the main school building.

The site of the school contains historic coal mine workings and the Council is working closely with the Coal Authority to establish the exact cause and extent of the issue. An action plan will be drawn up to decide what remedial work is needed so the school can reopen as soon as possible.

This means that the pupils and teaching staff will be relocated to other schools in the area for the start of the new term on Wednesday August 16. The nursery is also affected with plans in place for children to attend Moffat Early Years Campus.

Magdalene Community Centre is also on the site and alternative venues are being considered for the community groups who use that building.

Education, Children and Families Convener, Cllr Joan Griffiths, said: This is highly unusual but I know parents/carers and the local community will fully understand why we had to take this decision to close the school as a precaution which hasn’t been taken lightly.

“The expert advice we have received from independent engineers is that the site should remain closed until further investigative work has identified the exact nature of the problem. We’ll be working closely with the Coal Authority to establish what has caused this and what the next steps are so we can reopen the site.

“I know this news will be disappointing for everyone affected by the closures however it is the most sensible solution given what has happened. Our education officers are working closely with the school and other Council teams to identify suitable schools so learning and teaching can continue for our young people.

“We have already identified Moffat Early Years Campus for the nursery pupils and are looking at other venues for the groups that use Magdalene Community Centre. We will keep parents/carers updated as our plans develop and will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum.”

The school will be in direct contact with parents regarding updates and the Council’s emergency school closures web page will be kept updated.

Local schools host storytelling events in partnership with Fort Kinnaird

Picture – Chris Watt Photography 07887554193 info@chriswatt.com www.chriswatt.com

More than 260 children from Edinburgh have taken part in storytelling sessions organised by Fort Kinnaird aimed at helping them fall in love with reading.

The event allowed children to listen to stories from professional storyteller Ron Fairweather and were part of the Young Readers Programme, an award-winning initiative sponsored by Fort Kinnaird co-owner British Land and run in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, that is designed to encourage children to read outside of the classroom.

Ron Fairweather has been writing and performing stories, songs, and poems for decades, including performing at the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the National Museum of Edinburgh, and The Scottish Storytelling Centre.

During the literacy-focussed events, pupils from Niddrie Mill Primary School, Brunstane Primary School, and Castleview Primary School were also able to take home a book of their choice.

This marks the twelfth year of British Land’s partnership with the National Literacy Trust, and since the programme launched at Fort Kinnaird, it has supported more than 2,500 school children and seen more than 7,600 books donated across Edinburgh.

Research by the National Literacy Trust has shown that owning a book means children are more likely to say they enjoy reading and are more inclined to read in their free time. However, 6.5% of children in the UK do not own a book, which equates to half a million children across the country*. This rises to one in 10 (9.7%) children from disadvantaged backgrounds, which is the demographic this partnership aims to reach.

With reading for enjoyment proven to have a positive effect on children’s reading skill* as well as their wellbeing and mental health, the Young Readers Programme initiative aims to give support and help with the development of children in under privileged areas by giving them access to books.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Supporting our community is very important to us, so we’re incredibly proud of the Young Readers Programme and all the local children and families we’ve been able to support in the last 12 years.

“It’s always very rewarding to hear how the children are inspired by the stories and start to get excited about reading and bringing their own books home.”

Martin Galway, Head of School Programmes at the National Literacy Trust, said: “The right book, at the right moment, can change a child’s life.

“That’s what the Young Readers Programme has been doing with British Land for the last 12 years – giving children from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to experience enchanting storytelling events, and to choose books that speak to their interests and passions.

“Our goal is to spark a love of reading that will last them a lifetime, which in turn will empower them with the literacy skills they need to succeed.”

Fort Kinnaird supports Young Readers Programme storytelling events

More than 250 school children from three schools in Edinburgh have taken part in storytelling sessions organised by Fort Kinnaird, aimed at helping them fall in love with reading.

The events involved children hearing stories from professional storyteller, Amanda Edmiston, and were part of the Young Readers Programme, an award-winning initiative sponsored by Fort Kinnaird’s co-owner British Land and run-in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, designed to encourage children to read outside of the classroom.

During the literary-focussed events, pupils from Castleview Primary School, Niddrie Mill Primary School and Brunstane Primary School also learnt how to choose books they will enjoy and were able to take home a book of their choice.

British Land and the National Literacy Trust are celebrating 11 years in partnership this year and, since the programme launched at Fort Kinnaird, it has supported almost 2,300 school children and seen more than 6,800 books donated across the Edinburgh.

Research by the National Literacy Trust has shown that owning a book means children are more likely to say they enjoy reading and are more inclined to read in their free time. However, almost 6% of children in the UK do not own a book, which equates to almost 415,000 children across the country*.

Liam Smith, centre director at Fort Kinnaird, said: “Supporting local children and their families is so important to us and the Young Readers Programme is an integral part of this.

“We look forward to this brilliant initiative every year and have loved seeing children from across our community enjoy their storytelling sessions.”

Jonathan Douglas CBE, Chief Executive of the National Literacy Trust, said: “Reading for enjoyment is proven to support mental wellbeing, literacy skills, and future success. Encouraging children to enjoy reading from a young age can have a measurable impact on the rest of their lives.

“But the sad reality is that 6% of children across the country don’t have their own book to read at home, and many don’t find reading enjoyable.

“Through the Young Readers Programme and the support of British Land, we are able to help so many more children have fun whilst reading outside the classroom, give them access to inspiring books and access to many benefits that they may otherwise be missing out on.”

Five city schools recognised with Eco-Schools Green Flag Awards

Environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, is delighted to award five schools in Edinburgh City with an Eco-Schools Green Flag.

The international award recognises nurseries and schools which have demonstrated a commitment to the Eco-Schools Scotland programme and over two years have engaged their whole school community in local environmental action.

The five schools are: Brunstane Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2016), Liberton Nursery (which has held a Green Flag since 2011), Carrick Knowe Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2007), St John’s Primary School (which has held a Green Flag since 2013) and George Heriot’s Junior (a Green Flag school since 2007).

Brunstane Primary School was recognised for carrying out regular community litter picks and forming a pupil parliament group to address road safety concerns near the school.

Children at Liberton Nursery carried out regular litter picks in the woods where they have nature play time, recorded types of litter in a survey and carried out extensive work on biodiversity.

Pupils at St. John’s Primary School carried out an anti-litter poster campaign and whole school assembly and organised regular litter picks in a new park near the school ensuring it stays clean and welcoming. They also worked with the Woodland Trust to plant native trees around the school.

At Carrick Knowe Primary School, pupils organised litter picks with every year group, and ran class workshops on single use plastics.

George Heriot’s pupils increased the effectiveness of the school’s recycling and explored possibilities of hosting renewable energy sources at the school.

Through the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, Keep Scotland Beautiful aims to make environmental awareness and action to tackle climate change an intrinsic part of the life and ethos of schools, for both pupils and for staff.

The programme provides a framework to engage the wider school community in action and support aligned with the purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and Learning for Sustainability.

To complete the Green Flag journey each school has a choice of ten topics to engage with, from food and the environment, to litter, to energy. The schools also choose one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to link their Eco-Schools work to.

Barry Fisher, Chief Executive of Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Congratulations to the Eco-Committee, pupils and staff at each of these schools, who have worked so hard schools, who have worked so hard to achieve their Green Flag Award, particularly during a time of unprecedented adjustment and change to education caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“This is a great achievement and testament to the resilience and creativity of both pupils and educators.

“Keep Scotland Beautiful is committed to supporting all our children and young people to develop the capacities, skills and attributes required to protect our planet for the future.”

More information about the world’s largest sustainable schools programme and Eco-Schools Scotland can be found at: