Tag: Children and Families

STEM comes to life for early years students with Schools Festival

  • Aberdeen charity, TechFest, is hosting the School Science Festival, running from May 26-30, to inspire northeast students to become future scientists and engineers.
  • Primarily sponsored by bp and Shell, the festival will offer a range of exciting programs for children from Nursery to Primary 7. From meeting exotic animals and learning about renewable energy, to exploring genetics and the human body through hands-on activities and real-life scenarios.
  • ‘Schools Science Festival’ will feature an exciting lineup of STEM workshops from TechFest and partners such as Glasgow Science Centre, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Dynamic Earth and others, further supporting the charity’s mission to make STEM more accessible through collaboration with industry and education.
  • Jenny Taylor, Festival Manager, TechFest, said: “Our Schools Science Festival isn’t just about learning, it’s a chance for young people to believe in themselves! Whether it’s getting hands-on in exciting workshops, exploring new ideas, or tackling real-world challenges, we’re here to help them build their confidence and show them just how far their potential can take them.”

Aberdeen-based charity, TechFest, is hosting its Schools Science Festival from May 26-30th to enhance STEM knowledge among Northeast youth and inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and technologists.

Held at Robert Gordon University campus, the festival offers hands-on STEM activities for Nursery to Primary 7 pupils, from meeting exotic animals to exploring genetics and renewable energy, starting at just £2.

The programme, led by TechFest and esteemed partners like Glasgow Science Centre, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and Dynamic Earth, will showcase an engaging array of STEM workshops.

This initiative aligns with TechFest’s mission to enhance accessibility by fostering collaboration between industry and education while making STEM fun for all.

Jenny Taylor, Festival Manager, TechFest, said: “We believe every child deserves the chance to follow their dreams and have the confidence and passion to do so.

“Our Schools Science Festival makes that possible by connecting schools with our incredible sponsors and partners, inspiring the next generation to grow and thrive.

“We encourage every school to take full advantage of this opportunity. I believe that together, we can empower students, spark their curiosity, and build brighter futures for all!”

TechFest’s schools program supports participating institutions in integrating the ‘Developing Young Workforce’ agenda into their curriculum, offering students valuable insights into diverse career pathways.

The workshop hosts and lecturers, including environmental experts, university professors, and industry professionals, will provide valuable insights into the industry, foster relationships, and inspire young learners.

TechFest is dedicated to developing initiatives rooted in STEM, making the subjects fun and engaging while establishing meaningful connections with industry and education, to help young people pursue a future in STEM.

TechFest’s Schools Science Festival is jointly sponsored by Shell and bp and is tailored to support classroom learning through the Curriculum for Excellence.

Doris Reiter, Senior Vice President, bp North Sea, said: “The schools festival is a key feature of TechFest’s annual programme. 

“We’re pleased to be supporting it again and helping young people to explore the boundless possibilities of STEM.”

Simon Roddy, SVP of Shell UK Upstream, said: “We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of TechFest.

“We hope that the variety of activities and experiences on offer will encourage people to engage with STEM and learn about the skills needed to help shape and develop our energy system.”

Following the Schools Science Festival, TechFest will be hosting Family Activity Weekend, which is one of the most popular events in the TechFest calendar!

Taking place Sat, 31st May – 1st June, this incredible weekend gives the opportunity for thousands of visitors to explore the world of STEM in an inspiring, fun and relaxed fashion.

The weekend is made up of two days of workshops, shows and activities for families to get involved with.

For more info https://techfest.org.uk/news-events/news/item/67-activity-weekendvisit


Tiny Plates: Tuesdays at PCHP

How messy can you get? Pretty messy, in our experience! No problem, though. We fully believe in telling our little ones to “play with your food.” How else would they get the chance to explore flavours and textures and then decide what they want to eat?

Everything we prepare for you and your tiny people is colourful, delicious, and ultra-nutritious. We want you to explore food with your child, share ideas of what works for you, or learn new ways to offer new foods to your little ones. Most of all, we want you to have fun in a relaxed atmosphere with other mums and littles.

If you live in Granton, Pilton, Muirhouse, Drylaw, Royston or Wardieburn, and you’re a mum, grannie or auntie who is caring for your under 5, and you’d like to know more about healthy food, weaning or picky eating, then you can sign up here:

https://forms.office.com/e/X81msFBkPA

Tiny plates currently runs on Tuesdays from 1pm until 2.30pm

🍎🍐🌽🥕🥝🍅🫐🫑🥑🍠🍇🍉🍓

Waddle over for a weekend of duck-tastic fun at New Lanark Duck Festival this May Bank Holiday Weekend

New Lanark is thrilled to announce the return of its most popular family event – the Duck Festival!

Taking place over the May Bank Holiday weekend, on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th May, this two-day celebration promises laughter, adventure, splashing fun for the whole family.

A Weekend of Wholesome Quack-tivities Includes:

What’s Happening?

  • Duck Race at 12pm & 2pm each day – Cheer on your duck as it floats down the lade. Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners.
  • Treasure Hunt: Track down hidden ducks for a sweet ice lolly reward.
  • Craft Corner: Get creative and make your own duck mask to wear in the Duck Parade.
  • Meet Bubbles the Duck: Snap a pic with the festival’s star. Our friendly festival mascot is ready for photos at the historic New Lanark Waterwheel.
  • Duck Parade at 3pm – March behind Bubbles(mascot) from one end of the lade to the other in a splashy spectacle.
  • Best Duck Mask Awards at 3:15pm – Flaunt your handmade masterpiece for a chance to win
  • Optional Extras (available on-site for an extra charge): Face painting, carousel rides, and soft play for even more fun.

Tickets are just £7.00 per child, with free entry for accompanying adults. Ticket times correspond with the Duck Race sessions (12pm or 2pm), but families are welcome from 10am to enjoy all the day’s activities.

Following the model of our popular Easter Sunday Duck Race event, this festival promises to be another unforgettable experience filled with community spirit and family fun.

Tickets are limited, so be sure to secure yours soon and waddle your way to a weekend of quack-tastic excitement at New Lanark.

Buy Duck Festival Tickets online – New Lanark

Fuelling the school day

Breakfast clubs to help tackle poverty

Thousands more children will benefit from free breakfasts supported by the Scottish Government.

The Bright Start Breakfasts fund is now open to applications and will provide £3 million so more primary school children can have a nutritious start to the day and parents can benefit from free childcare.

Nearly half of Scotland’s schools already provide breakfast at the start of the school day. The Bright Start Breakfasts funding will support expansion of existing clubs and establishment of new ones, creating more free places for primary school children. 

In addition to more breakfast clubs, the Scottish Government is expanding the Extra Time programme, which provides funding for 31 local football clubs and trusts to provide free access to before school, after school and holiday clubs for targeted primary school children from families on low incomes.

Work is also under way in 23 communities to design and deliver further childcare services for priority families.

Visiting a breakfast club at Riverside Primary School in Glasgow Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “We know how important a healthy breakfast can be for children, particularly those most at risk of living in poverty, and breakfast clubs have a crucial role in our mission to eradicate child poverty.

“They help set children up for the day, supporting them to achieve their learning potential, and provide families with childcare, helping more parents to get to work in the morning.

“Applications are open and I encourage anyone who could deliver a breakfast club to contact Inspiring Scotland.”

Celia Tennant, Chief Executive at Inspiring Scotland, said: “Inspiring Scotland is pleased to be working with Scottish Government to manage the Bright Start Breakfasts fund.

“We are committed to working together to tackle child poverty and improve family wellbeing. We are delighted to see applications starting to come in since launching the fund on Wednesday”

The Bright Start Breakfast fund is being managed by Inspiring Scotland. Guidance on applying to the fund can be found here: Bright Start Breakfasts – Inspiring Scotland.

Inspiring Scotland invites applications from groups and organisations who deliver or want to deliver breakfast clubs, including:

  • Primary schools
  • local authorities
  • third-sector organisations
  • registered childcare providers
  • activity providers
  • parent or volunteer groups
  • childminding services

Work to design and deliver childcare services for priority families is taking place in 23 Early Adopter Communities across six local authority areas (Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Glasgow, Inverclyde, Fife and Shetland).

Emergency fund injects over £3m into the city’s third sector

Charities losing funding from the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) are to receive urgent support from the City of Edinburgh Council.

One-off funding of £2.037m will be provided to 46 organisations and projects across Edinburgh which are working to prevent poverty and support vulnerable residents.

An additional £1m will help six third sector advice providers to support residents to maximise their income through accessing welfare benefits, reducing everyday living costs including debt management and improving access to work.

A grant has also been provided to support the continued development of the Edinburgh Advice Network.

The decision by the Policy and Sustainability Committee this week (Monday 12 May) will allow funds to be released to prevent the closure of a number of organisations and avert the redundancies of many employees.

Decisions on how to allocate an outstanding £423,400 will be made when Councillors meet again later this month (Tuesday 27 May).

The emergency package of support is provided ahead of a long-term review of the relationship between the Edinburgh Partnership, public sector and third sector in Edinburgh, with the aim of improving funding certainty in future years.

As part of this review, the Edinburgh Partnership is asking voluntary organisations, social enterprises and charities to participate in an online consultation. Workshops will also take place in the coming weeks.

Council Leader and Chair of the Edinburgh Partnership, Jane Meagher, said:
“The third sector provides vital support to our local communities, and we need to provide stability to projects which have been put at risk of closure. Our funding will quickly and directly prevent many charities from redundancies and from reducing the very important services they provide.

“While I’m pleased that we’ve reached a decision to prioritise this work – and to make sure we protect more people from entering poverty – we cannot become complacent. We need longer-term change so that organisations like these, and the many residents who rely on them, are at less risk and have greater stability.

“We want to hear about how we can make helping vulnerable people simpler. Please take part in the consultation we’ve recently launched, as the Edinburgh Partnership seeks views on strengthening our city’s third sector.”

In a deputation to Policy and Sustainability Committee, Bruce Crawford, CEO of EVOC and speaking on behalf of the Third Sector Reference Group said:
“The decisions made by Councillors to support these third sector organisations shows a real understanding of the role that the third sector play in communities across Edinburgh.

“The impact that these Resilience Fund payments will make cannot be underestimated in the way that they will support some of the most vulnerable people in our city.

“These grants will provide stability to the organisations in receipt of them and allow them to continue to serve their local communities. Longer term solutions need to be developed, and we are prepared to work with the council in planning for the future, beyond the current financial year.”

Visit the Council’s website for more information about the Third Sector Support Review, the one-off Third Sector Resilience Fund and to access cost-of-living support.

Full list of organisations and projects confirmed to receive urgent funding from the Third Sector Transitional Fund:

1. ACE IT Scotland
2. Art in Healthcare
3. B Healthy Together
4. Bridgend Farmhouse
5. Calton Welfare Services
6. Care for Carers
7. Caring in Craigmillar
8. Community Renewal Trust
9. Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland
10. Drake Music Scotland
11. Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust
12. Edinburgh Community Food
13. Edinburgh Community Health Forum
14. Edinburgh Headway Group
15. Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre
16. Eric Liddell Community
17. Feniks
18. Fresh Start
19. Health All Round
20. Home-Start Edinburgh West and South West (HSEW)
21. LGBT Health and Wellbeing
22. Libertus Services
23. MECOPP
24. Murrayfield Dementia Project
25. Pilmeny Development Project
26. Pilton Equalities Project – Mental Health
27. Pilton Equalities Project – Day Care
28. Portobello Monday Centre
29. Portobello Older People’s Project
30. Positive Help
31. Queensferry Churches Care in the Community
32. Rowan Alba Limited
33. Scottish Huntington’s Association
34. Sikh Sanjog
35. South Edinburgh Amenities Group (SEAG)
36. The Broomhouse Centre (The Beacon Club)
37. Vintage Vibes Consortium
38. The Dove Centre
39. The Health Agency
40. The Living Memory Association
41. The Open Door
42. The Ripple Project
43. The Welcoming Association
44. Venture Scotland
45. VOCAL
46. Waverley Care.

Scotland’s Headteachers highlight impact of attainment funding

Over £1 billion invested to support and improve attainment

Headteachers say the attainment of pupils experiencing poverty has improved, thanks to over £1 billion of direct investment from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government’s flagship policy has provided headteachers with direct additional funding to help support children and young people. 

Schools have used the extra funding in a variety of different ways. The latest report looking at the impact of Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) found that it has helped schools employ up to 3,000 additional staff to support children and young people’s attainment and wellbeing.

This has included extra staff employed to support families, such as income maximisation officers, as well as support for pupil wellbeing from the third sector. The report also highlights how the targeted investment has supported better attendance, attainment, and relationships between schools, families and pupils. 

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth visited St Ignatius Primary School in Wishaw to hear directly about how the school is using Pupil Equity Funding. 

Ms Gilruth said: “Pupil Equity Funding has played a crucial role in our mission to ensure that children and young people impacted by poverty are given the opportunity to succeed.

“Since launching in 2017, we have invested over £1 billion in the programme, with targeted support now reaching a majority of schools across Scotland. 

“Each school has its own unique challenges when it comes to closing the poverty-related attainment gap, which is why we have put our trust in headteachers to develop solutions which meet the needs of their own pupils.

“I have been very impressed by the creativity shown by teachers – from supporting imagination in writing, to outdoor educational trips to improve confidence, wellbeing and relationships.

“The latest survey report indicates the hugely positive impact that this direct investment is making – with Scotland recording its lowest poverty-related attainment gap on record for literacy in primary schools.

“Pupil Equity Funding is also ensuring that more children and young people impacted by poverty are entering work, training or further study after leaving school.

“We are also taking further steps to tackle child poverty through education, including through funding early learning and childcare, free school meals and the delivery of free breakfast clubs.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1922243937755873540

Pupil Equity Funding 2025 Report | Scottish Attainment Challenge | Learning in Scotland | Education Scotland

Parents of teens reminded to extend Child Benefit claim online

Parents of 16 to 19 year olds can go online to extend their Child Benefit claim to guarantee payments in September

  • Parents of 16 to 19 year olds reminded to extend their Child Benefit claim by 31 August to continue payments
  • Last year, 870,000 parents extended their Child Benefit with the majority confirming online
  • Parents extending via the HMRC app or the digital service guarantee their payments quickly and easily

Parents of 16 to 19 year olds will receive reminders from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to extend their Child Benefit claim by 31 August if their child is staying in education or training or payments will automatically stop.

Child Benefit will automatically stop on 31 August on or after a child’s 16th birthday if it’s not extended. 

Between May and July, letters will be sent to parents reminding them to go online to confirm if their teenager is staying in full time education or approved training after they finish their GCSEs to continue receiving their Child Benefit.

Parents can extend their claim quickly and easily via the HMRC app or online on GOV.UK. The letters also contain a handy QR code which takes parents straight to the digital service on GOV.UK.

Child Benefit is currently worth £26.05 per week – or £1,354.60 a year – for the eldest or only child and £17.25 per week – or £897 a year – for each additional child. More than 870,000 parents extended their Child Benefit claim for their teen last year with the majority confirming online or via the HMRC app in minutes.

Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “Child Benefit is an important boost to families. As soon as you know what your teenager is planning to do, extend your claim in minutes to guarantee your payments continue in September.

“Simply go to GOV.UK or the HMRC app to confirm today.”

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for young people who are studying full time in non-advanced education as well as unpaid approved training courses. Visit GOV.UK to check full eligibility.

If either the claimant or their partner has an individual income of between £60,000 and £80,000, the higher earner will be subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge. For families who fall into this category, the online Child Benefit tax calculator provides an estimate of how much benefit they will receive, and what the charge may be.

From this summer, as part of the government’s Plan for Change, families will have the option to use a new digital service to pay the charge directly through their PAYE tax code instead of filing a Self Assessment tax return.

The new service will cut red tape for eligible employed parents who are liable to the High Income Child Benefit Charge but those who choose to pay the charge through their Self Assessment can continue to do so.

Families who have previously opted out of Child Benefit payments can opt back in and restart their payments quickly and easily online or via the HMRC app.

Teenagers turning 16 can take control of their Child Trust Fund savings account, which could be worth thousands of pounds, and can withdraw the money once they turn 18. Child Trust Funds were set up for every child born between 1 September 2002 and 2 January 2011.

If teenagers or their parents and guardians know who their Child Trust Fund provider is, they can contact them directly.

If they don’t know where their account is, they can use the free online tool on GOV.UK to find out who their Child Trust Fund provider is.

More information on Child Benefit for 16 to 19 year olds.