Tag: education

Digital boost for Edinburgh pupils

Every school pupil from P6 to S6 in Edinburgh will receive their own digital device as part of an ambitious and inclusive education strategy, Edinburgh Learns for Life.

The 1:1 roll out, being carried out in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council’s ICT services provider CGI, will start from September thanks to a £17.6m boost to learning and teaching. In addition to the personal distribution additional iPads will be also be issued to P1 to P5 year groups on an agreed ratio.

Key elements of the Empowered Learning programme, which will see a phased roll out of all the devices completed by the end of 2022, include: 27,000 new iPads being issued to pupils/staff, refreshed iPads for up to 12,000 pupils/staff and expanding the wireless connectivity in schools by providing wireless access points and a comprehensive programme of professional learning for teachers.                                                                                          

Benefits for young people include:

  • Fair and equal access from P6 to S6, ensuring all pupils have personal access to digital learning with their teacher in school or at home
  • Effective digital workflow to increase engagement, improve teacher feedback and raise attainment
  • A range of innovative accessibility features to improve access to the curriculum for pupils with additional support needs
  • Pupils can work online simultaneously in a class or collaboratively outside the classroom
  • High quality digital applications for productivity and creativity, providing more ways to personalise and choose how they learn
  • Development of learning, thinking and digital literacy skills vital for success in today’s rapidly evolving, technological society

The roll-out meets a key element of one of the 15 outcomes and actions from the Council’s three year business plan ‘Our Future Council, Our Future City’: ‘increasing attainment for all and reducing the poverty-related attainment gap’.

The business plan was approved by Councillors during their budget meeting on 18 February where they also agreed £8m funding for additional digital devices.

The 1:1 programme reinforces our commitment to becoming one of the world’s ‘smartest cities’ – last year Edinburgh was listed in the Smart City of Year Digital 100 shortlist following recent work by the Council, CGI and other providers to enhance connectivity and embrace new technologies. 

The roll-out also meets Article 29 (goals of education) for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which highlights the importance of developing every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This is a really exciting project which is going to be a real game-changer for the learning and teaching in our schools.

“Giving pupils their own device has been shown to improve outcomes and result in increased engagement and motivation for our young people. It will create a learning environment which will drive higher levels of creativity also improve teacher and learner collaboration.

“The roll out will build on the skills developed by our teaching staff by having many more opportunities to use digital technology and create effective digital leadership teams in all our schools. In addition to giving pupils their own devices we’ll make sure the IT infrastructure is in place by increasing the bandwidth capacity and wi-fi connectivity in our schools.”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “This 1:1 roll out fits with the three goals of Edinburgh learns for Life – to transform, connect and empower.

“Giving every young person from P6 upwards their own device, is yet another tool in the educational toolbox to support and ensure the fullest potential of every child. 

“It’s so important for all our young people to have equal access as lockdown demonstrated quite starkly how some of our young people struggled because they didn’t have their own device.

“It’s essential that each learner is on a level playing field so the equity gap in Edinburgh does not widen. It will help equip all of our young people with the skills required for the modern workplace and our way of life in the digital age.”

Lindsay McGranaghan, CGI Vice President and Scotland Business Unit Lead, said: “We are delighted to be undertaking this project with the City of Edinburgh Council. We look forward to working in partnership to provide an effective and exciting digital solution for nearly 40,000 pupils and teachers.  

“Empowered Learning provides a learning environment that’s engaging and inspirational. It directly tackles the attainment gap, and recognises the key role of educators in delivering a digital classroom. Through Empowered Learning, educators can create and tailor lessons to personalise learning and access new ways of bringing teaching to life.

“Above all, Empowered Learning helps educators provide learning that is richer and more rewarding for both pupils, and for their parents, while also providing the highest level of security and safety standards.”

Edinburgh charities to benefit from Barratt’s £57,500 charity fund to aid pandemic recovery

– Funds set to boost employability and supported education in east Scotland –

Local housebuilder Barratt Developments Scotland has pledged to support the nation’s recovery from the pandemic with a £57,500 investment in employability and education, including £20,000 for the east of Scotland.

Two Edinburgh charities which aim to bolster employability and promote a fair and inclusive education for vulnerable young people have been selected to receive a share of the funds – employability charity WorkingRite and education charity Kindred.

Alison Condie, Managing Director at Barratt Developments East Scotland, said: “Employability and education are two areas which will be vital in aiding Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic – which is why we are focusing our efforts on supporting charities carrying out this work day to day.

“It’s always been the Barratt way to give back to the communities in which we have a presence, and it’s been great to hear how the donations will help WorkingRite and Kindred support people into employment and give young people the best chance to succeed at such a challenging time.”

Employability

With redundancy levels across the UK hitting record highs, the need for new opportunities and reskilling programmes has never been greater. Barratt’s donation to WorkingRite comes at a vital time and will ensure that young people have access to potentially life changing support.

WorkingRite has a proven track record in helping individuals improve their prospects and maximise their potential by matching a young person to a small business in their local community, where they learn valuable skills ‘on-the-job’.

Barratt Developments itself is a major champion of employability. Its graduate and apprenticeship recruitment programmes have continued in spite of the pandemic, and it is currently working with the veteran community to create opportunities for those leaving the armed forces.

Sandy Campbell, Founder of WorkingRite, said: “WorkingRite greatly appreciate the generous donation from Barratt Homes. As we emerge from Covid restrictions, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds need all the help they can get to achieve a working future.

“Barratt’s donation will help make that happen – by funding the training and mentoring we provide for those of our young people who are hoping for careers in the construction trades.”

Supported education

Also receiving a donation is Kindred, a parent-led organisation that helps support children with disabilities and long-term conditions. Last year, Kindred supported hundreds of families with its services, which include a team at Edinburgh’s Royal Hospital for Sick Children and a community team that works across its services with parents of children with exceptional healthcare needs.

Sophie Pilgrim, Director of Kindred, said: “We are delighted to accept an amazing donation from Barratt Homes East Scotland. We support over 700 families of children with complex needs each year from across Scotland.

“Living in a safe and comfortable home has been especially important to families of children with disabilities over the last year. Kindred has supported 98 families to find the right, adapted accommodation so we are particularly pleased to be supported by a housing provider.

“Our hospital team will be moving to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People Edinburgh and we will use the funds from Barratt to help us manage to move to our own new home! A big thank you from our staff and families.”

For more information on Barratt Developments East Scotland, which includes Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, visit https://www.barratthomes.co.uk/new-homes/scotland-east/. 

Pirniehall Primary’s Mrs Ryan is retiring: send her your message!

After 35 years as Pirnie Headteacher Mrs Ryan is approaching her well deserved retirement!🎉💐

Did you attend Pirniehall Primary over the last 35 years or are you the parent/carer of a pupil? If so please send us a message of any good wishes, memories you have of Mrs Ryan or any pictures.

Please include your name and the year you attended.

Please send a private message to Pirniehall’s Facebook page, comment or write a message and post to Pirniehall Primary School, 4 West Pilton Crescent, Edinburgh EH4 4HP.

We would love to hear from you!

Education attainment gap remains wide, says Audit Scotland

Progress on closing the poverty-related attainment gap between the most and least deprived school pupils has been limited. And more evidence is needed to understand educational achievement beyond exams.

A joint report by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission found that exam performance and other attainment measures at the national level have improved.

However, progress since 2013-14 has been inconsistent. And there are large variations in local authority performance, with some councils’ performance getting worse on some measures.

The poverty-related attainment gap remains wide and existing inequalities have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. The national curriculum recognises that school is about more than exams.

And there has been an increase in the types of pathways, awards and qualifications available to young people. But better data is needed to understand if other important broad outcomes, like wellbeing and self-confidence, are improving.

The Scottish Government, councils, schools and the other bodies responsible for planning and delivering education were working well together before Covid-19.

That allowed them to respond rapidly in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Funding for education has remained largely static – rising from £4.1 billion in 2013/14 to £4.3 billion in 2018/19.

However, most of that real-terms increase was due to the Attainment Scotland Fund, which the Scottish Government set up to close the attainment gap.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Significantly reducing the attainment gap is complex. But the pace of improvement has to increase as part of the Scottish Government’s Covid-19 recovery planning.

“That process needs to particularly focus on the pandemic’s impact on the most disadvantaged children and young people.”

Elma Murray, Interim Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “There is variation in educational performance across Scotland, but this is not solely about exam performance.

“Education also supports and improves the health and wellbeing of children and young people, which has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is vital that councils, schools and their partners work to reduce the wide variation in outcomes as well as understanding and tackling the short and longer-term impact of Covid-19 on learning and wellbeing.”

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The impact of poverty on children’s life chances remains a matter of huge concern, and much more needs to be done to support young people living in poverty to overcome the barriers that they continue to face.

“Schools do all that they can with insufficient resources to support young people from all backgrounds but cannot, in isolation, overcome such serious societal issues as inequality and poverty.”

“We have long known of the devastating impact that poverty can have on young people, and this has been made worse during the pandemic when young people from less affluent backgrounds have been far more likely to have had their in-school learning disrupted and to face barriers in accessing education outwith the school environment.”

“It is clear that much greater and sustained investment is needed to tackle the impact of poverty on young people’s education, and all of Scotland’s political parties must fully commit to tackling this issue in the context of education recovery during the next Parliament.”

nr_210323_education_outcomesDownload

Closing the Gap progress report

Good progress is being made towards closing the poverty-related attainment gap, a new report has found.

The study examines improvements made through the Scottish Attainment Challenge, and wider education policies, towards closing the attainment gap during this Parliamentary term.

The report highlights a number of key strengths in the education system, including a systemic change in culture and ethos, improved learning and teaching, strengthened collaboration, work with families and communities and a focus on health and wellbeing.

The findings show:

  • the gap between the proportion of primary pupils (P1, P4 and P7 combined) from the most and least deprived areas achieving the expected level in literacy and numeracy has narrowed since 2016-17
  • the gap between the proportion of S3 pupils from the most and least deprived areas who achieved their expected level in numeracy narrowed between 2016-17 and 2018-19
  • the participation gap between those who live in the most deprived and least deprived areas has narrowed year-on-year between 2016-17 and 2019-2020
  • 96% of headteachers felt that they had a good awareness of the range of approaches that can help close the poverty-related attainment gap
  • 90% of headteachers reported they had seen an improvement in closing the gap in their schools in the past five years
  • 88% of headteachers expect to see improvements in closing the gap over the next five years

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and giving every young person the chance to fulfil their full potential, regardless of their background, remains our defining mission.

“Our ambition is a long-term one and this report clearly shows significant progress has been made in the last five years. We know that COVID-19 has made our ambition of achieving equity in education harder and I would like to thank all of our teachers and support staff for their extraordinary contribution and resilience shown throughout the pandemic.

“We have put in place a comprehensive range of measures, supported by the £750 million Attainment Scotland Fund, to turn the corner with the attainment gap.

“We have seen improvements across a number of indicators, including a narrowing of the gap between pupils from the most and least deprived areas achieving the expected level in literacy and numeracy.

“Longer term, we have also seen the gap narrow in initial positive destinations and the proportion of pupils achieving one pass or more at SCQF Level 5 and 6.

“The International Council of Education Advisers has acknowledged progress is being made and headteachers are positive about the impact of our measures, have a clear understanding of what is working and are optimistic about improvements being embedded and continuing over the next five years. I am greatly encouraged by this welcome progress and am confident we are on the right path.

“To mitigate against the impact of the pandemic, we are investing a record £200 million in the Attainment Scotland Fund in 2021-22, including an additional £20 million of Pupil Equity Funding.

“We are also investing £50 million in the Challenge Authorities and Schools Programmes next year and will support the Care Experienced Children and Young People Fund with more than £11 million. This is alongside £375 million in education recovery over this year and next to recruit additional teachers and support staff and address digital exclusion.

“I am determined to continue to support our young people through these unprecedented times and the evidence from this report and the Equity Audit will guide our thinking for the next phase of the Scottish Attainment Challenge. Now, more than ever, there is a need to stay the course with our vision of equity and excellence.”

Looking at performance of pupils since 2009-10, the report also finds:

  • the percentage of school leavers in a positive initial destination consistently increased between 2009-10 and 2018-19, for all leavers. The gap in positive initial destinations also decreased in this period
  • the gap between pupils achieving 1 pass or more at SCQF Level 5 has reduced from 33.3 percentage points in 2009-10 to 20.8 percentage points in 2019-20
  • the gap between pupils achieving 1 pass or more at SCQF Level 6 has reduced from 45.6 percentage points in 2009-10 to 36.1 percentage points in 2019-20

Gayle Gorman, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Chief Executive of Education Scotland, said: “We are happy to see the improvements detailed in the report and it is heartening that nine out of ten schools have seen a recent improvement in closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

“We recognise this work is more important than ever and the evidence from this report and the Equity Audit will inform the Scottish Attainment Challenge moving forward.

“Our Attainment Advisors have strong partnerships with every local authority and remain focused on working collaboratively with them, our schools and their community partners to ensure our most disadvantaged learners continue to be supported to achieve their aspirations.

“This is a long-term commitment that has been supported by a system-wide, collaborative endeavour across Scottish education to make Scotland the best place to grow and learn.”

Professor Chris Chapman, Senior Academic Adviser to the Scottish Attainment Challenge programme, said: “This report highlights both government’s commitment to equity and the cultural change that has occurred in Scottish education over the past five years.

“The drive to improve outcomes for children and young people from Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities has been placed centre stage of the reform agenda.

“Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenge and magnified the necessity of ensuring that all children and young people reach their full potential irrespective of their circumstances.”

Being everything you can be

Support for children with disabilities

Education, Children and Families Vice Convener Cllr Alison Dickie writes about support for children with disabilities:

Being everything you can be.

It’s a grand line, and actually one of the aims of our new children’s services plan.  In true Council style though, there are more words: ‘It is important to promote and support every child’s aspirations to ensure they can become everything they can be, now and in the future.’

Yip, that all sounds hunky dory but I’m wondering … does that truly include children with disabilities, particularly those with the most complex needs?

Let’s put it this way.  Have you ever watched a parent’s eyes well up as they plead for their young person to be given a purpose to get out of bed every morning?  Or for recognition of their worth, and their ability to contribute to society in some way? 

Or, as fears replace tears, hear them voice their deepest dread …what will happen to them when I am gone?

I have and it’s heart-breaking.

Despite the wide range of dedicated work going on across Edinburgh to deliver for children with disabilities and their families, parents have shared that it can sometimes feel that they’ve had to fight for the right of their child to be everything they can be.

I first questioned the message we send out to young people with disabilities whilst on a tour of St Crispin’s school in my ward.  I was appalled at its condition, its failure to reflect the fantastic work of the staff and pupils within, and the story of our value of them.  Thankfully, a new chapter has been written and they will, this year, move into their wonderful and much deserved new school at Burdiehouse.

How do you solve a ‘problem’ like … the holiday support programme? 

I’m asked this every year, and the education committee discussed it just last week.  In the past, it’s been cited as a non-statutory service, even a luxury not afforded by other Councils.  But, listen to the stories of families at breaking point, who cry out for this need, and you’re convinced this is vital respite for the whole family and to help young people thrive.

So, whilst there are big issues to be addressed, such as safety and staffing, we aim to return to the pre-covid provision in the summer, and through engagement with parents, look to how we can further improve this service.

And what of those positive destinations…more so, the lack of them, for young adults with the most complex needs? 

Here, communication about what is available, earlier and stronger transitional support, an understanding that one size doesn’t fit all, and a more flexible and collaborative approach are all being considered as we explore with parents how to grow these opportunities and give every young person a future. 

Some of this will have budgetary implications, and some the need for more innovative thinking, but one thing’s for sure…every young person has strengths, interests and potential to use in their unique way.

Lockdown has been difficult for everyone, but it’s been particularly challenging for these children and their families. As part of the recovery process, let’s push for progress and help all young people to be what they can be.

This article first appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News

Turing scheme to ‘open up global study and work opportunities’

Schools, colleges and universities can now apply for funding from today to allow students to study and work across the globe as part of the new Turing Scheme.

The programme, backed by £110 million, replaces the Erasmus+ scheme in the UK and will fund 35,000 global exchanges from September 2021, including university study, school exchanges, and industry work placements.

The new scheme aims to improve social mobility, targeting students from disadvantaged backgrounds and areas which did not previously have many students benefiting from Erasmus+, making life-changing opportunities accessible to everyone across the country. The British Council and Ecorys will be targeting disadvantaged parts of the country to promote the scheme to improve take up.

The Turing scheme offers benefits to students that they would not have under the previous Erasmus+ programme, with university students from disadvantaged backgrounds set to receive a maximum of £490 per month towards living costs (currently worth around 573 euros compared to 540 euros under Erasmus+), alongside travel funding, and other forms of additional funding to offset the cost of passports, visas and insurance.

Unlike Erasmus+, which is EU-focused, the Turing Scheme is a truly global programme and every country in the world is eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said: “The Turing Scheme is a truly global programme with every country in the world eligible to partner with UK universities, schools and colleges.

“It is also levelling up in action, as the scheme seeks to help students of all income groups from across the country experience fantastic education opportunities in any country they choose.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “This is a landmark step in delivering on our promise to level up a truly global Britain, strengthening our ties across the world and providing students with the skills they need to thrive.

“The programme’s focus on social mobility and value for money will open up more opportunities for international education and travel to all of our students, especially for those from disadvantaged backgrounds who were less likely to benefit from the previous EU scheme.

“I urge all universities, schools and colleges from all corners of the UK to start their applications and partner up with countries worldwide.”

Universities Minister, Michelle Donelan said: The Turing scheme will support our levelling up agenda by opening up the world to young people and children from all backgrounds with exciting global opportunities.

“The scheme will enable up to 35,000 students throughout the UK to work or study across the globe.”

As part of the UK-wide launch, education ministers are visiting the devolved nations today to highlight the advantages of the Turing scheme and ensure wider participation for all students across the UK.

In support of the launch, Universities Minister Michelle Donelan will visit Cardiff University and Edinburgh University to discuss the bidding process including how to demonstrate widening access to more disadvantaged students as part of the application process.

School Standards Minister Nick Gibb and Apprenticeships Minister Gillian Keegan will visit educational settings in areas that have not previously benefitted from Erasmus+.

Applicants from schools and colleges are encouraged, with funding levels and eligibility set out in programme guides available to help inform applications.

UK organisations are encouraged to form partnerships across the globe, not just the EU. The Turing website includes the programme guide, funding levels and eligibility, and details of webinars available to help inform applications.

Successful applications will receive funding for administering the scheme and students taking part will receive grants to help them with the costs of their international experience. The benefits of the exchanges will be assessed and the findings used to build on future schemes. Funding decisions for subsequent years will be subject to future spending reviews.

£110m of funding will be available to support projects and activities during the 2021/2022 academic year. This is enough to fund similar levels of student exchanges under the former Erasmus+ scheme.

Programme guidance, including information on the application process, has also been published on the Turing Scheme website.

Online school launches package of support to help young people recover lost learning

An online school, established by Wey Education more than 16 years ago, has launched an ‘essential’ programme of English, Maths and Science support, delivered live by expert teachers, to help students across the UK recover the learning they have missed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

These efforts align with the Government’s recovery support package which includes tutoring programmes, summer provision and recovery premiums for state schools, so that children and young people can catch up on missed learning and development opportunities.

The “InterHigh Essentials” package was developed as a way to alleviate the “pain” of families who were struggling with home schooling and remote learning. It offers young people in the local area the opportunity to enrol on its online platform and access lessons for three core subjects English, maths and science, plus tutorial, in an interactive and effective, yet easy-to-use format. The virtual lessons will be delivered live by experienced teachers who are qualified to teach online.

Developed by a team with over 16 years of experience with online teaching, students will be given opportunities to fully engage with their learning, in a virtual environment that is characteristic of how we will learn, work, and interact in the future.

For the equivalent of £12 a day, families can benefit from supplementary learning in a virtual environment while their child continues to be enrolled in their current school.  

Emma Beer, an InterHigh parent who enrolled her son during Covid-19, said: “He’s more settled into a routine and is far more engaged in learning at home. During the first two weeks of schools closing, it was difficult to home educate my son and I struggled to find material online which engaged him, meaning I had to constantly sit next to him to keep an eye on what he was doing.

“The crisis has unveiled an amazing opportunity for my son to try a different approach to education.”

The programme is open to students in Key Stage 2, 3, and 4, and registration can be done individually by students, or by schools on their behalf. The team at InterHigh believe in transformative education which provides a community for students to learn wherever they feel most comfortable, supported, and engaged.

Jacqueline Danielle, CEO of Wey Education, said: “Our aim is to provide all young people with the opportunity to access an education that will inspire a lifelong love of learning – both pure and applied, and I believe we have achieved something truly remarkable over the past 17 years at Wey Education.

“Events this year have opened the eyes of many to the power and possibilities of online learning. We are excited to provide more families with the opportunity to study with us and experience our innovative and pioneering approach to teaching and learning in a virtual environment.”

Dr Sara de Freitas, Executive Director of Education at Wey Education, said: “During the pandemic, many students have missed out on parts of their education which can have long term negative impacts upon employment and mental health.

“Our new programme is designed to plug these gaps in young people’s education and provide the important learning they may have missed during the pandemic.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this package to students as a supplementary offer and recommend it for all students that have been affected by school closures during this year and last year.”

For more information, including how to enrol, please visit: 

http://www.interhigh.co.uk/apply

For an Education Led Recovery: EIS trade union launches Holyrood election manifesto

Teaching union the EIS has launched its education manifesto ahead of May’s Scottish Parliament elections.

The Manifesto, entitled For an Education Led Recovery outlines EIS policy in key areas including Early Years education, Primary and Secondary schools, Additional Support Needs, Instrumental Music, the impact of poverty and tackling inequality, valuing teachers, Further & Higher Education, and social justice.

The EIS, which is not affiliated to any political party, does not make any recommendation on who its members should vote for, but highlights the key issues that teachers and lecturers may wish to consider when deciding how to vote.

The Manifesto has been published today to coincide with a meeting of the EIS national Council.

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Scotland has a proud educational history, and education is one of the key devolved areas of responsibility for the Scottish Parliament.

“That centrality has been brought into sharp relief during the Coronavirus pandemic, with politicians of all parties frequently highlighting the vital importance of education to your young people, to our economy, and to the future of our country as a whole.”

Mr Flanagan continued, “Despite its importance, education has been subjected to many challenges in recent years, even prior to the extreme stresses brought by Coronavirus. Investment in schools, in staff, and in support for young people has been insufficient.”

“Politicians have been quick to talk up the need for education to lead the way in the nation’s recovery from the pandemic, but less quick to commit to delivering long term investment and resources to ensure that this can be achieved.”

Mr Flanagan added: “At the current time more than 1 in 10 teachers are on temporary contracts or ‘zero hours’ supply staff lists. That is quite scandalous and is one of the reasons why we lose qualified teachers who struggle to get permanent posts in their chosen career.

“From the 2020 graduation group, for example, over 500 newly qualified teachers are no longer registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).”

Mr Flanagan concluded, “The challenge around education recovery is immense and if we are to meet the needs of young people, Scotland needs more teachers.”

“This would help to reduce class sizes, ensuring that students receive tailored support that meets their needs; it would enable an increase in the specialist provision required for young people with Additional Support Needs; it would support our pupils and students who have suffered a traumatic experience during the pandemic, with the impact often being felt most acutely by young people already facing disadvantage caused by poverty.”

“For all of these reasons, our politicians must commit in their manifestos to delivering the investment required to deliver education recovery.”

More pupils back from 15th March

Phase 2 of schools return announced

All remaining primary school children are set to return to school full-time from 15 March, with all secondary pupils returning on a part-time basis from that date.

Regulated childcare, including breakfast and after-school clubs, for primary pupils will also re-start on 15 March as part of the Phase 2 return.

From 15 March, all secondary pupils will receive both high quality remote learning and some in-school teaching. Councils will decide how to safely balance in-school learning based on local circumstances and needs.

Senior phase students (S4-S6) who are taking national qualifications will have priority for face-to-face lessons in school.

Updated schools safety guidance to support the phased return will be published next week and Education Scotland will develop practical guidance for schools, which will be also published shortly.

Local authorities will be encouraged to support young people’s wellbeing in other ways – for example, by providing more opportunities for outdoor learning.

Colleges, who can have up to 5% of learners on campus at any one time, will also be able to prioritise senior phase pupils.

The plans are conditional on continued progress on suppressing coronavirus. All pupils are expected to return to full-time schooling after Easter, subject to continued suppression of the virus.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I can confirm that the next phase of reopening education will take place on 15 March. From that date – unless new evidence or new circumstances force us to reconsider – all children in primary 4 to 7 will go back to school on a full-time basis and all primary school children will be able to return to regulated childcare.

“All secondary school pupils will return to spend some time in school from 15 March  – with a clear expectation that all secondary school pupils will be back in school on a full-time basis after the Easter holidays.

“The phased approach to school return is firmly based on the expert advice that we have received. It is the best and also the most sustainable and enduring way to get as many children back to school as possible, as safely as possible.”

All secondary pupils will continue to be required to observe two metre physical distancing while in school in the period immediately after the Phase 2 return. This is in addition to existing measures, including the use of face coverings. School transport will operate with the same physical distancing rules as public transport.

EIS Writes to Party Leaders Urging Support for Vaccinating School Staff

The EIS has written to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Deputy First Minister John Swinney and to the Holyrood leaders of Scotland’s major political parties, calling for their support to vaccinate school staff against Covid.

Last week, the Scottish Government announced that it did not intend to prioritise the vaccination of teachers and the EIS is calling for urgent reconsideration of this position.

In the letter, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan says, “It seems short-sighted of the Scottish Government not to utilise the vaccination tool to ensure continuity of education – an action at odds with the political rhetoric about the importance of education to the lives of our young people.”

The letter continues, “Given the caring role that teachers and other education staff undertake, particularly Early Years, Primary and ASN staff, and the difficulties that there are in maintaining physical distance between staff and pupils in these contexts, in omitting to vaccinate teachers, the Scottish Government will have failed to take appropriate mitigating action of the kind that it has undertaken for other frontline care workers.”

The letter also calls on Government to “consider the impact of teacher absence on the education of young people.

In secondary schools, for example, staff absence over the next period through Covid related reasons could seriously impact on the SQA qualifications. On average staff absences in schools has been around 1,500 per week, at one stage last September peaking at over 2,500.

Clearly this is disruptive to education continuity especially for senior phase secondary pupils, already facing a tight timeline around accreditation processes.”

Calling for school staff to now be prioritised, the letter says, “Whilst the EIS very deliberately did not call for education staff priority within Phase 1 of the programme, as that was very clearly predicated on those most at risk of death, we believe there is scope within Phase 2 to take a different approach as 99% of that ‘at severe risk’ group will have been covered in the first phase.

“Within Phase 1 the Scottish Government chose to reorder the JCVI priorities to accommodate its own policy agenda with regard to care homes and we believe a similar approach should apply to schools.”

An online campaign calling for school staff to be vaccinated, launched on Friday by the EIS, attracted almost 5000 signatures over the weekend. 

Read a copy of the letters here.

Larry Flanagan recording.