Tag: education

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.

Racism in Edinburgh High Schools: ‘Lessons Learned’

A ‘robust set of actions’ setting out how Edinburgh schools should deal with racist incidents has been drawn up by the City of Edinburgh Council.

This follows an independently-overseen inquiry into the handling of racism complaints by Edinburgh’s high schools.

The four main areas highlighted for improvement are:

  • Improving processes to report racist incidents
  • Improving the culture in schools to clearly show zero tolerance of racist conduct
  • Managing racist incidents sensitively and ensuring ongoing support for anyone reporting racist conduct
  • Reviewing the curriculum to ensure it does not perpetuate racist or colonialist attitudes

The move comes after the completion of an investigation into claims made following last year’s Black Lives Matter campaign. The claims were made by former and current pupils who complained that a number of high schools were failing to deal with racist incidents properly and that a culture of racism existed.

The main focus of the investigation was on St Augustine’s and Holy Rood RC High Schools but also included Craigmount, Drummond and Firrhill.  

In total 73 complaints were received via social media and emails, and 30 complainants agreed to be interviewed.

As part of the detailed and wide-ranging inquiry, evidence was gathered through interviews with the complainants, school staff and by examining school records. The three-month long investigation was overseen by an independent equalities adviser.

Although schools demonstrated many effective examples of responding appropriately to alleged racist incidents, the overall conclusion of the investigation was that more could be done within schools to develop a firm anti-racist perspective. 

There was no evidence, however, to support complaints that schools enabled racism.  

Interviews were carried out by senior Council officers skilled at working with young people and trained in equalities and anti-racism.

Parents or supporters were invited to be present during interviews and support was available from the independent third sector agency, Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council. As well as detailing their concerns, complainants were also asked what outcomes they were looking for. 

Complainants have now been issued with a personal letter summarising their complaint and detailing the conclusions and next steps relating to their investigation. They have all been offered face to face meetings to fully discuss the findings and the actions the Council proposes to take.

The authority has committed to auditing its current plans to improve equalities in schools, to ensure that all actions identified from the report are included. 

These include supporting all schools to: appoint pupil and staff equalities co-ordinators, embed additional guidance for dealing with racist incidents and provide staff training to review the curriculum so it does not perpetuate racist or colonialist attitudes.

In addition, an annual equalities award (Saroj Lal award) will shortly be announced.  This has been created in honour of Saroj Lal (1937-2020), Edinburgh’s first Asian primary school teacher and a leading figure in the campaign for race equality and social justice in Scotland. 

It will be launched by summer 2021 and is designed to raise awareness of diversity and equality. The award aims to shine a light on the impact of prejudice and the potential to use art for positive change.  

Councillor Ian Perry, Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Firstly I want to apologise unreservedly to any of our young people who felt their concerns or reports about racism were not taken seriously or that their school has not dealt with any incidents properly.

“I want to thank everyone who has come forward and brought these allegations to light for sharing their personal accounts and recollections and to the staff who took part in the inquiry.

“This will have been very difficult for our young people but hearing their voices has allowed this investigation to take place and has shown clearly what is needed to drive forward positive change in our schools.

“This was a very thorough investigation and as a result we now have a clear and very robust action plan which can only strengthen our commitment to dealing with racism. Ultimately, we all want every young person who attends our schools to feel safe and supported as they go through their education.  I hope that the lessons learned from this investigation will mean that many more young people feel that this will improve as a result.”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Vice Convener for Education, Children and Families at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “I’m so sorry that young people have felt their voices weren’t being heard and have had to resort to being part of this investigation to help bring about change.

“I want to praise them all for showing such strength in coming forward to raise these issues with us. They have all shown great patience and co-operation while their complaints were being investigated. While this will have been a difficult process, it is only by hearing their voices that we can fully understand the experiences that young people have and make improvements.

“Racism is an issue that needs both city and Council-wide action. This is about a change of culture and systems. Although there is positive work taking place across our schools, we fully realise that much more needs to be done. This involves listening to young people who have experienced racism and placing them in the driving seat of our work towards race equality.

“Already, as a direct result of that direct voice, we are working to increase staff training, develop an anti-racist and culturally inclusive curriculum and empower young people with lived experiences across our schools to lead on improving our procedures for the reporting of racist incidents. 

“Delivery is key, and we will do that together.”

Closing The Gap: Proportion of pupils in Higher or Further Education reaches record high

93.3% of pupils had a ’positive destination’ including work, training or further study within three months of leaving school last year, official statistics show.

The proportion of school leavers in higher or further education is at a record high, with 72.2% continuing in education in 2019-20, up from 67.6% in 2018-19.

The statistics highlight the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with the fall in positive destinations from 95.0% last year mostly driven by a decrease in leavers going into work.

The figures also show that for National Qualifications:

  • The proportion of school leavers with one pass or more at SCQF Level 5 (e.g. National 5) or better is 85.7%. In 2009-10 the proportion was 77.1%.
  • The proportion of school leavers with one pass or more at SCQF Level 6 (e.g. Higher) or better is 63.9%. In 2009-10 the proportion was 50.4%

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Despite the challenges of COVID-19, it is heartening to see a continued high proportion of our pupils in positive destinations after leaving school, with a record percentage continuing in further and higher education.

“This year’s statistics clearly highlight the impact of the pandemic on young people, with a sizeable decrease in those entering employment reflecting the limited opportunities in the labour market. We are providing direct support to those affected through the Young Person’s Guarantee which gives every 16-24 year old a job, placement, training or volunteering opportunity.

“The data shows increases in the proportion of school leavers gaining one pass or more at SCQF Level 5 or better, SCQF Level 6 or better and SCQF Level 7. We also see a welcome increase in school leavers choosing vocational qualifications to develop wider skills for the world of work, with more than a fifth (22.5 per cent) now achieving one or more vocational qualification at SCQF Level 5 or better, compared to 7.3 per cent in 2013/14.

“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.

“This commitment is a long-term one, and we know the closure of schools and the cancellation of last year’s exams due to COVID-19 has impacted our progress and made that task harder.

“While official measures of the attainment gap rose slightly over the year, the proportion of leavers from the most deprived areas gaining one pass or more at a given level or better rose at most SCQF levels and the attainment gap is much smaller than it was in 2009/10.

“Over the last 10 years we have seen the gap close significantly at most SCQF levels with the difference in the proportion of school leavers achieving a pass at SCQF Level 6 (Higher or equivalent) or better among those from the least and most deprived areas decreasing by 9.6 percentage points compared to 2009/10.

“We have committed over £300 million in education recovery over this year and next, including to recruit additional teachers and support staff and address digital exclusion. and I am determined to continue to support our young people through these unprecedented times.”

Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations 2021

Focus on ‘catching up’ on lost learning places unnecessary psychological pressure on children and young people

The British Psychological Society is today urging the government to reconsider its emphasis on the idea that children and young people need to ‘catch up’ on their education, and that supporting the wellbeing and educational needs of all children should be a priority.

Psychologists are concerned that focusing on lost learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic misses the mark, particularly for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

With extended school days and potential summer schools being floated as potential solutions to address the perceived educational attainment gap created by the pandemic, educational psychologists from the British Psychological Society’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology are instead advocating for a phased return to regular schooling, combined with a quality-over-quantity approach to key learning.

Where additional school time is a strategy, it should focus on supporting children through socialisation and play.

Psychologists are also highlighting the importance of focusing on what children have learnt and achieved over the past year – thanks to the home-schooling efforts of parents and caregivers and remote-learning provision delivered by teachers and other educational professionals throughout the pandemic.

Dr Dan O’Hare, co-chair of the British Psychological Society’s Division of Educational and Child Psychology said: “It’s absolutely understandable that parents and caregivers are concerned that children have been missing out on many aspects of their formal education over the past year.

“However, the notion that children need to catch up or are ‘behind’ at school due to the pandemic reinforces the idea that children have ‘one shot’ at their education and puts them under even more pressure to perform academically after what has been a challenging and unprecedented time for everyone.

“It’s important to celebrate the progress, learning and development children have made in the last year and ensure that they feel proud of what they’ve achieved so that they can build upon their strengths and continue their key learning moving forward.

”Together, parents, caregivers and teachers have done an amazing job of continuing children’s education outside the school environment, and its vital that this work isn’t diminished.”

The impact of the lockdowns on children’s wellbeing and mental health must be considered as part of the decision-making around the return to school plan.     

“Some children will have had positive lockdown experiences, but we also mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the pandemic has had a huge impact on all children’s everyday lives,” continued Dr O’Hare.

“Many children may have seen their families struggling with sudden unemployment, loss of earnings or grieving the death of a loved one. Vulnerable children and families from disadvantaged communities may have spent the lockdowns wondering where their next meal is going to come from, or how they’re going to keep a roof over their heads.

“Whatever a child or young person’s circumstances, we can’t assume that the right thing to support their recovery and wellbeing is for them is to be in lessons for longer each day. The voice of children and young people has been noticeably missing from this debate and it’s essential that they are consulted and their thoughts and feelings considered as part of the decision-making process about the return to school.”

Research from the Education Endowment Foundation looking at the effect of extending the school day and summer schools on educational attainment, has found that these measures have a low impact but moderate associated costs, suggesting that it is not an effective way to address gaps in children’s learning created by the pandemic.

Evidence also indicates that these interventions aren’t effective in meeting the needs of the vulnerable children who need support the most.

Dr O’Hare, said: “What really makes a difference in children’s attainment is high-quality instruction and high-quality feedback, delivered by teachers, who are best placed to assess children and young people’s gaps in knowledge.

“It’s important that children know that education and learning is a lifelong skill, not a sprint and it’s vital for their psychological wellbeing that the rhetoric around ‘catch up’ doesn’t detract from their achievements and progress during lockdowns.

“It’s also essential that this conversation doesn’t detract from the many real issues facing the most disadvantaged children that more urgently need to be addressed by the government, such as food poverty, access to green spaces, use of digital learning equipment and access to high-speed broadband.

“The government mustn’t lose sight of where they can make a high-impact and tangible difference to children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and subsequently their education.”

Helping your child with S2/3 subject choices

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is offering parents and carers an online opportunity to find out more about how they can help their child make their S2/3 subject choices for the Senior Phase.

Scotland’s Career Service has organised the virtual session on Thursday 25 February which will also give parents and carers information about accessing a wide range of SDS support.

Careers advisers Joan Duncan and Gemma Smith will be providing expert advice for parents and carers of young people in S2 and S3.

Joan said: “Thinking about what options to choose at school can be daunting for young people and their parents and carers. As well as this session, SDS also has a Subject Choices tool on SDS’s My World of Work website which helps pupils explore where options choices can take them.

“It gives young people and their parents and carers the opportunity to explore job profiles, industries, Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships, refine their search by what someone is most interested in and use the tool as many times as they like to find out more about different options. There are other tools to try and the more tools you try, the better career suggestions we can give.”

This virtual event, which is from 6.30pm until 7.15pm, will also have a question and answer session.

To take part please register here.

Schools return: Swinney urges parents to follow the FACTS

With P1 – P3 children and some senior pupils going back to school next week, Deputy First Minister appealed to parents to play their part in making the return a success when he led yesterday’s press briefing:

Mr Swinney said: “As you know, Monday will see children returning to early learning and childcare, and to primaries 1 to 3.   In addition, a very limited number of senior phase students will return to secondary school, for essential work which is required for national qualifications, and which can only be done within school. 

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who are working hard to prepare for this return – that of course includes teachers, childcare providers, school staff and school leaders.  Your efforts are hugely appreciated by me and by the Scottish Government.

This partial return of education is an important milestone.  And there are two specific points I want to make about it today.

The first point concerns testing in schools.

As senior phase pupils, teachers and school staff start to return, we will be making at-home lateral flow tests available to them, twice a week.

Pilot testing programmes have been running in a small number of schools, in recent weeks.  And we are using what we’ve learned from this, to roll the programme out across the country.

As part of that, we have been working closely with the UK Government to get test kits into schools.  This process has obviously been affected by the severe weather that we’ve experienced in recent days. 

However, I can confirm that around 2,500 schools have now received testing kits.  And we expect  any remaining schools will receive their allocations either today or early in next week.

On Tuesday, we issued comprehensive testing guidance to schools and to local authorities.

And we are working with YoungScot to provide online information and support for senior phase pupils who want to take part in the testing programme.

This first phase of testing will include childcare staff based in schools. We are currently working through the practical arrangements for rolling out testing to childcare staff working in other types of nursery settings.  And we will provide further details on those arrangements very soon.

Testing in schools is entirely voluntary – but I would encourage staff and pupils to take the tests, if you are offered them.  The use of testing is a very important addition to the other safety mitigations which are already in place.

Of course, the evidence suggests that the key risk in re‑opening schools isn’t transmission within schools and nurseries – but the greater contact it leads to, among the adult population. 

That brings me to the second point that I would like to make this afternoon. Parents and carers also have a really important role to play, in making the return of education a success.

For example, if you have been working from home up until now, please continue to do so – even if your children are back at school or nursery.   Your employer has a legal obligation to support you in doing that.

Don’t use this return as an opportunity to meet up with other parents or friends.  

And as a general rule, if you find that you are meeting up with more people than you were before, once your children have returned to school, then think about why that is. All of us should be minimizing our social contacts right now. 

In addition, when you are out of the house – at the schools gates for example – please remember to follow the FACTS advice.

For all of us, that advice is perhaps more important now than ever before.  We’re now dealing with a much more transmissible form of the virus.  So we need to respond accordingly – by making it even more difficult for the virus to spread.  

That’s why the Scottish Government is launching a new campaign – to highlight the importance of the FACTS advice and all of the other rules and guidelines.   It emphasises the need for all of us to stay on our guard, even as our vaccination programme is rolled out.

So I want to take this opportunity to quickly run through the five golden rules of FACTS – and why they’re so important:

  • The first is face coverings. In enclosed spaces, face coverings help to protect you, and those around you.  And remember, ahead of next week, face coverings should be worn by parents and carers, when collecting or dropping off your children from school.
  • Avoid crowded places. Covid thrives in a crowd.  So by avoiding these kinds of situations, you minimize the chance of spreading the virus.
  • Clean hands and surfaces – good hand hygiene and regular cleaning remain really important. If you are leaving the house, take hand sanitizer with you – or use it wherever it is provided.
  • Two metre distancing from members of other households. You should always physically distance from other households. Again, that’s maybe especially important to remember as some schoolchildren return. For parents and carers, for example, you should remember to physically distance when you are walking to school or nursery, and when you’re dropping off or collecting your children.
  • And finally self-isolate and book a test if you have symptoms. That is how we identify cases – and stop the spread. If you are identified as a close contact of someone who has Covid, you also need to book a test, and to self-isolate for ten days.

By following each of these points, we can help to make this initial return of education a success.  And we can help to keep each other safe, as the vaccination programme does its work.

However, I want to emphasise that the basic rule at the moment remains the same.  Right now, all of us should be staying at home. 

In any level 4 area – that of course includes all of mainland Scotland – you must only leave the house for essential purposes.

You cannot meet up with other households indoors.

And if you meet up with someone outdoors, you can only meet with one other person from one other household.

These restrictions are really difficult – and I don’t underestimate that for a moment.  But crucially, they are working.

Case numbers are coming down – so too are hospital admissions.

We need to see that trend continue – and so it’s vital that we continue to stick with the restrictions.

That is how we keep the virus under control.

And it’s how we give ourselves the best chance of returning – more quickly – to some form of normality.  

So please continue to do the right thing.

Stay at home, protect the National Health Service and save lives.

And my thanks go once again, to everyone who is doing that.

Plans for Currie Community High School unveiled

Innovative plans and images that will make the new Currie Community High School one of the most energy efficient high schools in Scotland have been unveiled.

The campus will be the first Passivhaus-designed high school in the country setting the standard for energy consumption across school estates. Passivhaus is a rigorous energy standard which reduces the amount of energy needed for heating by up to 90%. It also lowers the total amount of energy used by around 70% and minimises carbon emissions. The new school will support Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.  

At the heart of the new school plans are five core elements: education, inclusion, outdoor learning and sustainability, digital learning and community access.

The school will have a series of learning zones for pupils with breakout areas which include:

  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over 3 levels with dual-teaching classrooms, science labs, technician areas and a learning plaza
  • Languages and Humanities with dual-teaching classrooms, learning plaza and a debating chamber
  • Expressive Arts with music rooms, a recording studio, art studios including a kiln room, dance studios, drama studio and stage
  • Health and Wellbeing with a gym hall, games hall, fitness suite and swimming pool, food technology and hospitality
  • Integrated Support with wellbeing hub, support for learning classroom, a sensory room and a sensory garden

There is a strong emphasis on outdoor learning with the creation of a special terrace on the second floor providing all of the learning zones with immediate access to external teaching spaces.

This focus will shape the curriculum on offer and ensure these outdoor spaces promote sustainability and link lifelong learning to the surrounding grounds of the school and community.  

Health and wellbeing also feature prominently in the designs with the creation of a dedicated wellbeing hub and separate wellness centre to support pupils. The hub will be based in the integrated support zone and is a dedicated room in a quiet location which can be used as part of a planned alternative/flexible timetable to help young people learn in a variety of settings.

The wellness centre will be in the community and sports side of the building and will provide a space for counselling and activities to support improved mental health.

A series of engagement events have been held with staff, pupils from both the high school and cluster primary schools, parents and the local community in the past two years as the plans have been developed.

As a result of this early community engagement the new building will offer the community daytime, evening and weekend access to an intergenerational community hub. Visitors can drop in to the library space in the foyer, access meeting rooms and digital services, visit the café, keep healthy at the gym and pool or enjoy a walk around the grounds.

The new school is one of the projects included in the first phase of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Investment Programme. It will be designed in line with the guiding principles of the Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy and is expected to be completed in 2024.

Jenny Smith, Currie Community High School Head Teacher, said: “We’re incredibly excited as a community about our new school. The designs are coming together beautifully and truly representative of our community vision for education and lifelong learning.

“Our new school is going to be innovative and pioneering in every way, very much flying the Passivhaus flag, and of course, the first of its kind in Scotland. 

“This is an opportunity like no other to venture into the world of 21st century education. Currie Community High School is an ambitious and aspirational school for all with the principles of inclusive practice permeating everything we do. 

“The inclusive spaces in the new build will continue to strengthen our work where the future generations of Currie will benefit from an experience where everyone can reach their amazing potential.  Although, uncertainty will prevail in an unfolding unpredictable world, it is what we can achieve together as a community that best prepares our young people to embrace the exciting unknown.

“The emphasis of our new build will be on enhancing the learner experience through exciting use of new versatile, transformational spaces within learning plazas, break-out areas and classroom settings.

“These spaces, all fit for purpose, will enable learning to take place in a variety of ways, creating conditions where young people can continue to contribute and have impact on the global community that surrounds them.”

Councillor Ian Perry, Education, Children and Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “These are really exciting times for the Currie community as these pioneering designs really are the blueprint for the schools of the future.

“There are so many innovative elements to the plans with energy efficiency at its centre. This will make the new campus the first high school in Scotland to meet Passivhaus standards and supports Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.

“The new Currie Community High School will provide a first-class learning environment and an exciting, inspirational and creative hub for the whole community.

“This is an exciting period for education in the Capital with recent new builds and projects under construction demonstrating our ambitious new school building programme with £500m investment planned over the next 10 years.”

Councillor Alison Dickie, Education, Children and Families Vice Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As a Council we are taking every opportunity to innovatively build schools for the future that are fit for 21st Century learning and the plans for the new Currie Community High School really do tick all the boxes.

“I’m really pleased to see that inclusion and health and wellbeing form key parts of the designs with the creation of the two hubs. It’s so important the new schools support greater accessibility and inclusion for all our young people especially with the immense challenges they have faced in the past year.

“There’s been plenty of positive engagement with parents, pupils and the local community over the past two years which has helped shape these plans and given everyone a real sense of ownership of the new school. We’ll make sure this continues as these exciting designs are taken forward with the new school expected to open its doors in 2024.”

Edinburgh College to host Virtual Open Days

Edinburgh College is hosting Virtual Open Days this week, allowing people thinking of studying in 2021/22 to find out everything there is to know about starting college.

The virtual events – taking place from 10am until 12pm on Friday 19 February and from 10am until 2pm on Saturday 20 February – will give those in attendance the chance to speak to teaching staff about the courses on offer and discover the best study options available to them.

During both Virtual Open Days, prospective students will have the opportunity to: watch videos on application information including funding and student support; speak to college staff via a dedicated Virtual Open Day contact line (0131 297 8300); attend live question and answer sessions with course teams; and watch video presentations showcasing all Edinburgh College subject areas.

Course areas include: Art and Design, Computing and Digital Skills, Performing Arts, Engineering and Built Environment, Childcare, Health Professions, Business and Legal, and much more.

To attend the live question and answer sessions, attendees must register using an online form on the Edinburgh College website: www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/virtual-open-days. These sessions will be hosted on Microsoft Teams; however an account is not required to join.

Edinburgh College Principal Audrey Cumberford (above) said: “We’re looking forward to hosting our first ever Virtual Open Days and meeting lots of prospective new students online ahead of the 2021/22 session.

“The past year has been a challenging time for us all, but Edinburgh College stands ready to continue educating and training the workforce of the future.

“Our College is in prime position to support people who may now require to boost their existing skillset in a digital environment, for instance, or to retrain in a new area. Similarly, we’re here to support those embarking on the first steps in their career journey.

“We have more than 700 courses delivered through a mixture of online and on-campus learning, with expert lecturers and support staff across the piece to guide our students on their way achieving their career goals.”

For more information, visit: www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/virtual-open-days