Local nursery children in Edinburgh were treated to a special visit from Road Safety Scotland character Ziggy this week, to remind them of the importance of staying safe on our roads.
Ziggy visited children at three local nurseries; Pentland Nursery, Wester Coates Nursery School and Little Learners Nursery.
The visits were part of a road safety tour of Early Learning & Childcare Centres (ELCs) designed to equip young children with skills, knowledge and attitudes to help keep them safe on our roads now and later in life.
Together with Ziggy – an alien visiting Earth to learn about road safety – children enjoyed an interactive performance which brings to life road safety messages combining song, role play and crafts.
Multiple immersive learning activity stations, including card games, tested children on their understanding of road safety symbols, noises they’d hear on the roads, and steps to take to cross the road safely. A playmat featuring a town-scape including traffic lights and a zebra crossing also reinforced road safety skills through imaginative play.
Alison Hawkins, Head at Wester Coates Nursery school, said: “The children were very delighted to welcome Ziggy to Wester Coates Nursery School.
“Visits such as these reinforce our own road safety programme, strengthening the important road safety messages we teach and practice. Having fun with Ziggy was a great reminder about safety.”
Debbie Nicol, Assistant Director, Road Safety Scotland, said: “It is important that children are immersed in positive road safety attitudes from a young age, both in the classroom and at home, and we know that early experiences shape children’s future behaviour.
“Ziggy is a fun character with an important message and visits like these help create lasting memories about road safety.”
The Ziggy tour will include visits to Early Learning & Childcare Centres across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, Dundee and Renfrewshire.
Written by children’s author Lynda Kennedy and illustrated by Lynn Taylor, the Go Safe with Ziggy books are a free resource available to all Early Learning and Childcare centres and Primary 1 classes in Scotland, and parents, carers and teachers have access to online resources and activity ideas. The Ziggy series is also available in Scots and Gaelic.
Books can be ordered for free on roadsafety.scot/ziggy-order.
For more information about Go Safe with Ziggy, visitroadsafety.scot/ziggy-online.
Details are also available on Road Safety Scotland’s social media channels: Facebook @roadsafetyscotland and X @RoadSafetyScot.
Hundreds of school leaders will benefit from extra training opportunities to further develop their leadership skills, helping to improve job satisfaction and bring benefits to the schools where they work.
The Scottish Government is contributing £400,000 to the Head Teacher Leadership Academy (HTLA), run by Columba 1400, with the Hunter Foundation matching this with an additional £400,000.
The total investment will enable up to 280 school leaders to strengthen their own development and enhance outcomes for pupils, staff and communities. The HTLA focuses on how school heads see themselves as social leaders.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth met with head teachers and deputy head teachers who have taken part in the HTLA during a visit to Royal High School in Barnton, where she formerly taught.
Ms Gilruth said: “As a former teacher, I have seen first-hand the pivotal role that head teachers and deputy heads have at the heart of schools and across the wider community.
“They help drive up standards in classrooms, and this has resulted in clear improvements in attainment nationally and better futures for children and young people. They also provide invaluable support to teachers and staff in their schools, improving the working environment and ensuring everyone feels valued and able to be at their best in the classroom.
“The Head Teacher Leadership Academies are a proven success and I know that participation will ensure heads and deputy heads will get the time and support to reflect on their values and strengthen leadership, enabling them to create lasting change in their schools and communities.
“This investment is part of the Scottish Government’s wider support for the teaching profession, which also includes the recently-launched ‘Teaching Makes People’ recruitment campaign.”
Sir Tom Hunter said: “School leaders are the secret sauce to Scotland’s future, enabling the next generation to flourish and that’s precisely why we should invest in their values based leadership.
“The results are phenomenal and that’s why I’d like to see every head and deputy head teacher in Scotland go through the Columba 1400 Head Teacher Leadership Academies.”
Marie Clare Tully, Chief Executive of Columba 1400, said: “This investment allows us to reach even more Head Teachers and Deputy Head Teachers across Scotland.
“It is a privilege to be alongside school leaders as they pause, reflect and reconnect with their values. We see each and every day how this experience contributes to creating the conditions for cultural change through values-based leadership.
“We are grateful to the Scottish Government for their re-investment and to The Hunter Foundation for their continued support and their belief in what is possible.”
Columba 1400 is a Scottish charity founded in 1997 and opened in 2000, dedicated to helping young people, especially those from tough realities, and the key adults in their lives discover their leadership potential through values-based leadership academies.
The Head Teachers’ Leadership Academyequips senior professionals in education with the confidence, resilience, and skills they need to create lasting change in their school and communities.
2026 is both an election year and the National Year of Reading — a year when literacy, libraries and the future of our young people should be firmly at the top of the political agenda.
Across the UK and around the world, governments are taking decisive action to tackle declining literacy and reinvest in school libraries. Yet Scotland, once regarded as a leader in library provision, now risks falling behind.
When Vibrant Libraries, Thriving Schools launched in 2018, Scotland was setting the pace. We were seen as progressive — a nation that recognised libraries as essential to education, wellbeing and community life. Today, however, the landscape is shifting, and not in our favour.
Recent months have brought renewed focus on education, reading for pleasure and school libraries, but largely south of the border. England has committed to delivering a library in every primary school by 2029, backed by more than £10 million in dormant assets, alongside £5 million to provide every secondary school with new library books.
Wales has pledged dedicated funding for its National Year of Reading. Meanwhile in Scotland, funding gaps, inconsistent provision and ageing facilities are undermining the vital role libraries play in literacy, learning and community wellbeing.
Across our 32 local authorities, school library provision is fragmented. Only five authorities — just 16% — offer full professional librarian coverage in secondary schools, while at least five have none at all. More than a third rely on assistants, teaching staff or volunteers, despite clear evidence that professionally trained librarians are essential for literacy, information skills and wellbeing.
Recent developments only show the situation worsening. Qualified librarians are being replaced, dedicated library spaces reduced, and purpose-built libraries moved into smaller rooms with sharply curtailed stock and access. Some areas are exploring new models to stretch limited resources but these often involve cutting trained roles and introducing inconsistent provision with little central oversight. These are not minor operational changes, they signal a systemic unravelling of Scotland’s school library infrastructure.
The evidence is clear. Research by the University of Edinburgh and Scottish Book Trust shows school librarians foster reading enjoyment, create inclusive spaces, support minority pupils and strengthen personal development. A CILIPS-funded study found librarians are uniquely placed to tackle misinformation, yet lack of time, training and recognition prevents them from doing so. In an age of disinformation, this should be a wake-up call.
At the same time, National Literacy Trust data shows reading enjoyment among children and young people has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years. Only one in three enjoy reading, fewer than one in five read daily and one in ten children in Scotland does not own a single book. Boys, pupils from lower-income families and those in disadvantaged communities are disproportionately affected.
Scotland’s latest Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels report shows record-high literacy attainment and narrowing gaps, yet school libraries are absent from the narrative. This omission is striking. The challenges highlighted — uneven engagement, slower progress for some groups and persistent inequality — are precisely where school libraries make the greatest difference.
Reading for pleasure remains the strongest predictor of a child’s future success, more powerful than parental income. Being read to at age five is a protective factor against poverty at age 30. Libraries are not cultural luxuries, they are engines of social mobility.
Other nations understand this. Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands are investing heavily in school libraries and staffing. Scotland, meanwhile, is cutting posts, shrinking spaces and relying on goodwill to sustain essential services.
SLIC’s vision statement, Securing the Future of Scotland’s Libraries, sets out what is needed: sustainable funding, modern facilities, protected professional roles and universal standards. Without decisive action to make libraries financed, fairer and future-proofed, Scotland risks entrenching a postcode lottery of literacy and opportunity.
As we approach the 2026 Holyrood election, MSPs face a clear choice. With strong evidence, a practical vision and broad public support, you can secure libraries as essential infrastructure at the heart of Scotland’s learning, wellbeing and future prosperity. Or you can allow further erosion that deepens inequalities and limits life chances for the next generation.
Scotland once led the way. We can do so again — but only if we act now, with ambition that matches the opportunity our communities deserve.
Yours sincerely,
ALISON NOLAN
Chief Executive of the Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC)
Spending on schools across Scotland has increased by more than £1 billion in real terms over the past decade, official statistics show.
Data published this week shows that local authority funding across Primary, Secondary and Special schools rose to £7 billion in 2024-25, up 19.7% from £5.8 billion in 2014-15.
Average spending per pupil across Primary and Secondary schools also rose by more than £1,000 in real terms over the same period, reaching £8,683.
Local government education expenditure in Scotland in 2024-25 was £8.3 billion, which is 27% higher than in 2014-15 in real terms – a cash terms increase of 71%.
Pre-primary education expenditure has more than doubled in real terms over the past decade to £1.1 billion in 2024-25, up from £516 million in 2015-16, with 95% of this going on the delivery of the 1140 hours early learning and childcare offer.
Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said: “This investment underlines the Scottish Government’s commitment to education, working in partnership with councils, and means Scotland has the best paid teachers in the UK, the lowest pupil-teacher ratio and the highest education spending per head in the UK.
“Schools are delivering literacy and numeracy attainment at the highest levels on record, with a record low attainment gap for literacy and numeracy in primary and secondary schools. Attendance has improved, class sizes are smaller, and there are more teachers in Scotland’s classrooms.
“Last year’s exam results also showed there were more passes at every level compared to 2024, while the total number of Higher entries passed the landmark 200,000 level for the first time since Curriculum for Excellence was introduced in 2010. We have also made strong progress on widening access to higher education regardless of background or circumstance, with record numbers of young Scots in 2025 securing university places in Scotland who will benefit from free tuition.
“As we reflect on progress over the past ten years we are also looking to the future with local authorities and headteachers, to agree how best we might collectively go further and faster.”
Higher entries rising but still below pre-pandemic levels: Higher entries in French, German and Spanish have risen for the second consecutive year, 5,885 to 6,110, (4 per cent) but remain 16 per cent below 2019 levels, with French down 31 per cent and German down 24 per cent
Strong foundations at primary and S1: 99 per cent of primary schools are now teaching languages and the proportion of S1 learners studying more than one language has jumped from 52 per cent to 63 per cent over the last year
Multilingual classrooms: Teachers reported over 100 different home and heritage languages spoken in responding secondary schools, from Polish and Ukrainian to Arabic and Urdu, while home and heritage language exam provision has increased from 29 per cent in 2024 to 36 per cent in 2025
Spanish retains top spot: Spanish remains the most popular language for qualification across the senior phase in Scotland
Structural barriers increasing: Classes do not run in 59 per cent of responding local authority secondary schools if numbers are too low (up from 52 per cent last year), with over a third of the secondary schools (35 per cent) now requiring a minimum of 10 pupils (up from 25 per cent).
Uneven access: Over 70 per cent of schools in the most deprived areas report classes not running due to low numbers, compared to 50 per cent in the most affluent areas
Scotland has the foundations for a multilingual success story, but a new British Council report published today (Thursday 5 February) warns that growing barriers in secondary schools could threaten future progress.
The new Language Trends Scotland report highlights strong language teaching in primary schools and rising numbers of senior pupils sitting language exams. But it reveals that structural barriers from minimum class sizes to timetabling constraints are increasing at secondary level.
Conducted by Queen’s University Belfast, the report surveyed 169 local authority primary schools, 114 local authority secondary schools and 12 independent schools across 29 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
At primary level, 99 per cent of responding schools are teaching languages, with one in five embedding language learning into daily classroom routines. This could reflect the impact of Scottish Government’s 1+2 language policy, which aims to give all children the opportunity to learn two languages in addition to their mother tongue, starting from Primary 1. Teachers say the two biggest challenges for primary languages remain teacher confidence and finding time in the curriculum.
The vast majority of responding primary schools (89 per cent) have learners for whom English is an Additional Language. Primary schools report that home and heritage languages are actively included and celebrated through cultural events, language ambassador programmes, and multilingual books in classrooms and libraries.
In the early years of secondary, the proportion of S1 learners studying more than one language has increased from 52 per cent in 2024 to 63 per cent this year. French is taught to all learners in 81 per cent of responding schools at S1, and Spanish to all learners in 49 per cent of schools.
There are also positive signs at S4, when pupils start to make choices about subjects and typically sit National 5 qualifications, with fewer schools reporting a declining uptake: 22 per cent compared to 35 per cent last year.
Entries for French and Spanish have increased at National level, with Spanish retaining its position as Scotland’s most popular language for qualification. However, German entries have declined by nine per cent since last year. For Highers, exam entries in French, German and Spanish all increased, with combined entries up four per cent since 2024 (from 5,885 to 6,110).
However, this growth is from a low base. Higher entries in modern languages remain 16 per cent below pre-pandemic levels (7,255 in 2019 compared to 6,110 in 2025). Advanced Higher entries are down 25 per cent over the same period (1,200 in 2019 compared to 895 in 2025).
Despite rising entries, structural barriers are increasing, the report finds that classes do not run in 59 per cent of responding local authority secondary schools if there are not enough learners, up from 52 per cent last year. Over a third (35 per cent) of schools now require a minimum of 10 pupils for a class to go ahead, up from a quarter (25 per cent) last year.
Teachers described timetabling constraints and finding time within a crowded curriculum as key challenges to providing high-quality language learning. In 54 per cent of responding secondary schools, timetabling prevents some learners from taking a language. Over a third (36 per cent) of responding secondary schools report that recruitment of qualified language teachers is an issue, though this has improved from 41 per cent last year.
These barriers are not evenly distributed. Over 70 per cent of schools in the most deprived areas report classes not running due to low numbers, compared to 50 per cent of schools in the most affluent areas. Schools in more affluent areas are also more likely to offer German at qualification level, of the 35 schools offering National 5 German, 24 are in the two most affluent quintiles.
Where schools struggle to maintain languages at senior phase, some are turning to further education partnerships. Learners in 38 per cent of local authority secondary schools with Higher and/or Advanced Higher provision are taking Edinburgh College classes online to access language qualifications their own school cannot offer.
Provision for heritage language qualifications has increased at secondary level, with 36 per cent of local authority secondary schools now facilitating exams in home or community languages, up from 29 per cent last year.
A further 19 per cent enable pupils to sit these exams elsewhere. Schools collectively offer qualifications in Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin, Polish, Russian and Urdu alongside the main European languages.
The findings come as the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed the Scottish Languages Bill in June 2025, giving Gaelic and Scots official status. Higher entries for Gaelic (Learners) increased this year from 50 to 70 entries.
For the first time, the report explores the use of AI and apps in language teaching. In secondary schools, 8 per cent of responding teachers use AI regularly for lesson preparation, assessment and class activities, with a further 58 per cent using it occasionally.
At primary level, adoption is lower, with 47 per cent of teachers reporting they do not yet use AI, being unsure of what it can do. Teachers describe AI use as exploratory, using it to create texts and comprehension questions.
According to the survey, 66 per cent of responding secondary schools plan international trips, and the proportion of schools with international partner schools has increased to 28 per cent, up from 23 per cent last year, while over a third of schools engage with cultural institutes including the Confucius Institute, Goethe-Institut and Institut français.
Claire de Braekeleer, Director of British Council Scotland, said:“At a time of global uncertainty, language skills are not a luxury, they are an essential. Learning a language opens doors, builds bridges, and fosters the kind of cultural understanding that our world urgently needs.
“This report shows we have strong foundations in Scotland to build on. At the British Council we are committed to working with education and public sector partners to address barriers, champion language learning, and equip the next generation with the skills to connect, collaborate, and compete globally.”
Dr Ian Collen, who co-led the research at Queen’s University Belfast, added: “As AI accelerates, human language becomes indispensable.
“Machines can automate, but they can’t create the cultural understanding or human connection that languages ignite. For Scotland’s young people, languages are gateways to opportunity and a voice in our fast-changing world.”
Language Trends Scotland forms part of the wider Language Trends series which covers all UK nations. The series began in 2002 with Language Trends England, with annual surveys in Wales since 2015, biennial surveys in Northern Ireland since 2019, and annually in Scotland since 2024.
The report is being launched at the Institut Français d’Écosse on 5 February as part of Languages Week Scotland, bringing together educators, policy makers and practitioners to discuss the findings and share examples of good practice from schools across Scotland.
Endowed Chair of Rheumatology retires from University of Edinburgh
Professor Stuart Ralston retired from his position as Arthritis UK’s Endowed Chair of Rheumatology at the University of Edinburgh and a Festschrift event was held in his honour (January 29).
Professor Ralston has had a decorated career in rheumatology, including holding the position as Arthritis UK’s Endowed Chair for over 20 years. His research focused on the management of bone and joint disease, with a special interest in Paget’s disease.
Professor Ralston’s research has benefitted patients and influenced policy. His medical education contributions have benefitted students globally and his contribution to medicines regulation has saved many lives, notably through his oversight of emergency approval of COVID-19 vaccines as chair of the Commission on Human Medicines.
He was recently (December 2025) duly recognised for these contributions by being awarded the Royal Society of Edinburgh Sir James Black Medal.
Professor Ralston said: “A highlight of my career has been the work in Paget’s disease of the bone, looking at the genetic basis of the condition and doing clinical trials to establish optimal treatment strategies.
“I’ve also enjoyed bringing in new people and seeing them make their own way over the years. It’s been a privilege. I have been lucky to reach the top of my profession.
“While I will be sad to leave, I have still got some outstanding projects to finish off during my retirement and am looking forward to having more time to spend with my family and friends.”
To commemorate his achievements Professor Ralston attended a Festschrift event, where his closest colleagues and collaborators gathered to share warm remarks and celebrate his contributions to the field.
Arthritis UK’s Head of Research Strategy, Sarah Rudkin, attended the event and said: “Professor Ralston has led the field on the molecular and genetic basis of osteoporosis and Paget’s disease for the benefit of people living with these conditions.
“We greatly value his long-standing relationship with Arthritis UK and the varied contributions that he has made to the work of the charity. It’s been a privilege to support him throughout his professional endeavours, and we wish him a joyful retirement.”
Professor Cosimo de Bari, specialist in osteoarthritis and stem cell therapies, has been appointed the new Arthritis UK Endowed Chair of Rheumatology.
Deborah Alsina MBE, Arthritis UK Chief Executive, said: “The position of Endowed Chair at Edinburgh was established to create a nucleus for rheumatology research.
“Professor Ralston’s work has been a testament to our joint commitment to expanding knowledge, improving practice and bettering the lives of those who live who live with these often-debilitating conditions.
“It has been an honour to endorse his successes from his pivotal research developments and clinical trials to his PhD mentorships. He has truly been instrumental in defining the contemporary landscape of rheumatology.
“We are delighted to welcome Professor Cosimo de Bari to this prestigious position and are eager to support him as we journey together towards a cure.”
Professor David Argyle, Head of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, said: “Established nearly 50 years ago, the Endowed Chair recognises the University’s long-standing excellence in the field of rheumatology.
“Professor Ralston has been central to this endeavour, advancing research to improve patient outcomes worldwide.
“As we celebrate his achievements and bid him a congratulatory farewell, we are equally thrilled to welcome Professor Cosimo de Bari to the position, and look forward to continuing our valued partnership with Arthritis UK to champion innovative research.”
ASH Scotland is urging high school teachers and youth workers in Edinburgh to use the health charity’s updated resource packs to inspire young people to make confident, informed decisions to protect their long-term health by not taking up smoking or vaping.
The Tobacco-free School and Youth packs, which each feature 30 engaging activities that can be used in lessons and group sessions, are being published by the health charity as the major public health issues of youth smoking and vaping are causing ongoing concern for teachers, parents and people working with children.
The packs provide facts and statistics covering a range of topics such as ‘Smoking and mental health’, ‘Smoking, vaping and peer pressure’, ‘Being confidently nicotine-free’ and features new exercises on nicotine pouches to support the delivery of personal and social education classes or for youth group activities across various subjects.
Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive for ASH Scotland, said: “As concerned teachers and youth workers across Scotland regularly contact us for information about tobacco and nicotine products such as vapes and pouches, we have produced updated resource packs with robust, evidence-based content to engage and empower young people in Edinburgh to make informed decisions about protecting their health and wellbeing.
“Our Tobacco-free School and Youth packs are especially designed to be effective learning aids to facilitate classwork and activities to help equip children to increase their knowledge about the health risks associated with smoking, vaping and using nicotine pouches.”
Lady Smith, Chair of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), has today, Wednesday 28 January, published her findings relating to the provision of residential care for children at Fettes College in Edinburgh.
She concludes that, over at least four decades, from the 1950s, pupils were regularly subjected to appalling abuse at Fettes.
The school repeatedly failed to act upon complaints. Multiple opportunities to prevent dreadful suffering were missed or ignored.
The findings are part of SCAI’s overall boarding schools case study and echo the kinds of abuse that occurred at Loretto School, Morrison’s Academy, Gordonstoun, Queen Victoria School, Merchiston Castle School, Keil School, and boarding schools run by male religious orders, namely the Benedictines, the Christian Brothers, and the Marist Brothers.
Fettes College was established in 1870 using funds from the estate of Sir William Fettes and was intended to follow the model of other boarding schools in Scotland and England.
The school was, until 1972, a boys-only boarding school. The first female day pupils started in 1972, and Fettes became fully co-educational in 1983. It was and is a school for fee-paying pupils and recipients of bursaries and scholarships.
Accounts of life at Fettes until the end of the 1980s were remarkably consistent. Living conditions were basic, and day-to-day responsibility for keeping order fell on senior pupils, while staff were remote, with limited, if any, oversight.
In this environment abuse was able to flourish for decades.
Lady Smith said: ‘Children were wholly failed by the school. They could have been readily protected, and it is shameful that did not happen.
‘Had complaints been listened to and acted upon at the outset, many children would have been saved from abuse. The suffering they still endure, over 50 years later in the 2020s, could all have been prevented.
‘Children were sexually abused, they were physically abused, and they were emotionally abused. Members of staff sexually abused children from the 1950s until the 1980s.
‘The perpetrators included a headmaster, Anthony Chenevix-Trench, and some teachers including Iain Wares.
‘Wares was 27 when he moved to Edinburgh from his home in Cape Town, South Africa in 1967. He had been working as a teacher at St George’s Grammar School in Cape Town but had resigned from his post on account of incidents of what he referred to as “playing around with small boys”.
‘In the course of his career the norm became that he was “asked to leave” teaching jobs “quietly on account of similar incidents”.
‘He arrived in Edinburgh having been referred to Professor Henry Walton, consultant psychiatrist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, by a South African consultant with a view to “curing” him of what is described in his medical records as “homosexuality (liking for young boys)” and a “personality disorder – dependent type”.
‘Wares was employed as a teacher in Edinburgh between 1968 and 1979, first at The Edinburgh Academy and then at Fettes. He was not “cured”. Rather, he was and remained a prolific abuser of children.
‘He preyed on them. He had a predilection for touching young boys sexually that he could not control. At times, he could not control his temper either, resulting in children being subjected by him to brutal assaults.’
Lady Smith’s findings also highlight the repeated failure of Professor Walton to take appropriate action.
Lady Smith added: ‘Many children were harmed by Wares, and many are still suffering the effects of his abuse, which was appalling both in its nature and in its extent. Children suffered dreadfully.
‘They were failed by Henry Walton who knew that Wares was abusing children and that his dangerous predilections were never “cured”.
‘Walton wholly failed to prioritise the protection of children and failed to lead his team appropriately.
‘He insisted that Wares should continue to teach children despite his ongoing paedophilia, despite him not being “cured” of his problems, and despite both his wife and his GP making it clear that they thought Walton was being utterly irresponsible in doing so.
‘Although Fettes resolved to dismiss Wares in 1975, it kept him on in its employment as a teacher until 1979.’
Former headmaster Anthony Chenevix-Trench’s protection of abusers has also been highlighted in the findings.
Lady Smith said: ‘Chenevix-Trench was appointed as head of Fettes having previously been head of Eton College. Fettes hoped that appointing a man who had been head of Eton would enhance its reputation.
‘He was in fact a man who was unfit to be appointed to lead a school on account of his having lost the trust of senior masters at Eton, having a problem with drink, and having a propensity to beat boys excessively.
‘He was appointed despite these matters having been expressly disclosed to Fettes by Eton. Chenevix-Trench was also attracted to young blond teenagers at Eton, a predilection of which the provost of Eton College was aware.
‘He protected two, and possibly more, members of staff who had, to his knowledge, abused children at Fettes.’
Children were physically abused at Fettes both by teachers and by other children. There was also a culture of silence; children feared retribution and being ostracised if they complained.
Emotional abuse of children by other children was also common, and following the introduction of co-education female pupils were the targets of serious and regular misogyny which persisted into the twenty-first century. They were treated as second-class citizens in a way that was tolerated by the school.
Racism was also prevalent at Fettes well into the twenty-first century. Mocking by staff and pupils of anyone who was not British was normalised into the 1990s. Black or Asian pupils experienced violence or threats of violence from other pupils.
There were nonetheless children throughout the period covered in evidence who were not abused and had positive experiences at the school, which they value. Some of those who were abused also had positive experiences.
Recent leaders have reflected carefully since their first response to SCAI in 2017 at which time they did not accept that there were any systemic failures.
They now acknowledge there were shortcomings at Fettes in decades long past, as well as more recently.
Lady Smith said: ‘Applicants and other witnesses continue to come forward to the Inquiry with relevant evidence about boarding schools and this will be considered as part of a continuing process.
‘I would encourage anyone who has relevant information on any aspect of our work to get in touch with our witness support team.’
FETTES COLLEGE RESPONDED THIS AFTERNOON:
Open Letter to the Fettes Community
28th January 2026
I write to you today on receipt of the newly published report into Fettes by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry chaired by Lady Smith. We were one of eight boarding schools covered by this Inquiry.
The report makes for very difficult reading. We do not shrink from the criticism levelled at the school and accept the Inquiry’s findings that there were significant shortcomings.
Many young people were failed by those in positions of authority at Fettes, who could and should have acted differently. Their actions fell well below the standards expected and would be utterly unthinkable at the Fettes of today.
To our former pupils who suffered abuse at Fettes, we are truly sorry and make a full and unreserved apology to you. We also extend our deepest gratitude to those of you who bravely came forward. We understand that nothing can undo the past, but we sincerely hope that having your voices heard through the Inquiry can be a step towards healing for everyone who suffered.
The accounts of those who have given evidence to the Inquiry describing their time at school and the abuse they endured are now part of the school’s history. We have listened, we have reflected and we have learned.
The culture at our school today is unrecognisable from the past, and we are encouraged that Lady Smith’s report notes the positive findings of our 2025 Inspections by Education Scotland and the Care Inspectorate.
However, we will never be complacent.
On behalf of the Board of Governors and the Leadership Team, I affirm our unwavering commitment to the care and protection of the children in our school.
Scottish Higher Education Minister Ben Macpherson delivered a strong welcoming message to Indian students at the INSA India-Scotland Student Leadership Summit 2026 held at the Scottish Parliament yesterday (22 January 2026).
Addressing 78 Indian student leaders representing 9 Scottish universities, he emphasised that Scotland values their contribution and wants to see more Indian students choosing Scottish universities.
The summit comes amid ongoing UK-wide debate over international student policy and graduate migration routes, placing Scotland’s position in contrast to proposed national measures. It brought together Indian students from universities across Scotland and marked the first event in INSA UK’s year-long 10th anniversary celebrations under the banner “INSA@10: Ten Years of Empowering Indian Students in the UK.”
In his address to students, Minister Macpherson made clear Scotland’s position on the proposed international student levy, stating that Scotland does not support the measure. He emphasized that the Scottish Government values the significant contribution Indian and international students make to Scotland’s economy and growth, and expressed his desire to welcome more Indian students to Scotland’s universities.
The Minister’s attendance at the summit represented his first direct engagement with the Indian student community in Scotland, lending significant weight to the government’s commitment to international education partnerships.
Siddharth Malik, Consul General of India in Edinburgh, reinforced the Minister’s message by describing the relationship as “a two-way partnership” where Indian students bring potential that helps Scotland grow and nurture talent. He highlighted the deep historical ties between India and Scotland that have strengthened over the years.
Sue Webber MSP, who hosted the event at Holyrood, welcomed the continued growth of Indian students into Scottish universities. A former hockey player who actively promotes sport, Webber called on attendees to support the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Scotland this year, drawing a natural connection between sport, inclusivity, and the Commonwealth ties that bind India and Scotland.
The summit featured the launch of the INSA@10 logo, symbolizing a decade of service since the organization’s founding in 2016 at the High Commission of India in London. What began as a small initiative has grown into the UK’s largest Indian student network, now representing over 100,000 students across more than 50 universities.
Professor Sue Rigby of Edinburgh Napier University praised the “immense talent and technical caliber” of Indian students, emphasizing her university’s industry-oriented Polytechnic heritage. She stressed the shared responsibility of universities and employers to ensure Indian students “don’t just land in Scotland, but are given the inclusive pathways to truly take root in the economy.”
A panel discussion explored the skills and mindsets needed to navigate Scotland’s professional landscape. Professor Neville Wylie of the University of Stirling connected the concept of “Scottish Grit” to the determination required in a global economy.
Professor Brad Mackay of the University of St Andrews addressed intensifying global competition for talent, urging students to remain self-reflective and deeply engaged with the educational ecosystem.
Professor Moyra Boland of the University of Glasgow noted that “seeing Indian women walking in sarees represented a visible blend of confidence, intelligence, and determination,” emphasizing that cultural inclusivity is essential for students to thrive and contribute to the Scottish economy.
Dr Chris Yeomans of the University of Edinburgh discussed preparing Indian students to lead Scotland’s workforce in an AI-driven future, with Edinburgh committed to “redefining graduate skills” to ensure technically gifted students move beyond entry-level roles.
Amit Tiwari, INSA UK National President, outlined the organization’s role as “a voice of hope for anyone facing challenges,” providing support and assistance whenever students need help.
Puneet Dwivedi MBEdescribed INSA as “a crucial bridge for networking, representation, and leadership development,” helping students transition into meaningful professional engagement in Scotland.
Abhishek Bhatia inspired students by highlighting how immigration processes have evolved, making it easier for students to pursue opportunities today.
Also in attendance was Dr Poonam Mallik, Chair and Co-founder of MicroplateDx and former Board Member of Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International. The event was co-hosted by Aishwarya Raman, INSA Scotland Lead, and Aadhi Saravanan, University of Glasgow INSA Lead. The South Asian Network supported the event as the media partner.
The India-Scotland Student Leadership Summit represents the beginning of a year-long series of INSA@10 events that will take place across the UK throughout 2026, celebrating a decade of empowering Indian students and building the next generation of leaders.
