Edinburgh’s school cooks are top of the class

The City of Edinburgh Council has become the first council in Scotland to achieve the Soil Association’s Bronze Food for Life Catering Mark award for all its schools.

The award-winning menus feature even more freshly prepared meals, made with seasonal and local produce as well as only farm-assured meat and free range eggs.

The three organisations that cater for Edinburgh’s schools – the Council’s in-house catering service, Amey and Chartwells – have been working with Soil Association Scotland for several months to ensure that all school menus across the city meet the bronze standards. This ensures dishes contain no harmful additives and that at least 75% of dishes are freshly prepared.

school meal menu

The bronze award comes at an important time for school food in Edinburgh, with free school meals for P1 – P3 pupils having just been launched and school meal uptake higher than for many years.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “It’s so important for our young people to learn about how food relates to issues such as health, the economy and our environment.

“Schools in Edinburgh are already working hard to achieve this and the Food for Life Catering Mark award helps demonstrate the vital role cooks can play in helping pupils understand the importance of good food.

“The bronze award is a fantastic achievement, and I think it’s important to note that this has been delivered in conjunction with the service delivering a free school meal to P1-3s. Not only are we delivering free school meal to our youngest pupils, but a better school meal to all our pupils.”

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Environment Convener, added: “Achieving the Bronze Food for Life Catering Mark award for Edinburgh’s school food is an important way for us to reassure parents and pupils that school food providers in the city care deeply about the quality of the service they offer.

“I think there truly is no better option for lunch than a nutritionally-balanced school meal, and our cooks can be proud of serving fresh, tasty food to young people across the city.”

Soil Association Scotland’s Director, Laura Stewart said: “Achieving the Food for Life Catering Mark award across all Edinburgh schools has been a challenge for everybody involved, but what an achievement it is.

“How fantastic to think that every morning, in schools across the capital, hundreds of cooks are freshly preparing tens of thousands of meals using quality produce, helping to ensure that Edinburgh’s young people can benefit from fresh, tasty and nutritious food at school.”

Childcare: some training places still available

We still have a few places available on our Mini Childcare Taster Course being held on Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd January.

We also have a limited number of free places available for young people still at school who are ineligible for ILA.

I have attached a poster and a booking form (see below) if you would like to book a place:

Mini Childcare Taster – Child Development

SHORT COURSE BOOKING FORM – New

Audrey O’Neill
Training Administrator, North Edinburgh Childcare
18b Ferry Road Avenue
Edinburgh EH4 4BL

Telephone 0131 311 6931

www.northedinburghchildcare.co.uk

Bridging the gap in Scotland’s schools

Bridging the attainment gap between rich and poorer children is the focus of the Scottish Parliament’s Education Committee this year:

The progress being made by the Scottish Government in reducing the educational attainment gap will be explored by the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee as it begins a year long piece of work on the issue.

Recent figures show a large difference between the average attainment of pupils in the most and least deprived areas. For example, only 28% of children from poorer families perform well in numeracy, compared to 56% of those from advantaged backgrounds. Children from poorer families are also more likely to leave school early and without a qualification.

The Scottish Government has recently committed to’pick up the pace’ in closing the differences in attainment between children from the most and least disadvantaged backgrounds. The Committee will monitor progress and consider how successfully this commitment is being delivered by all bodies.

Committee Convener, Stewart Maxwell MSP, said: “Ensuring that all Scotland’s children realise their educational potential is something everyone supports. But the persistent and significant differences in attainment suggest many of Scotland’s children may never fulfil their potential.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning recently made clear that raising attainment in schools is her “number one priority” and there is a great deal of work underway. We want to be clear about the progress being made and what still needs to change. The Committee will be looking for firm evidence that significant and sustainable improvement is being delivered.

“We have committed to looking at this issue over the course of 2015. We are determined to hold the Scottish Government and other bodies to account for their performance on an issue of fundamental importance to pupils and parents across the country.

“We will add further value to the debate by looking at specific issues around attainment in more depth. We intend to make a positive contribution by encouraging public discussion on ideas that could make a real difference to narrowing the gap.”

The Committee’s work on attainment will be in three parts. The first part will involve the Committee holding a series of evidence sessions to explore specific issues that have an impact on attainment:

a session on the implications for schools, teachers, and pupils of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce (the ‘Wood report’);
followed by an evidence session looking at how parents and guardians can work with schools to raise all pupils’ attainment, particularly those whose attainment is lowest;
finally, the role of the third sector and the private sector in improving the attainment and achievement of all school pupils, particularly those whose attainment is lowest.

Later in 2015, the Committee will plan an inquiry into the attainment of pupils with physical disabilities. The Committee’s work will conclude by taking evidence from the Scottish Government and local authorities on the outcomes achieved by their efforts to improve attainment.

The Committee is now looking for views on the following evidence sessions:

Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce (Wood Report)

If the Wood report were fully implemented, what would be the likely impact on attainment in schools and which pupils would benefit most?
The report aims to significantly enhance vocational content “without splitting young people off into separate streams at school age”. What would be the disadvantages of such an approach and how could they be avoided?
Does the report – which includes a section on improving equalities – place enough emphasis on pupils’ socio-economic inequalities and how these could be overcome?

Role of parents and guardians in helping to raise attainment

Do schools always explain clearly to parents how children learn throughout their school years and how parents could help their development?
Do schools offer particular support to the parents of pupils from the most disadvantaged communities, in order to improve the attainment of those pupils?
Has greater parental involvement in school education through the Parental Involvement Act (2006) led to an improvement in pupil attainment?

Role of the third sector and the private sector in improving attainment and achievement for all school pupils, particularly those whose attainment is lowest

What is the scale of the third and private sectors’ involvement in schools, in terms of improving attainment and achievement, and what is the appropriate dividing line between their role and the role of education authorities?
Is the full potential of the third and private sectors in helping to improve children’s attainment and achievement being realised?
How successful have schools been in reporting on pupils’ wider achievements (i.e. not just examination results) such as those the third sector helps to deliver?

Still time to get it right …

Getting It Right For Every Child introduction and refresher course

There is still time to book your place on the GIRFEC introduction and refresher course on 27 January at Spartans Community Football Academy.

This training session will be of interest to all staff working with children and young people and/or parents/carers. It will be of particular interest to those who wish to build confidence in the Getting It Right approach and for those who have had no previous training or wish to update/refresh previous training.

To book your place contact tracey.devenney@edinburgh.gov.uk or telephone 0131 529 5073.

More free school meals now on the menu

Free school meals now on the menu for all P1-3 pupils across Scotland

Schools across Scotland are now serving up free school meals to every Primary 1-3 pupil, following the Scottish Government’s expanded free schools meals policy coming into effect today. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon took the opportunity to visit her old primary school and said Scotland will reap the benefits of the free school meals policy.

The measure will benefit an additional 135,000 pupils across Scotland and will save families of every eligible child at least £330 a year.

The Scottish Government is providing revenue funding of £70.5 million over two years to deliver the commitment, supported with total additional capital funding for all 32 local councils in Scotland of £24.8 million.

Speaking on her visit to her old primary school, Dreghorn Primary in North Ayrshire, the First Minister said: “This is an exciting and historic day for Scottish education. It’s the beginning of a new year, a new school term and free school meals are now on the menu for all Primary 1-3s. Great things are going on at schools across Scotland and it’s a privilege to be back at Dreghorn Primary as First Minister, as my experiences here had a huge role in shaping my life.

“As a Government, we want to do all we can to make sure every young person has the best start in life and can make the most of their time in school. The delivery of free school meals for all Primary 1-3 pupils underlines our commitment to doing all we can to support the development of our young people and tackle inequalities in our society, including the scourge of child poverty. That’s why I am delighted that this policy is worth at least £330 to families of every eligible child across Scotland.

“School lunches are hugely important in supporting a pupil’s ability to learn. We know from recent studies that free school meals improve nutrition and health among pupils, which can only help improve attainment in schools.

“Here at Dreghorn, the headteacher, Philip Gosnay, and his team have done a great job to prepare for the expansion of free school meals and I know that all over Scotland other councils and schools have been doing all they can to ensure our nation’s future will reap the benefits.”

Philip Gosnay, Head Teacher, Dreghorn Primary School said: We are all thrilled that the First Minister has chosen her old Primary School to launch this new initiative. Research has shown that free school meals impact positively on the health and social development of children. It is vital that we, as educationalists, take this opportunity to use the provision of free school lunches to reinforce the connection between what we eat and our health and well-being.

“Throughout Scotland, children have been successful in gaining skills, knowledge and experience about healthy eating. Our focus now lies in ensuring that they consistently put this knowledge into practice, making good choices for a long, productive and healthy life.”

The introduction of free school meals for all P1-3 pupils has been supported by a range of campaigners against child poverty including Child Poverty Action Group Scotland, Children in Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, churches and trade unions.

Free school meals are already available for Primary school children of any age under certain criteria. This includes parents in receipt of income support; income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance; any income-related element of Employment and Support Allowance; Child Tax Credit (with income lower than £16,010); both maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit (with income lower than £6420) and support under the Immigration and Asylum Act and Universal Credit:

Future Starts here

£145,000 Scottish Government support to help young people into jobs

New pilot projects to help young people find work are to be rolled out in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and North Lanarkshire this year.

The Prince’s Trust will deliver Future Starts in collaboration with schools, colleges and employers with the support of £145,000 investment from the Scottish Government and a further £173,000 from The Wood Foundation.

The projects are specifically targeted at young people in education who are at risk of disengagement by helping them raise their ambitions and build up their confidence so they can move towards vocational training or employment.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “A few weeks ago the Scottish Government published a new Youth Employment Strategy, which followed on from the work of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“Helping more young people into vocational education is a fundamental element of this work and I am very pleased to be able to fund these Prince’s Trust pilots which will intervene early in the lives of a number of young people to ensure they do not slip off our radar.

“While last month’s statistics on leaver destinations and recent employment figures have been very encouraging, there are still too many young women and men unable to fulfil their potential for a variety of reasons. I am determined to do everything we can to help them succeed.”

Allan Watt, director of The Prince’s Trust in Scotland said: “Our Future Starts pilot responds to recommendations from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce. It means that with our school, college and private sector partners, we will reach out to those young people who face the greatest challenges moving from education to employment with relevant, engaging vocational experience and qualifications.

“With this funding from the Scottish Government and the Wood Foundation we can build relevant career options for those young people and help them create brighter futures for themselves.”

Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of The Wood Foundation said: “The Wood Foundation (TWF) is pleased to work in partnership with the Scottish Government to support the development and delivery of Future Starts, a new Prince’s Trust Scotland pilot programme. This builds on the best practice of Get Into, a Prince’s Trust programme into which TWF have invested £716,000 since 2008.

“Future Starts engages with employers to offer students, who are at their senior phase of school, the opportunity to sample potential career options and develop their skills. This programme, to which we will be contributing £173,000 over the next two and a half years, is a good fit with TWF’s Developing Young People in Scotland portfolio and also with my report for The Scottish Government – Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“I believe Future Starts will be successful in providing relevant and practical knowledge of careers and the workplace to Scotland’s next working generation whilst they’re still at school, and should ensure as many youngsters as possible leave with a positive destination into employment or further education.”

Record year for early years campaign

PlayTalkRead, the Scottish Government’s early years campaign, has reached a record number of families in 2014, it was revealed today.

Visits to the website over the year were 122,965 – an increase of 50 per cent on 2013 and a 219 per cent increase on 2012. More than 43,000 people visited Benji and Bessie, the PlayTalkRead buses in 2014 – an 11 per cent increase on last year.

PlayTalkRead encourages parents and carers to play, talk and read with their young children every day to give them the essential skills, motivation and abilities that will make it easier for them to keep learning throughout their lives.

This year also saw the pilot of a sensory playbus for children with disabilities or emotional and behavioural difficulties as part of the campaign – the first of its kind in the country.

Commenting on the campaign, Acting Minister for Children Fiona McLeod said: “As a former librarian, I’m delighted to see so many families have got involved in the PlayTalkRead campaign by either visiting the buses or the website. I hope they’ve been inspired by some of the ideas.

“Playing, talking and reading are fun ways to spend time with children from the very earliest age and helps build bonds. The PlayTalkRead buses and website are a great source of ideas and inspiration on how to turn daily routines into exciting new games.

“As a government we are determined to identify what works and ensure that the best ideas are promoted and supported more widely. That’s why we are taking the principles of PlayTalkRead and Bookbug and extending them into early primary school to develop a new Read, Write, Count campaign to boost literacy and numeracy in the critical first years of school.”

More information, including bus tour dates and locations, can be found on the PlayTalkRead website: www.playtalkread.org

Getting ready for work

‘We will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of joblessness in young people’ – Roseanna Cunningham

Additional funding to help develop a world class vocational education system that supports joint working between employers, schools, and colleges is to be made available, the Scottish Government has announced. Local authorities will receive £6.5 million to help ensure young people are ready for work.

The announcement was made by Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham ahead of the publication of the Scottish Government’s new youth employment strategy, which will set out plans for implementing the recommendations of the report by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

Local authorities will share £6.5 million in 2014/15 to develop vocational and employment pathways open to all young people, strengthen links between schools and employers, and help vulnerable groups towards the labour market.

Ms Cunningham said: “Since the publication of the Commission’s report earlier this year, working closely with our partners, we have made significant progress in planning for a system of vocational education that is better equipped to help more young women and men into work.

“From a total £12 million made available this year, we have already invested £5.5 million in taking forward elements of the report. Pilots for foundation and advanced apprenticeships are already underway, and interest among employers in the new Investors in Young People accolade is steadily building. I will shortly outline in full how the Scottish Government will work with its partners to implement the report’s recommendations.

“Scotland’s local authorities are a central part of this process and I am delighted to be able to provide £6.5 million to maintain momentum at a local level, enabling schools to work more closely with colleges and employers. This approach will build on Curriculum for Excellence, benefiting children from early years onwards, developing their understanding of and skills for work and opening up high quality vocational pathways in their senior phase. That way, they will be better prepared to progress into sustained high quality employment.

“With this investment, pupils, parents and teachers will be supported to better understand the careers and routes open to young people and see opportunities in areas like science and engineering enhanced. Local authorities will also have a responsibility to ensure different routes are open to everyone, including those from vulnerable groups.

“We will not settle for a return to pre-recession levels of joblessness in young people, and the full extent of our ambition will become clear in the coming days with the publication of our new youth employment strategy.”

Edinburgh has already enjoyed some success in getting our young people into training or employment. At a ‘Celebrating Success’ reception held at the Scottish Parliament last week it was announced that 1252 young people have successfully progressed their careers though the Edinburgh Guarantee, a partnership between the city council, local employers and the voluntary sector.

Launched three years ago, The Edinburgh Guarantee is a vision that all sectors in the city will work together to ensure that every young person in Edinburgh will leave school with the choice of a job, training or further education opportunity available to them.

It seeks to increase the number of jobs, education, and training opportunities being made available to young people. Over 300 organisations have offered support so far, over 1600 opportunities have been identified including jobs, apprenticeships and placements and over 1,252 of those opportunities have been matched to young people.

The Edinburgh Guarantee has contributed £29m to Scotland’s economy since it ‘s launch, according to a report published by the city council last week. More than £17m of this has added value to Edinburgh’s economy.

This has been achieved by supporting businesses to match 1,252 young people into jobs, apprenticeships, internships or training. A further saving of £3.9m to the Department of Work and Pensions has been made from not having to pay Job Seekers allowance to 18-20 year olds.

A total of 757 jobs have been directly created for young people and as a knock on effect of this a further 575 other jobs have been created.

The findings were announced at a ‘Celebrating Success’ event, held at the Scottish Parliament, which brought together employers, potential employers and young people to celebrate and hear the news.

In addition to this, since 2009/10 the percentage of school leavers going into positive destinations has increased from 82.5 per cent to 91per cent in 2012/13. The most recent figures are due to be published at the end of this month.

Councillor Frank Ross, Convener of the Economy Committee, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and the figures announced today surpass all of our expectations. We must keep up this excellent work, however, as ensuring that Edinburgh’s young people have opportunities is vital for the economic success of our city.

“The year on year improvements that have been achieved since the inception of the Edinburgh Guarantee show that focused collaboration can make a real difference to many young lives. I am confident that with sustained investment and the support of our public, private and third sector partners these improvements will continue in future.”

Sandy Begbie, Chief Operations Officer, Standard Life: “We passionately believe in giving young people a chance to demonstrate their capabilities and helping them to achieve their potential. Since we agreed to take part in the Edinburgh Guarantee initiative we have welcomed over 90 interns into our business, all of whom have performed valuable roles within the organisation, while receiving The Living Wage.

“Over two-thirds have been successful in securing full-time employment with us, while the other third have moved on to further education or roles with other employers.

“The young people bring so much enthusiasm, energy and a refreshing new perspective to our business. We are delighted with the outcome, so much so we are now starting to roll out similar programmes to some of our other offices in the UK.”

One success story is seventeen year old Emily Lynch from South Queensferry, who completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Business Administration two weeks ago.

She wasn’t keen to stay on at school but wanted to continue in some form of training, so after hearing about Modern Apprenticeships Emily looked up MyJobScotland on the advice of her parents.

Emily said: “When I went on to the site, there were Modern Apprenticeships on offer for Business Administration in the City of Edinburgh Council.

“I looked up MyJobScotland because my mum knew about it and I remembered my guidance teacher talking about it when we had covered introduction to the workplace in school.

“Although I had been for interviews for Saturday jobs in the past, this was my first experience of a proper formal interview but we had done mock interviews in school so I tried to remember everything we had gone through then.

“Bits of the interview were good, I talked about myself, my interests, my hobbies, what I could bring to this job, so that was all fine. But to be quite honest, some of the questions they asked me about the department went right over my head!

“Let’s just say the phone call I made to my mum right after the interview finished wasn’t an optimistic one!

“The last week before the end of summer term, I get a phone call on the Tuesday offering me the Modern Apprentice Post! Suddenly everything changed, I wasn’t going to be at school anymore!

“The school were absolutely over the moon for me, and my guidance teacher sorted everything out and submitted my leavers form for me right away, so on Friday 28 June, I walked out of the school building, ready to start my professional career.

“Contracts had to be negotiated with the City of Edinburgh Council along with all the usual background checks and I started the post on 5 August last year as a Business Administration Modern Apprentice.

“Over the course of the year, I have learned and developed, been challenged, been frightened and been supported.

“Modern Apprenticeships are not just about the learning and curriculum, they are about every aspect of workplace skills. I had come from a school environment completely surrounded by people my own age, and suddenly, here I am in a team adapting to people of all different ages!

“Over the last year I have had fantastic opportunities to work in different areas of the Council.

“ I have been part of a number of different finance teams and gained a real insight into important functions including working with housing teams, putting through the charges for the repairs and maintenance bills on Council Houses, Assisting the Housing Finance Manager with work on the city wide 21st Century Homes project, which itself supports a number of Modern Apprentices. I have also worked on the Finance Administration of the City Car Club learned about the grant support of charitable organisations.

“I have also been asked on a number of project working groups, bringing a pair of fresh eyes to the table, someone who is fairly new to the Council and has a different outlook on things.

“One working group was BOLD, which is a team looking at creative ways to manage the Council budget. Another, looking at bringing more Modern Apprentices into the workplace.

“I can still hear my mum’s voice now saying “as long as there’s learning, as long as there’s training”. The saying ‘earn as you learn’ also comes to mind when I think about my experiences from the past year.

“I hope I will have the opportunity to apply for a permanent post within the City of Edinburgh Council. It is the organisation that gave me my opportunity, trained and supported me and somewhere I would like to stay. No one knows what the future holds; if that doesn’t happen, I am ready for the workplace. “

Order, order: Students serve up gourmet feast at Holyrood MSPs

School students at a pioneering academy project took over the running of the Scottish Parliament’s Members’ Restaurant for a night, giving MSPs the chance to feed the country’s top politicians. Thirteen students from the Hospitality and Tourism Academy ran the kitchen and front of house at the restaurant, offering a three-course meal to paying MSPs and their guests.

The academy students, who are all S5 and S6 pupils at schools in Edinburgh and Midlothian, ran the restaurant themselves as if it was a regular night of service, under the supervision of lecturers. MSPs booked in for dinner and paid as they would normally, expecting the same quality of food and service.

The MSPs dined on pan-fried pigeon breast with parsnip puree and nasturtium salad; pork fillet in pinwheel oat crust with champ mashed potatoes and haricot verts; and white chocolate cheesecake with passion fruit jelly and passion fruit curd.

The students were invited to cook at the Parliament as part of a project to give college hospitality students experience of working in such prestigious surroundings. These students, however, were not as old or as experienced as most college students.

The students are all studying at the Hospitality and Tourism Academy, a partnership between Edinburgh College, Queen Margaret University, local authorities and schools in Edinburgh and the Lothians. The academy is part of the South East Scotland Academies Partnership, which began with the Hospitality and Tourism Academy in 2012 and expanded last year to introduce three new academies, the Creative Industries Academy, the Health and Social Care Academy and the Food Science and Nutrition Academy.

The academies give students the chance to study in these key growth industries while still at school, giving them theory and practical experience so they can make informed choices about their future. Students get insight into these industries over the two-year academy programmes, and improve their employability by developing specialist skills and knowledge that closely match the needs of employers. The academies now have 400 students from Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian and the Scottish Borders, and the project has won praise from politicians, businesses and Education Scotland.

Sixteen-year-old Dalkeith High School student Dawn McDermott (above), who was working in the front-of-house team, said: “It was a really good night. The front-of-house staff and the kitchen worked well together so it was a brilliant team effort and everyone enjoyed it. The MSPs were lovely and were chatting to us all about what we were doing and what we want to do after school.

“It was such a good opportunity to experience something totally different from what we’re used to and we learned a lot. I want to become an air hostess so getting more customer service experience is really important, and hopefully this will look good on my C.V.”

Margaret Mitchell MSP, who said her pigeon starter was ‘cooked to absolute perfection’ and that the presentation was the equal of a professional kitchen, said: “The whole scheme seems like a fantastic opportunity for young people to get experience in industry, serving in a restaurant and cooking food. The academy has done a fantastic job in providing that experience because it can lead these students in so many different ways.

“They’re learning practical skills and can go on into the hospitality industry, which is big business in Scotland. This is a first-class initiative and I hope that the students, who are already performing so well, find huge benefits and that it will help determine their future careers.”

Also dining was Linda Fabiani MSP, who said: “A project like this is really important and it’s great experience for the young people. What’s really good about it is that students at college learn their skills but it’s important they also have practice in a real environment, so coming somewhere like the parliament restaurant and taking over the entire operation is great for them. MSPs enjoy a good meal and service like any other restaurant customers, so this was a treat for us.”

Ray McCowan, vice principal education leadership at Edinburgh College, said: “This was a tremendous opportunity for the students and they did such a superb job I’m sure many of the MSPs didn’t notice a difference from a regular night. Most catering students don’t get the chance to cook for and serve such esteemed customers, so it was a real privilege for them to be able to show off what they’ve learned at the academy.

“The academies give students real-world skills and knowledge, and it’s important they get to experience as many workplace environments as possible to build up their understanding of professional expectations. Serving MSPs in Parliament put them under pressure but they coped admirably and did a great job, which gives them incredible experience for whatever they go onto, preparing them to be excellent students or employees. They should all be really proud of themselves.”

Professor Alan Gilloran, deputy principal at Queen Margaret University, added: “It’s been a fantastic year for our Hospitality and Tourism Academy students. Showcasing their talents to MSPs and their guests at the Scottish Parliament has been a great way for them to end 2014 on a high.

“The students really rose to the challenge on the night and thrived under pressure. Unique practical experiences like this are hugely valuable to the Academy students’ development. They can be confident that their experiences will help them stand out from the crowd in this key growth industry by having the specialist skills and knowledge employers are looking for.”

Happy and healthy young people: new guidance published

Pupils and parents should expect high quality education on relationships, sexual health and parenthood to prepare them for a healthy, happy life, Minister for Learning Dr Alasdair Allan said yesterday.

Speaking as updated guidance for schools is published, Alasdair Allan also welcomed the high level of participation in the consultation held earlier this year.

Dr Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages, said: “The fundamental purpose of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood education is to teach children and young people to have respect for themselves and others. This refresh of the guidance reflects the societal changes that have taken place since the old version was published, changes in laws and the successful introduction of Curriculum for Excellence.

“Our engagement on the guidance, which began last year, generated debate and attracted a number of responses and I am grateful to all who contributed.

“The issues covered by RSHP can be seen as the building blocks to how pupils look after themselves and engage with people for the rest of their lives. These classes allow pupils to think about their development and the importance of healthy living surrounded by their peers who will have similar experiences to them.

“The guidance recognises the professionalism of teachers, the expertise they bring to making lessons age appropriate and an invaluable addition to discussions that parents are likely already having with their children at home.”

Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, said: “This guidance puts into practice the commitment made in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, that the Government would actively promote the rights and wellbeing of children and young people.

“Recent high-profile cases of Child Sexual Exploitation and sexual abuse have highlighted the importance of ensuring that education in schools equips children and young people with information to help keep themselves safe. Giving children and young people the knowledge and understanding of healthy, respectful and loving relationships and the opportunity to explore issues in a safe environment protects them from harm and promotes tolerance.

“Young people have a right to get comprehensive, accurate and evidence-based information to help them to make positive, healthy and responsible choices in their relationships.

“Furthermore, there is extensive evidence that high-quality RSHP education helps reduce teenage pregnancy; delays the onset of sexual activity and increases the likelihood of young people using contraception when they do start sexual relationships.

“The implementation of this guidance in all schools across Scotland will be a positive step in keeping our children and young people safe.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “We warmly welcome the publication of the guidance on the conduct of relationships, sexual health and parenthood education. We think it delivers a much clearer link between the child protection system and the advice given to teachers on this important subject.

“We feel particularly pleased to see the inclusion of information about the steps that need to be taken to address the dangers of child sexual exploitation.

“We hope the guidance will be an important step in ensuring all Scotland’s children are supported and protected through high quality evidence-based relationships, sexual health and parenthood education.”

The guidance can be found at www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/12/8526