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

Schools stats annual report: could do better?

Rise in primary teachers welcomed but pupil teacher ratio “disappointing”

The number of P1 pupils in Scotland taught in classes of more than 25 has fallen to just 451 this year – 97 per cent lower than the 16,845 children recorded in 2006.

The figure can be found within the annual Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland for 2014, which was published yesterday. The report also highlights continuing improvements to classroom conditions, with a record number of pupils in good or satisfactory school buildings and a further rise in the number of new teachers in work.

The figures show:

• The number of P1 pupils taught in classes of more than 25 has fallen to just 451 – 97 per cent lower than the 16,845 children recorded in 2006.

• The total number of teachers (full-time equivalent, FTE) in Scotland in September was 50,824 – 254 (0.5 per cent) fewer than 12 months previously.

• The number of teachers in primary schools has risen from 22,905 in September 2013 to 23,029 in September 2014. However, as a result of increased numbers of primary pupils, the pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) has risen slightly.

• The 2014 PTR for all publicly-funded schools is 13.6 compared to 13.5 last year and 13.3 in 2006.

• The proportion of schools reported as being in ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ condition has increased again, to 83 per cent – up from 61 per cent in April 2007. That means the number of pupils in poor or bad buildings has more than halved since 2007.

• The proportion of 3 and 4 year olds attending early learning and childcare centres that are reported as having access to a GTCS registered teacher rose to 85 per cent in 2014, from 83.5 per cent last year.

Commenting on the statistics during a visit to her old school Cuiken Primary School in Midlothian, Cabinet Secretary for Education Angela Constance said: “It is only a few years since more than 16,000 P1s were taught in unacceptably large classes of more than 25.

“These figures show we have virtually eliminated such classes. And, in the early years, we can see more 3 and 4 year olds in nursery have access to a registered teacher – giving them a better start to their education journey.

“We are also making more progress in improving school buildings with the proportion reported as being in ‘good’ or ‘satisfactory’ condition up again, to 83 per cent. That means the number of pupils in poor or bad buildings has more than halved since 2007.

“All of this has been achieved in the face of austerity. The budget available to us now is around 10 per cent smaller than when the current UK Government took office. Despite this, everyone, including councils, want to do more.

“That’s why we welcome the rise in the number of primary teachers but it is clear that this rise has been outstripped by the increase in primary pupils. That has led to a small but disappointing overall increase in the pupil-teacher ratio.

“We are already in discussions with councils, through Cosla, on the way ahead and these figures will now form part of those talks.

“Everyone involved in education from the Scottish Government to the local councils want to see real progress made. We must redouble our efforts to accelerate improvements in attainment and to ensure that all young people have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”

Opposition MSPs have called for a funding rethink following the release of the pupil-teacher ratios.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and education spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, urged Scottish ministers to rethink their squeeze on local authority funding after figures showed there are fewer teachers dealing with more pupils.

The Pupil-Teacher Ratio across Scotland has risen to 13.7 from 13 in 2007. The biggest annual increase has been in Edinburgh where the ratio is now 14.9 compared to 14.3 last year and 13.5 seven years ago.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “Fewer teachers dealing with more pupils is a worrying indicator of a wider problem. Local authorities have had their funding squeezed by Scottish ministers, while teachers are dealing with an increasing workload. We’re also seeing councils considering options such as shorter school weeks to cope with budget pressures.

“I have real concerns that our councils are being put in an impossible position. Our schools have been relatively protected from the funding squeeze but unless local government has the flexibility to properly invest in education there’s a risk we cannot provide our children with the high quality learning experience they deserve.”

Summary statistics for Schools in Scotland 2014 can be accessed at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2014/12/7590

Edinburgh College student is apprentice of the year

Edinburgh College student named oil and gas apprentice of the year

An apprentice from Edinburgh College is celebrating after been named apprentice of the year by OPITO, the oil and gas industry’s skills organisation. Michael Williamson, 23, beat off competition from students at three other colleges to win the 2014 Apprentice of the Year Award, which honours the top apprentice on OPITO’s UK Upstream Oil & Gas Technician Training Scheme.

Michael is the sixth Edinburgh College student in a row to win the coveted annual award.

Originally from Whalsay on Shetland, Michael is currently an instrument technician apprentice at Edinburgh College. He was selected after demonstrating an outstanding ability and attitude during the four-year national apprenticeship scheme, which has so far seen more than 1,500 young people enter the industry, creating a sustainable pipeline of technicians coming in at a grassroots level.

Split into two phases, the apprenticeship sees students take part in a 21-month full-time course at college, before embarking on a two year worksite placement.

The former mussel farmer, who previously completed an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering with Shetland Island Council Ferries, received his award at a prestigious lunch in Aberdeen to mark the 15th anniversary of the Technician Training Scheme. The milestone event celebrated the roles of leaders and apprentices across the UK oil and gas industry in addressing skills issues.

Michael said “I was quite taken aback by winning the award. I didn’t even expect to be nominated, let alone win, so I was over the moon. I chose to retrain as an instruments technician mainly as a stepping stone into the oil and gas industry, and also because two apprenticeships are better than one!”

“My studies are progressing well, the theory side is a bit challenging but manageable as long as I keep my head down and get through it. I hope to continue to gain experience and knowledge of the industry and progress towards starting my own limited company and be self-employed further down the line.”

Mike Jeffrey, Head of Engineering at the college, said: “We are thrilled that Michael has been recognised with the OPITO Apprentice of the Year award. Edinburgh College is one of three training centres for OPITO in the UK and the consistent quality of our apprentices has now been recognised with this award six times. The college has successfully trained hundreds of apprentices for the oil and gas industry.”

Operators and major contractors have invested more than £120million in the Technician Training Scheme since it was established in 1999 with 13 trainees and four industry sponsors. Since then, the programme has grown to see around 130 new apprentices taken on every year across 15 sponsoring companies, making it one of the biggest industry-led MA programmes in the UK.

The Technician Training Scheme is managed by OPITO in partnership with the Engineering and Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB). The awards were held as part of National Oil & Gas Skills Week, a UK-wide initiative that saw more than 75 companies take part in around 50 events in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, North Shields, Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft, London.

John McDonald, managing director of OPITO UK, said: “Skills Week has demonstrated that there are some outstanding companies and individuals working in our sector who are delivering tangible benefits around the skills agenda at both a company-wide, local and national level.

“The high standard of entry we received for the inaugural awards was matched only by the passion and enthusiasm shown by this year’s apprentices for the industry they have chosen as a career.”

Politicians welcome school meals cash

Edinburgh’s education leader has welcomed the news that the Scottish Government has agreed to meet additional costs for providing free school meals for all P1 to P3s. The government will provide £4.5m capital funding for the City of Edinburgh Council to build new dining accommodation and upgrade catering facilities across the city.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener of the Education, Children and Families Committee, said he was pleased that the Government had met their commitment to fully fund the policy.

He said: “There have been a number of discussions between the Council, Cosla and the Government over recent months regarding the additional capital funding needed to fully deliver the extended entitlement to free school meals in Edinburgh.

“There was a real danger that that we would not be able to fully deliver this policy due to the additional costs involved but I’m pleased the Government has put the funding in place.”

The £4.5m from the Scottish Government will result in:

New gym halls at Cramond and East Craigs Primary Schools
An extension to Towerbank Primary School’s dining hall (pictured above)
Additional dining accommodation at Sciennes Primary School
Minor works to other schools to provide additional dining capacity and upgrade catering facilities

Cllr Godzik continued: “The minor works required in some schools have already been completed or will be complete before January 2015. Obviously the new buildings and extensions will take some time to deliver but we will put in place interim measures in those four schools to ensure those pupils who want to receive free schools meals from next term can do so.

“It has been an uncertain few months for many parents and staff at the affected schools but I’m sure everyone is relieved that the funding has been agreed. We will of course ensure parents are kept up to date as the plans progress.”

Learning Minister Dr Alasdair Allan said: “Free school meals will also play an important role in improving attainment in schools, through offering children healthy and nutritious lunches that will help them achieve their best in class.

“It’s never too early for children to start learning about the benefits of healthy eating and free school meals, in addition to learning through Curriculum for Excellence, will play a big role in helping to deliver that message.”

News of the investment has been welcomed by Edinburgh MSP Colin Keir. The funding will lead to new halls being built at East Craigs and Cramond Primary Schools in his Edinburgh Western constituency.

Colin Keir MSP said: “This news is very welcome. I have been campaigning since I was the local councillor for a separate dining hall for East Craigs as the current hall doubles as a gym. This is good news too for Cramond Primary where I’m sure news of this investment will also be warmly welcomed. Investment in these new halls will not only improve the accommodation and facilities but also allow them to provide the Scottish Government’s promise of free school meals for P1-3 pupils.

“In the aftermath of the former Labour government’s financial crash and in the teeth of the Tory/Liberal Democrat austerity agenda slashing budgets, it is testament to the good stewardship of the Scottish Government that this extremely welcome investment has been achieved. ”

A report outlining the background to the Free School Meals will be discussed at the Education, Children and Families Committee tomorrow (Tuesday 8 December).

Top teachers?

Nominations for the Scottish Education Awards 2015 awards are now open. Celebrating the hard work and success in Scottish education, the awards recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people.

There are 17 awards available across a range of categories covering all areas of education. New awards for this year include learning for sustainability, making languages come alive and transforming lives through partnerships.

If you know of a school or teacher that deserves to be recognised for their hard work visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information and to submit a nomination.

Nominations must be submitted by Monday 16 February 2015.