education – Page 70 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Childrens’ health advice from NHS24

As children return to school this week, NHS24 – Scotland’s national telehealth and telecare organisation – is reminding parents of the wealth of health advice and information available to help their families stay fit and healthy throughout the year …

NHS 24 Medical Director Professor George Crooks said: “With children returning to school this week, what better time than for parents to think about their children’s health and preparing for the year ahead.

“NHS inform includes a section on common health questions associated with children’s health, with information on a wide variety of matters from diet and exercise to pain relief and blood types.
“There is also a section dedicated to answering those common questions you may have about vaccinations and you can also find out what to have in your first aid kit at home.

“It is a busy time of year for parents as they get ready for the new school year but I would advise them to take some time now to think about their children’s health. By taking simple steps, you can help prevent minor illnesses affecting your family.”

For further health advice and information go to www.nhsinform.co.uk

The popular health resource provides a wealth of advice and information on health issues relevant to young people as they embark on or continue their higher education years.

The Health A-Z is packed with information about common illness, treatments and health services, covering topics from acne to yellow fever. Users can also find out about local health services and information on how to register with a GP.

Autumn/winter courses at North Edinburgh Childcare

We now have dates in place for all the short courses that are taking place through September to December – see poster (below) for details.

Workers Short Courses September to December 2014

If you would like further information on any of these courses please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thanks

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

Tel: 0131 311 6931
Fax: 0131 315 4420

www.northedinburghchildcare.co.uk

Record pass rate as Scottish students receive results

Higher and new National Qualification results out today

Students across Scotland have achieved a record number of Higher passes in the last school year, it’s been revealed today. Over 140,000 candidates across Scotland received their results this morning, and Schools Minister Dr Alasdair Allan has congratulated pupils and teachers on their hard work and effort.

In addition to Access, Intermediates, Highers and Advanced Highers, this year saw the first students study for the new National Qualifications – part of the ongoing implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.

This year saw a record number of Higher passes, with the overall pass rate remaining virtually unchanged – 77.1 per cent this year compared with 77.4 per cent last year. The number of Highers sat was 191,850 across all subjects – an increase of more than 9,000.

Students also received the first ever results for National 3 and 4 – assessed during the year– and National 5, assessed during the year and through a traditional end-of-year exam. The pass rate was 93.0 per cent for National 4 and 81.1 per cent for National 5.

While direct comparisons between the new National qualifications and Standard Grade pass rates cannot be made, as a broad comparison, National 5 is the same level of challenge as Intermediate 2 and Standard Grade Credit.

Of the tens of thousands of students who received their results today, 37,237 chose to be informed by text message or email. All candidates were also notified by post.

Dr Allan said: “Congratulations to the thousands of young people who have worked so hard, their families who have supported them and the teachers who have worked tirelessly to prepare them. Today sees them well equipped to progress to new challenges, whatever those may be.

“Our education system has taken another significant step forward today. The new National qualifications represent a shift towards deeper learning and a greater emphasis on analysis, engagement and understanding. These are the qualities on which we will continue to strengthen our education system.

“Scotland’s teachers have been key to delivering our new curriculum and new qualifications. They have worked outstandingly hard and I thank them for all they have done. I know it has been a challenging year for them and, once again, I’ve been hugely impressed by their commitment to supporting Scotland’s young people.

“So many pupils have achieved strong grades in their Highers, Advanced Highers, Intermediates, Access and new Nationals – against very rigorous standards – and are now in a position to make exciting decisions about what they do next. My congratulations also go to the thousands of young people across Scotland who have achieved a wide variety of qualifications which meet a wider range of learners’ needs, such as SQA awards, National Progression Awards and Skills for Work and Personal Development.

“The fact that there has been such a marked increase in the number of Highers attained is a real success story. Students are now sitting a greater number of Highers, demonstrating real ambition and aspiration among young learners to achieve the best qualifications they can.

“I am also encouraged to see so many young people attaining National Qualifications, which are an important component within Curriculum for Excellence.

“This is a significant achievement for our learners and our schools, and clear evidence of continued improvement in Scottish education.

“As we celebrate these achievements I also offer my thanks to all of the parents and carers who have risen to the challenge of supporting them through their new qualifications.

“Clearly not everyone will have received the results they had hoped for, while others may simply be unsure of what to do next. Rest assured, help is available through the exam results helpline on 0808 100 8000 for those who may not have got what they needed.”

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of teachers trade union EIS, said: “Scotland’s pupils and teachers deserve high praise for a strong set of exam results which have been achieved during a very significant period of change for Scottish education.

“It is of great credit to the work of our schools, pupils and teachers that the diet has been so successful, at a time when budgets have been declining and workload pressures increasing.

“Pupils, parents and teachers should be extremely proud of this strong set of results and the EIS sends its congratulations to all pupils who have been successful in their exams this year.”

Early indications are that candidates in Edinburgh have once again exceeded expectations and that the city’s overall good performance has been maintained.

A total of 42,780 resulted awards were certificated for 8,402 candidates.

Highlights include:

By the end of S6 61% of all pupils achieved one or more Highers – a four percentage point improvement on last year and a 13 percentage point improvement since 2009.
By the end of S5 54% of all pupils achieved one or more Highers – a two percentage point improvement on last year and a 12 percentage point improvement since 2009.
Overall for S4 pupils who sat the new qualifications for the first time, 13,585 awards were certificated at the new National 5 level, 8,342 awards were certificated at the new National 4 level and 1,846 awards were certificated at the new National 3 level.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, welcomed today’s results. He said: ““Recently published figures from Audit Scotland showed Edinburgh is outperforming similar city and neighbouring local authorities and early indications from the SQA exam results show that 2014 has been another really positive year for our pupils, with performance rising yet again.

“This year’s provisional results are very encouraging with 100% of pupils achieving an English qualification by the end of S5. By the end of S6, an impressive 61% achieved one or more Highers which is a 13 percentage point improvement since 2009.

“I want to congratulate all those who sat exams this year, and thanks must also go to all our teaching staff who have been working extremely hard for the introduction of the new National exams.

“Another key aim is to make sure all school leavers enter a positive destination of employment, training or further education. Initiatives such as the Edinburgh Guarantee are going a long way to making this a reality for many of our ex-pupils.

“This year a record 91% of young people achieved and sustained a positive destination. This is something we will continue to build on in the coming years and look forward to seeing many more placements and positive results.”

How did you do? Let us know!

Simply the best! Students’ union scoops top award

Edinburgh College Students’ Association is best in UK

Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) has won the Further Education Students’ Union of the Year Award 2014, beating off competition from across the UK.

Up against some of the best students’ unions and associations across the country, ECSA came out on top in the National Union of Students (NUS) annual awards. It was the only Scottish college students’ association to be nominated in any category at the awards.

ECSA trumped category rivals from English and Welsh counterparts, including Sheffield College Students’ Union, South Eastern Regional College Students’ Union, Burton and South Derbyshire College Students’ Union and Coleg Gwent in Wales.

Kelly Parry, ECSA president for 2013/14, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to win the NUS FE Students’ Union of the Year Award. It’s a huge credit to the work ethic, dedication and enthusiasm of everyone involved in making ECSA a success – students, student officers and staff – and it’s proof that college students’ associations can make a real and positive difference to the lives of thousands of students.

“Over the last year, Edinburgh College Students’ Association and Edinburgh College have been doing some fantastic work to empower students to give them the best possible learning experiences. Winning this award has been a brilliant note to end on as president and I’m very confident that the new president and student officers will be able to build on our successes in the next coming year.”

ECSA provides a strong and independent voice for students at the college, which has 26,000 student enrolments, and works closely with the college to ensure that all students have a life-changing educational experience.

The judging panel from the NUS – which recognises students and students’ unions who do incredible things for their colleges and universities – was impressed with several of the association’s initiatives. The judges were particularly impressed with ECSA’s efforts to ensure that the college is reaching, representing and supporting under-represented groups. For example, ECSA was praised for its support of students from care backgrounds, with an event to showcase the hard work and determination of young people in and leaving care and the great challenges they face.

ECSA was also recognised for successfully lobbying the Scottish Parliament on behalf of the student body. One of ECSA’s major achievements was getting MSP Kezia Dugdale to raise the question of discrepancies of further education childcare funding in the Scottish Parliament, ensuring that student support and funding is at the forefront of the political agenda. The ECSA president also met with MSP Mike Russell, cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning, to discuss this issue, and he subsequently committed to reviewing childcare funding for students.

The NUS FE Students’ Union of the Year award follows a recent partnership agreement with Edinburgh College, giving ECSA more influence over the college’s strategic direction. The partnership agreement – which strengthens ECSA’s ability to develop and meet students’ needs – breaks new ground for the further education sector in Scotland. Under the new agreement, ECSA will have a stronger voice at all decision-making levels of the college.

Pictured: Raphael Lehmann (ECSA Vice President Welfare and Activities) and Graham Smith (Student Liaison Officer).

Edinburgh College is top class!

Top accolade for Edinburgh College following inspection

Edinburgh College has achieved the highest possible rating in its Education Scotland inspection report published today.

Education Scotland’s overarching judgement on the college is that “Edinburgh College has in place effective arrangements to maintain and enhance the quality of its provision and outcomes for students and other stakeholders.” This is the highest rating a college can achieve in the review process.

This means that “in relation to quality assurance and enhancement, the college is led well, has sufficiently robust arrangements to address any identified minor weaknesses, and is likely to continue to improve the quality of its services for students and other stakeholders.”

Principal Mandy Exley welcomed the report: “I am delighted that we achieved the top rating in our recent inspection. I know we have all worked extremely hard since merger to create a college that meets the needs of students and industry. This has been demonstrated by our students’ excellence and success, but it is also important to receive such a strong inspection report, highlighting success and innovation across the organisation.

“We will continue to work with our industry partners and our students’ association to build on this success and to deliver even more opportunities that are relevant to the economic needs of Edinburgh and Scotland.”

Her Majesty’s inspectors spent a full week at the college in late April and early May conducting in-depth research, observations and interviews with staff, students and stakeholders to test the quality of the learning experience.

Looking at strategic direction, the regional chair, board and principal are praised as “working well together to provide clear direction for the college’s development” with strategies and operational plans providing a clear and comprehensive basis for its future.

The report comments widely on many aspects of the college’s operations. The curriculum is described as meeting the needs of students and industry well, while the report notes that the college has extensive and highly successful strategic links with key partners within the region and further afield.

Dr Allan Colquhoun, university liaison and emerging technologies manager at Selex ES and chair of the newly launched Edinburgh College Development Trust, supports the college’s work with industry, commenting: “Edinburgh College should congratulate itself on a positive report. Although “effective” is the highest rating, this wording does not truly reflect the college’s achievements. Edinburgh College has delivered education in depth and breadth from schools to degree level that has resulted in most students moving on to employment or to other studies. The college successfully prepares students for work and supports business through apprenticeship and CPD programmes.”

He continued: “It is clear that some of the good work done by the college has influenced the Wood Commission and will result in its good practice being shared across Scotland. The pioneering work on the Academies project, creating smooth pathways from school through college and onto university, will hopefully become the norm in the post-Wood landscape alongside the blending of academic and work-based learning as exemplified by the Graphic Design mentoring programme highlighted in the report.”

The inspectors recognised the college’s commitment to fully involving students at every level of decision making, noting that “the college works very effectively in partnership at a strategic level with Edinburgh College Students’ Association (ECSA) and the student voice is influential at Board, College committee and campus level. The college has ensured that the student voice has been a major influence as it progressed through merger to become one institution and has pioneered an approach to student representation at a strategic level.”

Student achievement and success is strong, with 94% of students whose destinations are known progressing successfully to further study, apprenticeships or employment. The report goes on to state that successful completion rates on FE and HE full time programmes were above the national sector performance level, while within the subject areas of art and design, care, engineering, hospitality, land-based and sport and leisure, the levels of student success rank amongst the best in the sector.

As part of the report, the inspectors also highlight initiatives which are sector-leading. They singled out the college’s effective partnership working in setting up the South East Scotland Academies Partnership in conjunction with Queen Margaret University, employers and schools – a programme which benefits both students and employers.

Karen Prophet, education manager at the City of Edinburgh Council added: “The City of Edinburgh Council wish to acknowledge the positive partnership working through effective school college partnership provision which was recognised as innovative practice in today’s Education Scotland report on Edinburgh College. We look forward to developing our successful collaboration further to jointly deliver improved outcomes for young people. I’d like to congratulate Edinburgh College on this very positive inspection report.”

Links with industry are also key to another highlighted sector-leading initiative, the college’s innovative and imaginative industry mentoring programme for HND Visual Communication Graphic Design students. The design industry links integral to this programme have resulted in students winning prestigious national awards and high numbers going on to further study or directly to successful careers in the industry.

Lazarowicz calls for education for all in Africa

Praise for local school’s ‘Send my sisters to school’ campaign

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Mark Lazarawicz has stressed the role of education in offering a better life for children in the world’s poorest countries.

Speaking during a Westminster debate in Africa, the MP referred to sub-Saharan Africa in particular but pointed to how young women are so often still denied even the chance of a primary education.

That’s a point highlighted to Mark recently by children from St Mary’s (Edinburgh) Primary School in East London Street, who delivered 300 cut-out figures the pupils had produced as part of the Send My Sister to School campaign.

Commenting after the debate, Mark said: “Education is a basic human right and yet the recent shock of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria by extremists highlighted how girls and young women especially still so often fail to get the chance of finishing even primary school.

“I was really impressed by how the letters written by the children from St Mary’s Primary School showed a genuine desire for children whose lives are so different to have the same chance children here have to an education.

“There is a vital meeting next week to decide funding for the next four years of the international Global Partnership for Education initiative yet the UK Government has not yet said if a Minister will be attending.

“Education should be a right not a privilege for people in the world’s poorest countries as here but without funding we won’t move closer to making that a reality.”

Progress has been made: since 1999 the number of children out of school around the world has fallen by almost by half. Yet in many countries the goal of universal completion of even primary school remains far-off and inequality of opportunity remains deep-rooted between children from rich and poor backgrounds and also between girls and boys.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, 30 million primary-aged children are out of school – 22% of the region’s primary school age population. One in four girls don’t receive even a basic education and only about a quarter of those from the poorest households will complete primary school.

A meeting to decide funding over the next four years for the Global Partnership for Education programme takes place in Brussels on Thursday (26th June). There has been a decline in recent years in external aid for education so Mr Lazarowicz believes it is important that the UK Government gives a strong lead there.

Schools PE on target – but do sums add up?

A record number of schools are meeting PE targets but Scottish Greens say the government must try harder …

New National Statistics released today (Tuesday 17 June) show that 96 per cent of Scottish schools are now meeting the target of delivering two hours, or two periods, of physical education each week to pupils, with 98 per cent expecting to be on target by August.

The figure has risen from 89 per cent last year, and just 10 per cent in 2004/05, as more schools across the country meet the national target.

This year’s survey of local authorities also asked whether schools not currently hitting the target will meet it from the start of the new school year. Survey results show 98 per cent of schools expect to meet the target from this August.

The figures come as COSLA and Cabinet Secretary for Sport, Shona Robison, jointly published the new Sport Strategy for Children and Young People – Giving Children and Young People a Sporting Chance – that is backed by almost £6 million of investment over 2014-16. The Strategy sets out a plan to ensure that Scotland is a great environment for children and young people to embark on lifelong participation in sport.

Speaking at the launch of the East Lothian Primary Games, Ms Robison, said: “Today’s figures highlight the excellent progress that is being made across Scottish schools. In 2004/05 only 10 per cent of schools were meeting the recommended target of two hours, or two periods, of PE each week. Now we are at an outstanding 96 per cent, and we expect that to rise to 98 per cent by August, with just 41 schools still to meet the target out of 2419 schools across Scotland.

“Scotland is striving to become a healthier, more active nation and we will continue to work with COSLA, Education Scotland, and sportscotland to build on this performance.”

Investment of almost £6 million through Education Scotland and sportscotland between 2014-16 to support delivery of the target was a key feature of the draft Youth Sport Strategy published in December.

Ms Robison added: “I am delighted to launch this strategy. It has been shaped by the Young People’s Sport Panel, and informed by the views of almost 3,000 children and young people.

“The strategy highlights the importance of putting the views of children and young people at the heart of delivery and provides a framework for collaborative working to deliver their sporting aspirations.”

Councillor Harry McGuigan, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing said: “COSLA is delighted to be launching Scotland’s sport strategy for children and young people in partnership with the Scottish Government.

“We want our children and young people to participate in and enjoy sport, but we need to create the right opportunities and we must celebrate their talents and successes. It is our collective responsibility to realise the aim of lifelong participation in sport.

“Councils provide nearly 90 per cent of public sector investment in sport, including the delivery of the community sports hubs. Local authorities and leisure trusts make a huge contribution to the delivery of Scotland’s sport, providing opportunities through a wide range of activities and provision, to achieve better outcomes for our children and young people.”

However far from congratulating the government on it’s achievements, Green Party Education spokesperson Alison Johnstone is renewing her call for action she says the latest figures show a further drop in secondary schools meeting targets for physical education!

The Greens say the percentage has dropped to 90 per cent, compared to 91 last year and 92 in 2012. The lowest figure, of just 33 per cent of secondary schools achieving 100 minutes of PE per week, was recorded by East Lothian. In many local authority areas there is a significant drop between S2 and S3.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “To see a further drop is a real worry and suggests the Scottish Government has taken its eye off the ball. We need proper facilities and proper coaching so that exercise remains attractive and enjoyable as our young people progress through the school system.

“Given the increasing warnings around diabetes and obesity, and all the talk of creating a national sporting legacy, I strongly urge ministers to look carefully at what can be done to improve performance in S3 and S4. And I would ask East Lothian Council to outline what support they need to enable their schools to do better.”

Statistics, eh? Decide for yourself – see below:

Scottish Government Bulletin

PlayTalkRead campaign kicks off today

The latest PlayTalkRead campaign, including a television advert to be shown during World Cup games, has been launched today – Father’s Day.

The PlayTalkRead campaign’s summer activity is part of the Scottish Government’s focus on the early years of children’s lives – encouraging and supporting parents and carers to play, talk and read more regularly with their little ones.

The national drive includes a new television advert themed around a message to ‘say thanks’ to parents and carers who have played, talked and read with their kids during their earliest, formative years. The ‘dad’ version of the advert will be first screened on Monday 16 June during the Germany-Portugal game.

Famous Scots, including author Ian Rankin, radio DJ Ally McCrae, chef Nick Nairn, TV presenter Michelle McManus and rugby player John Beattie are backing PlayTalkRead’s latest campaign by revealing what they would #saythanks for on Father’s Day.

Minister for Children and Young People, Aileen Campbell (pictured above) said: “Play is about having fun but it’s also fundamental to our children’s positive development. The PlayTalkRead summer campaign aims to help parents stimulate their children from birth through low-cost, fun activities. Families making special time to celebrate Father’s Day could take inspiration from the World Cup and PlayTalkRead’s new football-themed ‘30 things to do before you’re 3’ list – such as kicking a ball at the park, playing keepy-uppy in the garden or rolling a ball along the floor with your baby.

“The new advert is also a way of saying thanks to parents and carers across Scotland for investing time with their wee ones, and encouraging them to keep it up. On Father’s Day, I’d like to say thanks to my dad for encouraging me to be an active youngster and also for getting me into football – including supporting St Johnstone, who we both watched win the Scottish Cup this year! I would encourage mums and dads to get involved and share what they’d like to thank their parents for on PlayTalkRead’s Twitter or Facebook.”

This summer will see the next stage of the campaign rolled out with PlayTalkRead buses ‘Benji’ and ‘Bessie’ appearing in locations across the country, including a visit to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. Activity on the bus includes demonstrating easy ways for parents to bond with their children during their early years, with lots of simple and low-cost ideas that can all be done at home and easily incorporated within daily routines.

The popular PlayTalkRead website has also been revamped with more ideas, advice and information for parents, including a downloadable ‘30 Things to do Before You’re 3′ list.

People can also get involved in the #SayThanks conversation with PlayTalkRead on Twitter @PlayTalkRead or by visiting the PlayTalkRead Facebook page.

The new PlayTalkRead #saythanks ad is now available to view on the PlayTalkRead website, ahead of its first TV screening tomorrow.

www.playtalkread.org

New guidance issued during National Diabetes Week

Type 1 Diabetes cases continue to rise

New guidance will be issued to schools and parents from this week to help them support children with Type 1 diabetes. It comes as the annual Scottish Diabetes Survey, published this weekend, shows the number of cases of Type 1 diabetes continues to rise. The number of people with Type 1 diabetes has increased from 26,294 in 2006 to 29,251 in 2014 – an increase of 11.3 per cent.

The new guidelines – ‘Supporting Children and Young People with Type 1 Diabetes in Education’ – set out the responsibilities of local councils, schools, parents and young people. It includes advice on exam planning, injecting and storing insulin, blood glucose monitoring, eating, and physical activity in school.

The guidance brings together, for the first time, some of the best policies that are in place around Scotland. It has been produced in collaboration with teachers, parents, young people and healthcare professionals, and will be distributed to schools and colleges throughout Scotland. It will also be available online.

The booklet has been produced by the Childhood & Adolescent Subgroup of the Scottish Diabetes Group and Diabetes Scotland, with funding from the Scottish Government.

According to the Scottish Diabetes Survey there were 3,733 under 20s with Type 1 diabetes in Scotland at the end of 2013, and 1,860 under 15. The total number of people with diabetes is 268,154, of which 29,261 have type 1, 10.9 per cent of the total.

The increase of Type 1 cases reflects the rising incidence in children, and that people with the condition are now living longer. Type 1 is primarily an inherited condition.

The Scottish Government is taking a number of steps to deal with the increased cases of Type 1 diabetes, mainly focused on early diagnosis and improving access to insulin treatments.

Michael Matheson, Minister for Public Health, said: “This new set of guidelines is a clear and accessible way for teachers and parents to get the information they need about how to care for children with Type 1 diabetes.

“There’s no reason why a child with diabetes shouldn’t play a full and active role in school life. However, it’s vital that teachers, parents and young people know how to prevent any problems, and that’s why these guidelines will be so useful.

“Cases of Type 1 diabetes are rising in most western countries, and Scotland is no exception. That’s why this document, and all our other work in this area, is so important in improving the health of people living with type 1 diabetes in Scotland.

Claire Judson, National Director of Diabetes Scotland, said “It is a human right for children to be able to access education and not miss a day’s school. The care of children with Type 1 diabetes is a team effort, which requires all participants to play an active part in ensuring that that the child or young person has the best possible start in life and can succeed for the future. This document highlights the responsibilities of each of the partners involved to give a complete picture of what is needed so that children and young people with Type 1 diabetes are healthy and safe.

“I hope that all schools and local authorities will use this guidance in collaboration with children, parents and paediatric diabetes teams, so that children can manage their condition and receive the appropriate provision of care. Education is the gateway to a healthier adult life and creating opportunities for the future.”

Exclusive Edinburgh prep school named and shamed

Cargilfield fails to pay minimum wage

Employers who owe their workers thousands of pounds for failing to pay them the correct National Minimum Wage have been named and shamed. Among them is exclusive Edinburgh prep school Cargilfield, who underpaid a worker by over £3,700.

Today (8 June 2014), a further 25 employers who failed to pay their employees the minimum wage have been named under the new regime introduced last October, which makes it easier to name and shame wrongdoers. Between them they owe workers more than £43,000 in arrears and in addition have to pay financial penalties totalling over £21,000.

Business Minister Jenny Willott said: “Paying less than the minimum wage is not only wrong, it’s illegal. If employers break the law they need to know that they will face tough consequences.

“Any worker who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. If anyone suspects they are not being paid the wage they are legally entitled to they should call the Pay and Work Rights helpline on 0800 917 2368”.

The government has introduced a series of tougher measures to crack down on employers that break National Minimum Wage law. As well as being publicly named and shamed, employers that fail to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage also face new penalties of up to £20,000 – 4 times higher than before.

The government also plans to legislate in the new parliamentary session so that employers can also be given penalties of up to £20,000 for each individual worker they have underpaid, rather than the maximum penalty applying to each employer. This will mean if an employer underpays 10 workers, they could face penalties of up to £200,000.

The 25 employers are:

Christine Cadden and Nicola Banks of Renaissance, Wirral, neglected to pay £7,310.65 to 3 workers
Alan King and John King of Arthur Simpson & Co, Bradford, neglected to pay £6,426.12 to a worker
Central Heating Services Ltd, Hampshire, neglected to pay £6,200.28 to 4 workers
Cargilfield School Ltd, Edinburgh, neglected to pay £3,739.58 to a worker
A2ZEE Construction Ltd, Cramlington, neglected to pay £3,375.51 to 14 workers
Mr and Mrs Balasco of Eugenio, Bristol, neglected to pay £3,037.53 to 2 workers
Mr and Mrs Hampton of The Wheatsheaf Inn, Cheshire, neglected to pay £2,057.88 to 4 workers
Steven Stainton of Steven Stainton Joinery, Cumbria, neglected to pay £1,415.82 to a worker
Runbaro Ltd, Swindon, neglected to pay £1,413.88 to a worker
Satwinder Singh Khatter and Tejinder Singh Khatter of The Bath Hotel, Reading, neglected to pay £1,237.79 to 2 workers
Richard Last of Classic Carpentry, Godalming, neglected to pay £1,236.72 to a worker
We are Mop! Ltd, London, neglected to pay £1,018.05 to 2 workers
Mrs Sue English of Legends Hairdressers, Colchester, neglected to pay £823.40 to a worker
Saftdwin Ltd, Hampshire, neglected to pay £806.37 to 2 workers
Master Distribution Ltd, Essex, neglected to pay £718.62 to a worker
Perth Hotels Ltd, Perth, neglected to pay £556.80 to a worker
Bryants Nurseries Ltd, Hertfordshire, neglected to pay £494.07 to a worker
Dove Mill Retail Outlet Ltd, Bolton, neglected to pay £461.84 to a worker
Luigi’s Little Italy Ltd, Yorkshire, neglected to pay £281.04 to 5 workers
CPS SW Ltd, Exmouth, neglected to pay £261.29 to a worker
Mr Gary Calder, Mr Richard Calder and Mr Neil Calder of Avenue Agricultural, Northamptonshire, neglected to pay £256.55 to a worker
Dakal Ltd, Northampton, neglected to pay £252.00 to 2 workers
Zoom Ltd, Havant, neglected to pay £242.28 to 3 workers
HSS Hire Service Group Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £149.00 to 15 workers
Sun Shack Ltd, Hamilton, neglected to pay £134.35 to 8 workers

The 25 cases named today were thoroughly investigated by HM Revenue & Customs after workers made complaints to the free and confidential Pay and Work Rights helpline.

Employers who are unsure of National Minimum Wage rules can also get free advice and information from the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368 or by visiting www.gov.uk.

Cargilfield, founded in 1873, was the first prep school to be established in Scotland. It moved from Trinity in Edinburgh to its current location in Barnton in 1898. A Pre-prep and Nursery Department were added to the prep school campus during the early 1980’s in response to the changing nature of the parental body and the introduction of girls.

School fees range from £1665 per term for nursery children up to almost £6000 per term for Upper School boarding pupils.

The school’s website says: ‘The school was founded by the Reverend Charles Darnell, who’s aim was “to provide a liberal education and teach the merits of hard work and honesty under conditions of happiness and well-being”. This remains at the core of our ethos today’.