The nation’s leading Armed Forces charity has announced that its ground-breaking interactive mobile museum, ‘Bud’, has officially retired from the road.
The 18-tonne custom-built truck, which features an onboard poppy making machine, has travelled to all 32 local authority areas across Scotland sharing the story of the Scottish Poppy since its launch back in 2019.
With initial support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and LIBOR funds, over the last seven years Bud successfully welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors. It has attended more than 630 schools, delivered over 1,500 sessions, and reached more than 56,000 pupils.
It has also travelled to over 115 community events with almost 18,000 visitors – engaging nearly 75,000 people overall, challenging assumptions, whilst also teaching people about conflict, peace, and importantly keeping remembrance relevant all year round.
Kerry Crichton, Deputy Head of Learning at Poppyscotland, said: “As Bud reaches the end of its operational lifespan, across the summer we will be finalising an exciting new learning and outreach programme with people who work within education across Scotland.
“This will include an extensive digital archive paired with virtual learning resources and we are excited to be taking this into classrooms in the new term. We are also looking at an assembly offering for schools, and outreach sessions with youth and community groups.”
While the mobile unit will stop touring, the educational resources, historic story of Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, and interactive tools remain free and accessible online via the Poppyscotland Learning Hub at www.poppyscotland.org.uk/learning
For more information about our new programme, please email:
Schools urged to ban phones during teaching time ‘as a minimum’
Schools are being encouraged to restrict the use of mobile phones by following updated national guidance, published today ahead of planned legislation to create phone-free learning environments.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said schools should introduce restrictions during teaching and learning time “as a minimum”, while also considering implementing whole school restrictions.
Publication of the updated guidance meets a commitment for the first 100 days of the Scottish Government. The guidance sets out how schools should work with the whole community to develop phone-free learning policies informed by children, young people, parents, carers and school staff. It also suggests possible exemptions for pupils with caring responsibilities, medical conditions or additional support needs that require them to use their phones.
A consultation will be launched early in the new academic term on legislation to restrict the use of phones in all of Scotland’s schools.
The Education Secretary said: “We know that mobile phones are causing distraction in the classroom and we must end this so our children and young people can reach their full educational potential.
“Beyond distraction, we know there is a spectrum of other harms associated with the online world from issues with sleep, mental health and loss of concentration through to exposure to harmful, violent or misogynistic content and, in extreme cases, incitement to self-harm, severe bullying and grooming.
“The Scottish Government intends to introduce new laws to restrict the use of mobile phones in schools. As we develop the legislation, I am encouraging Scotland’s education authorities, headteachers and schools to act now, following our refreshed guidance.
“As a minimum, restrictions should apply during teaching and learning time, but schools should also consider implementing a whole school ban. Any steps taken by schools should be informed by consultation with the whole school community, including with pupils and staff.”
COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Councillor Tony Buchanan said: “Supporting our Children and Young People to use new technologies is essential and COSLA supports an evidence-based approach to mobile phones in schools. Councils continue to take steps to ensure that learning environments are safe and healthy spaces for all learners.
“We look forward to working with children and young people and colleagues across Scotland to respond to the full consultation and will work with Scottish Government to carefully consider any proposed changes to ensure our schools continue to be and are positive spaces of learning.
“We must work with our communities, partners and governments and ensure this is not the sole responsibility of schools, rather a whole society discussion on how best to support our children and young people.”
Biggest update to curriculum in over a decade under way
The most significant reform of Scotland’s curriculum in more than ten years is underway, as the first early samples of new curriculum materials have been shared with councils across the country.
Planned updates to the curriculum, prepared by Education Scotland and co-designed with input from over 1,500 teachers, nursery practitioners, and partners through the Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC), will clarify knowledge and progression, making it clearer what children should know, understand and be able to do at every stage of school.
Discussions are taking place with the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) for two additional in-service days to be offered during the 2026-27 academic year, to help schools prepare for change.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is driving the single largest update to the curriculum in over a decade.
“The new curriculum will make the place of knowledge and skills clearer. It will drive excellence. It will be taught in schools from August 2028 and it will be benchmarked against international standards.
“The materials shared by Education Scotland this week are a preview ahead of the full draft curriculum framework later this year, as we work with the profession on implementation from August 2028.
“We are proposing additional in-service days to provide teachers the time and support needed to prepare for these changes which will support Scotland’s young people to reach their full potential in our education system.
“These will form part of wider support up to 2028 to ensure teachers can fully engage with the updates and how they can use them in the classroom.”
ELREC are working on a school volunteering scheme together with the City of Edinburgh to increase diversity in the Education workforce. Volunteers will join a placement school and will receive guidance and support from their mentor in order to get the most out of the experience.
So, if you want become a parent helper, see how schools work and build out your CV to apply for education jobs, apply for this opportunity here:
Thousands of young people across the UK are set to learn about disability, inclusion and equality through a new Anti-Ableism Challenge Badge launched by Queen Margaret University (QMU) for Girlguiding UK members.
Co-created with disabled people, the badge introduces simple, engaging activities that help young members understand disability, challenge stereotypes and take practical steps to make their communities more inclusive. Designed for Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers and volunteers, the badge syllabus also builds awareness of disability history, rights and equity.
Developed by the Toy Box Diversity Lab at Queen Margaret University, the badge has already been successfully piloted in Girlguiding Scotland units in East Lothian. It will now be available as an optional activity alongside the core Girlguiding programme, offering flexible, low-cost or free ways for young people across the UK to explore inclusion and accessibility.
Dr Siân Jones, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Margaret University and co-founder of the Toy Box Diversity Lab, said: “As a disabled person myself, this new badge represents a really positive step forward in the growing momentum around anti-ableism work with young people.
“Too often, disability is left out of early learning, but this badge helps change that by creating space for reflection, discussion and action.
“Disabled children and young people often encounter barriers that non-disabled people don’t notice, from inaccessible environments to assumptions about what they can and cannot do.
“Ableism can be subtle, but its impact is significant. By introducing conversations about disability, fairness and accessibility at an early age, we can help create more inclusive communities where disabled people are valued, respected and included. We hope this badge will give girls and leaders the confidence to recognise barriers, challenge them, and become advocates for positive change.”
Activities that can be completed to gain the Anti-Ableism Challenge Badge include adapting games to make them more inclusive, redesigning spaces to improve accessibility, learning the Braille alphabet, and exploring disabled role models and representation. Girlguiding UK leaders are supported with practical guidance, discussion prompts and information-based resources.
One of the Anti-Ableism Badge co-creators said: “It has been really affirming to me as a disabled person to be part of the development of these resources.
“I think it is really important to have these resources for young people to bring it to the forefront of their awareness at a young age. As a former Rainbow and Brownie, I would have appreciated this in my unit.”
Developed through QMU’s Toy Box Diversity Lab, the Anti-Ableism Challenge Badge builds on the Lab’s wider work addressing inequality, representation and social justice in educational and youth settings. The Lab works collaboratively with communities to ensure disabled people’s voices are at the heart of developing training, resources and inclusive practice.
Dr Clare Uytman, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Queen Margaret University and co-founder of the Toy Box Diversity Lab, said: “At the Toy Box Diversity Lab, we aim to directly tackle representation and understanding of disability through play, imagination and discovery.
“The introduction of anti-ableism into Girlguiding’s suite of challenge badges is an example of how collaborative work can translate research into tools that support real change in educational and youth settings.”
More information about the Toy Box Diversity Lab can be found at:
Edinburgh will become one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce widespread restrictions on mobile phone use in schools at the start of the new school year in August.
Councillors at Education, Children and Families Committee agreed a ‘bell to bell’ ban of mobile phones, with lockable pouches to be introduced in every secondary school in the city. Learners at secondary schools will have to place mobile phones in lockable pouches for the duration of the school day. Primary school aged pupils will have to lock mobile phones away in cabinets.
It was also agreed that secondary school senior leadership teams will have the opportunity to develop their own guidance regarding senior phase (S5-S6) pupils’ access to their mobile phones during break, lunchtime and independent study time.
Mobile phone restrictions are already in place at two Edinburgh secondary schools, Portobello and Queensferry High Schools, where trials of lockable pouches have been underway since last year. Anecdotal feedback from staff and young people at both schools is positive.
A six-week citywide consultation on mobile phone restrictions earlier this year received almost 14,000 responses from parents/carers, pupils and school staff. Results were overwhelming in support of a ban, with 97% of secondary school staff and 94% of parents/carers favouring a ban, and 53% of young people supporting restrictions during teaching time.
Alongside the consultation, separate and targeted engagement has taken place with groups of secondary school pupils, head teachers, unions, members of the Scottish Youth Parliament and Edinburgh Youth Action.
A £400,000 one-off budget for purchase of lockable pouches and storage cabinets was agreed at the Council’s annual budget setting meeting in February this year. A strategy for the current and future procurement of pouches will also be developed.
In bringing in mobile phone restrictions, special consideration will be given for pupils with health needs or caring responsibilities who may need access to their mobile phone during the school day. The council will develop guidance for schools, including how exemptions will work in practice.
Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convenor said: “This is a monumental step for Edinburgh’s children and young people and I am proud that we are one of the first local authorities in the country to introduce widespread restrictions on mobile phones in schools.
“I’ve been clear from the start that we wanted to be bold in our ambition to make our schools phone free environments that enable our teachers to teach and pupils to learn without the distraction of devices in the classroom.
“The uniform introduction of lockable pouches in all our secondary schools will level the playing field for all learners in Edinburgh, streamlining a phone free schools policy and guaranteeing that every single young person can get the most out of their time in the classroom.
“We know from the two pilots already underway that keeping phones out of the classroom is positive and alongside our consultation showing broad support from teachers, school staff and parents/carers, I am confident that these restrictions will be warmly welcomed and hugely impactful.”
Young people are facing a starter jobs drought after vacancies suitable for first-time workers fell by almost half over the past decade, according to new research.
Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data by the Work Foundation and Lancaster University found average weekly starter job vacancies dropped by 49%, from 139,000 in 2016-17 to 71,000 in 2025-26, tightening competition for young people seeking their first step into work.
The study, carried out in partnership with Liverpool City Council, also found that the number of starter jobs available in 2025-26 was at its lowest level since the Covid pandemic.
The researchers said there was only one starter job vacancy for every three young people aged 16 to 24 who were not in education, employment or training (NEET) across the UK in late 2025.
The picture was even more stark in some regions, with six NEET young people competing for every starter vacancy in the North East and five in the East Midlands.
Researchers warned that competition is significantly higher than these figures suggest, as young people who are NEET are also competing against students, workers seeking a new role and older people returning to the labour market.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said: “This research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people, particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.”
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, commented: “Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives.
“They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
Young people face jobs drought as ‘starter’ vacancies fall by half in last decade
· Analysis of Adzuna job vacancy data shows ‘starter’ jobs – vacancies that would be accessible for someone entering the workforce for the first time – have fallen by 49% over the last decade
· Figures suggest the number of starter jobs available for young people in 2025-26, averaging 71,000 vacancies a week, is the lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21
· Young people’s chances of finding work varies significantly depending on where they live – there are six young people aged 16-24 not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the North East for every starter job vacancy, compared to a national average of three to one
· Researchers call on Government to prioritise a more localised approach to place-based barriers to youth employment, alongside a focus on job creation and more support for young people while they are in education.
The Government’s youth employment drive faces a significant challenge as young people face a ‘starter’ jobs drought.
Researchers from the Work Foundation and Lancaster University, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, studied job vacancy data and undertook focus groups with young people in Morecambe and Liverpool.
The research shows that nationally, average weekly starter job vacancies have fallen by almost half (49%) from 2016-17 to 2025-26. And while total vacancies have fallen in recent years, the decline in starter jobs has been 1.6 times faster than for other jobs in the last 12 months (8.1% compared to 12.8%).
The largest contributor to the fall in starter jobs are declines in associate professional occupations – such as roles in human resources, business sales executives, and advertising and marketing roles – with average weekly vacancies falling by 73% from 2016/17 to 2025/26. Roles in sales and customer service occupations (such as retail assistants and call centre operatives) have also fallen by 59% since 2016/17.
In Oct-Dec 2025, there was only one starter job vacancy per three NEET young people in the UK.[1] Competition for these jobs is even higher than these figures suggest, as NEET young people will be competing with applicants who are in education, those already in work and looking to change jobs, as well as older workers looking to re-enter the workforce.
Ben Harrison, Director of the Work Foundation at Lancaster University, said, “The Milburn Review has rightly highlighted the systemic failures that make it much harder for many young people to enter and remain in employment. But this research shines a new light on the dramatic decline of job options available to those who want to work.
“The implications are clear – the Government must take decisive steps to improve the quality and security of work on offer to young people – particularly in those parts of the country where the jobs market is weakest.
“And we need to see more powers and funding devolved to address other place-based barriers to work, such as poor transport connectivity and skills, which often mean young people are unable to access employment opportunities that do exist.
“Without action to create more good-quality jobs, we risk investing heavily in reforms to education and employment support, while still leaving too many young people without a viable route into sustainable work.”
Where you live influences your experience of being NEET
Adzuna data suggests that NEET young people in the North and the Midlands face a more significant starter jobs shortage and are more constrained by the ongoing weakening in local labour markets:
In Oct-Dec 2025 in the North East, there were six NEET young people for every starter job vacancy, and in East Midlands, there were five
The quality of starter jobs also varies by region with starter job vacancies for young people in the North West much more likely to be temporary than those for the wider UK population in 2025.
Young people who participated in the study in Morecambe and Liverpool also reported a series of place-based challenges to employment.
Many participants described struggling early in life, shaping how they later engaged with support services such as JobCentres and council-funded programmes. Young people were grateful for support they received through the local council and voluntary sector, but awareness of these opportunities varied, and many voluntary sector schemes are struggling for long-term funding.
Participants also stated that hiring processes were complex, impersonal, and demoralising, with applications receiving little or no feedback. AI recruitment and automation appeared to create additional barriers for young people with lower attainment from secondary education.
Dr Divya Jyoti from Lancaster University Management School, who led the research with young people, together with colleagues, commented: “The young people we met in Morecambe and Liverpool aspire to be in education, work, or training but they feel alienated from the labour market.
“Through no fault of their own, many young people in this study have faced difficult transitions and systemic barriers through their education and early lives. They are trying to find work in an extremely competitive market but are receiving little feedback or encouragement. We need to see strengthened support with trusted organisations to enable young people to take their first steps into work in such challenging local labour markets.”
In response to the rising numbers of NEET young people, the UK Government has announced a £1 billion package to support youth employment initiatives and have commissioned the Milburn Review to identify the factors driving the rise in the NEET numbers.
Taking account of the findings of the study, and seeking to build on these initial interventions, the study calls on the UK Government to:
Adopt a bolder, more localised approach to the Youth Job Guarantee, with a focus on providing secure, purposeful, and accessible employment opportunities
Strengthen the devolution roadmap in England to ensure all places are equipped to tackle the specific barriers to youth employment they face
Boost support during education to improve young people’s transition into work and reduce the risk of disengagement.
Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:“Youth unemployment is one of the most important challenges facing young people today, and it’s vital that both local and national government address it head on.
“In Liverpool, we’re taking a proactive, evidence-led approach, working with partners including Lancaster University to better understand the barriers young people face when trying to enter the workforce.
“Through our Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Programme, we are testing new and innovative ways to support young people into education, employment and training. This includes tailored mentoring, creative and sports-based programmes, and practical support for employers to help them recruit and retain young people, including those who are care-experienced or have disabilities.
“We’re also investing directly in our young people, committing additional funding to prevent youth unemployment, providing targeted careers support in schools, and creating new roles focused on increasing participation in education and employment.
“This is about making sure every young person in Liverpool has the opportunity, support and confidence to succeed, whatever their starting point.”
Yak Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Lancaster District Community and Voluntary Solutions, said: “This research reflects what we are seeing locally in Morecambe, where too many young people feel disconnected from the systems intended to support them. While opportunities for young people remain limited, we also see the strength that exists within communities.”
“Local organisations are often best placed to build trust, understand the realities young people face, and help connect them to meaningful opportunities. But this work requires sustained investment and much stronger coordination with wider services and support systems.
“If we are serious about improving outcomes for young people, we need more joined-up, place-based approaches that put community insight at their heart.”
School learning environments across Scotland will become phone free under measures announced by Education Secretary Màiri McAllan yesterday.
Highlighting the damage phones can cause to pupils’ wellbeing and education, Ms McAllan confirmed forthcoming legislation to restrict their use in all of Scotland’s schools. A consultation will be launched within the new government’s first 100 days, with refreshed guidance published this summer to further encourage schools to bring in their own restrictions in advance of the law change.
A public health campaign will also be developed for young people and their parents, raising awareness of online harms while providing advice on how to stay safe on the internet.
The Scottish Government aims to build on strong foundations, delivering a phased and evidence-based public health approach to tackling online harms, informed by children and young people.
We are helping schools create better environments for learning.
Education Secretary @MairiMcAllan visited James Gillespie’s High School to hear about their phone free policy.
The Education Secretary said: “We will shortly publish a consultation on laws to make our learning environments phone free, meeting our commitment to do so in the first 100 days of this government.
“Legislation is the way for us to mandate phone-free learning, but if head teachers want to take action themselves they do not have to wait, and nor should they.
“While we prepare legislation, we are working with education authorities to refresh the current guidance by the end of June, to support schools to consider their approach from the next term.
“Our schools and learning environments should be safe and nurturing environments for our children and young people, where they can learn free from the distractions of mobile phones.”
In response to the Ministerial Statement on phone-free classrooms made yesterday, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “The strong commitment from the Scottish Government to set clear, consistent limits on mobile phone use in schools as part of a wider public health response to protect children from online harm is a crucial step in tackling the national childhood emergency of our time.
“The proposed guidance for schools must include firm boundaries for working with technology providers, so children’s data is protected and they are never exposed to advertising, addictive design or harmful content.
“Children are experiencing online harm on an unprecedented scale which must be matched by an unprecedented level of leadership and commitment. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to establish an independent online harm reduction unit within the first 100 days of the new Parliament.
“The unit would bring together expertise from across sectors to better understand risk, support parents, carers and professionals and challenge harmful and exploitative practices by tech companies.”
Any parent or carer worried about their child can contact Children First’s support line on 08000 28 22 33 or visit www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline for expert practical and emotional support.
Autistic people and their families across Scotland continue to face significant barriers, including long waiting times for diagnosis, a lack of support in schools and low employment rates.
Too often, children are missing out on education or are excluded from the classroom, while many people are left without support until they reach crisis point.
We and others have long campaigned for the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill – a Bill which the SNP committed to as far back as 2021. This would provide an opportunity to address the challenges facing autistic people and deliver real change.
Legally binding national and local strategies would improve support and accountability, while mandatory training across public services such as health, education and criminal justice would ensure autistic people’s needs are recognised and supported earlier.
Years of consultation have shaped these proposals, with many in the autistic community sharing difficult and traumatic experiences in the hope of having their voices heard.
As part of the Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign, our charity has launched a petition urging the First Minister, John Swinney, to include the LDAN Bill in September’s Programme for Government, which will set out the Scottish Government’s key priorities and legislative programme for the coming year.
In the lead up to the recent election in Scotland, more than 5,500 letters were sent by supporters urging party leaders to commit to this legislation. This momentum must now be matched with action. Without a clear commitment from the First Minister, autistic people risk being left behind.
Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Our campaign had a fantastic response during the election period. Thousands of letters were sent urging all parties to commit to the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, demonstrating a significant level of support for legislation long overdue in helping secure the rights of autistic people and their families.
The importance of the LDAN Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by autistic people and their families cannot be underestimated and this legislation is a vital opportunity to improve outcomes and recognise the rights of some of our most marginalised communities.
“With the election behind us and attention now turning to the first Programme for Government, we need everyone who wants to see urgent change to sign our petition and ensure this vital piece of legislation is introduced as early as possible in the new term.”
Becca, NAS Scotland Campaigner, said: “The LDAN bill is vital for the wellbeing, safety and equality of autistic and neurodivergent people in Scotland.
“Access must be granted, training must be given and voices must be heard to ensure that autistic and neurodivergent people have equal access and opportunity as anybody else.
“The LDAN bill must be included in the Programme for Government to ensure this change happens and lives are improved.
“As an autistic person, it is a struggle to ensure my voice is heard and my opinions are taken into account, so by committing to the inclusion of the LDAN Bill in the Programme for Government, I matter.
“My voice and many others across the country matter.“
You can call on the First Minister to Act Now for Autistic Rights by signing the petition here.
