Secondary school students to hear the John Muir story

‘One day’s exposure to mountains is better than a cartload of books’, said John Muir, who nevertheless understood the power of the pen and wrote prolifically about wild places and the need to protect them. This month a cartload of books about Muir’s life will go out to every secondary school in Scotland to tell the story of his life and legacy.

The new graphic novel, ‘John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe‘, – a story told in illustrated format with a combination of Muir’s words and a carefully crafted narrative – has been created by Scottish Book Trust, Creative Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage as part of Year of Natural Scotland and John Muir legacy celebrations. It aims to share the story of the conservation visionary with new audiences, and invites discussion, reflection and action.

“The book and its online resources really brings out the adventurous spirit of John Muir from his childhood in Dunbar to his wanderings around America, and shows the origins of his campaigning zeal and passion for wilderness,” said Rob Bushby of the John Muir Trust who sat on the steering group for the development of the novel.

“The Scottish Book Trust is to be congratulated for capturing this in a way that’s already inspiring and engaging pupils, teachers and adults alike. It has the potential to be a game changer in bringing this often-neglected champion of wild places to a whole new audience.”

Written by award-winning author Julie Bertagna and illustrated by Glasgow-based artist William Goldsmith, the novel is based on the key moments and life adventures of John Muir and is intended to help children develop a deeper understanding and awareness of the natural environment and the importance of protecting wild places.

With the assistance of Keep Scotland Beautiful and the Eco-Schools Scotland programme, a class set of 24 copies will be distributed to every secondary school in Scotland this month to coincide with the opening of the John Muir Way by the First Minister on 21 April.

The novel was developed in partnership with John Muir Trust, Creative Scotland, Education Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage and in consultation with teachers and school pupils. It combines environmental studies with literacy in an innovative way that hasn’t previously been implemented in Scotland, and is supported by accompanying online resources for teachers.

Commenting on the use of graphic novels as a way of engaging pupils in learning, Marc Lambert, Director of the Scottish Book Trust, said: “The importance of taking care of the planet for future generations is one of the most vital lessons our children can learn.

“Telling the story of John Muir’s life and thoughts through the highly accessible and entertaining form of a graphic novel allows us to reclaim a Scottish hero and helps children to develop a deeper understanding of the key environmental issues he campaigned for, in a creative and enjoyable way.”

You can download the PDF version of John Muir, Earth – Planet, Universe from the Scottish Book Trust

The John Muir Festival got underway last night with the official opening of the magnificent Kelpies sculptures at Falkirk’s new Helix Park. The Festival runs until 26 April – to find out what’s on go to www.johnmuirfestival.com

Mary Erskine’s to represent city in referendum debate

Mary Erskine School will fly the flag for Edinburgh in the final of a TV schools debate on Saturday.

Eight secondary schools from across Scotland will battle it out on STV in the final of a national debating competition next Saturday (12 April at 1740).

The half hour programme, Referendum: The Next Generation, sees four pupils from each school take part in knock out rounds before the winner of the final debate picks up the trophy.

The other schools to compete are the Nicolson Institute (Western Isles), Douglas Academy (East Dunbartonshire), Montrose Academy (Angus), Lockerbie Academy (Dumfries & Galloway), St Andrews Academy (Renfrewshire), Grove Academy (Dundee) and St Josephs Academy (East Ayrshire).

STV teamed up with Debating Matters in 2013 to give secondary school pupils from all 32 local authority areas, many of who will be eligible to vote in the referendum on independence, the opportunity to research and discuss issues which will affect the future of Scotland.

The Scotland wide competition was open to secondary five and six pupils who had a chance to compete with other schools in their local authority area last summer before taking part in eight regional heats in November 2013. The final of the competition was held at The University of Glasgow and the programme is hosted by STV’s Gordon Chree.

Elizabeth Partyka, deputy director of channels at STV, said: “This programme is the culmination of a series of lively debates between secondary schools throughout the country. We are committed to providing a platform for debate on all the big issues and it is fantastic that secondary school pupils have the opportunity to research and discuss issues that matter to them. We hope people tune in to see which school picks up the winner’s trophy.”

Claire Fox, Director of the Institute of Ideas, said: “Debating Matters is delighted to have worked in partnership with STV to provide an intellectually demanding and rigorous platform for students across Scotland to engage in serious discussion of the big philosophical, cultural and political questions relating to Scotland’s future direction society, and to debate the key issues around the Scottish Independence referendum. The Institute of Ideas values substance over style and emphasises the complexities beyond the headline and beyond sound-bites, so important when young people are considering something as important as the future of Scotland constitutionally. Based on the debates we saw in the autumn and this spring, those young Scots we met rose to that challenge more than admirably.”

Good luck, Mary Erskine!

Council acts to tackle rising school rolls

Flora Stevenson and Wardie are among Edinburgh primary schools earmarked for additional classrooms as the city council faces the ongoing challenge of rising school rolls …

Plans to deliver new classrooms to deal with the issue of rising rolls in the capital have been revealed by the City of Edinburgh Council.

The Primary School Estate Rising Rolls report lists seven schools where space pressures may arise for the start of the 2015/16 session – Clermiston, East Craigs, Flora Stevenson, Gilmerton, Pentland, Ratho and Wardie Primary Schools – and a number of possible solutions.

In addition three other schools south of the city centre – Brunstfield, James Gillespie’s and South Morningside – face similar issues. A separate report which considers their specific issues and the possible approaches in that area as a whole will also be discussed at the Education, Children and Families Committee on 4 March.

With primary school rolls projected to rise to a peak of nearly 31,000 pupils by 2019 – an increase of about 15% on the position at the start of the 2013/14 school year – the Council is actively tackling the issue. £15m has already been pledged to help build extra accommodation; Granton, Trinity and Wardie Primary Schools all received new classrooms at the start of this school year receiving positive feedback from parents, pupils and staff.

A total of 18 new classrooms will be built at four schools for the start of the next school year in August 2014 – Broughton, Victoria, St David’s and Craigour Park – with a further 6 additional classrooms being provided at Fox Covert, Stockbridge, Flora Stevenson, Bruntsfield and Gylemuir Primary Schools by adapting the existing buildings.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener, said: “This report highlights the schools where we believe there will be accommodation pressures and outlines how we can meet demand for places from catchment pupils in 2015/16. The increase in rolls comes at a time when budgets are under increasing pressure, and so the Council has a responsibility to plan ahead, and ensure we provide a solution that fits with our needs and our budget.

“Despite the difficult financial climate the Capital Coalition has doubled the budget available for rising rolls, pledging £15m to tackle the issue. This has already resulted in fantastic new accommodation being delivered at several schools across the city.

“The primary school roll projections are updated every year to identify those schools where future accommodation pressures might arise allowing us to plan in advance for any changes necessary to deal with increased pupil numbers. We will now consult with these schools to identify the best solution to address the pressures should they arise.”

Cllr Godzik added: “Whether or not it is traditional extensions, new build accommodation or adapting existing space, we are committed to providing the very best educational environment for our pupils and are determined to listen to parental views and work with school communities as we move forward.

“In the longer term finding a sustainable solution to the problem of rising rolls is really important. We have to ensure there is space available for our catchment pupils. That’s why we will be laying out proposals to deal with the issue south of the city centre in the Brunstfield, James Gillespie’s and South Morningside area, and why we are working very closely with planning colleagues to look at the wider impact of housing developments included in the Local Development Plan.”

A further report will be considered at the May committee with a proposed solution for each school.

Drama to educate pupils on fireworks danger

An informative play about the dangers of misusing fireworks will be performed to around 1,500 pupils in schools across Edinburgh during the run up to Guy Fawkes night. TOAST shows pupils how dangerous fireworks can be, as well as raising issues such as peer pressure, bullying and managing aggression.

The production involves two actors playing 11 different characters, with the scene shifting between a hospital, a home, a school and a housing estate. The principal character is drawn into an ill-fated escapade with stolen fireworks, with ultimately tragic consequences.

The play, originally commissioned by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in Northern Ireland, has been adapted for Edinburgh and is being staged by the Strange Theatre Company. It lasts for 30 minutes and has been organised by staff working in the City of Edinburgh Council’s West Neighbourhood Office.

It will run until Friday (1 November) and will be performed to all S2 pupils in sixteen Edinburgh schools, including locally at Craigroyston – approximately 1,500 young people aged between 12 and 13 will see the drama.

The weeks leading up to Bonfire Night are a time of increased complaints to police and councillors about excessive fireworks noise, with elderly people, the very young and domestic pets often left particularly distressed by fireworks noise.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Environment Leader, said: “Guy Fawkes night is great fun and families enjoy the spectacle of fireworks as the nights get darker. However, fireworks can be extremely dangerous if handled improperly.

“The play ‘Toast’ is an excellent way of helping young people understand the risks and dangers of misusing fireworks. We will be carrying out test purchasing in shops where fireworks are on sale to make sure that retailers are adhering to the legislation.”

William MacDonald, Group Commander for The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Bonfire Night is the busiest time of year for the fire service and we are urging parents and carers to be mindful of the potential risks from fireworks and the need to heed fire safety advice to ensure this year’s Guy Fawkes celebrations stay safe.

“We work closely with partners agencies including the City of Edinburgh Council to raise awareness of the risks and dangers associated with bonfires and fireworks as well as delivering fire safety advice to schoolchildren across the area. Toast, which highlights the dangers associated with fireworks, is an excellent example of this type of initiative. “Every year, hundreds of people in the UK are injured by fires and misusing fireworks which are very similar to explosives. Most at risk are unsupervised children, particularly those who play with fire or who get too close to bonfires. We want everyone to enjoy this time of year but to stay safe and advise they stick to supervised bonfires and firework displays.”

Congratulations, Craigie!

New Head Teacher plans to build on best ever exam results

Craigroyston Community High School has once again produced an excellent set of exam results – the results this year are the best ever achieved by the school.

New Head Teacher Steve Ross puts this down to a real commitment in the school towards attainment: ‘My predecessor, Margaret Russell, encouraged and motivated pupils and staff to aim high – and this is exactly what they have done.’

There were twice the number of Higher passes this year compared to 2012 and 100% of the S4 cohort achieved the minimum standard set by the Scottish Government of 5 passes at Access 3 or Foundation level, a figure that will be the envy of many other schools in the region and beyond.

Steve Ross is excited by the positive momentum this has created within the school: ‘What a fantastic position to be in! I have to say that I have been genuinely impressed by the standards in my new school. In my career I have taught in, and visited, many schools. The teaching and learning that is going on here is of a very high standard indeed. I am so fortunate to have a staff (teaching and non–teaching) that want the very best for the pupils.

“I would like to pass on my appreciation to parents and carers for their commitment to the school uniform – on the first morning the pupils returned to school I was blown away by the standard of dress – as good as any other school and better than a fair few.’

As well as having high expectations for all pupils in the school, Steve is keen to listen to the pupil voice: ‘One of the first things I’ve done is set up meetings between myself and pupils and asked them three questions:

What’s good about the school?

What’s not good about the school?

What would you like to see changed?

I’ll be feeding back replies to all pupils, staff and parent council and from there we’ll construct an action plan to address issues raised. It’s very important to me that the young people here feel they have a role in driving the school to even greater success in the future.’

‘I plan to hold an open evening in the school in the near future and will be inviting all parents, carers and community members to come along so we can talk about the way forward for Craigroyston Community High School and it’s young people.’

Good luck in your new post, Steve

New classrooms for new school year

Twenty three new classrooms have opened their doors to pupils today as the City of Edinburgh Council tackles the pressing issue of rising school rolls. The Council has spent £8m on creating new classrooms at Towerbank, Corstorphine, Granton, Trinity (pictured above) and Wardie Primary Schools, while Blackhall also received an upgrade.

Additional class spaces have also been created at a further six schools where there has been increased pressure for places – this means up to 750 new pupil places have been created across the city.

Due to rising rolls £2m has been spent on the extensions to the other three primary schools. Trinity Primary School has four new classrooms, Wardie Primary School has three new classrooms and Granton Primary School has two new classrooms.

In addition to the new classrooms, the temporary units at James Gillespie’s and Blackhall have been refurbished, while extra space has been created at James Gillespie’s, Holy Cross, St Mary’s Leith, Craigour Park and Oxgangs to allow for more pupils.

The new accommodation at Granton, Trinity and Wardie Primary Schools has been carried out with partners Hub South East Scotland and Morrison Construction.

Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Many local authorities across the United Kingdom are struggling to find sustainable solutions to the increase in pupil numbers.

“In Edinburgh, primary school rolls are predicted to rise by 19% by 2020 – bringing our primary school population to over 31,000. That’s why the Capital Coalition has pledged an extra £15m to tackle the issue.

“The foundations we are laying here in Edinburgh demonstrate that the capital is prepared for the complex challenges that lie ahead. We believe our approach allows us the flexibility to plan much better for the future, and we are working with school communities and parent councils as we move forward. Whether or not it is traditional extensions, new built units or the refurbishment of existing space, we are committed to providing the very best educational environment for our pupils.”

Mari Smith, P6 class teacher at Trinity Primary School, said: “The classrooms are a fantastic addition to our school and provide a bright and stimulating learning environment. The children are so excited about starting the new school year in their brand new classrooms.”

Paul McGirk, Chief Executive of Hub South East Scotland, said: “We are delighted to continue our successful partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and hope that the pupils of Granton, Trinity and Wardie Primary Schools enjoy their new classrooms.

“This is a great example of how Hub South East Scotland can work with our partners to deliver modern, innovative solutions, providing facilities more quickly, more effectively, and with more time and cost certainty than ever before.”

David Wilson, Project Director for Morrison Construction, said: “This has been an exciting and challenging project to be involved with and we would like to acknowledge the patience and understanding shown by the head teachers, the teaching and support staff, the pupils and our neighbours throughout the construction phase.

“We look forward to continuing this spirit of partnership in the future phases of the Rising Rolls project.”

The Towerbank and Corstorphine extensions have been planned for a number of years but the others are as a result of a unique approach taken by the Council to deal with rising school rolls.

When schools are identified as potentially needing extra accommodation for the next school year, the relevant design and planning permissions are taken forward however it is only when the final registration numbers are confirmed in the following January that a decision is taken to go ahead with building the new classrooms.

This means that extensions are only built when the Council is confident the extra classes will be required. Previously this decision would have been taken much earlier before final numbers were known. It also means that additional classes can be added as, and when, they are needed depending on the annual review.

Wardie Primary School now has planning permission for a further two classes and Granton Primary School has planning permission for two further phases which would deliver five more classes if and when required.

The Council has already identified five more primary schools where new extensions may be required for the 2014/15 session to meet the increased demand from catchment pupils and are already starting to plan for the delivery of these for August 2014 should they be needed.

So £8 million for emergency extensions is good news for pupils and parents – but it does make you wonder (again) at the wisdom of closing schools like Royston prematurely …

Lest we forget – funding for schools to visit Western Front

Every secondary school in Scotland will be offered financial help to carry out educational visits to European battlefields as part of the Scottish Government’s plans to commemorate the centenary of the Great War, First Minister Alex Salmond announced yesterday.

A £2,000 grant will be made available to every senior school in the country to help them meet the costs of trips to Western Front battlefields and war graves so pupils can learn more about the sacrifice made by the many thousands from Scotland and elsewhere during the First World War.

The £1 million fund, which will be administered by Historic Scotland, will include additional subsidies for groups travelling to the continent from schools not on the Scottish mainland.

The educational grant scheme, which will span the six school years from 2013, comes after the First Minister announced a £1 million fund to allow communities across Scotland to refurbish and maintain their war memorials ahead of the commemorations. A full programme of commemorations in Scotland is expected to be announced by the First Minister shortly.

The First Minister said: “The sacrifice made by the many thousands of Scots and those fighting for Scottish battalions during the First World War must never be forgotten, and it is absolutely crucial that we take the opportunity presented by the centenary to help young people develop a deeper understanding of the causes, consequences and horrors of war and the devastation wrought by the conflict on communities in all corners of the country.

“Many of the soldiers who were sent to War in 1914 were not much older than school age and educational trips to see WWI battlefields provide an unforgettable experience for our young people, giving them a powerful insight into the trench warfare endured by millions on the Western Front.

“Many schools already run educational trips to the European battlefields, but this additional £1 million in funding will ensure that every secondary school in Scotland is offered financial help to take pupils and teachers to Europe during the centenary of the War, broadening the pupils’ knowledge of the conflict and ensuring that a new generation of Scots never forgets the unimaginable price paid by their forbears a century ago.”

Rev Norman Drummond, the chair of the Scottish Commemorations Panel body set up by the Scottish Government to recommend a preferred approach to Scotland’s commemorations of the Great War, welcomed the announcement. He said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government will be funding Battlefield visits for our secondary schools. It is vital that we create an educational legacy as part of Scotland’s commemorative programme and these visits will enable our pupils and teachers to experience at first-hand the significant service and sacrifice given by so many Scottish servicemen and women throughout World War One.”

Denise Dunlop, President of the Scottish Association of Teachers of History, said: “This is a fantastic initiative that I hope all of Scotland’s secondary schools will welcome. Battlefield visits are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for school pupils to learn first-hand about war and its horrible consequences. Many of these conflicts are glamourised in today’s society, and these trips offer a chance for young people to learn the truth about what happened to so many thousands of soldiers – many of whom were not much older than school age.”

Juicy business opportunity for city schools!

Five Edinburgh schools are going head to head tomorrow (Saturday 20 April) in an ‘Apprentice’ style challenge to make and sell their own lemonade and orange juice. The friendly battle, dubbed ‘Citrus Saturday’, will see pupils from Gracemount High School, Leith Academy, Woodlands, Gorgie Mills and Forrester High test their business skills in the citrus sell-off.

They will compete to see which team sells the most homemade drinks at five central locations – the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh Castle, Cameron Toll Shopping Centre and the Gyle Shopping Centre.

The event, run by the City of Edinburgh Council, gives pupils a taste of working on a business project and helps develop their budgeting, negotiating, selling and marketing skills. Each team has had volunteer student business mentors from Edinburgh University and The Prince’s Trust to help them with their projects.

The teams will be using over 1,000 lemons, 450 oranges, 32 limes, 56kg of sugar and more than 100 litres of fizzy water to make their thirst-quenching drinks – the majority provided by Sainsbury’s at Cameron Toll.

Councillor Frank Ross, Economy Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Citrus Saturday is a great way for young people to learn about the realities of creating a business in a fun way. They’ll be able to put into practice all the skills they have been developing over the past months with the business students from Edinburgh University. There will be elements of developing a product from scratch, devising the marketing and budgeting and of course the sales pitches on the day itself. I’d like to wish everyone the best of luck and encourage as many people as possible to support them tomorrow.”

Citrus Saturday is part of a European Union funded project through the Interreg IVB programme to promote Open Innovation with business, academia and the wider community.

Promises to be a fun competition, but sadly some schools are sure to be pipped at the post (sorry!)!

Glennon sponsors Edinburgh Gaelic football school league

Timber processing firm Glennon Brothers has announced it is to sponsor the Edinburgh-based Gaelic football school league for three years.

The youth element of Dunedin Connollys football club was established in 2012 and Glennon Brothers will provide financial backing to fund new kits and equipment to support the newly named ‘Glennon Brothers School League’, giving something back to the Scottish community in which over half of its employees are based.

Glennon Brothers joint managing directors Mike and Pat Glennon, accompanied by David Roger, CEO of Glennon Brothers in Scotland, attended the launch event of the league on Thursday 14 March at the Irish Consulate in Edinburgh where the sponsorship was announced.

The evening kicked off with a photo opportunity for the team and its new sponsors, followed by a networking event for key VIP guests including the Irish Minister of State for Small Business, John Perry and Consul General of Ireland to Scotland, Susan Conlon, as well as industry bodies Enterprise Ireland and Scottish Enterprise.

Mike Glennon, joint Managing Director at Glennon Brothers, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to sponsor the Edinburgh school league for Gaelic Football. We all know that involvement in sport is enormously positive for young people. Without the time, commitment, and patience of countless volunteers, and the team at Dunedin Og, many young people would miss out on the wonderful opportunities that sport can provide, and we are delighted that we can support this venture and give back to the Scottish community which is so important to the success of our business.”

Pat Glennon, joint Managing Director at Glennon Brothers, added: “This sponsorship is a key part of our celebration of 100 years in business in 2013 and clearly marks the significance of Scotland to Glennon Brothers today. We wish the Edinburgh school league every success.”

Peter Dillon, Dunedin Connollys Chairman said: “We are very grateful to Glennon Brothers for their kind and generous financial support of the Gaelic school league. It makes a huge difference for the families and children involved in the league, creating a solid foundation for us to build upon following the clubs inception last year. We are excited about spreading the word about Gaelic football to the Edinburgh youth community and are hopeful that the club will now go from strength to strength!”

Council ‘inciting racism’, warns local mum

A local mum has reacted angrily to news that the city council may have to extend Granton Primary School – just a year after closing nearby Royston. Mandy Eng has written to education chiefs to express her disgust and also to warn that blaming migration for increasing school rolls could ‘make a volatile situation much worse’.

Earlier this month, Councillor Paul Godzik, Convener of Education, Children and Families, explained the rationale behind another review of school buildings. He said: said: “One of our earliest coalition decisions was to set up a cross-party Forum on Children and Families Estate Evaluation. Parents, union and church representatives have also been invited to participate. By doing this we aim to discuss the issues in an open way from the very start of the decision making process.”

The council believes that while some of the issues are longer term and can be addressed over a number of years, immediate action may be required for five schools – Balgreen, Granton, Trinity, Victoria and Wardie – to ensure they can provide places for their catchment population in August 2013, and plans to build ‘high quality extensions if required to support parents who wish to send their child to a catchment school.’

Councillor Godzik continued: “Thriving schools like Sciennes and Stockbridge Primary schools are delivering first class education, even though space is at a premium. I think it is only right with the predicted rise in school rolls that we consider reviewing GP space across the city.”

Education leaders cite a combination of rising birth rates, migration and economic factors for causing a 5% rise in the city’s primary school population this year and an estimated rise of a further 19% by 2019. However Mandy Eng, parent of a child at Granton Primary, believes there is also another reason – school closures. In a letter to Director of Education Gillian Tee, she said:

‘I am a parent of a pupil at Granton Primary School and have just received a letter from you entitled “Rising Rolls in Primary Schools” and am absolutely furious in regard to its content.

You state that the reasons the school is under pressure to accommodate pupil numbers is “due to a combination of rising birth rates, migration and other economic factors” and this will require you to look at increasing the number of classrooms in the coming year. However, no where do you mention that one of the other catchment schools in the area, Royston Primary, was demolished last year which would easily have accommodated this rise in number of pupils. Having failed to acknowledge this I feel you are not taking any ownership of an issue that has obviously arisen through lack of foresight from Children and Families Dept.

I attended all of the public meetings to save Royston Primary School from closure and I myself pointed out to your representatives at the first meeting that their figures on birth rates did not equate, then again at the second meeting when the “altered” figures STILL did not equate and was then surprised to see that the slide in relation to these figures had been omitted from further presentations from yourselves. Were the Council so desperate to close Royston and use its running costs and the sale of the land to plough elsewhere into the Council that they brushed the birth rate figures under the carpet or are your analysts incapable of working out simple projected figures? To now be looking at spending public money on extending Granton only one year since Royston’s closure is both appalling and unacceptable.

Also by apportioning blame to “migration” I feel you are causing a feeling of resentment to the migrants in our community and I go as far as to say that the Council is inciting racism and making an already volatile situation in some areas much worse. Already I have heard parents say that it is due to the amount of foreign children coming into the area that their child may not get a place in their catchment school and I have been forced to remind them that if we still had Royston School then this situation would never have arisen.

I am keen to know why the Council did not take information on the projected number of school age children in the area, that was easily obtainable at the time of the decision to close Royston, into consideration and who is going to take responsibility for this MASSIVE error?’

Mandy Eng told NEN: “I feel that it is something that needs to be brought to the attention of the community, and everyone needs to be made aware that there is a possibility that their child may not get a place at the school – not through “migration”, but through the council’s decision to close Royston School.”

The council is expected to Ms Eng’s letter in due course.