Tag: schools

NSPCC counting on children’s TV legend to inspire Edinburgh schools to support maths fun day

Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball is joining the NSPCC’s call to schools and nurseries across Edinburgh to take part in a maths-inspired fundraiser this February.

Number Day is an annual event aimed at children in nurseries, primary and secondary schools, with teachers and pupils raising vital funds for the NSPCC while having fun with maths.

This year’s event takes place on Friday, February 3, and will see free curriculum-based activities available for schools across the country to download to help liven up their lessons while raising funds for the children’s charity.

Johnny Ball, veteran children’s TV presenter and maths enthusiast, will also be supporting Number Day by providing a series of videos for the NSPCC that will feature activity ideas of his own. Johnny’s videos will be available on YouTube and social media. He said: “The NSPCC’s Number Day is a great way for all children and schools to celebrate the joy of learning mathematics while supporting such a great cause.

“Maths is an essential part of a child’s education as the ability to count, play with numbers and tackle puzzles, builds confidence and problem-solving thinking – all of which are essential lifelong skills. And most important of all, learning maths is fun.”

Since Number Day was first launched in 2000, it has raised nearly £3 million for the NSPCC. Last year, 5,000 schools got involved with Number Day and raised £400,000.

Funds raised from Number Day could help support vital NSPCC services such as Childline and the charity’s Speak out Stay safe programme, which sees the NSPCC visit primary schools and teach children how to recognise signs of abuse and neglect, and who to talk to if they are worried.

Within the last year, 5667 children from schools in Edinburgh took part in the NSPCC’s online Speak Out Stay Safe programme.

Registration for Number Day is free through the NSPCC website. Once a school is registered, the NSPCC will provide resources that can be used in the classroom, including new games and activities, such as Dress up for Digits where children and staff can wear an item of clothing with a number on it and make a donation to the NSPCC.

Georgia Hall-Newell, NSPCC Schools Coordinator for Edinburgh, said: “Whether you’re from a school or a nursery, by taking part in this year’s Number Day, not only will you be inspiring children by making maths education fun but you’ll be helping to support the NSPCC as well.

“This year’s Number Day promises to be our best mega maths fundraiser yet, with NSPCC Rock which is an online times tables competition for schools, and more resources than ever before being made available to schools, thanks to Oxford University Press, Maths on Toast, GoHenry, SchoolOnline and Maths Circle.”

Number Day is also supported by partners including Man Group, OUP and IRIS ParentMail. 

Schools and nurseries can sign up to Number Day for free by visiting the NSPCC’s website at www.nspcc.org.uk/numberday.

Any queries in relation to Number Day can be emailed to: numberday@nspcc.org.uk

Meanwhile further information about Dress Up for Digits and ideas for costumes can also be found on the NSPCC’s website.

Please remember to share your Number Day posts and photos on social media and to include the hashtag #NumberDay.

Groundbreaking event for new Currie Community High School

A special groundbreaking event was held yesterday (Thursday 19 January) to mark the start of construction work on the new Currie Community High School.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills at the Scottish Government was joined on site by Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and  Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council and Head Teacher Jenny Hutchison.

The new Currie Community High School, which will be one of the most energy efficient high schools in Scotland, is expected to open in 2025 and is being built by partners Kier Construction.

The campus will be one of the first Passivhaus-designed high schools in the country setting the standard for energy consumption across school estates. Passivhaus is a rigorous energy standard which reduces the amount of energy needed for heating by up to 90%. It also lowers the total amount of energy used by around 70% and minimises carbon emissions. The new school will support Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.  

At the heart of the new school plans are five core elements: education, inclusion, outdoor learning and sustainability, digital learning and community access. The school will have a series of learning zones for pupils with breakout areas which include:

  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over three levels with dual-teaching classrooms, science labs, technician areas and a learning plaza
  • Languages and Humanities with dual-teaching classrooms, learning plaza and a debating chamber
  • Expressive Arts with music rooms, a recording studio, art studios including a kiln room, dance studios, drama studio and stage
  • Health and Wellbeing with a gym hall, games hall, fitness suite and swimming pool, food technology and hospitality
  • Integrated Support with wellbeing hub, support for learning classroom, a sensory room and a sensory garden

There is a strong emphasis on outdoor learning with the creation of a special terrace on the second floor providing all of the learning zones with immediate access to external teaching spaces. This focus will shape the curriculum on offer and ensure these outdoor spaces promote sustainability and link lifelong learning to the surrounding grounds of the school and community.  

Health and wellbeing also feature prominently in the designs with the creation of a dedicated wellbeing hub and separate wellness centre to support pupils. The hub will be based in the integrated support zone and is a dedicated room in a quiet location which can be used as part of a planned alternative/flexible timetable to help young people learn in a variety of settings.

The wellness centre will be in the community and sports side of the building and will provide a space for counselling and activities to support improved mental health.

The new building will offer the community daytime, evening and weekend access to an intergenerational community hub. Visitors can drop in to the library space in the foyer, access meeting rooms and digital services, visit the café, keep healthy at the gym and pool or enjoy a walk around the grounds. There will also be public allotments.

Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “These are exciting times for the Currie school community as there are so many innovative elements to the plans which have energy efficiency at their centre.

“This will make the new campus one of the first high schools in Scotland to meet Passivhaus standards and supports Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.  

“The new school will provide a first-class learning setting and be an exciting, inspirational and creative hub for the whole community which will meet both future educational and environmental needs.

“I’m delighted to see such a strong emphasis on outdoor learning with the creation of a special terrace and how the outdoor spaces will promote sustainability for the school and local community.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This new school will provide an inspiring learning environment for around 1,000 pupils and will benefit generations to come. It has been a privilege for me to break the ground here today on this fantastic addition to the area and to hear what a difference this completed project will make to pupils and the wider community.

“The project will be completed using support from the first phase of the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP), which is managed by the Scottish Futures Trust and will benefit tens of thousands of pupils across Scotland.”

Jenny Hutchison, Currie Community High School Head Teacher, said: “It was great to be at the event this morning as everyone can now see the construction taking place on the site of the new school.

“We’re so incredibly excited about what our new school has to offer as a learning and community campus with an amazing energy around curriculum development and how we ensure that young people develop the skills to be 21st century ready. 

“As one of the first Passivhaus schools in Scotland, we are committed to energy efficiency for the benefits of our young people and community.  The opportunities for intergenerational learning are endless with transformational learning spaces both inside the building and out.”

Phil McDowell, Regional Director for Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: “This really is a unique project, which not only creates an outstanding new school, but its vast range of facilities will bring important socio-economic benefits to the local area.

“Everything about the new school has been designed with the focus of minimising energy usage and creating a healthy environment for generations to come.

“We’re proud to continue our successful relationship with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver this fantastic new facility for the community of Currie.”

The new school will deliver more proactive services closer to people across the city, which is a key part of our 20-minute neighbourhood strategy. We want everyone to live well locally and be able to meet most of their daily needs from within their own community by walking, cycling, wheeling or taking public transport.

This means working with our local partners and communities to better plan and deliver services that meet everyone’s needs.

Local community hubs will bring daily services together for everyone to help create more social, inclusive and accessible communities that are connected by safe active travel routes. These will help to support the wellbeing of all citizens and end poverty and isolation in Edinburgh.

New Year, new round of school strikes

INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN SCHOOLS NEXT WEEK

Industrial action in schools next week: all primaries closed on Tuesday 10 January, all secondaries closed on Wednesday 11 January, special schools are also affected.

Full details incl. nurseries and free school meal payments here:

https://edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15311/school-closures—letter-to-parents-and-carers

The EIS has said that the New Year’s resolution for both the Scottish Government and COSLA must be to pay Scotland’s teachers fairly by coming back with a greatly improved pay offer.

Scotland’s teachers have not received a pay rise for the year 2022, despite being due for a pay increase in April.

Commenting as schools broke up for the Christmas holidays, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “As 2022 comes to a close, Scotland’s teachers are still waiting for a pay settlement that should have been paid to them in April. What Scotland’s teachers have been offered by the Scottish Government and COSLA amounts to a record real-terms pay cut of up to 11% in a single year.

“This is in the context of the value of teachers’ pay dropping by a massive 20% since 2008. It is little wonder that teachers voted so overwhelmingly for strike action, and remain determined to stand firm against the unprecedented pay cuts that have been offered.”

Ms Bradley continued, “Having taken one day of strike action in November, EIS members will resume a programme of strike action in the New Year. We have offered every opportunity to the Scottish Government and COSLA to settle this dispute, but they have stubbornly failed to take advantage of those opportunities.

“Reheating old offers and repeating tired spin is not going to fool Scotland’s teachers, and it is not going to resolve this dispute or end the ongoing programme of strike action. Neither teachers nor the public believe the claims that Scottish teachers are better paid than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK and internationally – in England the top of the pay scale is higher than in Scotland, and 14 OECD countries sit above Scotland on the league table of teachers’ pay.

“The only OECD league table on teachers’ conditions that Scotland has climbed is the one which quite shockingly shows that Scotland has the third worst record in the world when it comes to excessive class contact hours.

“Rather than Scottish Government spin, only a substantially improved, fair and credible offer can end this dispute and let teachers focus fully on teaching young people rather than having to fight for a fair wage.”

Ms Bradley added, “The Scottish Government and COSLA must do better. They owe it to Scotland’s teachers – the majority of them women – and Scotland’s pupils to end this dispute by committing to pay Scotland’s teachers a fair pay increase. This is about pay justice and gender pay justice.

“Teachers worked tirelessly as key workers throughout the pandemic, often putting their own health at risk to ensure the best possible education for Scotland’s young people amidst very difficult circumstances. Now, in the early stages of education recovery, teachers want to be in the classroom supporting pupils. But, as the cost-of-living soars, teachers deserve and expect an appropriate increase in their pay – not a deep real-terms pay cut, as they have consistently been offered.

“Education must be a top priority for government and for local authorities, and that means investing in Education, including investing in teachers, to ensure the best possible educational experience for all of Scotland’s young people.

“Scotland has a stated commitment to reducing the gender pay gap and to being a Fair Work nation by 2025. Having made these commitments and as the new year dawns, it has to be time for the Scottish Government and COSLA to resolve to offer a fair pay settlement to all of Scotland’s teachers.”

Letter_to_Parents_and_Carers_4Jan23Download

Supporting families with cost of school

Budget sets out £4.85 billion investment in Education and Skills

A range of measures to help children, parents and carers with costs around school have been set out in the Scottish Government’s budget. These include expansion of free school meals in primary schools, holiday food provision and investment to ensure the school clothing grant national minimum of £120 for primary pupils and £150 for secondary pupils.

The spending plans for 2023-24 allocates £4.85 billion of funding across the education and skills portfolio, including measures to address the cost of living crisis.

New investment will see free school meals expanded to primary six and seven pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment – the next step in Scottish Government plans to deliver universal free school meals in primary schools.

It also includes £22 million of continued support to provide meals during the school holidays to children who need them most, along with £200 million for the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

In addition, the budget allocates £50 million of funding to continue to support the Whole Family Wellbeing programme of activity, a key pillar of The Promise, to support families to thrive.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am committed to improving the life chances of all Scotland’s children, young people and learners. The measures set out in these spending plans are driven by our ambition to enable everybody to reach their full potential.

“We know the toll that the cost of living crisis has taken on families and households across Scotland and investment is being made in a range of important measures which will help mitigate the impact of this.

“The expansion of free school meals in primary schools continues, providing a benefit in kind of around £400 per child for families, while the ongoing investment in the school clothing grant and access to digital devices will help those who need it most.

“Our ongoing commitment to free university tuition means that, unlike elsewhere in the UK, Scottish domiciled students do not incur additional debt of up to £27,750, and average student loan debt in Scotland remains the lowest in the UK.

“In Scotland we also have the most teachers-per-pupil, along with the highest per-pupil education spend anywhere in the UK. We will continue to provide local authorities with funding of £145.5 million per year to support the teaching workforce, as part of the overall local government settlement of £13.2 billion.

“Our commitment to closing the poverty related-attainment gap remains paramount and that is why we will invest a further £200 million next year in the Scottish Attainment Challenge – as part of our £1 billion commitment in this Parliament.”

The measures set out in the budget to help reduce the cost of school include:

  • Providing more than £13 million to uprate the School Clothing Grant in line with inflation.
  • Investing an additional £16 million resource and £80 million capital to fund the expansion of Free School Meals for all Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, as the next step in fulfilling the commitment to universal provision in primary schools
  • Continuing to invest £22 million to provide meals during school holidays to the children who need them most.
  • Maintaining subsidy arrangements for the provision of milk and working with partners on a phased approach to the delivery of a universal milk scheme, aligned to the expansion of free school meals.
  • Investing £20 million towards the commitment to ensure every school-aged child, over the lifetime of the parliament, has access to a digital device to support their learning
  • Investment of nearly £2 billion towards Scotland’s universities and colleges to support delivery of high-quality education and training. This includes a cash increase of £20 million in the Higher Education resource budget compared to 2022-23, and a cash increase of £33.7 million in the Further Education resource and capital budget.

The Scottish budget for 2023-24 was published on Thursday 15 December.

Education: Record narrowing of the attainment gap

Primary school literacy and numeracy improvement reaches new high

The poverty-related attainment gaps in literacy and numeracy levels across primary schools have seen the biggest decreases since records began, official statistics show.

The gap between the proportion of primary pupils from the most and least-deprived areas achieving expected levels has narrowed by 3.4 percentage points in literacy and 3.7 percentage points in numeracy, according to the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22. This marks the largest narrowing of the gap in a year since consistent records began in 2016/17.

There has also been a record increase in the proportion of primary school pupils achieving the expected levels of literacy (up 3.7 percentage points to 70.5%) and numeracy (up 3.3 percentage points to 77.9%).

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “These figures demonstrate a real recovery from the pandemic and underline our progress towards tackling the poverty-related attainment gap, and achieving excellence for all of Scotland’s children and young people.

“This record improvement over one year for primary pupils achieving the expected levels in numeracy and literacy also shows more young people are getting the support they need to reach their full potential.

“However, there is no room for complacency. I recognise that attainment levels are still largely below pre-pandemic levels and the publication of local stretch aims by local councils last week sets out clear plans to significantly narrow the poverty-related attainment gap in the years ahead.

“We know that the impact of the pandemic – compounded by the current cost of living crisis – means children and young people need our support now more than ever. We are determined to do all we can to ensure they can reach their full potential, including a record investment of £1billion over this parliamentary term in the Scottish Attainment Challenge.”

The Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22 statistics  include data at Scotland level and for each local authority.

Pupils’ Christmas cards bring festive cheers to Princes Street

Christmas cards designed by Edinburgh school pupils will brighten up Princes Street this festive season by being displayed on all digital bus shelter screens.

Pupils from across the city entered the competition to design the cards for the Education and Children’s Services of the City of Edinburgh Council and the Lord Provost.

In total 11 designs will be shown on the screens, with three of them – chosen by Education Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths, Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Executive Director Amanda Hatton as their official Christmas cards – unveiled at a special event.

The winning designs were created by Lucas Virdee (Victoria Primary School), Aastha Arya (Tynecastle High School) and Flora Goater (Echline Primary School).

The Christmas card competition is an annual event but hasn’t taken place since 2019 due to the pandemic. This is now the sixth year that JCDecaux UK has offered lucky pupils the chance to have their designs shown on digital screens in Princes Street.

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “I’m sure all the pupils and their families will be really excited to see their designs on public display and everyone who took part in the contest deserves special mention.

“Our young people are showing real creativity and artistic talent with these cards and the Winter Windows display in Princes Street Gardens.

“It’s great to see the cards promoted on the digital bus shelters as it will definitely bring festive cheer to shoppers!”   

Cllr Griffiths said: “This is my first year for choosing winners and it was really difficult due to the high quality of entries. I really want to thank JCDecaux for continuing to support this festive project after an enforced gap of two years as there’s no doubt the young people love taking part.

“Huge congratulations to Luca, Aastha and Flora whose designs will also feature on our Christmas cards.

Carolyn Howieson, Partnership Manager at JCDecaux UK, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council, bringing these beautiful Season Greetings designs by local children to digital screens in Princes Street, showcasing the talented young artists in the city.”

The designs will be displayed on all the bus shelters in Princes Street.

Join the National Discussion on education

Public to have their say at live events online

Children, young people, parents, carers and teachers are being encouraged to take part in the National Discussion on Scottish education through a series of upcoming online public events.

The first session will take place on Tuesday 22 November, with further opportunities on Wednesday 23 November and Thursday 1 December.

Anyone who has an interest in Scottish education is being invited to register to take part.

Those who register will be able to speak directly to internationally renowned education experts Professor Alma Harris and Professor Carol Campbell, who are acting as independent facilitators for the National Discussion

Prof Harris said: “We have had a fantastic response to the National Discussion so far, with engagement across a range of sectors, including from children and young people, teachers and parents.

“We are determined to be as inclusive as possible and would encourage everyone with an interest in the future of Scottish education to take part in these online public events.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The vision that is created following the National Discussion will set out what education in Scotland needs to look like not only in the near future, but 20 years from now.

“These online sessions are a great opportunity to get involved in the Discussion and to make your views heard.”

Around 3,500 responses have been received since the Discussion was launched on 21 September.

The feedback will play a vital part in shaping the future of education. This will include the reform programme that will see the creation of three new education bodies and a review of qualifications and assessment.

The National Discussion – Let’s Talk Scottish Education – which is being co-convened by COSLA, will run until 5 December.

Join the National Discussion at the Let’s Talk Scottish Education online sessions registration page

Scotland’s teachers set to strike on Thursday 24th November

TEACHING union the EIS is to call its members in Scotland’s schools out on strike action on Thursday 24 November.

This will be the first day of strike action following the result of an EIS statutory ballot, announced yesterday, in which 96% voted in favour of strike action on a turnout of 71%.

The national day of strike action over pay will be the first such action in Scotland’s schools for four decades – a clear indication of the current level of anger and frustration amongst teachers.

Following the announcement of the ballot result at lunchtime yesterday, the EIS Executive Committee held a special meeting and agreed an initial day of national strike action two weeks from today. Further industrial action dates will be agreed at a normal meeting of EIS Executive tomorrow.

EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The EIS will be calling its members in all of Scotland’s schools out on strike action on Thursday 24 November, in the first day of national strike action on pay for almost forty years.

“We hoped not to get to this point and have given local authorities and the Scottish Government ample time to come up with a fair pay offer. But, with a pay-rise for teachers now more than seven months late, and with the last pay offer having been rejected by teachers almost three months ago, the blame for this move to strike action sits squarely with COSLA and the Scottish Government.

“They have sat on their hands for far too long, dithering and delaying while the soaring cost of living continues to erode the value of their pitiful offers to Scotland’s teachers.”

Ms Bradley added, “Teachers do not take strike action lightly, but have voted to do so in light of the continuing steep real-terms decline in their pay. Politicians who have lauded the invaluable work of teachers throughout the pandemic and during the ongoing period of recovery are now offering teachers a deep real-terms pay cut.

“This will never be acceptable to Scotland’s teachers or to the EIS, and that is why Scotland’s teachers will be taking strike action two weeks from today.”

Information on further strike action dates will be issued in due course.

Council strikes back on?

UNISON, and sister trade unions Unite and GMB, are threatening pull out local government school staff and refuse workers on strike again.

Strike action was suspended after UNISON members voted for an offer which was made to them by COSLA on 2nd September 2022.

Trade union strikes remain suspended but mandates remain live meaning UNISON can legally call their local government members back out on strike, again.

COSLA now claim that the elements of the original deal – an extra days leave and the payment of SSSC registration fees for those working in social work, social care and early years – were only for one year not in perpetuity.

UNISON have now written to COSLA to say: “It is frankly outrageous that the draft pay circular sent to us on 7th October sought to time limit elements of the offer that had no time limitation on them in the original offer letter or in the discussions we had prior to it.

“That this remains unresolved should be a source of deep embarrassment. As has previously been advised our strike mandates remain live and we are all under increasing pressure from members, who are rapidly losing faith in their employer, to lift the strike suspensions if a resolution is not achieved quickly.”

Council staff are still waiting for their increased pay uplifts to be included in their pay packets.

Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government said: “This is appalling behaviour – either the employer did not even understand the offer they themselves were making – or they did and are now trying to renegue on it before its even been implemented. Either way it will be our members that suffer if they are allowed to get away with it.

“We have made clear to the employer and the Scottish Government that our strike mandates remain live and all three trade unions are under increasing pressure from members, who are rapidly losing faith in their employer, to lift the strike suspensions if a resolution and call members out if a resolution is not achieved quickly.

“Our members will rightly be questioning the value of COSLA if they cannot be trusted to draft an offer that they understand or uphold one that they do understand.

“It should be a source of deep embarrassment to COSLA that more than six months since the pay implementation date and in the middle of the worst cost of living crises our country has seen, waiting on their pay rise”

Students and teachers receive the inaugural Saroj Lal Award for City of Edinburgh Schools

The winners of the first ever edition of the Saroj Lal Award for City of Edinburgh Schools were announced at the City Chambers this week.

The ceremony consisted of award judges, the family of Saroj Lal, student/teacher nominees and their families, along with Council colleagues and other invited guests. 

Saroj Lal was one of the first BAME women to teach in a Scottish primary school when she began her role at South Morningside Primary School in 1970

. Her many successes included being at the forefront of race relations during a period of immense political and social change, delivering anti-racism training and starting the first local authority interpreting and translating service in Edinburgh.

Following her death in 2020, Saroj’s many achievements in equality, women’s rights, education, and community work are being formally recognised.

All City of Edinburgh schools were invited to nominate pupil work relating to any aspect of equalities, in any artform. Headteachers were also invited to nominate staff, whose collaborative work around equalities has taken a creative approach and had an impact.

All nominated work will be used to start building a resource bank for schools. There were 9 schools who nominated, with 13 pupil/pupil group nominations and 4 teacher nominations submitted.

All work submitted was considered by a panel of judges, comprising Saroj Lal’s son Vineet Lal, Debora Kayembe (Rector of The University of Edinburgh), Theo Ogbhemhe (teacher in Orkney who was winner of the first GTCS Saroj Lal Award), and young person, Alanah Walker.

The award categories for students were as follows:

  • Proud to be Me: Communicates the young person’s personal expression of pride their heritage, in their own culture and/or identity.
  • How Prejudice Makes Me Feel: Expresses young people’s feelings about any form prejudice inflicted on themselves or others.
  • Artivism: Art expresses their views on social justice and challenges others to change and/or act differently.

All the nominated work was celebrated at the ceremony hosted by Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener.

The winner for the Proud to be Me category was Anum Shezad of The Royal High School.

In the How Prejudice Makes Me Feel category the winner was Freya Wilson of The Flora Stevenson Primary School.          

For the Artivism category the winner was the Rights Respecting Schools Group, comprising four senior pupils from Firrhill High School namely Jess Daly, Alisha McLeod, Sara McLeod and Jane Williams.

The staff winner was Rory Murray, again of Firrhill High School, with the special Judges’ Commendation going to Jane O’Thy, of Boroughmuir High School.

Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and Families Convener said: “I am incredibly proud to oversee the inaugural Saroj Lal Award for City of Edinburgh Schools as Education, Children and Families Convener.

“These pupils and their achievements are a testament to the rich legacy that Saroj Lal left in her decades of pioneering work in Edinburgh and beyond. This award provides an opportunity to reflect not only on the life on a seminal and inspiring woman in Saroj Lal but an opportunity to look ahead to the future with pupils across the Capital showing their passion for equality, diversity and social justice.”

Vineet Lal, son of Saroj Lal, and one of the Award judges said: “I have been blown away by the sheer creativity and depth of thought demonstrated by all those pupils and staff nominated for the inaugural Saroj Lal Award for Schools.

“I have been truly amazed by the variety and originality with which they have embraced the spirit of equality and diversity and captured that spirit so beautifully in their submissions.

“Saroj was a pioneering force in the struggle for justice and fairness for all, and I think she would have been very proud indeed that her trailblazing work in the City of Edinburgh and beyond should inspire new generations to champion those same values.”

Aims of The Saroj Lal Award for City of Edinburgh Schools: 

  • Mark the important legacy of Saroj Lal’s life and work.
  • Inspire action and promote equalities work in the widest sense.
  • Ensure pupils’ views, ideas and experiences are central and communicated widely through creative approaches.
  • Create a bank of resources for schools to use and share.
  • Challenge perceptions, remove stigma and celebrate diversity.