Should schools be recording and reporting on the use of restraint and seclusion? This is just one of the questions a Scottish Parliament committee is asking as it considers a new Bill.
The Education, Children and Young People Committee will be considering the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill, which has been introduced by Daniel Johnson MSP.
The Bill aims to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, as well as stating that schools would need to inform the parent of a child or young person subjected to restraint or seclusion about the incident and annually report on the use of either approach.
Restraint and seclusion have been used in schools to manage children’s behaviours, but there have been serious concerns about both practices for several years, with campaigners calling for change.
If the Bill is passed, schools would need to be issued with detailed guidance about the use of restraint and seclusion. Schools would also need to inform parents of when restraint and seclusion have been used and maintain a report on the use of these approaches.
The Committee would like to understand whether the measures outlined in the Bill are appropriate.
Douglas Ross, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, (who knows a fair bit about bad behaviour! – Ed.) said: “The use of restraint and seclusion has been controversial for many years.
“This Bill aims to minimise the use of restraint and seclusion and we want to understand the implications of adopting this approach on children and young people, parents and professionals.
“The Committee is keen to hear from people who have views on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools. We’re also interested in hearing from teachers, school leaders and specialists to give us a broad perspective of views on the proposals in this Bill.”
The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) has launched its ambitious fundraising campaign KEEP RHET FREE, aiming to raise £50,000 by December to ensure that children across Scotland continue to access free, unbiased, high-quality rural and food education.
The campaign was launched at a food and farming day at Bonnington Farm near Peebles last week (15 May), where close to 100 school children, farmers, teachers, and RHET supporters gathered to celebrate the hands-on learning that RHET has delivered for over 25 years.
The campaign was developed to support RHET to evolve and focus on securing a new rigorous, long-term fundraising stream alongside Scottish Government funding.
“RHET is free for schools — but it’s not free to run,” said Katrina Barclay, RHET’s Executive Officer. “With rising costs and increasing demand, RHET needs to find new and robust funding streams to continue its important work.”
Each year, RHET engages children through farm visits, classroom talks, and food education activities, helping young people understand where their food comes from and how the countryside works.
RHET Chairman, Hugh McClymont, says: “Every year, over 80,000 young people across Scotland experience something they’ll never forget thanks to the Royal Highland Education Trust.
“But without new avenues of support, these important experiences for children to learn about food, farming and the countryside could be at risk.
“I’m asking for individuals and businesses to dig deep and support a charity that makes a real and lasting difference in the lives of young people and supports vital storytelling for the agricultural industry.”
RHET’s goal is to give every child in Scotland the chance to learn about food, farming, and the countryside, to create a wider understanding of the environmental, economic, and social aspects of rural Scotland.
“This is so much more than a school trip,” said Nicki Istephan, a local teacher from Peebles. “RHET brings the curriculum to life. It helps children see the real world beyond the textbooks. It is important that our curriculum reflects our local community and provides the children with life-long skills”
Every pound raised via the KEEP RHET FREE campaign goes directly to delivering rural learning experiences across Scotland’s 12 RHET Countryside Initiatives.
1600+ young people. 50 schools. 1 incredible week of music-making in Edinburgh
From 12–15 May, we were thrilled to bring our Strings Day Residency to the City of Edinburgh, reaching over 1600 children and young people across 50 schools!
We kicked off the week with live workshops in 9 primary schools – bringing music directly into classrooms and inspiring over 1200 learners. Then, in partnership with the amazing team at the City of Edinburgh Council Instrumental Music Service, we welcomed over 400 string players (including 122 cellists!) to an unforgettable Play Day for P5–P7 and S1 students.
With support from 25 local instructors, our incredible Foundation tutors, and a brilliant team of student ambassadors, young musicians explored two vibrant pieces – Bubble Pop and Enchanted Carousel written by the brilliant Joelle Broad– and ended the day with a joyful performance for their families.
We’re beyond proud to have shared this experience with so many budding musicians – and deeply grateful to our partners in Edinburgh for making it all possible.
Micaela Karina
Supported by The National Lottery through Creative Scotland.
This afternoon (Friday) we noticed some unusual e-mail activity on our schools and early years IT network.
As a precautionary measure we have reset passwords across our schools and early years network – including those of our learners and students.
We have issued communications to all parents/carers and schools to advise of the phishing attempt and explain the action that we have had to take to make sure our IT networks remain secure and protected.
Schools and early years staff will be prompted to reset their own password on their return to school.
Students currently sitting exams will be given priority support to reset their password. They can access their personal revision materials by going to their school tomorrow (Saturday 10 May) between 10.15am -12 noon and a member of staff will issue them with a new password.
Education, Children and Families Convener Councillor James Dalgleish said yesterday: “This afternoon vigilant colleagues noticed some unusual and suspicious activity on our schools and early years IT network.
“As a result, we took the precautionary decision to immediately reset passwords for all users across our education service.
“We have contacted all parents, carers and schools to update them and explain the situation.
“I fully appreciate the impact this will have, particularly on those students preparing for their exams next week – but, unfortunately, we had no choice. This was a difficult but necessary decision to ensure our networks remain secure and protected.
“I want to reassure our students that they are our priority and that we are doing everything we can to make sure they can get back online as soon as possible. In the meantime, we are signposting them study support materials available elsewhere and individual schools will be uploading these to their websites too.
“We have created a dedicated webpage on the council website and will update this with further information as and when we get it.
“I’d like to thank colleagues for their vigilance and quick thinking today – and for their ongoing work over the weekend to minimise the impact on our students and their families.”
No data has been compromised. The council has have been in touch with SQA and EIS to make them aware of this attempted phishing incident. CEC is re also keeping Scottish Government’s cyber co-ordination centre updated.
Generation Science brings exciting hands-on workshops to Edinburgh schools
Edinburgh Science is on the road again, bringing hands-on workshops and events to 18,000 primary school pupils across Scotland, including visits across Edinburgh from now until June via Generation Science.
Although most famous for their annual Science Festival, Edinburgh Science Charity also delivers a fantastic programme of educational events and workshops each year for children and young people, including Generation Science.
This fantastic programme sees science educators tour Scottish schools delivering a range of engaging workshops and shows which are all linked to the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) – helping to inspire a new generation to explore the world of STEM. Running for over 30 years, Generation Science has delivered hands-on learning to over 1 million children!
From February to June, the team will bring science to life across Scotland in a fun and high-energy environment. Using a mix of theatre, live demonstrations, audience participation and hands-on experiments every pupil is involved, including those who don’t typically engage with traditional in-classroom STEM education.
A recruitment process has begun for a new head teacher at Fettes College in Edinburgh, with the current Head Helen Harrison announcing her retirement from the role next year. The school has commissioned a specialist firm to help identify candidates, with applications due by 15 May.
Named after its founder, Sir William Fettes, the school opened in 1870 and has around 720 students with over 300 staff. It is the only school in Scotland to offer the option of A-Levels or International Baccalaureate in the Sixth Form and a top ten IB School in the UK. Although it currently serves young people aged 7 – 18, from next academic year it will also open a Pre-Prep and offer places to children from age five.
The Rt Hon Lady Morag Wise, Chair of the Governors, said: “Helen has selflessly devoted herself to Fettes for over 30 years – 19 in a senior leadership role and latterly seven as Head.
“She has made a significant contribution to the success of this place and her vision for Fettes has steered a path that ensures our students leave Fettes knowing themselves, looking out for others and ready to make a positive mark on their rapidly changing world.
“We are now beginning the work of securing a new Head in partnership with Perrett Laver to ensure we have someone worthy of leading this great school. The Governing Body is seeking a visionary educationalist who will bring energy and experience to the role of Head from September 2026.
“This is a rare and career-defining opportunity for an outstanding leader.”
Helen Harrison said: “This place; the students and our staff mean the world to me, and it will always be the honour of my life to have led Fettes College and this community.
“I am immensely proud of our achievements, of seeing my vision for Fettes come to life, ground-breaking facilities under construction; and most importantly our students fulfilling their potential.
“However, by Founder’s Day next year it will be the right time to pass on this privilege to the next Head. Until that time it is business as usual and I will continue to give this job my absolute all.”
Thousands of children to attend free breakfast clubs today, as UK government delivers its manifesto commitment and promise to working families
School mornings just got easier for families across England as 750 schools open breakfast clubs today, offering 30 minutes of free childcare, a healthy start for kids and a little more breathing room before the school bell rings.
Parents will be supported with additional time at the start of the day to attend appointments, get to work on time and run errands. In total, this means parents will be able to save up to 95 additional hours and £450 per year if their child attends free breakfast clubs every day.
This amount rises to a saving of up to £8,000 every year when combining the free breakfast clubs with further support through the expansion of government-funded childcare and new school uniform cap on branded items.
With the cost of everyday essentials stretching budgets, these clubs will be a lifeline for working families simply trying to get by. When you’re raising a family, every penny counts and that’s why the government is stepping in to ease the pressure and put money back in parents’ pockets.
No matter the postcode or the pay packet, every child deserves the same chance to thrive. That’s the principle behind this rollout — real support for families in every corner of the country, so no one is left behind.
These clubs sit alongside action to tackle the cost of living, with inflation falling for two months in a row, wages growing faster than prices and fuel duty frozen. The Labour government says that, together, they show the Plan for Change is delivering for working families.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “As a parent, I know that the combined pressures of family life and work can often feel impossible to juggle. That is why our manifesto promised to make parents lives easier and put more money in their pockets with free breakfast clubs. Under a year since we came into office, this government is delivering that through our Plan for Change.
“The rollout of free breakfast clubs is a truly game-changing moment for families in this country. They mean parents will no longer be hamstrung by rigid school hours and have the breathing space they need to beat the morning rush, attend work meetings and doctors’ appointments, or run errands. And crucially, it means better life chances for children.
“By making these clubs free and universal, we’re doing something that previous governments have never done. We’re going further and faster to deliver the change working families deserve. That’s the change this government was elected to deliver.”
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: “Free breakfast clubs are a central part of our Plan for Change. At a time when there is so much pressure on families, they provide real help with the cost of living and ensure children start the day with a nutritious meal.
“On top of the hectic school run, parents should not have to worry about how to balance work and getting their children fed and ready for school. These clubs will break down barriers and help children settle in, focus and get the most out of their learning.
“We are delivering on our promises and giving every child the best start in life while making sure families get the support they need, wherever they live.”
According to new government data, parents are also motivated to take up free breakfast clubs because of the improvements they can have on their wellbeing.
Many see them as is an opportunity to socialise with other children before school (30%) and spend more time doing the activities they enjoy (28%) – offering a supportive start to the day that leads to better behaviour, and better life chances.
The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils; while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn.
Victoria Taylor, mum of two children aged 5 and 7, said: “For me, free breakfast clubs provide vital support, meaning I can get into work a little easier and ensure my two kids are settled and ready to learn.
“I’m a primary school teacher, so early mornings are a must however I try to not let my busy schedule dictate the pace of mornings.
“Taking my children to breakfast clubs means I know they are fed, ready to start the day and emotionally regulated – the commitment to rollout nationally will make the world of difference for working families.”
Trade unions argue that the funding allocated to breakfast clubs just isn’t enough, while charities and campaigners say that scrapping the current two child benefit cap would make a far greater difference in tackling poverty for the poorest families.
St Thomas of Aquin’s High School is celebrating after being selected by a Tesco customer to receive a £5,000 donation.
On Saturday 15th March, Tesco customers at the Edinburgh Nicholson Street Express store were given the chance to take part in a lucky dip to find a golden version of Tesco’s famous blue voting token.
St Thomas of Aquin’s High School was one of three local groups that customers could vote for to receive the £5,000 Golden Grant as part of Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme.
Philippa Hastings, a member of staff at St Thomas of Aquin’s High School, said: “This funding will be used to support the families of the St Thomas of Aquin’s school students in accessing extra-curricular and excursion opportunities at a time when many families are struggling with the cost of living.
“We are trying to develop educational and engaging opportunities for young people to learn outside of the classroom and are thrilled to be able to support families financially thanks to this grant.”
Over one hundred Tesco stores across the country took part in the Golden Grants event, with £500,000 in total being donated to good causes that help children and young people.
Stronger Starts helps schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, as well as purchasing equipment for healthy activities.
Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco said: “We are incredibly proud to award Golden Grants to over one hundred schools and local projects, supporting the vital work they do for our children and communities.
“Since we launched our grants programme in 2016, more than £120 million has been given to more than 67,000 local schools and community groups.”
Golden Grants are part of Tesco’s £8 million Stronger Starts grant programme, which is delivered in partnership with the charity Groundwork UK.
The Scottish Government and councils must fundamentally rethink how they plan, fund and staff additional support for learning as part of core school education in Scotland.
Since legislation in 2004 to make additional support for learning (ASL) more inclusive, there has been an eight-fold increase in pupils recorded as receiving ASL; currently 40 per cent of Scottish pupils – or 285,000 children – receive ASL. Almost all support is now delivered in mainstream classrooms, and it has become an increasingly central part of what teachers do.
The Scottish Government failed to plan for the impacts of this inclusive approach, and poor data means it is not possible to determine the scale, complexity and nature of needs across Scotland. The Scottish Government and councils urgently need better information to understand pupils’ needs and appropriate level of resource to support them.
Existing measures show a wide gap in outcomes for pupils receiving additional support compared with other pupils, including being more likely to be absent or excluded from school. More appropriate ways of measuring the achievements of pupils who receive ASL are still to be developed.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government has failed to plan effectively for its inclusive approach to additional support for learning. Current gaps in data mean it is unclear whether all children’s right to have an education that fully develops their personality, talents and abilities is being met.
“The Scottish Government and councils urgently need better quality data to understand pupils’ additional support needs and the resources required to provide support to enable all pupils to reach their full potential.”
Ruth MacLeod, Member of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils and the Scottish Government must fundamentally rethink how additional support for learning is planned and provided as a core part of Scotland’s school education.
“This includes reviewing how mainstream and special education is provided to meet current and future additional support needs and demands.
“It is critical they work with pupils, parents and carers and staff throughout this process.”
COSLA’s Children and Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Tony Buchanan @antbuc1), has commented following report published today about Additional Support For Learning from the Auditor General and Accounts Commission.
The Auditor General and Accounts Commission published a briefing paper on additional support for learning (ASL) on 27th February 2025. It makes a series of recommendations to Scottish Government and Councils, touching on data, measuring the outcomes of children and young people with additional support needs, funding, workforce planning and school buildings.
The COSLA Children and Young People Board will discuss the briefing at their meeting on 7th March.
Councillor Tony Buchanan, said: “Local Government is fully committed to supporting all children and young people to learn and to providing opportunities so that they can realise their full potential. The briefing paper published by the Auditor General and Accounts Commission on additional support for learning is welcomed.
The COSLA Children and Young People Board will be updated next week, with an initial consideration of the recommendations. COSLA, alongside the Scottish Government, co-chair the Additional Support for Learning Project Board.
“There will be an opportunity for the project board to consider the recommendations fully when they meet next month and consider how these can inform their priorities.”
1600+ young people. 50 schools. 1 incredible week of music-making in Edinburgh
Micaela Karina
