Local anti-poverty and cost of living initiatives set for cash boost
A total of 21 projects that pilot approaches to help to eradicate child poverty and boost incomes will be backed by almost £1.9 million across Scotland. Through the Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund, 19 regions will benefit from new projects designed to support communities with the cost of living. This includes: Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Eradicating child poverty, supporting families and giving children the best start in life are the guiding principles of this government. That’s why we are investing in […]
Clarifying the law on Religious Observance at school
Schools will now need to inform pupils when a request is made by a parent or carer to withdraw them from religious observance and to consider any objection the young person may have, under legislation backed by MSPs. The Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty) (Scotland) Bill was passed in […]
The School of Signs just got even better!
The School of Signs is a FREE British Sign Language programme of study, designed to help children learn BSL in a way that is exciting and accessible. Alongside 15 classroom-ready lessons delivered by Deaf teachers, we have also added a variety of games and interactive features to the platform to keep the whole classroom engaged, both within lessons and at […]
Head Teacher Leadership Academies
Hundreds of school leaders will benefit from extra training opportunities to further develop their leadership skills, helping to improve job satisfaction and bring benefits to the schools where they work. The Scottish Government is contributing £400,000 to the Head Teacher Leadership Academy (HTLA), run by Columba 1400, with the Hunter Foundation matching this with an […]
Boost to Scottish Child payment set to support 12,000 children
Scottish Child Payment has supported more than 241,000 parents and carers since its launch five years ago, helping put over £1.3 billion into the pockets of low-income families. An increase to the payment for children under one will be introduced during 2027/28, estimated to benefit around 12,000 children and could be worth an extra £500 […]
Wood Foundation appoints new Director to lead Scotland’s premier youth social action programme
The Wood Foundation has appointed Lizbeth Paul as Director of the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI). YPI is the foundation’s flagship active citizenship programme that empowers secondary school pupils in Scotland to compete to win grants to award to local charity projects. Lizbeth has been with the wider Wood Foundation since 2024 as Excelerate Lead […]
Join Children’s Classic Concerts for a musical adventure this Spring!
From orchestral intergalactic travel on the CCC Enterprise, to a mind-blowing scientific exploration, to transforming junk into funk, they’ve got it all covered. And if that wasn’t enough, perhaps a carnival of musical acrobatics and live magic could tempt you? With their one-hour concerts jam-packed with toe-tapping fun, CCC’s hugely popular and interactive concerts are […]
Peppa Pig to Spotlight George’s Deafness in Powerful Audio-Perspective Episode
An upcoming episode of the iconic children’s series Peppa Pig will see the show introduce a new storyline for George, Peppa’s younger brother, who is diagnosed as moderately deaf. Airing on 9 March, the episode named, ‘Hearing Loss’, will be the first told through George’s audio perspective. Furthermore, Gladiator’s star, Jodie Ounsley, known as Fury, […]
Classroom Assistants: The Heartbeat of our Schools
Columnist, Katrina Mallon, Destined for Greatness NI has over 20 years’ experience in Behaviour Support Services, Katrina is passionate about helping children thrive. She now works closely with parents and schools to support children’s social, emotional, and behavioural wellbeing. Having spent this academic year providing training to countless teaching assistants, I am continually reminded of […]
Additional investment for neurodevelopmental support
Children, young people and their families will benefit from £3.4 million of additional investment to improve access to neurodevelopmental support. This brings investment in neurodevelopmental supports and services this year to more than £5 million, providing earlier help for families and ensuring people can access support that meets their needs. More than £1 million is […]
FREE BSL for All: The School of Signs now in more than 2000 schools across the UK
Signature, the UK’s leading awarding body for deaf communication and language qualifications, has announced the release of five new episodes to its free ‘School of Signs’ programme, now used in more than 2,000 schools across the UK to teach BSL to primary school children. Following the legal recognition of BSL as a language in 2022 and ongoing discussion surrounding a […]
HOW OUTWARD BOUND IS TRANSFORMING TEACHERS
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE TEACHERS SPACE TO STEP BACK, RECONNECT AND REFLECT? Teaching is one of the most rewarding careers, but it can also be relentless. Pressures around budgets, inspections, behaviour, and accountability can grind staff down. At Outward Bound, we believe that supporting teachers is just as important as supporting students. Our 2025 […]