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Thursday 14 September 2006 |
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This newsletter is published every two weeks for staff in the Children and Families Department. It is available online at the Edinburgh Grid for Learning at http://egfl.net Send
me your stories In
the news
The JET Programme, developed and supported by the South Edinburgh Partnership, is a year long work-based learning programme. It combines school education, with vocational training and work experience. Whilst visiting the school, the special guests listened with interest to what the JET pupils, parents and employers had to say about the programme. Tony Blair and Jack McConnell spoke with all the JET pupils, seeking their views on the work experience element of the programme. Child protection gets new home The centre, based in the west of the city, has been set up by Lothian and Borders Police, NHS Lothian and the City of Edinburgh Council's Children and Families Department. The new unit, which consists of more than 70 police officers, senior health officials and social workers, deals with all aspects of child and vulnerable adult protection, sexual crimes, domestic abuse and sex offenders. The police's youth justice team are also based in the same building. In addition to providing office space, there are purpose built interview rooms and a medical examination suite for victims who will no longer have to travel to different parts of the city to be interviewed and examined. Inspectors give nursery school top
marks Key strengths highlighted in the report include:
The report states that support for children and families is very good. Staff work hard to involve parents and carers in the life of the nursery. They ran a series of workshops for parents and had recently involved parents in writing a series of leaflets explaining the work of the nursery. Staff have also developed very good links with outside agencies such as speech and language therapy and the educational psychologist. Very good programmes are in place to support children requiring additional help with their learning. Community Care Live Held at the Edinburgh Conference Centre, Heriot-Watt University on 1 and 2 November 2006 this event is the biggest and most comprehensive event in Scotland. The two-day event combines debates hosted by key speakers, study day workshops and a comprehensive exhibition. The programme covers the big issues facing social care in Scotland today while the workshops will focus on projects and organisations keen to share best practice. Community Care Live Scotland is the ideal platform to learn, hear about innovative practice and new ways of working with the opportunity to network with like minded professionals at the exhibition. Registration is free and easy, please
visit http://www.communitycare.co.uk/cclivescotland/ Success
stories In 2003, the school raised £16,000 and this year their target is to raise £15,000. The walk takes place over the Pentlands Hills, starting at Flotterstone and finishing at Drumbryden.
Dalry Primary School submitted a gymnastic team
with coach Maggie Day of charitable
organisation Sprights Scotland and Andrew McIntosh, Active Schools Co-ordinator. The Dalry team had
only been attending class for two terms but
walked off the mat with well earned bronze medals. Coach Maggie says "The BAA games is a fabulous event,
we are all very proud of our children. They
have grown much in confidence and skill and without this opportunity it would not have happened." Kicking off with an assembly where everyone was dressed in 1930’s clothes, pupils were taught in the style of the 1930’s. The pupils were also visited by Aileen Williams who was a pupil in 1936. The artist, Robert Heriot Westwater, who painted the Alice in Wonderland mural in the school’s gym hall used Aileen as a model for Alice. A wine and cheese evening was help on 31 August where many people were reunited with old friends and teachers and chatted over old times. A video has been made of life in the school today and this, with photographs and examples of work, will be sealed in a ‘Time Treasure Chest’ to leave a record for future pupils to use in years to come. Perhaps for the 100th celebration in twenty-five years time!
St Leonard’s 2nd Green Flag Award The good work continues with a three-year plan to upgrade the school's wildlife garden into a more managed nature garden. Pupils will further develop their knowledge and understanding of the world while experiencing the tranquillity and beauty of nature within the inner city. The first part of the plan - to build a new pond has already been completed. This year it demonstrated its success with a batch of frogspawn from frogs, which have been in the garden for some time. More planters, some with vegetables, native wildflowers and climbers have been added to increase biodiversity. If you have a Success story to share, email me at gayle.st.croix@educ.edin.gov.uk The Good Egg Competition For babies and young children, the family home is their world. As they grow, it becomes a big world of discovery with new experiences waiting around every corner. This is how they learn - but all too often, learning by mistake can lead to serious injury in the place where they should be safest of all. Each year in the UK around a million children are taken to hospital following accidents in the home - that's nearly 3,000 every single day. It all adds up to a frightening reminder of just how much children can be at risk in their everyday surroundings.
For details of teaching vacancies in
Edinburgh, click here: http://channel1.internal.egfl.net Cllr
Burns writes... Obviously, the Department is by far the largest within the City of Edinburgh Council and I absolutely intend to take some time carefully familiarising myself with all aspects of its work. So, over the next few weeks I really look forward to meeting as many individuals, who have an interface with the Department, as possible - young people, parents, other service users and staff at all levels. I do fully appreciate the importance of
giving the 'next generation' the best possible life-chances and I'm
looking forward immensely to playing my part in ensuring Edinburgh
continues to do just that for all its young people, whatever their
background. So, over the coming months, I really look forward to working
with you all towards that end. |
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Cllr Burns writes...
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