A panel of international experts scrutinising the government’s plans for education has said it is “broadly” supportive of where Scotland is heading. The group was also “deeply impressed” with the schools it visited, members said in a statement after meeting for the first time over two days last week. The panel said: “The discussions we had with the first minister and deputy first minister were open and free and we were able to establish and demonstrate our broad support for the direction that the Scottish government has laid out for Scotland’s schools and wider education system.”
Higher design and manufacture pupils are being given the chance to design a time capsule, with the winning entry set to be built by car giant Jaguar. The capsule will then be installed at the V&A Museum of Design in Dundee. The winner will be selected by an expert panel chaired by Jaguar’s director of design, Ian Callum. The winning pupil will then work in Jaguar’s design studio in Coventry, where their capsule will be developed and built. The capsule will be filled with items created by Scottish primary school pupils, and will be opened in 50 years’ time.
The shortlist for the inaugural Scottish Teenage Book Prize has been announced. In the running for the prize - a new award from the Scottish Book Trust - are The Last Soldier by Keith Gray, Black Cairn Point by Claire McFall and Silver Skin by Joan Lennon. The winning book will be chosen in a vote by pupils in schools and libraries across Scotland. Voting closes on 17 February and the winner will be announced on 1 March. For further details, visit the award’s website .
Four S6 pupils are to enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime work experience opportunity when they travel to the US to be campaign interns for Hillary Clinton during the final two weeks of the US presidential election. The pupils from Edinburgh’s Leith Academy won the chance to travel to the US after entering the Inspire US 2016 competition run by the Transformation Trust. The students will get involved in canvassing voters, and will attend rallies, ahead of election day on 8 November.
