A week in primary: 17 February 2017

17th February 2017, 12:00am
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A week in primary: 17 February 2017

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archived/week-primary-17-february-2017

An independent report into the temporary closure of 17 schools after a wall collapsed has concluded that only timing and luck prevented deaths or injuries. The collapse of the wall at Edinburgh’s Oxgangs Primary in January 2016, after Storm Gertrude, was among five such avoidable incidents at Scottish schools in recent years, which “proper quality control” could have prevented. About 7,500 pupils and 600 staff had to be relocated around the city while inspections and repairs took place.

Scotland’s Child Poverty Bill has been published, introducing statutory targets that will be measured through annual reports. The government said Scotland was now the only part of the UK with statutory targets to reduce the number of children experiencing poverty by 2030. Equalities minister Angela Constance said that “we can be held to account for our efforts”. Scottish Labour’s Pauline McNeill said that, while “well-intentioned”, the Bill looked like “a parliamentary PR exercise”.

A new campaign encouraging parents to talk to children about their dreams for life has been launched by the Scottish government. Future Me aims to raise aspirations and improve literacy and numeracy. Families can share their children’s ambitions either online or at their local library. Early entries have shown that popular choices include teacher, builder, vet and footballer.

A primary teacher has been struck off after posting sectarian remarks on Twitter in support of the IRA. Anne-Marie Clements waived her right to a hearing at the General Teaching Council for Scotland by asking to be removed from the teaching register. She was ordered to pay £600 at Paisley Sheriff Court last May for an offence “aggravated by religious prejudice”. The GTCS said her conduct “had either caused or was likely to cause a child or protected adult to be harmed”.

@Henry_Hepburn

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