EIS to ballot on pension strikes
The EIS will ballot members on pensions, with a view to strike action on 28 March. General secretary Ronnie Smith said it was clear that most teachers “do not accept the government’s plans for their pensions”. Several UK unions have also turned down the deal. The Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association is consulting state-school members, and may ballot independent members.
Solace of a prize for teamwork
Newbattle Community High has won the Solace best team category in the 2012 Cosla Excellence Awards, for its Peak Performance Academies project. The Midlothian school also won a silver award for the project, in the “achieving better outcomes” category. The Peak Performance Academies project aims to build personalisation and choice into pupils’ options. The school’s academic results have improved in each of the past five years.
Plans for sport centre revealed
Details have emerged about plans for a sporting national performance centre. Shona Robison, the Commonwealth Games and sport minister, announced that up to pound;25 million from the Scottish government’s Young Scots Fund would go to the initiative. A steering group, chaired by Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan, will take forward plans for the centre. The group will set out the criteria for bids from local authorities wishing the centre to be built in their area.
App puts parents in the picture
Parents in East Dunbartonshire can keep up to date with the latest news and events from their child’s school, following the launch of a new app for smartphones. The council says it is the first local authority to have its own bespoke branded application - “EDC Schools” - which is free to download. School website design specialists e4education worked on the app, which sends information from a school’s website as soon as it is updated.
Cash boost for autism strategy
Almost pound;300,000 to support the national autism strategy has been announced by public health minister Michael Matheson. Some 16 bodies around Scotland have received money for new support services. The minister confirmed that nine autism coordinators will be recruited in the coming months to improve services. The government and Cosla launched their pound;13.4 million autism strategy in November.
