Teachers union demands blended learning in higher-risk areas of Scotland

Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) says six of its branches are moving to ballot union members in disputes with their respective local authorities, while another four branches are considering whether to take this step. EIS says current coronavirus measures do not keep pupils or staff safe.

Ross Thomson.Sweeney, who used to be the MP for Glasgow North East, had accused Thomson of groping his backside and genitals at a House of Commons bar in October 2018.He also said Thomson tried to put his hand down his trousers.The allegations led to Thomson, who was the chair of Johnson’s leadership campaign in Scotland, quitting as a general election candidate last year.After an investigation, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards cleared the former Aberdeen South MP.She said Sweeney’s

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.A talented debating duo narrowly missed being crowned the best in Scotland.Talkative pair Lucy Halliday and Kate Quinn took the runners-up spot in the 14th annual St Andrew’s Day Debating Tournament, which was rather fitting for their school - St Andrew’s Academy, in Paisley.The tournament, organised by the English-Speaking Union Scotland (ESU), had to be staged virtually.More than a dozen schools and 50

Scottish Government has been defeated for the second time in three weeks over calls for more teachers to be hired to help schools cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

Get the stories that interest you straight to your inbox every day with our personalised newsletterHigher exams will be cancelled in Scotland next year, the Government has announced.Education Secretary John Swinney today told MSPs that "teacher judgement" will be used as part of a new model to form grades.National 5 exams due to take place next year have already been cancelled.Mr Swinney said in his statement there will be no Higher or Advanced Higher exams next year.Scottish Greens MSP Ross

Prince William and Kate Middleton's Royal tour which today kicked off in Scotland during lockdown. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived at Edinburgh Waverley station on Monday morning as they began their whistle-stop tour of the UK, aimed to thank frontline workers of the pandemic.

Nicola Sturgeon.The leader of the country’s top teachers’ trade union also called the payment a “political ploy”.Sturgeon this week unveiled plans for a £500 payment for all full-time health and social care workers in recognition of their “extraordinary” service during coronavirus.With tax liable on the one-off Scottish Government payment, she also urged Boris Johnson to allow these workers to receive the full amount.However, a call has been made to recognise other staff who have contributed to

Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.Both north-east councils had been put on notice yesterday but will stay at level two on the sliding scale for Scotland's 32 local authorities."I can confirm that the Scottish Government is not proposing any immediate changes today to the levels that currently apply to each local authority area," Sturgeon said in her weekly statement to the Scottish Parliament."However, I need to be clear that we have been looking and will continue to look very carefully in the days to

vaccination programme and targeted action in high-risk areas in level 4 restrictions.Speaking at Holyrood today, Freeman said: "Testing is undeniably important but it is just one layer of protection - many layers are needed to fight this virus."Our increased capability to test more people, more often, is potentially powerful as we navigate our way through the coming months as safely as we can alongside our nationwide vaccination programme."Freeman said six mobile testing units and 20,000 home

lockdown is working nationally.It comes as daily infection figures dropped to 771 across Scotland and one week after 11 councils, including Glasgow, were ordered into the highest level 4 alert.At Holyrood, Sturgeon said: "The latest data shows that across the country and in most local authority areas the restrictions in place are having an impact."The number of new cases across the country has stabilised in recent weeks.

Covid-19 risk in level 4 schools, a major survey by Scotland’s largest teaching union has revealed. The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) discovered the views of teaching staff on virus safety in schools over the past week with many raising major concerns over the risk to the health of staff and pupils.

Glasgow tattoo artist has gone viral for his furious rant to a cheeky customer who tried to flout lockdown rules.David McKinlay, owner of Archangel 1608 Tattoo Studio, gave one rude 'dobber' a piece of his mind after an altercation at his shop on Thursday.The potential client had demanded to be tattooed and even tried to push his way through the closed door and push past the artist ignoring Covid-19 restrictions.He was then raging that 43-year-old tattoo boss David, who has owned his shop for 15

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has temporarily applied the brakes to its mobile van banking service in Strathearn.The decision was announced on Thursday, November 19, and affects all communities within local authority areas listed in the third tier of the Scottish Government’s coronavirus restrictions – including Perth and Kinross.A spokesperson for the RBS explained the van is set to return to the likes

Covid-19 researchers - predicts red zones of infection across Scotland.It means that those areas are projected to have the country’s highest infection levels on December 6th.Imperial College London's research and interactive map also suggests infection rates will remain alarmingly high in many parts of Scotland.It shows that 13 authority areas have a 75%-100% chance of being a hotspot next month.Researchers from Imperial College London define a hotspot as a local authority where there are more

level four lockdown does not mean a return to strict protective shielding for vulnerable people. But she said many in that category will be worried about being asked to go to work in areas heading to the highest covid alert on Friday.

Nicola Sturgeon has insisted the benefits of schools staying open “outweigh” their impact on the spread of coronavirus.The First Minister outlined the details of a new report from Public Health Scotland, which found three-quarters of all schools did not report a single case of Covid-19 in the first nine weeks of this term.In total, 1,621 pupils tested positive for the virus during that period, the equivalent of 0.2% of the total cohort.Scotland's largest teaching union has already threatened

schools are "not significant areas of transmission" based on expert research. But teachers union the EIS said the move to the highest level four restriction in Glasgow and much of central Scotland is making them anxious.

level two rules on November 24.The change depends on continued progress, but it was seen as a positive sign while Glasgow and 10 other councils were ordered into the highest level four lockdown.First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the plan at the Scottish Parliament as part of the government's weekly review of the five-tier system.She said: "I am pleased to report that East Lothian and Midlothian have both seen a marked decline in infection rates – prevalence in these areas is significantly