All posts by Joanne Snedden
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Edinburgh Campus
August 2020
Dear Colleague
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Edinburgh Campus
We hope you are keeping well in these unusual times. Change has been inevitable; blended learning, one-way systems, social distancing, and virtual open events but what hasn’t changed is the variety of courses we are able to offer and the breadth of specialist knowledge at Scotland’s Rural College.
While we are unable to post out copies of our 2021 prospectus you can still download the most current edition Download 2021 prospectus and visit our website for more course information https://ww1.sruc.ac.uk/
As visits to the campus are not possible at the moment, we will continue to hold live virtual open days. These events allow the pupils to hear directly from the course lecturers and have their questions answered during the live events. We are using Microsoft Teams live events to facilitate these activities. They allows pupils to interact by typing questions in a Q&A box to college staff while remaining anonymous to other attendees. Upcoming open days are as follows:
- Monday 31stAugust, 2pmVirtual Agriculture Open Day
- Tuesday 1st September, 1pm:Virtual Open Day Horticulture and Garden Design
- Tuesday 1st September, 3pm:Virtual Open Day Horticulture Plantsmanship
- Wednesday 2nd September, 10am: Virtual Open Day Applied Animal Science
- Thursday 3rd September, 2.30pm: Virtual Open Day Environmental Management and Conservation Management
- Tuesday 8th September, 2pm:Virtual Open Day Rural Business Management
If a pupil would like to join an open day event, they can book via www.sruc.ac.uk/opendays. A link to join the event will be emailed to them and can also be found on our Facebook and Flipgrid pages.
If you would like to request a live event for your school on any of the subjects that we offer across our 6 campuses please complete the our enquiry form, which can be found at www.sruc.ac.uk/requestandconnect and someone will be in touch to make arrangements with you and your school.
We can also facilitate events covering topics such as what support is available at SRUC and what it is like to be a student at SRUC. If there are other areas you would like us to cover please do get in touch via www.sruc.ac.uk/requestandconnect and we will make every effort to facilitate that for you.
We will also be in touch shortly regarding on-line events specifically for school career guidance staff, where we will offer an overall view of the campus and our course offerings.
We have also collated a number of resources on our SRUC Edinburgh Flipgrid which you and your pupils may find useful, and as always please visit our social media for the most up do date campus information.
Our term will start back on 28th September, so if you have pupils who are considering alternatives please encourage them to have a look at the spaces still available.
In a time of uncertainty, it is reassuring to know the significance of education in the land-based sector. In 2018, the natural economy contributed £29.1 billion gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy – more than a fifth of its total – and employed 290,100 people. This equates to 11 per cent of all employment across Scotland.
In these difficult times, this sector continues to offer an abundance of opportunities and employment for our young people.
I hope you found this update useful. Please feel free to get in touch directly if you would like to discuss anything in more detail.
NAC Prospectus 2020-21
Parent Student Letter
News Release from East Lothian Council
Supporting Pupils, Parents and Teachers – Learning During Term 4
Dear Parent/Carer
We have been asked to share Scottish Government guidance on Term 4 with all our families (see below)
It provides some useful insight into a range of key areas affecting learning for students, parents and teachers.
It should be noted that the guidance has a particular focus on the ‘Glow’ digital platform, which we do not use widely in East Lothian. Instead, we use Google Classroom. It is also worth noting that much of the guidance is specifically for teachers, and need not be read by parents/carers.
It will take some time for all East Lothian schools to interpret and implement the content of this document, but please be assured we are well on the way to meeting the recommendations, and I will keep you posted with further information as we move through this term.
Best wishes to you all
Gavin Clark
Head Teacher
Introductory Webinair and Medspace
Maintaining your emotional wellbeing and managing your own emotions
Social distancing guidance for families 1 April 2020
Social distancing guidance for families 1 April 2020
Families are being reminded that children and young people must avoid socialising in line with Government and health guidance to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
East Lothian Council’s Chief Operating Officer for Education Lesley Brown said: “We know that children will be missing their friends and the daily interaction they get from school and clubs. However the government guidance is very clear – you must stay at home and avoid interactions with anyone who is not in your household. This means cancelling familiar activities such as play dates and sleepovers. Young people should not be meeting each other within or outwith each other’s homes. It’s important that everyone sticks to these guidelines as doing so will protect the NHS and our communities.
“Our Educational Psychology Service has produced advice for children and young people and families who are adapting to the current situation and how to have discussions around it.
“The current restrictions are temporary measures however these guidelines are very important. We ask that all families follow the Government advice.”
The Scottish Government’s Parent Club has also issued advice using its twitter account:
