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Five things you need to know today

March 15, 2013 7:58 am

Castlebrae – Red Nose Day – Norovirus – Shopping in Tollcross – Kill Bill

The campaigners behind Save the Brae were celebrating last night after the unexpected council decision to keep Castlebrae Community High School open. It took a long time yesterday with much toing and froing and deputations from the community council as well as pupils. You can read the blow by blow account in our Liveblog here or in the article we published during the meeting (which has been updated with other comments)

Green councillors in Edinburgh welcomed the decision by the City Council to reject closure of Castlebrae Community High School in Craigmillar, one of Edinburgh’s most deprived communities and called for unanimity about its long term future.

Faced with a report to Council which recommended closure, the Greens proposed keeping the school open until a promised new school is built and supported a community proposal for a commission to revitalise the school which has had an axe hanging over it for over 10 years.

Green Education spokesperson, Councillor Melanie Main said:

“I am very pleased for the families, young people and community in Craigmillar who have mounted a vigorous campaign to keep their school open. No-one is pretending that Castlebrae is a flourishing school but, with the right will, a new path can be set out for Castlebrae, building up its reputation as a centre of excellence for vocational education, combined with ongoing commitment to traditional academic subjects.

“On the core issue of the fate of Castlebrae young people if they go to Edinburgh’s largest school in Portobello – sink or swim – we simply did not have the evidence to close the school.

“We need now to send out that clear and unmistakable message to families in the area, which reassures them that the school is staying and will be improved, that their children will be able to go through from start to finish and that a long-promised new school will be delivered.”

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It is Red Nose Day today. So you will either stay in your pyjamas at home or you might be out and about in the Tesco aisles wearing them with a red nose to try and raise money for charity.

The BBC will host a line-up of special Red Nose Day telly. The Night of TV will feature some of Britain’s top comedy stars, including Lenny Henry, John Bishop and Jack Whitehall and will be packed full of celebrity performances, side- splitting sketches, challenge highlights and films about the amazing work that Red Nose Day cash supports.

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