Edinburgh College needs new board members
Concert – with added Rankin
Register your primary school child now for 2015
The Traverse Theatre needs your Skye Terrier!
Summerhall Christmas Market
New, high calibre Board of Management members are being sought for one of Scotland’s leading colleges. Edinburgh College is advertising for new members of its Board of Management. The positions offer talented individuals a great opportunity to shape the strategic direction and management of Edinburgh College and make a real impact on young people’s lives.
These positions are some of the first board-level opportunities to have arisen since the merger of colleges across Scotland. As part of a government driven process following regionalisation, all colleges in Scotland must carry out open recruitment to appoint non-executive members to their boards. Edinburgh College is looking for a range of candidates that can meet its criteria.
Adverts have been placed in national publications looking for the ideal candidate. All candidates should have the ability to contribute to a dynamic Board, dealing with complex issues and promoting the highest standards of governance, following a period of considerable change in the college sector.
The College is aligned to Scottish Government priorities around a wide range of topics, including creative industries; energy; financial and business services; food and drink; life sciences; and sustainable tourism and it is hoped that a number of applicants would be able to help inform the college’s on-going strategy and development on these topics.
The Edinburgh College Board of Management particularly welcomes applications from groups currently under-represented on Scotland’s public bodies, such as women, disabled people and people aged under 50. The closing date for receipt of applications is 12 noon on Monday, 17 November 2014.
Commenting on the opportunity, Ian McKay, Chair of the Board of Edinburgh College, said: “Being an Edinburgh College board member is a truly rewarding experience. The college sector faces a wide range of challenges following a period of significant change, and a dynamic, high calibre team will give the college the direction it needs at this critical time.
“Our priority is ensuring a high quality experience for our current and future students, while also meeting the needs of communities and businesses across the region. The college is an integral part of the communities we serve and we would like talented people from communities and businesses across the region to be part of our Board. We are offering a unique opportunity to shape the lives of thousands of young people and help drive the college’s strategic direction. I hope that a wide selection of talented candidates will consider applying.”
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Royal Blind will host a magical evening of festive music in partnership with Music Therapy charity Nordoff Robins Scotland. The concert includes performances from the Edinburgh Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra, a variety of classical & folk musicians and a reading from Ian Rankin, OBE. The event takes place on Tuesday 2 December 2014 from 7pm at St Mark’s Church, Edinburgh. Tickets can be booked online or by phoning 0131 229 1456.
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There are only two days left until Registration Week closes for prospective primary school children this week.
If a child is due to start P1 in August 2015, parents/carers must register their child this week.
Councillor Paul Godzik, Education Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said parents should register their child at their local catchment school rather than expecting to get them into another school in a different part of the city.
He said: “I’d encourage everyone to register their child at their local school and support their local community. We want to see thriving local schools at the heart of the community, so instead of making an out of catchment request I’d encourage parents to work with their local school.
“Our rising primary school rolls, with the number of pupils expected to peak at nearly 31,000 by 2019, mean there are fewer spaces available at schools across the city.
“Last week head teachers opened their schools up so parents were able to see first hand the benefits of sending their children to their local school – not just for the families involved but for the community where they live.
“The increase in pupils and pressures on classroom spaces will be with us for many years and parents have an important role to play in helping us tackle this issue by choosing to send their child to their local school.”
Registration has to be in person and everyone should contact their local school to find out what time they can register.
When deciding the school parents want their child to attend, there are a number of important points that need to be taken into account:
- Placements are allocated to children based on their residence at the time of allocation. All parents must provide proof of residency for a catchment place when they register their child for school.
- A child is only entitled to a place in the primary school where they attend nursery if they live in the catchment area.
- Catchment places will only be guaranteed to children living in a primary school catchment by 28 February 2015. Where a denominational Roman Catholic school is oversubscribed, priority will be given to catchment baptised Roman Catholics.
- If a placing request is successful for one child, this does not guarantee that requests for younger children will be successful. This could mean that younger children would attend a different school to their older siblings.
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The Traverse Theatre need your dog! Their winter play by Iain Finlay MacLeod features a Skye terrier called Max, so if you have a four legged friend they could use then get in touch with them.
They need a photo of your dog by Friday of this week when their Artistic Director, Orla O’Loughlin will choose the one they want. Actually the dog will not be treading the boards, just a portrait of your pet. Tweet the photos to The Traverse on Twitter @traversetheatre tagging your tweet #FindMax or send them by Facebook.
After the show finishes on Christmas Eve you will get the portrait to keep.
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Summerhall Christmas Market returns on 14 December 2014 with a bumper crop of traders from across Edinburgh and beyond. The market will take over the first floor of the old Veterinary College with over fifty traders selling locally sourced and fairtrade food, drink, crafts and gift ideas. Traders range from familiar Edinburgh companies to artists and makers who are based in studio spaces, or residents at Summerhall.
Pop down to shop a huge range of bespoke furniture, skincare, craft beer, gin, soft furnishings, art prints, knitwear, vintage clothes, organic chocolate, textiles, jewellery, handicrafts, baby clothes and toys, stationery – you name it – it’ll be there as part of the event with a low carbon footprint but very high quality local fayre.
Summerhall based community choir the Summerhall Singers will be on hand with carols and Christmas songs over lunchtime and to warm those cockles the Gluhwein will be flowing.
New to Summerhall – throughout December the arts hub will be selling beautiful ethically sourced Christmas trees in the courtyard. The Christmas tree forest will be open all day on Sunday 14.
Alongside the market will be the familiar blend of drop-in activities for families and kids in the Yellow Room and fresh yummy food served up at the Royal Dick Pub. Street food vendors Jones and Sons BBQ, Harajuku Kitchen, The Big Blu and Ninja Buns will take over the courtyard – alongside a couple of hand warming braziers.
Shoppers are invited to skip away from the high street and feel at home in Edinburgh’s creative village. Join us to sort your Christmas shopping all under one roof.
£2 admission. Tickets on the door.
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
