School of scottish studies

One of the really exciting developments at the school this year is our work with the School of Scottish Studies, which is part of Edinburgh University. In addition to gaining access to an aladdin's cave of resources for our staff and pupils, we are now working closely with university staff in training our pupils to become field researchers for the university. It is our intention that pupils will research the history of our local area by interviewing friends and relatives who have knowledge of our area spanning the past fifty years. This material will then be passed on to the university to add to the archives in the School of Scottish Studies. In doing this, pupils will develop their own research skills, develop their knowledge and understanding of our local area and contribute a wealth of material to archives that will be available to future generations. Pupils are ideally suited to speak to parents and grandparents to capture their memories of life in Edinburgh in days gone by. In particular, I am looking forward to learning about the history of mining and of some of the characters who contributed to making this part of Edinburgh such an exciting and diverse area to live and work in.