Local MSP & Former School Contribute Together in Holyrood Meeting
Green MSP for the West of Scotland and former Bearsden Academy pupil Ross Greer was joined by Janet Westwater, head of Guidance at the school during a roundtable meeting of the parliament’s Education & Skills committee, discussing Personal & Social Education (PSE) in schools.
The roundtable, held at the request of Ross, discussed issues of inconsistency and gaps in the PSE curriculum, with many young people not receiving adequate or even any education about consent in relationships, LGBT+ inclusive sexual education, mental health issues and more.
Janet Westwater’s contributions to the meeting demonstrated that Bearsden Academy has an exemplary PSE curriculum, with timetabled classes led by the pupils’ guidance teachers from S1 to S6. Ms Westwater also confirmed that Bearsden Academy works with LGBT Youth Scotland to provide an inclusive education for all of its young people, has established an equalities group and has developed its curriculum to be more reflective of young peoples’ experience, citing the example of lessons on the ‘Sixth Year Holiday’ experience as an example and of additional classes for S2-3 pupils on rights at work and the role of trade unions.
The school was also praised by both Ross Greer and Education committee convenor James Dornan MSP for its engagement with the committee’s work on PSE, spending time in class workshopping what PSE should be about in response to the call for evidence.
Ross Greer MSP said:
“There’s an urgent need to deliver a high quality, inclusive PSE experience for young people which is consistent across the country. What we heard from Bearsden Academy sounds like a first class example and something to replicate.
“I am certainly proud of how far my old school has come, even in the few years since I left. Ms Westwater is clearly a real asset to Bearsden but what she made clear was the teamwork of both staff and pupils who have been involved in developing and delivering these essential life skills lessons. I look forward to raising Bearsden Academy with the Education Secretary as an example of what we want to see across Scotland’s schools.”