School wins silver accreditation for inclusivity

Penicuik High joins Newbattle Community High School in gaining the award, which recognises work to proactively include LGBT people.

Mr McManus, who visited the school during LGBT+ history month in February, said: “I’m honoured to be back at my old school to present this Silver Charter recognising the hard work pupils and staff have put in to make sure the school is welcoming and supportive environment for all LGBTQ+ people.“

Congratulating staff and pupils for the “immense achievement”, Jay Stuart, LGBTQ+ Allies Pupil Champion and Equalities Captain in the student leadership team, said the charter had come “after more than a year and a half of work involving the Equalities Student Captain, club members and staff champions.”

S6 pupil Hannah Benson said: "In my six years of being a part of the LGBTQ+ club, I have seen major improvements around the school towards inclusion and safety of queer people and their allies. The charter is a great acknowledgement to that fact, and I hope younger years will continue this initiative to create a better environment and a legacy Penicuik can be proud of."

S5 pupil Charlie-Alexander Simpson-White added: "I think that it is a good change for Penicuik High School and I hope that we progress further by getting the Gold Charter status in the future.”

The school also held a darts competition, which raised £198.25 for the Multiple System Atrophy Trust.School librarian Neil Smith, one of the three staff champions involved in the LGBTQ+ Allies group, said: "We hoped to score 7000 points in total with each dart point representing a mile from Penicuik to New York where the LGBT movement first began. The aim was to get there by February 23 to mark Purple Friday, the annual fundraising day that brings people all over Scotland together to show their support for LGBTQ+ young people. We achieved this journey and with every dart costing 50p, raised nearly £200.”