City boss Move fest forward a month
from poorer backgrounds get a better education and achieve improved results.
“Parents wi l l understandably be concerned this particular initiative may not make a material dif ference to the quality of their child’s academic education.”
Labour’s education spokesman Iain Gray added: “Scottish Labour proposed fair start funding targeted at closing the attainment gap, so we support the pupil equity fund, which is very much the same idea.
“However, we wanted a clear set of proven, evidence- based interventions for headteachers to choose from to design the most effective programme for their school.
“I do not know anything about Wholistic Life but I do wonder if it would meet these criteria.”
Charity boss Livingstone gained a certificate to practice “the art and science of neuro-linguistic programming” from NLP World – a training provider who offer courses costing up to £950.
Her LinkedIn page yesterday said she had been internal controls manager at the Terex Corporation since January 2014.
Wholistic Life registered with the Office of the Scottish h Charity Regulator in January.y.
They received a £9961 grant t from the Big Lottery Fund lastt month and have been n supported by SNP MSP foror Larkhall, Hamilton and Stoneehouse, Christina McKelvie.
Livingstone said schools hadad reported positive results.
She said: “The course has beeneen academically evaluated by psychologists and professorss at Edi nburgh’s Her iot - Watat t University and we’re under the Scottish Government’s attainainment challenge, which is partrt of early intervention and prevention.ntion.
“There’s no reason why they wouldn’t pay for our course through rough the PEF money because that’s’ whath it’si ’ there for. We have backing from a number of MSPs and MPs who are looking for us to take this nationally. The benefits are all to do with raising the young person’s mindsetmindse to a degree where they can focusfocu and get out of the environmentronmen they’re in and we’ve had very positivepo feedback. “I know there’ s some scepticism sceptic but that’s why we got Heriot-HeriotWatt involved so that our courseco is based around academicdemic evaluation. “Th Te re is a lot of misunderstanding misuofw hat mindsetmind is. People think mindfulnessfulne and meditation is very muchmuc a spiritual thing. “IIt’s absolutely nothing to dod with that – this is aboutabo understanding how youryou own mind works. “Our programme doesn’t talktal about anxiousness or depression, de press and we don’t talk about mental health,he we talk about being mentally healthy.”health StewartS Nicolson,l head of education at South Lanarkshire Council said: “We are aware of this and the charity will be subject to the normal processes and checks.”
Edinburgh’sEd culture chiefchi wants the city’s festivalfes to start a month earlierear in a bid to attract moremo families.
FFormer Lord Provost DoDonald Wi lson – now cultculture convener – says the eveevent should be moved to July to coincide w ith Scotland’s school holidays.
Wilson said: “I’ve had a lot of letters about this over the past few years saying it would be better for the Festival to be aligned with the school holidays in July.
“We have to look at widening things geographically but it’s also about deepening their appeal.”
Fringe chief executive Shona McCarthy said: “There is no compelling case to change the dates.”
While these classes aim to solve a problem, they could be creating it