School hailed for Holocaust lessons

A secondary school which received an award for good practice in Holocaust education has been congratulated.

The awards are delivered by Vision Schools Scotland, a partnership launched in 2017 between the University of the West of Scotland and the Holocaust Educational Trust.

Barrhead High School received the prestigious level two award.

A Vision School is one committed to the view that learning about the Holocaust is a vital part of young people’s education.

To receive an award, schools must demonstrate their commitment to the importance of Holocaust education and to developing teacher knowledge to ensure continued expertise.

Kirsten Oswald, MP for East Renfrewshire, said:“It is really heartening to hear that East Renfrewshire schools are at the forefront of delivering Holocaust education and in equipping teachers with the knowledge and expertise they need to deliver this vital part of young people’s education.

“The Vision Schools Programme embeds responsible citizenship, which is a key principle of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence.

“It is quite right that sustained school-based Holocaust education is a vital part of that programme.

“Only by truly learning from the dreadful events of the holocaust can we ensure they never happen again.

“However, as events in Rwanda, Yugoslavia and recently in Xinjiang, China, demonstrate, these lessons are too easily forgotten.”