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Education Secretary visits Orkney schools
Helping learners with additional support needs.
Education Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, has praised the dedication and commitment of teachers, parents and pupils as she saw first-hand the ongoing work to support school pupils with additional support needs during a visit to Orkney.
Young people, teachers and parents from Glaitness Primary and Kirkwall Grammar hosted the Cabinet Secretary as part of the visit.
Schools in Orkney have received over £2.1 million from the Scottish Government’s Pupil Equity Funding (PEF), since its introduction in 2017/18. That includes £247,355 which has been allocated in 2025/26. Orkney has also received over £450,000 in Strategic Equity Funding since 2022/23 to help support approaches to closing the poverty-related attainment gap.
Commenting, Ms Gilruth said:
“It has been fantastic to visit Orkney and see some of the great work going on at Glaitness Primary and Kirkwall Grammar across the curriculum and particularly the targeted support for those young people with Additional Support needs.
“The impact of Pupil Equity Funding in our schools has been remarkable over the past decade, and it has been really inspiring to see how this direct funding from the Scottish Government continues to make an impact at the chalkface – where it is needed most.
“I am aware of the particular challenges which schools in our island communities can face, so it was hugely encouraging to see the dedication and commitment not just of the teaching staff, but pupils and families as well.”
Background
The Education Secretary later held talks with senior councillors and local education officers as part of the visit.
Glaitness Primary has received £31,850 in Pupil Equity Funding, while Kirkwall Grammar has been awarded £47,775, in 2025/26.
