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As a second lockdown begins, school buildings and playgrounds across Scotland are once again closed, and families face more home learning. We all know 2020 was an incredibly difficult year for many of us, but for those living on lower incomes the extra pressure has made maintaining family life even harder. As we enter a second lockdown what can we do to ensure school at home will work for everyone? From what children and parents told us last time around, we have established a set of actions and guidelines to help us move forward.

Applications opened for the best start grant in Scotland on 1 June, and now is a good time for families to make applications for the clothing grant and free school meals too - which can really help to reduce the cost of going back to school for those on low incomes. For information and advice on how to access these entitlements, see the latest Cost of the School Day ebulletin.

In response to the findings of the Cost of the School Day Dundee report, we were delighted to work with Dundee City Council to launch four ambitious Cost of the School Day pledges at the new North East campus on Friday 26th October.

A new Attainment Challenge Partnership has been launched by Young Scot. Working with six local authorities, Transport Scotland and Improvement Services the partnership will utilise the smart-enabled Young Scot National Entitlement Card to deliver new targeted and bespoke local smart-entitlements and opportunities, focussed on travel, health and wellbeing, to tackle inequalities, improve attainment in education and challenge rural poverty.