Scotland

Scottish Parliament petition

In 2016 ForcesWatch and Quakers in Scotland submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament that calls on the Scottish Government to ensure greater scrutiny, guidance, and consultation with parents/guardians on armed forces visits to schools in Scotland, in order to provide transparency and balance, and in recognition of the unique nature of armed forces careers. In 2018 the Public Petitions Committee made a number of recommendations in their report to the Scottish Government.

---

Holyrood should protect Scottish schools from creep of cadets

ForcesWatch is calling on the Scottish government to resist attempts to introduce Cadet units into the country’s state secondary schools.

---

Armed Forces visit state schools as many as 20 times in two years

FOUR out of five of Scotland's state secondary schools had visits by the Armed Forces within a two year period, sparking claims they were related to recruitment.

---

Armed Forces Visits to Secondary Schools in Scotland

The report, compiled by ForcesWatch, is based on figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act from the armed forces on their visits to Scottish schools. It has been co-sponsored by the Educational Institute of Scotland which has expressed concerns that some armed forces visits may have a recruitment purpose. Also see Armed forces visits to schools in Scotland: An update for 2016-2017

---

New report raises concerns about armed forces visits to Scottish schools

A new report published today shows that the armed forces visited four fifths (83%) of state secondary schools within a two year period, between 2010-2012. The report argues that the purpose of many of the visits is related to recruitment into the armed forces.

---

Armed Forces Day Kids with guns controversy at family celebration for British troops

THERE are hook the duck stalls, fairground rides and countless ice-cream vans. But these are not the most popular attractions with the thousands of small children who descended on Stirling yesterday for Armed Forces Day. They seemed to prefer handling the high-velocity sniper rifle, getting to grips with an 81mm mortar or staring down the sights of a Starstreak II missile launcher, with its operator on hand to boast of its "multi-target capability" and 7km range.

---

Recruiting officers told not to warn would-be soldiers about true horrors of Army life

Recruiters who refused to hide the truth were sent back to their barracks to face disciplinary action.

---

Figures reveal high number of visits by armed forces to Edinburgh schools

Event: Questioning the presence of the military in schools, Thurdsay 11 October, St Augustine's United Church, 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL, 7.30-9pm Figures obtained under Freedom of Information reveal that the armed forces are visiting nearly all schools in the Edinburgh area and some schools have activities run by the military many times a year. (1) Of the 23 state secondary schools in Edinburgh, 22 were visited by the armed forces an average of 7 times during a two year period. A further 11 independent schools and FE Colleges also had visits. Since September there have been a total of 225 visits to 33 schools and colleges (2). Balerno High School had the highest number of visits, with the armed forces recording having been at the school 22 times since September 2010. Some of the visits are for individual interviews, but the majority are for careers briefings, award evenings, curriculum support, presentations and team building events. The figures have been obtained by ForcesWatch who are concerned about the level of military involvement in UK schools and colleges across the UK (3).

---