Kate Blake

Some of the subjects with the most acute shortages such as Home Economics & Technical are not offered by the University, as Home Economics was withdrawn a number of years ago because of how difficult it was to recruit students, especially as possible feeder programmes at RGU were not accepted.

Inside Aberdeenshire teaching shortages: 'We need to market region as great place to live to fill stubborn vacancies' With £9.4 million of government cash on the line, we investigate the struggle to recruit - and what education bosses are doing to fix this.

In Education Committee, I have often spoken about the importance of @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social PGDE to recruit and retain students in city and Shire. @pressandjournal.co.uk
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/politics/...

Out campaigning this lunchtime with @kirstymcneill.bsky.social for our great Aberdeen Central candidate at the Scottish Parliament elections, Jenny Laing. Lots of good doorstep conversations and despite the forecast it was dry!! #labourdoorstep @scottishlabour.bsky.social

Delighted with this news.

Councils given £3bn to create thousands more spaces for Send pupils The government is promising 50,000 more places for children with special educational needs in schools in England.

This investment will change lives.

It'll go towards bespoke, calming spaces to help children with additional needs get the support they need at a good, local school on their doorstep.

Labour is building schools where every child can achieve and thrive.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

In the warehouse at CFine

Securing a pallet at CFine

Thank you to @cfine.bsky.social for hosting us today. It was good to hear about the range of services you offer. Also to hear from your employees and volunteers about the work they do and the positive impact it makes.
Cllr Allard, Cllr Mennie and I got quite efficient in packing pallets!

The annual reminder, that how many pupils get 5 Highers grade A-C is a very narrow indicator of how good a school is.

Shock 9.5% rent rise for Aberdeen council tenants as cash needed to 'fix draughty windows and mould' During the same meeting, it was agreed to collect rent every week of the year rather than just 48 weeks.

At my sheltered housing surgery today, residents could not believe that rents were going up by 9.5% when properties that could be let were sitting empty for a year.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aber...

Keeping with the Christmas theme 🎄King's College looking beautiful @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social

My Top Podcast of 2025 Spotify

And Spotify tells me, Pod Save America is my favourite podcast. I have to say this is not a revelation either to me or my family!
What was alarming though was my music listening age is 69 😱 @podsaveamerica.crooked.com #SpotifyWrapped.
www.spotify.com/wrapped-shar...

Christmas 🎄 mug

It's December, so the Christmas coffee cup is out again 🎄 #reuse #Christmas

Thought this was a very interesting piece from Barry. I wasn't aware that the OBR had revised the revenue from VAT on private school fees up. I have had people tell me "this is the politics of envy" and that I was wrong to think private schools are businesses, so good to see this policy analysis.

In case there are parents reading this headline, it is not quite at that stage. I put forward an amendment which the Administration agreed to, to review all the catchment areas of Bucksburn, Dyce and associated primary schools before the Council commits to the statutory consultation.

A reminder of what happened last time a UK govt tried to reduce bills by "cutting the green crap"

Analysis: Cutting the ‘green crap’ has added £22bn to UK energy bills since 2015

www.carbonbrief.org/...

There's still time to vote for this year's People Champion.

Cast your vote today: https://orlo.uk/S9T8R

Voting will close at 5pm on Fri 7 November.

Head Teacher (Finzean School) - ABS45653 cc @AbshireJobs #AbshireJobs

The community consultation on the Northfield community campus will start next week. I will share when I have it.
Plans may include a new academy, 2 to 3 stream primary and other services.
I remain concerned that the business case bypasses Education Ctte, but pleased to see the consultation begin!

We've had a wonderful week touring Morocco from Marrakech to the Sahara. Today has been a chill day by the pool before heading home. By listening to @podsaveamerica.crooked.com and Electoral Dysfunction and reading this, am I easing myself home?

⏰ Make sure you've submitted your questions for LWN's online Deputy Leader Hustings — the deadline is tonight!
Join us on Zoom on Mon 13 Oct at 8pm to hear directly from Bridget and Lucy as they answer the questions that matter to you. Register now and submit your Qs: www.lwn.org.uk/deputy_leade...

Renewables overtake coal as world's biggest source of electricity Developing countries lead the historic clean energy charge but the US and EU rely more on fossil fuels than before, a think tank study shows.

A historic shift and evidence of the global transition from fossil fuels to renewables.

While some in the UK want to take us backwards, to an outdated age, against the international trend - this government will power forward to our clean energy future.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

*** Weather warning reminder ***
Met Office yellow weather warning for wind in #StormAmy for Aberdeen today from 3pm until 12midnight tomorrow. Heavy rain today too.
Amber warning for wind & yellow warning for rain in parts of Aberdeenshire.
Latest info @ https://orlo.uk/qWL0w

Great to join the #Kingswells litter pick this morning. We focused on the park & ride. Thanks to all the volunteers out and about keeping the village tidy #cleanupaberdeen

I'd just settle for a proper cycle lane rather than a faded white dashed line, but this sounds amazing.

Considering the recent horror at the suggestion of traffic lights prioritising buses, then this won't be coming to Aberdeen anytime soon.

When the public discourse feels increasingly filled with intolerance, hate and othering, this morning was a good reminder that we are all Jock Tamson's Bairns.

I don't know the name of the keynote speaker, but I was very struck by her message of "words matter", "goodness matter", "redemption matters". As an aethist, redemption is a word I don't use, but what she spoke about was tolerance, community and partnership.

This morning, I attended the Aberdeen civic prayer breakfast. The Rev Poobalan, chaplain of @robertgordonuni.bsky.social spoke about the work of Homewards Aberdeen to address homelessness in the city.
homewards.org.uk/locations/ab...

Reform will apparently pledge today that they'd abolish indefinite leave to remain - including retrospectively, to people already granted it. Obviously this is a moral abomination but it is also a practical and legal impossibility.

Disappointed that the Administration couldn't agree with me today, that with this many unknowns, the business case should come back to Education Committee for scrutiny before the 2026/27 budget in March.

🚨 BREAKING: Communities run through the just-announced Strategic Priorities for Great British Energy.

This Government is delivering on its commitment to roll out clean, green, community-owned energy. 🌱

My husband and I just celebrated 22 years together, which is longer than both of Nigel Farage's mixed-sex marriages combined.