
Education training experts back suicide prevention in school
The successful campaign has led to a change in the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum in England.
Dr Richard Anderson, head of learning and development at High Speed Training, said: "This new curriculum will empower young people to have open and honest conversations about mental health.
"It is vital to support schools, teachers, and parents in this crucial endeavour."
The added curriculum will be introduced in September this year, becoming mandatory by September 2026.
Dr Anderson added: "By raising awareness and encouraging open, honest discussion, we can break down the stigma, reduce risk, and ultimately, save lives."
The announcement coincides with Samaritans' 24/7 Day, which highlights the charity's consistent support service for those struggling.
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BBC News
12 hours ago
- BBC News
School grief lessons hailed by Norfolk charity Nelson's Journey
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Leader Live
2 days ago
- Leader Live
Wrexham ranked top for food hygiene ratings across Wales
The local authorities across Wales that score highest and lowest for their food hygiene ratings have been revealed, marking 15-years since the introduction of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. The report from training provider High Speed Training, which analysed Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for over 240,000 food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, found that the average food hygiene rating across all food establishments in Wales was 4.47 from over 13,000 premises. The Bridge End Inn, Ruabon, has a five-star hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency (Image: NQ) Wales found itself in 7th position when compared to regions of the UK. The top ranking local authority in Wales was Wrexham, with an impressive average score of 4.90 from over 400 premises. This means it would rank joint fifth in a list of towns and cities from across the UK. A similar report run in 2024 by High Speed Training calculated Wales' score at 4.45, showing that food hygiene standards have increased across the country over recent years. The Croes Howell, Llay, Wrexham, has a five-star rating from the Food Standards Agency (Image: NQ) The biggest improver in Wales was Torfaen, which improved its average score by 0.19, though it still placed in the bottom half of the local authorities list. Cardiff (4.37) ranked 13th in Wales, improving its rating by 0.03 from 2024. Swansea placed 15th in Wales, with a rating of 4.25. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) is a partnership with local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that was launched in 2010. It replaced a number of regional schemes, with the aim of providing hygiene information clearly and more effectively across the UK. Following regular inspections, ratings are devised based on the standard of food handling hygiene, the physical condition of the premises and facilities and food safety management practices. These ratings are then made available on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website and are usually visible from outside of the premises, often presented in a window near the entrance. In Wales and Northern Ireland, it is compulsory for businesses to display their food hygiene rating. However, in England it is currently just considered best practice. Paul Turner CEnvH, MCIEH, an Environmental Health Officer for North Yorkshire Council, said: 'Since its inception 15 years ago, the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme has played a pivotal role in improving standards across the UK. "It has been incredibly successful in allowing local authorities and EHOs to effectively engage with both businesses and consumers to communicate important messages around food hygiene and safety. 'Prior to the launch, a number of regional 'Scores on the Doors' schemes existed that, though they were effective, didn't easily allow for national comparison and benchmarking. A national standard means greater consistency for businesses and provides the public easy access to this vital information. 'However, we would welcome some updates to the FHRS to make it more suitable for the current landscape, which relies heavily on food delivery apps and aggregators. We would like to see this information displayed more prominently across these apps, perhaps with a traffic light system for easy identification. Read more: 'We are also always pushing to make the display of food hygiene ratings in England mandatory, as it is in Wales and Northern Ireland, to ensure that consumers have all the information they need to make informed choices about where to spend their hard-earned money.' Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training said: 'Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. 'Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2024. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to keep performing at high standards."


Scotsman
3 days ago
- Scotsman
Revealed: The best and worst places in Scotland for food hygiene pass rates
The local authorities across Scotland with the highest pass ratings for their food hygiene inspections have been revealed, thanks to a report from online training provider High Speed Training, marking 15 years since the introduction of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ranked 1st in Scotland, South Ayrshire has the highest pass rate of 99.00%, although this was a decrease of -0.81% from 2024. has the highest pass rate of 99.00%, although this was a decrease of -0.81% from 2024. Highland , ranked 32nd, has the lowest pass rate in the country at 77.88%, which was a slight improvement of +0.04% from the previous year. , ranked 32nd, has the lowest pass rate in the country at 77.88%, which was a slight improvement of +0.04% from the previous year. North Lanarkshire , which is now ranked 7th, had the biggest improvement in ranking, moving up 10 positions from its 2024 rank of 17th. , which is now ranked 7th, had the biggest improvement in ranking, moving up 10 positions from its 2024 rank of 17th. The biggest drop in ranking was experienced by Angus , which fell 12 places from 12th in 2024 to 24th. , which fell 12 places from 12th in 2024 to 24th. The most significant improvement in pass rate was seen in the Shetland Islands , which improved by +3.60% to achieve a pass rate of 78.31%. , which improved by +3.60% to achieve a pass rate of 78.31%. Angus also saw the biggest decrease in its pass rate, which fell by -3.94% to 91.30%. also saw the biggest decrease in its pass rate, which fell by -3.94% to 91.30%. Glasgow is ranked 27th with a pass rate of 88.47%, a decrease of -0.82% from 2024. is ranked 27th with a pass rate of 88.47%, a decrease of -0.82% from 2024. Edinburgh is ranked 26th with a pass rate of 89.68%, representing a decrease of -0.63% from the previous year. is ranked 26th with a pass rate of 89.68%, representing a decrease of -0.63% from the previous year. View the report with interactive map Infographics download The report, which analysed Food Standards Agency (FSA) data for over 240,000 food businesses across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, found that in Scotland, the average pass rating across all food establishments in 2025 was 92.2%. A similar report run in 2024 by High Speed Training calculated Scotland's average pass rating at 92.5%, showing that food hygiene standards have dipped very slightly across the country. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Food hygiene ratings across the region have been revealed The top spot in Scotland went to South Ayrshire, with an impressive pass rate of 99.00% from over 500 premises. South Ayrshire has consistently held the top spot in previous reports. The most significant improvement in pass rate was seen in the Shetland Islands, which improved by 3.60% from 2024. In terms of rankings, North Lanarkshire was the biggest climber, moving up 10 positions to 7th place. The biggest drop was experienced by Angus, which fell 12 places in the rankings. It also saw the biggest decrease in its pass rate, which fell by 3.94% from 2024. The report showed that the lowest pass rate in Scotland went to Highland, with a pass rate of 77.88%, though this was a slight improvement on its 2024 score. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Food hygiene ratings across the region have been revealed Edinburgh just edged the battle of the major cities, with a pass rate of 89.68% to Glasgow's 88.47%, placing them in 26th and 27th spot respectively. Both cities saw a small decrease in their pass rates from 2024. Of the local authorities with over 1000 premises, Fife performed the strongest, with a pass rate of 96.79%, placing them 5th in the rankings. On average, local authorities across the country saw their pass rate fall by 0.28%, and 10 out of 32 local authorities secured a pass rate of 95% or higher. The Food Hygiene Information Scheme (FHIS), evaluates businesses on their food hygiene practices. After an EHO has reviewed the safety systems, observed food hygiene in practice and spoken with the staff, the businesses are given either: Pass - The business meets the legal standard of food hygiene, or: Improvement Required - The legal standard of food hygiene was not evident during the inspection. The business will need to improve certain areas to then qualify for a pass. As in England, it is not required by law for a business to display the rating they receive. However, the FHIS is available for customers to view online. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Food hygiene ratings across the region have been revealed Dr Richard Anderson, Head of Learning and Development at High Speed Training comments: 'Food safety and robust hygiene practices should be of paramount importance to food businesses, and to the customers who use them. 15 years have passed since the launch of the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme, and its place in the industry is as vital as ever. These ratings are a direct reflection of how safely and hygienically that establishment operates, and we urge businesses and customers to take them seriously. 'For businesses that perform well, a high rating is a real selling point. However, establishments with a low hygiene rating can be extremely off-putting for customers, which ultimately have a significant impact on reputation and profitability.' 'Our report shows that, on average, standards remain high across the UK, and have improved from 2024. This commitment to correct food hygiene training for staff, alongside robust food management procedures and everyday good practices are crucial to keep performing at high standards. 'We would also urge customers to check the food hygiene ratings of establishments they wish to dine at, so that an informed call as to whether you eat there can be made.' To view the report in full, and to see how your area compares to others, please visit