This year’s Peebles Arts Festival programme was launched last week, with lots of exhibitions, events and workshops set to entertain the public.

The festival, which runs from August 23 to September 1, will again highlight the best of the local arts community, and this year also includes literary and photography events.

“We’re celebrating 30 years of arts festivals this year and we’d like to acknowledge the support of local arts organisations, funders and supporters for making the festival happen” said Douglas Roberts, festival chairman.

He added: “We’d like as many locals and visitors alike to get involved in this year’s event and help us celebrate the arts in Peeblesshire and the Borders.”

Highlights this year include ‘The Border Boys’, a major show of paintings and sculpture celebrating the careers of artists from the Borders, or claimed as one of our own.

Another top pick from this year’s programme is a showing of Hitchcock’s classic adaptation of the 1915 spy novel, The 39 Steps, which will be preceded by a short talk from Lady Deborah Stewartby on her grandfather, John Buchan, the book’s author.

Acclaimed local photographers Jason Baxter, Liz Hanson and Graham Riddell will also be exhibiting their works, while there are lots of hands-on workshops where festival-goers can get directly involved in all kinds of activities.

The new literary programme will see top children’s author-illustrator John Fardell giving tips and answering questions in a fun family session.

Crime writer Lin Anderson, creator of forensic expert Dr Rhona MacLeod, will also take people on a journey into Scottish crime fiction at her event.

Other new features this year inlcude Film Sundays at the Eastgate Theatre and the Courthouse Restaurant outdoor music stage.

At the launch, a new festival logo and website was also revealed.

Visit www.peeblesartsfestival.org for full details.

A SECOND free concert at Paxton House will take place later this month ahead of the Music at Paxton festival, which kicks off in July.

Sax Ecosse will provide an hour-long taster session on Sunday, June 16 at 2.30pm, prior to their debut at the Edinburgh International Festival.

The quartet met while studying at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2004. Since graduating they have performed chamber music in front of audiences, including American presidents and royalty.

The group is made up of Karen Dufour (soprano saxophone), Michelle Melvin (alto saxophone), Gillian Skingley (tenor saxophone) and Lynsey Payne (baritone saxophone).

The concert is being provided by Music at Paxton in partnership with Live Music Now and Paxton House.

It will give audiences a taste of what is to come when the local festival is in full swing this July.

Music at Paxton takes place from July 19 to 28 and will feature music performed by leading international musicians.

Some of Europe’s most talented rising stars will also take centre stage at the Berwickshire venue.

Visit www.musicatpaxton.co.uk for more information on the Sax Ecosse concert and for the full festival programme.

The town will play host to the start and finish of a vintage car tour tomorrow. The event has been organised for pre-1941 cars by Selkirk resident Alisdaire Lockhart, Alex Hayward, Donald Mann and Jock Mackinnon.

It is being run on behalf of the Vintage Sports Car Club, and is the first tour the club have ever held in Scotland.

Borders MSP Christine Grahame has given the clearest indication yet of her likely vote on court closure proposals, to take place on Tuesday.

At this week’s meeting of the parliament’s justice committee, chaired by Ms Grahame, Lord Gill said of the plan to close 10 sheriff courts: “On balance my own view is that this is the way forward.”

Speaking afterwards, Ms Grahame said: “If the most senior judge in Scotland says this is the way forward for justice, who am I to gainsay.”

However, speaking to TheSouthern, the SNP member said: “I have not made up my mind and I will listen to all the evidence.”

The committee is to debate the closures with justice secretary Kenny MacAskill next Tuesday, after which a vote will be taken.

Mr MacAskill gave evidence to the committee on Tuesday, and “made a very powerful case” for the closures, Ms Grahame said.

But MSP John Lamont, who sits on the committee, said: “After questioning Kenny MacAskill at the justice committee, it seems that he cannot decide whether these closures are to improve our justice system or to save costs. With questions being raised over whether these cuts will save any money at all, the concern is that they will achieve neither of these objectives.”

Mr Lamont added: “The SNP have the chance to stop these closures going ahead and they have to choose 
between loyalty to their party or doing right by their 
constituents.”

PLANS for a top-level equestrian centre near Selkirk have been approved, but put on hold while access issues are examined.

A number of local residents and Selkirk Community Council had expressed concerns about the safety of the B6400, given the anticipated increase in large traffic the centre would create.

Councillors, meeting on Monday, ‘approved in principle’ Ian Stark’s proposal for the centre, which will include indoor and outdoor arenas capable of hosting high-quality events.

However the permission will be subject to a planning condition requiring the provision of passing places on the road, and how these will be provided will determine the exact wording of that condition, something being worked on by planning officers and Mr Stark’s agent.

”Selkirkshire councillor Michelle Ballantyne said: “None of the objectors seemed to have problems with the centre, it all centred on the road, and I think that is quite reasonable.”

If the matter of the passing places is able to be resolved, then the application will be approved without having to go back before the planning committee.

Disabled people and the less mobile are being discriminated against by a decision not to allow dropped kerbs at an underpass in Jedburgh.

So says Iris Hutcheon, from the town’s Richmond Row, who handed over a petition bearing 63 signatures to Scottish Borders Council convener Graham Garvie and vice-convener Jim Brown.

The petition seeks to overturn a decision not to provide dropped kerbs on the A68 underpass at Canongate.

As well as women with prams and wheelchair users, there are five regular mobility scooter users who use the Auld Brig route linking the sheltered housing complex at Richmond Row with the local health centre and shops.

Ms Hutcheon says Millfield Old Folks Home would also benefit from dropped kerbs as residents would then have wheelchair access to the riverside walk. The official view, however, is that the incline leading to the underpass is too steep for dropped kerbs.

Mr Brown (Jedburgh and District, SNP) told us: “The alternative route at present means a very long detour and the problem is that less able senior citizens are simply driving off the pavement and over the A68.”

Ms Hutcheon claims disabled residents and others are “taking their lives in their hands” if forced to cross the A68.

“It’s ridiculous that able-bodied people can use the underpass, yet disabled, the elderly and others have to cross a busy trunk road.

“It’s definitely discrimination,” she added.

Local choir InChorus performed in Edinburgh recently at a fundraising lunch for charity Maggie’s, which raised more than £62,000.

They performed various songs, including Pink’s Just Give Me a Reason, which went down very well. Mark Cooper from Maggie’s said: “Ihey really brought the event to life and added considerably to its atmosphere.”

If you have a new product or service to launch, wouldn’t it be good to be able to present it your existing and potential clients?

Not so easy if your clients are spread far and wide – perhaps not even in the country. Why not host an online presentation, or ‘webinar’?

Just as you might use your laptop or tablet for a physical presentation, you would do the same with a webinar – basically sharing the contents of your screen with your audience.

There is a plethora of providers for you to try, with a variety of subscription prices and features available.

You can host meetings with one or two attendees right up to large-scale web conferences with 1,000 people.

Audience participation can be created in various ways. Pre-prepare polls, asking simple multiple choice questions. You get live results in your webinar control panel which you can talk about during your presentation or even show to your attendees.

During a physical presentation, your audience would be able to put up their hand should they wish to ask a question. Your online attendees would be able to do the same, if you wish.

They will have a panel in which they can type questions, which you can answer when you’re ready. You can even allow audience members to voice chat.

Many webinar providers will also allow for multiple presenters to participate from any location.

Webinars can be recorded for use later. You can offer them as a resource to those who attended so that they can come back and cherry-pick content they’d like to see again. There will also be those who could not attend. Offer them access to the recording so they don’t miss out.

There are some basic points to bear in mind when hosting a webinar:

Location: make sure that the room you will be using is as quiet as possible. Ensure that phones are switched off, and make it clear that there should be no interruptions.

Connection speed: If you are at the end of a dodgy connection you don’t want your presentation to be freezing regularly. As a matter of course you should test it out well in advance. Use one of the free trials that are available to run a practice webinar. Get friends or colleagues to act as attendees to assess the quality.

Dry run: once you’ve prepared your webinar, test it again on others who will give you an honest opinion.

Plan: Don’t leave everything until the last minute. A poorly prepared presentation will do you more harm than good.

Introduce yourself: it’s amazing how many people forget to introduce themselves properly. Include a photo of each presenter so that your audience can put faces to the voices.

Have a look around at the various webinar providers and take advantage of their hints and tips – then get ready to unleash yourself on the webinar world!

Andrew McEwan of The Web Workshop in Morebattle (www.thewebworkshop.net) helps businesses with their online presence and digital marketing.

Robson’s Funeral Directors in Hawick was recently named Golden Charter’s Regional Funeral Planner of the Year for the south of Scotland.

The title is in recognition of the company’s dedication and commitment to providing an outstanding service to the local community.

Paul Robson, of the family-run business, said: “I am absolutely delighted to receive this award. The award recognises all the hard work, dedication and professionalism of all my colleagues.”

In addition to a silver salver and framed certificate from Golden Charter, the Woodland Trust has dedicated woodland in Robson’s Funeral Directors’ name at Pressmennan Wood, East Lothian, in recognition of their achievement.

Ronnie Wayte, managing director of Golden Charter commented. “Robson’s Funeral Directors have set a very high standard and we are delighted to recognise this tremendous achievement.”

The public have been urged not to use a new bridge on the shared path at Cardrona until it is certified as being safe.

Councillor Willie Archibald said he was pleased at the interest in it, but added that it had not yet been handed over to the council or declared safe. An opening date is expected to be confirmed at the next area forum in Peebles on June 24.

Berwick ‘New Holland’ Bandits” 48 Ipswich ‘Sackers’ Witches 45

PREMIER LEAGUE

BOTH these teams went into last night’s encounter desperate for Premier League points.

The home Bandits in order to re-start their somewhat sleepy campaign, whilst the visiting Witches were keen to make up for their last heat defeat at the hands of Newcastle on Thursday at Foxhall.

Ben Barker, from a slow gate, hit the grip line perfectly round bend one to jet hard between both Bandits off bend two and take a sizeable win for three points in the shared 3-3.

Cameron Heeps found himself wide on bend one of the second heat, and as Nicki Barrett charged hard under him the Witch lost all ground to end up in third place ahead of Adam Ellis who had lifted wildly from the gate in as home 5-1 to put Berwick ahead 8-4.

Matthew Wethers rode a great race challenging Rohan Tungate for second throughout the four laps, but with Robin Aspegren well out in front the Bandits again took an advantage - 4-2.

Leigh Lanham made the early pace in Heat Four, but on bend one, Barrett shot under the Witches’ skipper, and going into bend two Kozza Smith took the fast wide line to pass both Lanham and his partner tight up against the fence to seal another home maximum taking the score to 17-7 which allowed the Witches to nominate a tactical ride - that honour going to Barker in Heat Five.

Barker made no errors and took a gate to flag win with ease for six points over Wethers in an Ipswich 2-7 result that tightened the score to 19-14 and come Heat Six Lanham again made the gate, but was pushed hard by Berwick guest Craig Cook who forced his way through a virtually nonexistent gap to take the lead, and indeed win.

Heat Seven’s activities came to an abrupt end when Smith went frighteningly wide off bend four, clipped the fence and tumbled head over heels down the home straight in front of two other riders and was only just missed by his own bike.

The race was awarded an Ipswich 1-5 taking the score to 24-21, but more importantly was the good condition of stricken Bandit Smith who walked back to the pits.

Heat Nine saw a fine battle from Wethers and Lanham with the Bandit trying every move to force his way past the Witch, but despite some excellent moves it was to no avail in the Bandits’ 4-2 taking the score to 32-25.

Barker made a brilliant pass round Smith mid-way through Heat 11 to seal his third win of the night but Starke’s bike failed as the tapes went up and by the time he got it going the other three were nearly 3/4 of a lap ahead in the Witches 2-4 which tightened the match to 37-32.

Tungate went up a gear in Heat 12 to take his first win of the night but vitally behind Aspegren and Barrett tucked in for the minor placings to restrict the race to a 3-3.

With two races to go Barrett fell on the second lap and was duly excluded from the re-run, but Risager in that second running made a superb gate to lead well with Wethers stuck in third, but the Bandit found the drive to pass Heeps and then pressure Risager for a lap before settling for second in the 2-4 leaving the match on a knife-edge 45-42 with one heat remaining.

Anything but an Ipswich 1-5 would give Berwick the win and Barker shot round from last to first on the opening lap, but thankfully for Berwick he left his partner Risager at the rear with Smith and Aspegren successfully holding him at the rear to record a home victory 48-45.

Bandit’s team manager Ian Rae said: “This was a far better show from Berwick and as expected Ipswich really pushed hard especially the brilliant maximum from Ben Barker.

“This result has really boosted our lads’ confidence and now we can start to build this 2013 season to the level we know we deserve to be at.”

Individual Riders’ Score Chart

Berwick ‘New Holland’ Bandits

1, Craig Cook (guest) 2,3,2,1* = 8+1

2, David Bellego 1*,1,3,1* = 6+2

3, Robin Aspegren 3,0,3,2,2 = 10

4, Matthew Wethers 1,2,1,2 = 6

5, Kozza Smith © 3,Fx,2,2,1* = 8+1

6, Paul Starke ® 3,1,R,N = 4

7, Nicki Barrett ® 2*,2*,1,1*, Fx = 6+3

Ipswich “Sackers Witches” 45

1, Ben Barker 3,6^,3,3,3 = 18

2, Ritchie Hawkins 0,E,0,1 = 1

3, Rohan Tungate 2,2*,0,3 = 7+1

4, Morten Risager 0,3,3,3 = 9

5, Leigh Lanham © 0,2,2,0 = 4

6, Adam Ellis ® 0,0,0,N = 0

7, Cameron Heeps ® 1,1,1,2,0,1 = 6

HAVING held back the date in case any early-season events had to be postponed due to inclement weather, Berwick Bandits have announced an addition to their fixture-list this coming Saturday.

The event will see a visit from Dudley Heathens, one of the major clubs contesting the National League, who will be faced by an amalgamated Berwick squad of younger, locally-based riders under the banner of the Border Raiders.

Berwick training officer Gary Flint has been busy setting up the event, and to help balance the books, is offering a special deal of £70 for supporters to sponsor either a rider or a heat.

“If they want to be keen, and sponsor a rider and a heat, we’ll do a special deal on that for only £100,” he added.

To sign up as a sponsor – and encourage younger local riders – potential backers should call Flint on 07597-057413.

Bandits’ boss John Anderson is delighted to be able to be promoting a meeting for younger riders, and will offer a June 15th turnstile price of only £8 for adults, with children of fifteen and under entering free.

“We can only put this match on because of the generosity of our sponsors,” admitted Anderson.

“So we would be grateful to anyone who can help us by getting in touch with Gary Flint.”

“I should also place on record our sincere thanks to Berwick Rangers FC, who are giving us the use of the stadium that night for a peppercorn rent.”

Borders MSP John Lamont has written to the Transport Minister Keith Brown to complain about delays caused by traffic lights on the A68 south of Jedburgh.

Mr Lamont claims little work has been carried out since a landslip forced the traffic lights to be used, and says BEAR Scotland have written to local residents to say funding has not been made available for the repairs.

Mr Lamont said: “I have had several local residents write to me in recent weeks to complain about the length of time it seems to be taking the Scottish Government to repair this stretch of road. As soon as the landslip occurred traffic lights were erected, but to date little has been done to carry out the necessary repairs.

“This section of the A68 is not only frequently used by those who live in the area, but also by those driving from further south to visit the Borders. However the traffic lights have severely slowed traffic flow and have caused a huge number of people delays over the last few weeks.

“With it being one of the busiest times of the year for tourism it is essential that the repair work is carried out as soon as possible so that the traffic lights can be removed. That is why I wrote to the Transport Minister, Keith Brown MSP, to let him know how urgently these repairs need to be carried out.”

“With some residents being told by BEAR Scotland that the money to do the repairs has not even been made available, their anger is totally understandable.

“Concerns have been raised that priorities are being given to other projects, but it is important that the SNP know how important it is to maintain a free flow of traffic on the A68.”

Johnston Press, the Southern Reporter’s parent company and one of the leading community media groups in the UK, announced today the launch of The SmartList Scotland. The SmartList, a fixed-price recruitment service, provides recruiters with a short list of quality, pre-screened candidates for one fixed fee.

The SmartList is owned and operated by Johnston Press, the publisher of leading newspaper titles and associated websites across Scotland, including the Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday. This new recruitment offering, launched in September 2012, bridges the gap between traditional advertising and recruitment consultancies with strong emphasis on providing a high quality service to its clients.

The service is being launched in association with STV who will provide media and promotional support. A television advert promoting the benefits of using The SmartList first airs on the 13 and will be repeated throughout the month.

The service has already enjoyed massive success in filling a large number of different roles for clients in a variety of industries. A multi-media campaign will promote the service through STV, reaching more than four million viewers per month, and accompanied by a newspaper and online advertising campaign in all Johnston Press Scottish titles.

Businesses can submit their job details to The SmartList team of recruitment professionals for one fixed fee. Using their immense national resources, including local newspapers, jobs boards and social media, a ‘SmartList’ of high quality, local candidates is selected and screened specifically for the role. This is then submitted to the employer to review and interview the most promising Stephen Anderson, General Manager of The SmartList, said: “We are incredibly excited about the new opportunities that this joint venture offers. The SmartList team has worked incredibly hard over the past nine months and we are now perfectly positioned to offer the service to a larger audience.

“Currently, Scottish employers have to choose between traditional advertising and recruitment consultancies with no alternative. The success that we’ve enjoyed proves that there is a real need for this type of solution in the recruitment market place and we’re looking forward to bringing the service to Scottish businesses at a time when they need it most.”

To view the TV advert, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe5KtH4zHTI.

Businesses can find out more about the service by visiting TheSmartList.co.uk.

SCOTLAND have been forced to postpone naming their team to face South Africa by 48 hours after Edinburgh prop Geoff Cross became the second player to be ruled out of the summer tour.

• For the latest updated from the Scotland camp in South Africa follow David Ferguson on Twitter

The 30-year-old, who won his 22nd cap on Saturday, suffered an injury to the AC joint in his shoulder when he was tackled nine minutes from the end of the 27-17 defeat by Samoa in Durban. He was one of countless players treated on the field who resumed and played to the finish, but scans yesterday revealed that his injury, while not serious, would require at least several weeks of rehabilitation and so he would not be fit to play this weekend, nor in the final weekend of the Castle Lager Test Series.

He will join Glasgow hooker Pat MacArthur on a flight home today, while the Scotland management wait and hope for a more positive update on the hamstring injury suffered by the first-choice tighthead Euan Murray, as well as progress reports on a handful of other players. No decision has yet been made on a replacement for either player.

The SRU stated: “Captain Kelly Brown went for a scan in Nelspruit this afternoon on his ankle injury and further assessment will be required on the flanker. Scotland’s medical team also continued to treat the three other frontline casualties from the Samoa match – No 8 Johnnie Beattie (shoulder), and stand-off Tom Heathcote and centre Alex Dunbar (concussion).

“As a consequence of the injuries, the Scotland team to face the Springboks, which was due to be announced tomorrow, will now be named on Thursday.”

Scotland currently have two fit hookers in Scott Lawson and Steve Lawrie and only three fit props – looseheads Moray Low and Alasdair Dickinson and Jon Welsh, who arrived as a replacement for Lions call-up Ryan Grant on Sunday. The latter’s call to arms may have come as a result of an injury crisis, but the smile on the face of Welsh suggested that he wasn’t overly fussed. In fact, if Murray is indeed added to the absentee list ahead of the South Africa match, the smile may indeed broaden further as the Glasgow man considers the prospect of adding to his rugby education with an 80-minute battle with Tendai Mtawarira, otherwise known in these parts as “The Beast”.

Few could begrudge the 26-year-old his excitement, after he spent the first seven months of this season on the sidelines recovering from a serious shoulder operation, and he is making a habit of stepping in for injured team-mates. In last year’s RBS Six Nations, Welsh was hastily told to get himself stripped minutes before Scotland took to the field against Italy in the final championship match, when Allan Jacobsen suffered a calf injury in the warm-up. Now, just as he was preparing for pre-season training with Glasgow, he received a call to tell him that his team-mate Ryan Grant had been called to the British and Irish Lions tour in Australia, and so he was needed in South Africa. He was delighted to hear both bits of news.

“It was great and I’m delighted for Ryan, and obviously for myself,” he said. “It was mid-
afternoon two days ago after Ryan’s call-up [to the Lions] that I got the phone call to come out. I just had to sort a few things out at home and that was me, up and away. I’ve been in at Scotstoun training keeping myself ticking over. Because I didn’t have anything planned [for holidays], I was just counting down the days to pre-season starting and so mentally I’m up for this.

“When an opportunity like this arises, you just want to go out and give it your all and hopefully that happens this weekend, if selected. We’ll have to wait and see until the team is announced, but it would be a massive opportunity. It’s great to be called out to a place like South Africa to represent your country, so hopefully that [Test selection] happens.”

Bizarrely, as we spoke in the chapel of the squad’s Nelspruit base, a hotel out in the countryside with small apartments spread out around the restaurant, the lights went out. Welsh, a qualified electrician to trade, asked if he was needed.

“I’m getting called up for all my trades here,” he quipped.

It was a lighter moment in what has become a darker place lately in the wake of Scotland’s opening Test defeat by Samoa in Durban. The squad is keen to find a way to eradicate the errors from Saturday and seriously improve their defensive ability before facing a Springbok side that comfortably saw off Italy on the same day. With the squad so depleted by the aforementioned injuries, Welsh is guaranteed at least a place on the bench. 
Mention of facing Mtawarira brings back the former boxer’s smile.

“South Africa being one of the best scrummaging teams in the world means it will be a tough test but that is definitely something that I would relish,” he said. “If you want to get to the top, you need to play the best. It will be a massive challenge, but one I hope to get. It doesn’t hold any fears. At international level you’re not going to get any easy opposition, as it always is with your club as well, so my head’s switched on and ready to go. And to get to international level you have obviously had to hone your craft at club level against talented players, which I’ve done, so I’ve got no fears of anyone.

“I don’t know what the plan is yet, but I can play both sides of the scrum and if I need to play loosehead then I will, though I see myself primarily now as a tighthead. But I’d play scrum-half if Scotland asked me to.”

Welsh could provide a welcome burst of infectious confidence this week, the prop having come to the game late after three seasons with GHA and impressive showings with the Scotland club international side eventually winning him a 
contract at the Warriors.

He is a character and after that Test debut against Martin Castrigiovanni, which went well for him even if Scotland did lose the game, he suffered the agony of going on tour to Australia with Scotland and sitting on the bench, but not being used, in the win over the Wallabies, and then aggravating the shoulder injury in training and being forced home to news of a major operation. Since his return, his mental strength has been challenged as much as his physical as he accepted an invitation from the Scotland and Glasgow coaches to have a go on the tighthead side of the scrum and bring new depth to a problem position in Scottish rugby.

Seven months out did not help the learning process, but it gave him time to concentrate on his gym strength and in the next couple of weeks will come the test of whether he is ready to anchor the Scottish scrum. It will be a big call, but Welsh insisted that he is ready. He could hardly say anything else, but there is a clear determination about the Glaswegian that suggests he will not want for aggression if he is called up this week.

While he insisted that he is hopeful that every player in the injured list comes through fit this week, there is little doubt that he would rather the challenge – the biggest in his rugby career to date – came this weekend against the Springboks.

He added: “It’s about taking the opportunities that come your way, whenever they come, expected or not. That’s it in rugby. When people ask about the hard times, and the injuries, it’s the amount of people who take their chances and how quickly they are propelled to the rugby heights that keeps you going really. Just look at Ryan [Grant] and Stuart Hogg, 
and people like that. When you get an opportunity you need to take it.

“Now, I’d just like to play and show what I can do.”

Borders Railway is hosting a new series of community drop-in sessions this month, starting on Thursday at Gala Rugby Club.

The events will give residents the opportunity to view detailed railway plans and to ask questions of members of the project team about the construction process.

Details are: Thursday - Gala Rugby Club, 4 to 7pm; Monday - Old Gala House, 1 to 7pm; Tuesday - Macfie Hall, Heriot, 4 to 7pm; Monday, June 24 - Fountainhall Village Hall, 4 to 7pm; Thursday, June 27 - Stow Town Hall, 4 to 7pm.

Network Rail’s first phase of community drop-ins across Midlothian and the Borders during autumn last year attracted more than 1,200 local residents.

Craig Bowman, communications manager, Network Rail, said: “The works have started in earnest now and are much more visible to the public than before so we are keen to give local people another chance to speak to members of the project team and the detailed designs for the railway we now have available.”

Inspectors have praised the behaviour of children at Philiphaugh Community School in Selkirk, but called for improvements to develop the curriculum.

The report’s authors were impressed by the very polite, well behaved, confident children, the strong teamwork of all staff to support the learning of all children and the headteacher’s leadership for managing change.

But they called for a continuation of the review of the approaches linked to the school’s learning and assessment cycle, but also told to broaden children’s learning experiences.

Headteacher Grace Frew said: “Our recent HMI inspection at Philiphaugh Community School proved to be very positive and supportive experience.

“I am delighted the resulting report acknowledged the high calibre of staff who are creative in their thinking and provide quality learning and teaching, our hard working pupils who are keen to learn, enthusiastic and actively engaged in their own learning and our supportive partners including parents and community.

“The report also praised the hard work and dedication of the staff team who work very well together and provide children with a very high level of care, support and encouragement.

“Staff are strongly committed to continuous improvement and we are looking forward to continuing with our planned developments as priorities identified in our School Improvement Plan were also endorsed.”

Louise McIntosh from the school’s parent council, said: “The HM inspectors have found five key strengths in the school and nursery which the school are delighted with, this is a positive reflection on the commitment and hard work of the team within the school.

“The parent partnership will continue to work in partnership with the school to take it from strength to strength.”

Courts at Peebles and Duns will be closed in January 2015 after MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s justice committee voted to approve the closures.

John Lamont MSP, who is currently sitting on the committee, tweeted on Tuesday afternoon: “Proud to have voted in the @ScotParl to save local courts today. Unfortunately @theSNP MSPs vote to cut local services in the #borders again.”

Jim Hume also condemned those who voted to close the courts.

In just one week, the MSP gathered over 400 signatures on his petition against the SNP closures.

Mr Hume said: “Today was the last chance to save Peebles and Duns courts, but SNP members on the committee have ignored the massive public opposition to these fundamental changes to our justice system.”

Local SNP member Christine Grahame chairs the justice committee.

For full story and reaction see this week’s Southern Reporter.

MELROSE man Kelly Brown has become the third player to be sent home from Scotland rugby’s tour of South Africa due to injury.

Captain Brown will join fellow forwards Pat MacArthur and Gala’s Geoff Cross on the flight home after sustaining an ankle strain against Samoa. He left the field at half-time in Durban and underwent a scan in Nelspruit yesterday.

Following a scan at a local clinic, which indicates ligament damage, Brown will now be returned to the care of his club medical team at Saracens. He will be replaced on the tour by Glasgow Warriors hooker Fraser Brown.

“I’m very disappointed to be heading home but I wish the boys all the best and I’m sure they will do well in the final two games of the tour,” said Kelly.

Scotland team manager Gavin Scott added: “We wish Kelly a speedy recovery and look forward to welcoming Fraser to the tour tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, the Scotland medical team continues to treat those players who sustained injuries at the weekend with backs Tom Heathcote and Alex Dunbar “continuing to progress through the return to play concussion protocol.”

WATCH an exclusive interview with David Denton and Peter Horne, as David Ferguson travels with the Scotland team on their South African tour.

THERE are two ways to look at Scotland’s thinning resources on this South African tour. On the negative side of the equation, the decisions to add one-cap prop Jon Welsh and hooker Fraser Brown after little rugby, with the possibility that both could be involved in Saturday’s matchday squad against the Springboks, points to a worrying paucity of Test resources. On the positive side it hands opportunity to players to begin the process of learning how to cope with international rugby earlier than they might have expected.

• Scotland in South Africa: Peter Horne wants to bounce back from his Tuilagi nightmare

One man who is champing at the bit to kickstart his Test education is David Denton, and there could be few places more appropriate for the Zimbabwe-born, blond-haired back row to move into his second period of international exposure.

Denton was hailed as a great prospect when he exploded on to the international scene last year with a Man of the Match display in his first Test start against England, in much the way that Richie Gray quickly drove himself into the wider consciousness. But Denton then suffered a run of injuries and his form dipped. He tried to put it right by working harder and pushing harder but, with opponents now aware of him, made some obvious errors in games that served only to dent his confidence. In fairness, his club Edinburgh were not exactly finding their rhythm either in a season to forget.

So, Denton is back home, having been born in Zimbabwe and grown up in Durban, South Africa. He had to watch the opening Test in his former home city but, with Kelly Brown now ruled out of the tour, there is a conundrum for the coaches as to who to play at openside flanker.

Injuries to Chris Fusaro and Roddy Grant ruled them out of the trip, and Scarlets’ decision to order their new flanker John Barclay to undergo an operation, rather than tour, left Scotland with no genuine opensides.

Alasdair Strokosch could be a French type of openside, that is essentially a blindside operating on the open, with Ryan Wilson and Denton the other candidates. For all Johnnie Beattie’s skills, getting down and dirty at the breakdown is not the most obvious.

Denton, however, is happy just to be involved again and determined to prove that he is worth selection this week, wherever in the back row that is deemed to be, to begin to put the past year behind him.

“Yeah, it has been a frustrating season,” he said. “I started the season with an ankle injury and finished it with a knee injury, and haven’t played since the 1st of March.

“That last one was a complete freak accident. I was chasing back with Richie Rees in the Scarlets game. He tripped, I flew over him at full speed and my leg was planted in the ground and he hit me on the outside of my knee and it buckled in.

“There was a bit of inexperience of youth because I was having quite a good game and wanted to get back into the starting team, so I stayed on for a wee bit longer than I should have. Now, 14 weeks down the line is a longer recovery than I hoped for or would have expected to need, but that is just the way the games have gone.

“You just want to play, and to play for Scotland you need the momentum to pick up form again, and that’s been tough this season. Every time I felt I have gained momentum I have picked up another niggle and I’d never experienced that before.

“But, hopefully, that is now the end of the bad injuries. I actually feel great now, refreshed. I feel I have had some time off to get my body back to where I should be. It has been a hard graft these past couple of years but I am feeling as good and strong as I have ever been and I just want to play now.

“I will be one of the freshest guys in the squad seeing as I have not played and it will be interesting to play a Test match. I can’t wait.”

The Scotland team announcement has been postponed until tomorrow as the coaches keep their fingers crossed for good news on those carrying injuries but, whatever team South Africa name today, Denton believes that Scotland will know what to expect.

“Look, South Africa have a pretty simple gameplan. They will play a physical game, especially after watching us at the weekend, and, basically, we cannot let that happen.

“If we do not front up physically, we won’t win the game but we have a group of players who are more than capable of doing that. I am very confident that we can front up.

“And that’s part of my responsibility. If I am on the park there is no question what my job is. It is to make sure we are in the game physically and that they are not bullying us, which could have happened at the weekend. And I love that. That is why I play rugby.”

Denton is an undoubted talent and he speaks with refreshing candour. He has been open in the past year about his need to learn to open up the one-dimensional style of game he grew up learning in South Africa in order to offer more to a Scotland side that needs to have many tricks up its sleeve to compete with sides as physically dominating as those they are facing here.

But, if there is a criticism of the youngster it is that he has allowed the weight of expectation that followed his fine early form to weigh him down when consistency is probably the most elusive trait for a young sportsman feeling his way in the international game.

That is wholly understandable, however. As a person and a player, Denton may come across as confident, cocky even, but he has a terrific drive to please.

The fear this week could be how that plays out in his home country, where a wealth of family and friends are inside the Mbombela Stadium, not to mention some interested onlookers who wondered whether he had made the right choice in leaving the Republic for Scotland as a promising teenager.

He nodded, but said that he was hopeful that that would work in his favour rather than against.

“It sounds like I am piping [being disingenuous] but, whenever you pull on a Scotland jersey, it is huge and it is the same whoever I am playing against. The opposition doesn’t matter.

“It is great for me as I have lots of friends and family who can come and watch which they can’t usually do when we are playing at Murrayfield. I think my parents have been to see me play twice in Scotland but here I will have aunts and uncles also coming down. I don’t think it is an added pressure, but nice to have people here to see you and the best thing I can do for me and them is play well.”

Incidentally, after being chased by a lion and an elephant while on a walking safari in Zimbabwe last year, Denton is returning to do the same after this tour, with Edinburgh team-mates Matt Scott and Greig Tonks along for company.

It highlights one other thing about Denton – he likes an element of danger, and is not afraid to return to the scene of some hairy moments.

That could apply to his international career to date as, after a rollercoaster journey, Scotland seek to bring out a new, battle-hardened and more schooled back row able to help the squad find a new pride.