Please note that as of October 2020, we now operate as Sight Scotland. Our former name, Royal Blind will appear in content, such as reports, produced before that date.

The Head Teacher of the Royal Blind School has announced her retirement.

Elaine Brackenridge, who has worked at the Royal Blind School for the last ten years – first as Depute Head and then as Head Teacher since 2013 – retires from her position this month.

Head teacher Elaine smiling behind her desk
Mrs Brackenridge led the historic Royal Blind School through a period of significant change, playing an instrumental role in the merger of the school’s two campuses into the current one based in Canaan Lane, Morningside in 2014. Under her leadership, the school was recently awarded a rare top mark ‘6’ (Excellent) for Learning, Teaching and Assessment in a for

mal Education Scotland inspection in November 2018.  

Mrs Brackenridge also led the establishment of the Royal Blind Learning Hub, which provides free online learning and teacher training seminars for educators of vision impaired pupils across Scotland. In addition, under her leadership the school established an innovative and successful partnership with East Lothian Council to deliver vision impairment education services to mainstream schools throughout the local authority.

Mark O’Donnell, Chief Executive of Royal Blind, said:“Elaine’s compassion and concern for the wellbeing and opportunities of the pupils have been paramount to her approach and her professional skills and pedagogical knowledge in relation to vision impairment education are very impressive. I would like to thank her for her hard work and dedication to the Royal Blind School over the last decade and wish her all the best in her retirement.”

Elaine Brackenridge said: “I feel very proud to have been at the helm of this very unique and excellent school. I have so many happy memories of the pupils and staff of the Royal Blind School and these will remain with me for a very long time.”