Classroom guide

Introduction to the census

Welcome to your Speak Census classroom guide - your personal aid when creating lesson plans and presentations for your class about Scotland’s Census.

Scotland’s Census is a landmark event.

It happens every 10 years and is the official count of every person and household in the country. Government and other service providers rely on census data to make important decisions.

The answers people give to census questions help build a picture of the population. Passionate and committed people across the Government, local authorities, businesses and charities then use census data to create services where they’re needed most.

We’d love for you and your class to get involved in Scotland’s Census 2022 and learn all about its benefits.

That’s why we’ve created these easy-to-use and engaging materials - to help you and your pupils make the most of every lesson. In this document you will find suggested in-class activities, as well as activities pupils can do at home with their family, friends, carers and those who live with them.

We have also put together a PowerPoint presentation as a template for your lessons and suggested social media posts that your school can share with parents and guardians about the census and also what pupils have been learning.

Along with these materials, we’ve also put together three short films for you to present to your class, showcasing projects that used data from the 2011 census to improve the lives of Scottish citizens, and the nation as a whole. These films have been created especially with school children in mind, aimed at generating enthusiasm for the census from a young age, and encouraging conversations about it with their friends, family, carers and those who live with them.

You’ll find these films on the next page and how they fit into the Curriculum for Excellence. The order they’re presented in is the order we recommend you view them in.

Happy watching!

Case studies and curriculum 

Council Budgets

This gives an account of how census data helps the Government allocate budgets for improving local communities.

In terms of the student curriculum, this case study covers subjects across numeracy, health and wellbeing, expressive arts, technologies and social science (particularly people in society, economy and business).

You can download this video clip here. 

Loch Lomond

This film dives into how census data helps keep the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park a wonderful place to work, live, visit and invest in.

In terms of the student curriculum, this case study covers subjects across sciences, health and wellbeing, expressive arts and social science (particularly people, place and environment).

You can download this video clip here.

British Sign Language (BSL)

The BSL film explores how census information has helped transform the lives of BSL users across Scotland over the last 10 years. You can find out more about the passing of the vital BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 on the next page, and in the resources provided in the Resources section of this webpage.

In terms of the student curriculum, this case study covers subjects across languages, expressive arts, technologies and social science (particularly people, past events and societies).

You can download this video clip here. 

More about contactSCOTLAND-BSL

In order to provide you with as much information as possible to share with your pupils, this page is dedicated to the British Sign Language (BSL), how the language has developed since the 2011 census, and exactly what contactSCOTLAND-BSL is.

What is the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015?

It’s so important that every effort is made to integrate this language into education, health services and everyday life. From data used from the 2011 census, the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015 was formed and promotes the use of BSL across the country by encouraging local authorities, the NHS and other public bodies to make their own BSL plans. These plans outline the ways in which they will raise awareness of the language, to ensure that public service information and services are accessible to all BSL users throughout Scotland.

What is contactSCOTLAND-BSL? 

ContactSCOTLAND-BSL allows the deaf community in Scotland to have much more independence, and is vital in emergency situations. The service enables a BSL user to communicate with a doctor or a takeaway service, for example, via a BSL interpreter through an online video service, like Zoom. The interpreter translates BSL into spoken English for the person the BSL user wishes to communicate with and the interpreter then communicates the message back to the BSL user via the video call and through sign language. This means that BSL users are now able to make calls which would otherwise rely on telephone contact, like making a doctor’s appointment or booking a haircut. As you can imagine, this service is vital when a BSL user wants to call 999.

How was the census useful for contactSCOTLAND-BSL? 

The lead organisation for deaf issues in Scotland, deafscotland, used information from the 2011 census to find out how many people were using BSL at home. Its findings highlighted the need for a service like contactSCOTLAND-BSL, to support the deaf community. With this information, deafscotland saw an opportunity to help and was then able to secure much needed Government funding for the project. And with that, contactSCOTLAND-BSL was formed.

BSL consultants and interpreters

Derek Todd, who you will see being interviewed in the BSL clips, is a BSL consultant for deafscotland and is a BSL user himself. Derek helps organisations grow their understanding of BSL and ensures businesses have strong links to inclusion, equality and diversity. In the video clip, you will see Derek’s BSL interpreter Helen Dunipace, translate everything Derek signs into spoken English and back to BSL again and this is exactly how contactSCOTLAND-BSL works!

In-class activities 

Council Budgets

Look at case studies and statistical accounts from past censuses to create a then-and-now style mini-census of pupil’s local area and present them to class. Pupils could count and include schools, parks, community centres, cinemas and other buildings/sights that have changed or been developed over the years.

Loch Lomond

Help children to develop an understanding of Loch Lomond’s natural resources and the need for responsible use of them.

They could discuss the animals that live in the park, how they’re important to the park’s ecosystem, and draw their own ‘dream park’.

British Sign Language (BSL) 

Classes can look at changes in diversity and inclusion and see how Scotland has adapted to make things more accessible and inclusive for everyone: ethnicity, religion, disability.

Children could even get into groups, pick a language they’d like to learn a few words in and present them to the class.

At-home activities

Council budgets 

Children could ask their family/carers/those who live with them about how they think their area has changed in the last 10 years.

Loch Lomond

Many animals, particularly birds, migrate to and from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park every year. Can pupils find out what birds migrate to and from their local area every year, like swallows and geese?

British Sign Language (BSL)

Ask pupils to learn x5 signs in BSL that could be used in everyday life or that might be helpful should they meet a BSL user. For example, hello, how are you, nice to meet you, what is your name and my name is.

Resources

On top of the case study films and other materials, please find a list of resources here to help create your lesson plans and build your pupils’ understanding of the census.

Loch Lomond 
https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/

contactSCOTLAND-BSL
https://contactscotland-bsl.org/

Deaf Action 
https://www.deafaction.org/

2011 census case studies
https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/case-studies/

NRS website 
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/

Scotland's Census 
https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/

Census records 
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/census-records

National Library of Scotland
https://www.nls.uk/family-history/census-records/

Scotland's People
https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/record-guides/census-returns

Old Parish Records
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/birth-death-and-marriage-records/old-parish-registers

Church Records
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/church-records

The Church of Scotland
https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about-us/our-structure/historical-records

Scottish Government Census Data
https://www.gov.scot/search/?q=census&cat=sitesearch

BSL (Scotland) Act 2015
http://bslscotlandact2015.scot/