The International Festival is to embark on a new partnership with an Edinburgh secondary school when it takes up a residency with Leith Academy.

Mike Irving, Head Teacher of Leith Academy said: ‘I am delighted that we have been successful in our bid to work with Edinburgh International Festival and the Arts & Creative Learning Team, City of Edinburgh Council on this residency project over the next 2-3 years.

‘We work with many partners on improving outcomes for young people in the community of Leith. One of our values is ‘Diversity’ and we believe in ‘Success in Learning for All’. This residency will provide our pupils, staff, community and partners an opportunity to work closely with EIF in achieving just that.’

‘This extraordinary opportunity to have the Edinburgh International Festival in residence will certainly bear fruit for the whole school community in Leith Academy and beyond. Their application displayed the values, attitudes and capacity to make the biggest difference for young people and their community. The Arts & Creative Learning Team looks forward to helping shape, supporting and contributing to this, in partnership, to maximum benefit for all. ‘ Lorna Macdonald, Arts & Creative Learning, City of Edinburgh Council

The Festival will work with the school to connect them to this year’s Festival and consult with them over the autumn term to develop the residency model. Full engagement will then run from January 2019 for an appropriate period of time of two to three years depending on the jointly created plan.

The project follows the success of the ground breaking Edinburgh International Festival and Castlebrae High School residency partnership from 2015 until 2018.