The Pupil Inclusion Network (PINS) is for practitioners and managers in the voluntary sector who work with young people who are excluded, disaffected or disengaged from school.

Students today are working longer hours than ever before, both at their studies and in part-time jobs.

As pupils across the country receive their results, Scotland’s exam body announced that Advanced Higher, Higher, Standard Grade and Intermediate pass rates had all risen to their highest levels.

UCAS have see a 10% rise in applications on last year, with the credit-crunch keeping more school-leavers out of the workplace, and forcing mature students who have been made redundant back into education.

Official figures show the number of pupils choosing to accept unconditional offers to go to university in Scotland has risen by 15% in 2009 compared to the previous year.

Almost one of five final-year undergraduates in England are unhappy with the quality of their courses, the National Student Survey found.

The recession has helped boost applications to one of Edinburgh’s universities by more than 22 per cent. There will be 2,052 entrants to Heriot-Watt University this year, compared with 1,678 last year, as the number of applications to Scottish universities rises amid increasing job losses.

The number of applicants has topped 600,000 for the first time, the Universities and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) has revealed – up around 60,000 on last year.

Spiralling commercial debt is the single biggest fear for Scottish students, rather than money owed on student loans, according to a major survey published today.

Three case studies from students in Edinburgh highlighting their difficulties with money.