A PETITION to teach black Scottish history in schools has racked up an extraordinary number of signatures since it was launched. 

Jessica Cochrane launched the petition, inspired by a similar one in England to broaden the diversity of history and social subjects taught in Scottish schools. 

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In the description of the petition, she said: "The first time I learned about any Black History at school was through choosing History as an elective exam subject. Even at this point, I was relayed the horrific events of the Atlantic Slave trade in a cold and detached way, with little relation as to how the people of Scotland played a huge part in these crimes."

Signatories are calling on the Scottish government to include teaching about Scotland's colonial past and the lives and experiences of black people in Scotland, starting in the broad general education phase of the Curriculum for Excellence and continued into the senior phase. 

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Petitioners are also calling for teaching about diverse perspectives to be included in the teaching of history, religious, moral and philosophical studies and health and wellbeing classes. 

Cochrane plans to hand the petition to education secretary John Swinney, Education Scotland and first minister Nicola Sturgeon. 

At the time of writing, the petition had 7,857 signatures.