This week has been a serious of me requiring to meet deadlines for producing responses to policy, consultations, strategies and answers to letters emails. I am having two weeks holidays and have set myself an undoable task list. Why do we always do this? In schools I know the run up to the holidays can often be frantic and how much we all try to fit in. I suppose naturally as you reach the end of term it is about ensuring closure on many elements of work. Assessments undertaken, reports up-to-date, planning for next term and the list goes on. Please remember that you need your holidays just as much as the young people. I think that holidays need to be about that much needed rest, reflection and reading, the 3Rs.
This week I attended DMT and SMT working across Council Services and looking at many policy strategies including catering, complaints, budget, innovation, HR process and legal issues. I was in Kilmory all day Monday and this is always a very useful time for me to catch up with colleagues in other services and be able to discuss areas which impact on our schools but do not sit within Education, eg transport, catering, school buildings and HR. Often the chance one to one meeting can be very helpful and sort things out very early on. It is certainly good to talk about issues as early as possible and try to understand each other. One of my colleagues at Kilmory said you can never have too many lawyers. My response was that without teachers there would be no lawyers.
On Tuesday we had a team meeting and there was much discussion around responses required and deadlines. We also had two presentations on work being undertaken in Health and Wellbeing and in Numeracy by Wendy Brownlie and Pauline Inglis, Education Officers. Information updates will be included in our next Education Service Newsletter which is due after the October Break. The team were also tasked with various Committee paper writing and deadlines to be met. There is always a long run in to the Committee preparations. Even although the date of Community Services Committee is not till the 8th of December papers need to be ready for the end of October. The following papers are scheduled for Community Services committee:
- Developing Young Workforce
- School Holidays 2017/18
- Devolved School Management
- Education Standards & Quality Report 2015/16
- SQA Results
On Wednesday I had a fantastic start to the day by a visit to Furnace Primary School where I caught up with Robyn MacIlroy, shared Head
Teacher of Minard and Furnace Primary Schools. Robyn and her dedicated staff gave me a lovely welcome. The children on a Wednesday from both schools combine at Furnace and have an expressive arts input. When I was there it was PE time and it was so encouraging to see the use of the outdoors area for an exciting games time which one young man explained very carefully to me. I was also cheered up by the young man who after Robyn explaining who I was and my job patted me on the arm and said you will be busy.
Robyn has taken up post in August and like us all, needs a holiday. She has been making some important changes and was telling me how she plans continued implementation and evaluation of the work being undertaken. A very good visit which had me reflecting on the good work in our schools.
The Mid Argyll Area Committee met in Inveraray on Wednesday and I caught up with both Anne Devine, Principal of Lochgilphead Joint Campus and Neil McKnight Head Teacher of Tarbert Academy. Both colleagues were making their presentation on this year’s results to the Committee. This is an important role for Head Teachers to report to elected members on the progress in schools. Elected members should in their role provide scrutiny and challenge.
On Thursday I had a catch up with Ann Marie Knowles, Acting Executive Director of Community Services. I have deadlines to meet for the Education Service and these need to be reported to Ann Marie who also provides me with challenge and scrutiny in and around the developments within the service.
Another area of work this week has been related to staffing in our schools. As many of you are aware there is more and more difficulty in trying to recruit teachers and Head Teachers. There are some local difficulties in particular areas and we are now one of many Councils who are using teacher agencies to attract staff. We are also currently in discussion with UHI on expanding our Teacher Education programme and especially looking to begin work on Secondary PGDE. The staff census is almost complete and ready for the deadline of the 18th of October. I am very grateful to everyone who contributed to us getting a very robust and accurate account this year. Special thanks to Esther Barrett for her forensic approach to each set of data. Once the Pupil Teacher Ratio is confirmed I will be able to share this in our next newsletter.
I have embarked on additional study myself this year and am working towards my Masters in Education. This is being achieved through working with UHI distance learning. I have loved the professional reading and online webinars but before I go off to the sun I need to write an assignment. This part is not so engaging but with a deadline looming I need to get on with the craft of words!!
I am taking two weeks holiday and will hopefully enjoy some sunshine. During my holidays the blog must go on! I have encouraged two colleagues to be guest bloggers over the coming weeks. Martin Turnball, Youth Services Manager will blog about his service and Roslyn Redpath Educational Psychologist will do a blog regarding the contribution of Educational Psychologists.
I wish you all a good holiday full of the 3Rs.
