posted by Carol Lyon, Improvement, Angus Virtual School, Schools & Learning

On 4 June Barefoot launches #BarefootGoesWild #BGW, a 6 week campaign demonstrating how computational thinking can be used outdoors.

The new campaign will provide a new nature Bee-Bot mat and jackets to make the Bee-Bots into insects and birds as they travel around the mat to complete the chosen existing lesson plans. Template jackets will also be available to print allowing creativity in the classroom as children can colour in or design their own insects or birds too. All of these will be available FREE to download from the Barefoot website once a teacher has registered.

In addition if a teacher requests a workshop via the website to be held during September or October and enter ‘BUG’ as the campaign code they will receive a nature pack, including a printed mat, jackets and 15 magnifying cards to help bring the nature theme to life.

To help teachers be more creative with lessons we are sharing links to the RSPB and Buglife websites as they have more activities that involve birds and bugs and will be actively supporting Barefoot via their channels too helping us reach teachers that we have not yet engaged with.

Teachers can register and download the new complimentary materials and Bee-Bot lesson plans from the Barefoot website from the 4 June onwards.

Look out for and share our social media posts which will run throughout the campaign.

Twitter:       @BarefootComp
Facebook:    /Barefoot Computing

Kirsty McFaul | Senior Education Officer | Education Scotland | Foghlam Alba
Tel: 0131 244 8342

posted by Paul Judge, Angus Instrumental Music Instructor team, Schools and Learning

Angus Schools Regional Bands & Orchestras
Ceilidh Fundraiser
All funds in aid of rehearsal transport costs

Friday 15 June 2018
Montrose Academy 7 – 10 pm

We are delighted to invite you along to our Angus Schools Bands & Orchestras Ceilidh Fundraiser, taking place on Friday 15th June in Montrose Academy (Academy Square, Montrose, DD10 8HU). Doors are 7pm and dancing will begin around 7.30pm. Tickets cost* £10 (concessions £6) and include a plate of stovies (vegetarian stovies will also be available). Family, friends and children are all more than welcome so please spread the word!

All proceedes will go toward the provision of transport for weekly Bands & Orchestra rehearsals. As a result of being a rural county, transport is essential in order to get our young players to and from rehearsals and, due to the difficult financial climate of the moment, we are no longer able to provide central funding for these activities.

We are looking to run a raffle on the evening and would welcome any additional donations to the raffle prize table.

Tickets are available online from:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/angus-schools-regional-bands-orchestras-ceilidh-fundraiser-tickets-46016772405?aff=es2

Payment on the door is also an option but please consider booking in advance – this helps ensure that we don’t run out of stovies!

If you have any quieres regarding the ceilidh, please contact Paul on:

p.judge@angusschools.org.uk

We look forward to seeing you on the 15th June in Montrose Academy.

posted by Andy Garnett, Active Schools Lead Coordinator, Schools and Learning

Physical literacy to improve academic attainment, wellbeing, fundamental physical
skills & behaviour using: Balance, Eye-tracking & Coordination

What STEP say……..The STEP Programme is an individualised physical literacy programme used by schools to impact on academic performance, pupil behaviour, resilience, physical development, wellbeing and self-esteem. It prompts significant improvement in struggling pupils aged 7-13 who are in the lower quartile of the classroom who are not meeting their full potential or hitting attainment milestones.

Each pupil follows their own bespoke programme undertaking 2 x 10 minute STEP sessions at the beginning and end of the school day performing specific exercises to improve their balance, eye-tracking and coordination.

What WE say…….This programme if one of many being promoted to primary schools just now, targeting Pupil Equity Funding. Whilst we are not fully endorsing this programme, it does in our opinion appear to be one of the more robust packages being offered around physical activity/physical literacy as a tool to improve attainment. The inclusion of tracking and reporting by the company themselves allows schools to demonstrate the impact. They also have a good bank of evidence from previous work.

We feel this could be of real interest to some of our schools so we have arranged 3 Information Sessions to allow School representatives to come and hear about the programme and make an informed decision as to whether this could be of benefit to your school and young people. The Angus session is on Thursday 14^th June, 4.30pm at Angus House, although there are also sessions in Dundee and P&K that can be attended.

Use this link to sign up to one of the briefings…..    Sign Up to STEP information sessions
Andy Garnett – Active Schools Lead Coordinator

posted by Amy Hall Gibson, YMI Coordinator, Children & Learning

posted by Jonathan Brown, Primary Science Development Officer, Schools and Learning

Angus STEM Festival 2018:  STEM on your doorstop!
Saturday 2^nd June, 10.00 – 14:00, Arbroath Academy
Funded by Dundee and Angus Developing the Young Workforce

The Angus STEM Festival is a free, family event with fantastic science and STEM shows from Aberdeen Science Centre, Dundee Science Centre and Generation Science as well as interactive workshops and stalls presented by local colleges, universities and STEM employers.

Free, fantastic, interactive science shows from:

• Sensations Science Centre
• Aberdeen Science Centre
• Generation Science

An interactive STEM Market place with fun stalls from organisations such as:

• The Life Science Department from the University of Dundee
• Abertay University
• Duncan of Jordanstone
• The Royal Society of Chemistry
• The Institute of Civil Engineers
• Association for Science Education
• PDSA Veterinary Nurse
• The Green Power Centre
• Lantra
• Skills Development Scotland

CSI Science Bus!

Plus Dundee & Angus College will be showcasing their new double decker ‘science bus’ which will be running ‘CSI Science’ workshops.

Useful Information

The Angus STEM Festival is a free event being held at Arbroath Academy on Saturday 2^nd June from 10.00 – 14.00.

If you are driving please park in the car park to the rear of the school, stewards will be on hand to help direct you on the day.

All primary pupils wishing to attend must be accompanied by an adult.  Secondary pupils are free to attend unaccompanied.

For more information please contact Jonathan Brown via email:  brownj@angus.gov.uk

posted by Carol Lyon, Education Support Officer, Schools and Learning

The Glow Annual Survey 2018

Each year the Glow team run a survey to collect feedback from users about Glow and digital technology more broadly.  The survey results help to ensure our offering continues to evolve in line with the needs of the education system.

The survey is split into two sections, one section for school staff and the second aimed at learners.  The survey results are completely anonymous and no personal data is captured.

The survey is now live! Please share this within your local authorities and encourage all of your Glow users to complete. We had a high number of participants last year and we want to make that even higher this year!

More info is available on this post on Glow Connect – https://glowconnect.org.uk/2018/05/11/glow-annual-survey-2018/