posted by:  Trish Torz, Service Manager, Schools & Learning

The afternoon of the primary Head Teachers meeting last week gave us a good opportunity to reflect on key national expectations in relation to curriculum and assessment.   Drafts of the newly developed Angus Standards for Health and Wellbeing were shared and this provided a great opportunity to ensure everyone was confident in their intended use.  Head Teachers were reminded of the process of planning from the Experiences and Outcomes and evaluating overall progress within a CFE level using the Angus Standards.  We also discussed the role of progression pathways as the route to get from the planning stage to the end outcome.

Lots of great work is happening within our schools and progression pathways are being developed for a range of curriculum areas – we must not forget to share our work with our colleagues!

This coming session Angus Standards and progression pathways will be developed  by our visiting teacher teams for Physical Education, Music and Art and Design.  Angus Standards will also be developed for Sciences, Modern Languages.

Clarity of expectations relating to curriculum rationales and three year strategic planning was achieved through a focused workshop.  Head Teachers received related written guidance on this. It was really great to hear how Linda Cartlidge, Head Teacher at Inverkeilor PS has worked in partnership with parents and pupils to develop the school curriculum rationale.  Coureen Peters, Head Teacher of Whitehills PS was also able to share her partnership approach to developing her school’s three year strategic plan.  Huge thanks go to both of these colleagues for their input which was very well received.

A wee reminder that there will be no separate meetings from now on for the Primary Head Teacher Consultative group.  It was agreed that all afternoon agendas for Primary HT meetings will be planned from the collated list of HT  CLPL requirements agreed at our meeting in June 2015.  However, the Consultative group still has a key role to play in sharing information and in bringing any worries, concerns and issues to our attention and from our next HT  meeting, this group will meet at the end of the afternoon session.  Please make sure your cluster has a nominated Head teacher on the group.

Finally, we gave a good send off to our colleague, Angela McGechaen, who is leaving us at the end of this term to take up her new post at Barnhill PS in Dundee.  We wished Angela  the very best of luck and thanked her for being a great colleague throughout her varied career in Angus.

posted by:  Auchterhouse Primary School

Over the years the staff, pupils and volunteers have worked exceptionally hard to transform waste ground into a community garden to be proud of. The children work in the garden every week and have grown vegetables and plants, sold vegetables and plants, dug up weeds, made a willow arch, painted decorative stones, made bark paths and helped to create a sensory area for the nursery

BEFORE

Mrs Sarah Burke was so proud of all the work; she decided to enter us into the Beautiful Garden competition. Inspectors came to visit the garden and ask the pupils questions about their work.

We were invited to attend the Beautiful Garden awards ceremony in Montrose and we were delighted to win the Lord Provost quiche and £30 voucher for the best overall garden in Angus.  We also won a bird house and £30 voucher for the best school garden.

The Lord Provost will be invited to come and visit the garden and we have had requests from pupils at other schools wanting to visit.

Special Thanks

Mr and Mrs Baird, for the past few years you have come to the school each week to work with pupils and staff in the garden. Your dedication and enthusiasm is commended and you have created a garden to be proud of.

                                               AFTER

Mrs Burke you were passionate about the learning that took place in the garden and how to develop it further. Thank you for your hard work and for entering us into the competition.

posted by:  Pauline Stephen, Head of Schools & Learning

Primary and Secondary Head Teachers met together last week.  There was the opportunity to consider two key draft documents; our raising achievement strategy and our support and challenge in schools policy.  Lots of constructive feedback was provided and this will be used to reshape the documents ready for wider use.

We are hoping to hold an Angus Learning Festival over the two In-service days in November.  As well as officially launching our raising achievement strategy, we are hoping that some of our Angus teachers will share their good practice.  Core themes for the Festival are:

• Growth mindset
• Language of learning
• Feedback and progression
• Teachers as evaluators

The idea is to come together for a half day as a community of teachers to hear about practice in other classrooms, consider whether a version of it would work in your context and make a plan to try it out!  We know we will continue to improve outcomes for our children and young people by focusing on the quality of learning and teaching in each of our classrooms.  This will be a chance to share and learn from and with others.  Look out for more details nearer the time.

posted by:  Alita Spink, Schools and Learning Support Officer

Bringing you the latest news about learning for sustainability (LfS) including global citizenship, outdoor learning, sustainable development education, children’s rights and play.

Please forward to those who may be interested. Received this from someone else? Sign up to receive it directly. • Sustainable Societies is the theme for International Literacy Day on 8th September • LfS at the SLF – register for the Scottish Learning Festival, 23rd – 24th Sept 2015 • Scotland has signed up to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals  – the World’s Largest Lesson teachers’ toolkit has ideas to get you started • Funded professional learning programme in support of LfS and global citizenship from WOSDEC • Grounds for Learning national conference on the role of outdoor learning and play • LfS through food education – professional learning from the Royal Highland Education Trust • Take One Action Film Festival – free places available at September screenings • One Planet Picnic at Doune Primary School on GLOW TV – 8th September

Research and reflection
The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) hosts a range of research, including online access to education journals, practitioner enquiry and e-books supporting LfS professional learning.

Video inspiration
How do you bring the Sustainable Development Goals to life? This animation explores all 17 goals in under three minutes.

posted by:  Alita Spink, Schools and Learning Support Officer

Stride – the online global citizenship magazine for teachers, has recently been updated. New content includes:

• Global Citizenship approaches to tackling difficult issues
• Kenyan Connections – mutual learning for sustainability
• How sustainable is your Strawberry?
• Schools’ news.
• More information can be found below or by visiting the Stride website www.stridemagazine.org.uk.

posted by:  Amy Gibson YMI Coordinator & Creative Learning Facilitator

This years Rock Fest took place on Wednesday 17 June at Chalmers Film House, Arbroath. Bands and solo artists from across Angus Secondary schools were invited to apply to perform.

Pelican Crossing – Arbroath Academy

The Ground We Tread – Brechin High

To Be Continued – Arbroath Academy

Stuffed Animals – Webster’s High

Sam Ritchie – Carnoustie High

Julie-Anne – Arbroath Academy

It was a great night with original songs from the bands and truly inspiring covers, the young people of Angus really do have talent!

The performing bands and soloists performed to an audience of over 100 and we were live tweeting from the event.

All of those who performed received valuable feedback from Keith Jenner, professional musician and teacher. This feedback is given to support and inspire their musical journeys.

Next years #Angus Youth Music Fest will be on Tuesday 14^th June, Chalmers Film House, Arbroath.  If you know anyone who is at secondary school who would like to perform please email Amy Gibson, GibsonA@angus.gov.uk

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