posted by Alita Spink, Schools and Learning Support Officer,Schools and Learning

Click here to read the Families Outside Impact Report 2016/2017

It gives me great pleasure to enclose Families Outside’s Impact Report for 2016/2017.

As you will see, it’s been another successful year at Families Outside. We continue to reach more and more families through both our Helpline and our Regional Family Support Coordinators, and with new staff covering the Highlands and Dumfries & Galloway, we are very proud to be the only national charity supporting families affected by imprisonment across Scotland.

We have developed our training offering and, as well as continuing the success of our teacher CPD sessions, we are seeing increased numbers of prison staff and police enrolling on our courses. This increased appetite for training shows how the landscape has changed in the last 25 years and proves that we are another step closer to removing the stigma associated with the imprisonment of a family member.

We continue to create unique resources that are not only having positive impacts in Scotland and the UK, but also across Europe and as far as Australia and New Zealand. As we monitor the issues that families face through our support teams, we will be even better placed to create resources that create solutions.

Our involvement with Visitor Centres has changed dramatically over the last 18 months: our direct management of the centre at HMP Addiewell ended with the financial year following the introduction of the National Visitor Centre Coordinator post. Through this new post, however, we are able to offer a national strategic function, supporting all providers and ensuring consistency of practice.

We continue to lobby policy and decision makers across Scotland to make sure that families are of primary importance within the Criminal Justice System and the wider national context. Although we now offer direct support for families affected by imprisonment, we remain true to our core purpose set out 25 years ago – voicing the needs of families affected by imprisonment.

Few of the achievements highlighted in the report would be possible without your continued support. Therefore, on behalf of the team and the thousands of families we help each year, thank you! Together we create the silver lining that the cloud of imprisonment can place on the children and families left behind.

Kind regards,
Nancy
Prof Nancy Loucks OBE
Chief Executive

Families Outside Support & Information Helpline: 0800 254 0088

posted by Pauline Stephen, Head of Schools and Learning and Chief Education Officer 

As you maybe aware, nominations for the 2018 Scottish Education Awards are now open.  Education Scotland and the Daily Record are working together to ensure that this year’s awards are the biggest and best. 

We are looking for the support of local authorities to raise awareness of the Awards across your authority by encouraging your staff to nominate schools, centres and individuals. 

The Awards recognise the achievements of initiatives  and people who dedicate their lives to children and young people, and showcase the value of work and innovation in our rich range of learning environments across Scotland. 

The fifteen categories are listed below;

Award Categories

• Employability, Creativity and Skills Award
• Family and Community Learning Award
• Parents as Partners Award
• Digital Learning and Teaching Award
• Gaelic Education Award//Duais Foghlam Gaidhlig
• Raising Attainment in Literacy Award
• Raising Attainment in Numeracy Award
• Health and Wellbeing Award
• Year of Young People 2018 Participation Award
• STEM Award
• Learning for Sustainability Award
• 1+2 Languages Award
• Teacher of the Year Award
• Headteacher of the Year Award
• Lifetime Achievement Award

Last year we received over 300 nominations with almost every local authority in Scotland being represented.   To build on this success we would be grateful if you could share information about the awards with your colleagues and consider submitting any nominations from your authority.

The deadline for submitting nominations is midday Wednesday 14 February 2018.    Nominations can be made through the website http://www.scottisheducationawards.co.uk 

posted by Elaine Bailey, Procurement Officer, Finance 

Scotland Excel have received Correspondence from Gerry McQuillan, Kelvin Books, informing us that Pearsons are relocating their Distribution Centre to Belgium. Gerry has therefore mentioned that it may be advisable to place orders with Pearsons imminently before the school stock is all moved over.

Please see below communication from Gerry at Kelvin Books.

“ I was  unsure If Robert Craig at Pearson had sent you information regarding the Relocation of PEARSONS distribution centre to Belgium.  This process has already  started, but the Schools stock will be moved between 15^th Dec-3^RD January, Which means  no school orders will be processed  after the 14^th December by Pearson. 

It would be advisable for schools looking to order PEARSON material that they place
Orders by the 14^th December to avoid any longer delays than may be anticipated with a  relocation

posted by Christine Jackson, Schools and Learning Support Officer 

The Year of Young People Creative Traineeships Fund was launched today. The Traineeships will allow creative organisations and businesses to give young people interested in progressing a career in the arts, screen and creative industries, the opportunity to gain skills and experience that potential employers will value, to remove the barrier of lack of paid work experience, and to help boost the start of their career in 2018.

Two of the Traineeships will specifically support arts/creative organisations to host creative Traineeships for young Gaelic speakers, to help them develop their creative work in Gaelic.

Please spread the word with anyone who might be interested!

https://opportunities.creativescotland.com/opportunity/index/e2e70cc6-31db-43c4-bd74-9058b38bb91d/?Ref=%2F

posted by Kim Walker, Schools and Learning Support Officer 

Do you have an interest in working with students? Are you looking for an interesting CLPL opportunity?

Dundee University are keen to involve teachers in co-delivering sessions for students on the ‘Learn to Teach’ primary PGDE programme starting in January 18. This might interest you if you have undertaken masters’ level study in areas like pedagogy, coaching & mentoring, professional learning, or similar relevant areas. Colleagues who have been awarded GTCS Professional Recognition in any of these areas might also be interested in becoming involved.

The commitment would be attendance at one or more of the Saturday hub sessions with a view to teaching and facilitating tasks and activities. There might also be opportunities for colleagues to contribute to online lecture material. Your availability, expertise and areas of interest will determine what your involvement is. The dates of the hub sessions are:

Sat 3/02/18
Sat 17/03/18
Sat 28/04/18
Sat 12/05/18
Fri 02/11/18
Sat 12/01/19
Fri 8/02/19
Fri 19/04/19

If you would be interested in finding out more, please contact Sheona Goodall directly for more information by Friday 15^th December.  Her email is s.goodall@dundee.ac.uk

posted by Alita Spink, Schools and Learning Support Officer, Schools and Learning

Become part of the Commonwealth’s rich storytelling heritage

The Commonwealth Class Teacher’s short story writing competition is open. You are invited to submit a children’s story set in your Commonwealth country of residence and based on the theme of ‘peace’. By taking part in the competition, you will have the chance of winning a virtual writing masterclass with renowned author and Children’s Writing Fellow for Northern Ireland, Myra Zepf.

Find inspiration with the help of story writing tips courtesy of the experts and last year’s top entries, all available on the Schools Online website. The deadline is 09:00 GMT on 12 February 2018. Find out more.

Children’s short story writing competition

Get your students involved   Don’t forget, your students can try their hand at creative writing too. The deadline for the children’s competition closes on 2 January 2018, so there’s still plenty of time to submit an entry.