posted by Marek Rzepecki, Educational Psychologist

“The change process is like moving a load around in a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow only does its work while we are lifting the handles and pushing. As soon as we put the handles down and take the pressure off, movement stops. This, too, is the case with organisational change.”
Margaret Thorsborne

On 28^th January 2016, Restorative Champions in Angus Schools came together for a network meeting about Implementing and Embedding Change. We had an energising and stimulating session focused on sharing practice across schools and using Kotter’s change cycle to reflect on school implementation of Restorative Approaches.

Colleagues who attended found the event enjoyable and motivating. They left with ideas of how to take forward Restorative in school and the understanding that other schools were also facing similar challenges. Through discussing the change process, colleagues reflected on where their school was in the change cycle and where they needed to focus their efforts.

Here are a selection of comments from those who attended:

“i am leaving feeling motivated again”

“i feel rejuvenated”

“I’ve realised the impace that Restorative has on our school as a whole”

“We’ve realised we need to go back and make a case for change”

“We are all in the same boat”

“I have reaslised the importance of RA and raising the prifile with staff”

“Great benefit of getting together and discussin ideas”

“(We’re going to hold) drop in sessions for new staff”

“What i’ve realised:  We are doing things right.  We are nudging forward”

Colleagues were particularly keen to hold further network meetings, to visit other settings to see how other schools are proceeding with Restorative and to develop Peer Mediation in school.

Lorraine Robertson, Friockheim Primary School HT
Marek Rzepecki, Angus Educational Psychology Service

On behalf of the Restorative Approaches Steering Group

posted by Shabnam Wasim, University of Dundee

March 2016
Women in Science Festival
Brought to you by the University of Dundee
Forensic Events on Saturday 5 March

Title:  Amazing Anatomy, suitable for over 14 year olds
Date and time:  Saturday 5 March, Hourly tours between 11am – 3pm
Venue:  Centre for Anatomy & Human Identification, Medical Sciences Institure building
Dow Street, DD1 5EH
Booking details:  Free, booking essential
Event Details:  What does the inside of a human body look like? Do we all look the same inside? Does hair and nail really continue growing after you die? How does the brain work? You’ve probably been wowed with medical oddities, but why should abnormal bodies get all the attention? The truth about the normal human body can be more interesting than fiction.

Come and join us on a tour of the University of Dundee’s teaching anatomy lab, learn about how students study the human body and ask experts about the body.

Tours will run hourly on the hour. To book your free place on this workshop, please visit www.womeninscience.org.uk

Title:  Fascinating Forensics, Sutable for All/Families
Date and time:  Saturday 5 March, 11am – 3pm
Venue:  Centre for Anatomy & Human Identification, Medical Sciences Institure building
Dow Street, DD1 5EH
Booking details:  Free, non-bookable
Event Details:  Forensic Science and Anthropology is an awful lot more than what we see on TV series – large amounts of evidence often have to be collected and processed, a lot of witnesses may have to be interviewed, and it can take years (sometimes even decades) before the person responsible for a crime is brought to justice.

In the real world, forensic anthropologists and scientists work diligently out of the spotlight to provide the crucial pieces of evidence.
Come and explore the world of Forensic Anthropology and Science at the University of Dundee, meet experts as they open their doors to show you just what happens behind the scenes, and have a go at some of their activities.

Title:  The Grouse and The Mouse, Suitable for 3-8 year olds
Date and time:  Sunday 6 MArch 10am – 11am – Doors open 9.30am
Venue:  Bonar Hall, Park Place, Dundee, DD1 1PB
Booking details:  Free, Booking encouraged
Event Details:  Bagpipe the Black Grouse thinks he’s the most
magnificent animal in Scotland. He feels sorry
for Squeaker, the little brown wood mouse.
But when danger comes, Bagpipe finds he
needs help from his small, brown friend.

Join author Emily Dodd for a journey through
the Scottish countryside with Bagpipe and
Squeaker. Meet some of Scotland’s best-loved
animals, learn about camouflage, and learn
some funky new dance moves along the way.
With sounds, demonstrations, science experiments, dancing, music and a few
surprises. A book signing follows this event.

Booking is encouraged, otherwise please arrive early to avoid disappointment. To book your place on this workshop, please visit www.womeninscience.org.uk

Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult

Title:  Love You to the Moon and Back, Sutable for over 7s
Date and time:  Sunday 6 March 3pm – 4pm – Doors open 2.30pm
Venue:  Bonar Hall, Park Place, Dundee, DD1 1PB
Booking details:  Free, Booking encouraged
Event Details:  5, 4, 3, 2, 1… BLAST OFF! Join scientist
and author Emily Dodd for a Mother’s
Day family science show and workshop.
Predict, experiment and discover the
science behind forces as we launch
rockets up into the air. Make your own
straw rocket and aim for the moon in our
rockets competition.

Booking is encouraged, otherwise please arrive early to avoid disappointment.
To book your place on this workshop, please visit
www.womeninscience.org.uk

Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Title:  Explore the Universes with Lucy Hawking, Suitable for over 8s
Date and time:  Saturday 19 March, 11am – 2.30pm
Venue:  Bonar Hall, Park Place, Dundee, DD1 1PB
Booking details:  Free, Booking essential

Special Guest Appearance – Lucy Hawking
Event Details:  Do you want to take part in a cosmic treasure hunt and discover the secret key to the universe?

Now you can! Author Lucy Hawking guides us through an out-of-this-universe space adventure, plus exclusive, scientific theories behind each of her four George stories and shares some wonderful animations narrated by her father Stephen Hawking – Perfect for any curious mind.

A book signing follows this event.

Booking is essential. To book your place, please visit www.womeninscience.org.uk

To see the full progamme of events from the festival please visit:  www.womeninscience.org.uk

posted by Claire Meenan, Just Play Practitioner, Children & Learning

‘The PlayTalkRead bus is coming to Angus from Monday 22^nd – Friday 26^th February 2016. The bus will be hosting free storytelling and rhythm sessions and a range of play and activity sessions for children and their mums, dads and carers, to promote and raise awareness of the benefits of positive parental engagement with simple free activities and resources which parents can take home, with the aim that they build upon the ideas and activities sessions at home with their children.

We would appreciate your support in inviting and encouraging mums, dads and carers of children aged 0-5 to come along to the PlayTalkRead bus. The activities are open to mums, dads, carers and their children on a drop-in and informal basis during the below opening times. If you have any questions or to enquire about group visits please contact Sarah Sibbert on 0131 664 2308 or email sarah@workingonwheels.org in advance of the date in mind.

Unfortunately, as a service aimed at parent and carers, we are unable to accommodate nursery groups, however we greatly appreciate it if nurseries can promote PlayTalkRead to their families, and encourage the parents to bring their little ones along.

We really appreciate you spreading the word via email, displaying the poster attached, using your social media or just talking about us, to anyone you think may benefit from our service.

The JPEG is for use on social media and the PDF is suitable for printing out.’

Benji Angus Feb 2016 [Small]

posted by Joyce Brewster, Adult & Child Protection Committee

We are delighted to invite you to local events on Online Safety.  With over 91% of children living in a household with access to the internet, children have never been more accessible to offenders online (CEOP; 2015).  It is everyone’s responsibility to educate young people to the risks, to identify when they may be being harmed and to intervene to protect our children and young people when necessary.

We welcome parents, carers, teachers, social workers, community workers, sports coaches, police officers and anyone with a role in supporting children and young people to come along.

There is no need to apply… simply email acpc@angus.gov.uk either individually or as a team/service to let us know what session you want to come along to.

Please share this widely.  Look forward to seeing you at the events!

Angus Child Protection Committee.

posted by Trish Torz, Service Manager, Schools & Learning

Save the Children’s Den Day

Save the Children is calling on UK schools and groups to ‘build a better world’ by taking part in Den Day 2016.  Schools and youth groups will be holding their Den Day on Friday 17^th June and asking pupils to bring in £2 donations to take part.

Aimed at educating pupils about the issues faced by children around the world who lack secure housing, Den Day will take pupils on an adventure while raising money to give children a safe, warm place to sleep.  The campaign provides schools with a creative way to teach global issues whilst inspiring and empowering young people to raise money to help children across the globe. 

Schools can sign up at denday.org to access useful resources to help plan a learning adventure that’s as much fun for teachers as it is for pupils.  The flexible teaching plans can be shaped to suit pupils of all ages and can contribute to many areas of the curriculum, encouraging creativity and teamwork.  Whether schools plan a day with a difference or an overnight stay, it’s sure to be a lesson that students will never forget.

Find out more at denday.org

Please do contact me for further information or for images.

Kind regards,
Alicia
Den Day HQ
a.bainbridge@savethechildrne.org.uk