Leadership and Management Development Toolkit for Early Learning and Childcare
A new leadership and management development toolkit has just been published on the National Improvement Hub: Leadership and Management Development Toolkit for Early Learning and Childcare Staff | Learning resources | National Improvement Hub (education.gov.scot).
This was developed by the Scottish Government Induction Group in consultation with the Scottish Government ELC Leadership Group and aims to support staff, at all stages of their careers, to develop their leadership capabilities.
The National e-Learning Offer continues to include support for young children’s learning in settings or at home. Dug’s Discovery Den offers activities and learning discoveries as we move through the seasons of the year. Dug’s current focus is on being environmentally aware as we countdown to November’s COP26 in Glasgow. Settings can share their COP26 learning through following Dug on Twitter @BeingMeWithDug and using the hashtag #WeAreWithYouDug. Participating settings can download a Dug COP26 electronic badge to use on websites or email signatures to show their support. This can be obtained by clicking on the link on Dug’s Den. Young Gaelic learners can also join e-Sgoil’s Leugh is Cluich for stories and games.
SLF Online 2021 – recordings now available, the recordings from most of the sessions at this year’s event are now available and include a selection of ELC sessions. You can watch the sessions through the SLF virtual event portal until 30 November 2021. If you didn’t manage to register for the festival, please complete this simple form to receive joining instructions, which you will need to access the event portal.
Digital 1:1 coaching to support health and wellbeing
Education Scotland have partnered with KnowYouMore to offer Early Learning and Childcare Centre Heads and Managers one-to-one digital coaching sessions. This is part of the workforce support package funded by the Scottish Government to practitioners in navigating the challenges caused by Covid 19. Sign up here: Digital 1:1 coaching offer (education.gov.scot)
Social Media
In addition to the @EducationScot and @CaFTeam twitter accounts early years (and other) colleagues can now join a national conversation about play pedagogy through Education Scotland’s @PlayPioneerScot Twitter account.
Scrutiny Activity
Education Scotland has announced that it will adopt a phased approach to resuming scrutiny activity in this academic year.
The scrutiny programme for this academic year will take account of the ongoing pressures resulting from the pandemic. Initially, inspectors will engage with establishments and services that were due to have a further inspection. HMIs will undertake visits with timing arrangements planned in advance with local authorities and establishments. These visits will be planned and carried out before the end of 2021. There will be a particular focus on discussions with leaders and practitioners about the impact of the pandemic and the actions settings have taken and continue to take to support recovery and improvement. Inspectors will discuss with staff the progress around the areas for development identified from earlier scrutiny activity.
From January 2022 inspectors will undertake a programme of individual early learning and childcare settings and school inspections. They will continue to take account of COVID-19 recovery and the context in which establishments and settings have been working, as well as providing evidence for the Scottish Government’s National Improvement Framework.
Where and ELC class is attached to a school it will be inspected as part of the school. If an ELC setting is on the same campus but has a separate SEED number and is not managed as part the school, it may be different.
Education Scotland is also carrying out three national thematic inspections in the coming months to support education recovery. These will focus on supporting children’s and young people’s wellbeing; local approaches to recovery; and outdoor learning.
