Morag Young, Physical Education Lead Officer, in Falkirk Council Education Services, Curriculum Support Team has been engaging in series of meetings supporting the delivery of quality physical education in Falkirk primary schools. These meetings with Headteachers of Denny and Graeme cluster primary schools were to explore a variety of ways in which schools were able to meet the delivery of the 2 hour target to fulfil the pupil entitlement. These discussions provide the means to share different solutions to the different contexts in relation to staffing, accomodation and resources to name but a few.
Category: Early Level
Using a Smart Board to Support Active Learning in Primary Mathematics
Anne Forrest from Steljes presented a continuing professional development course to staff from a wide range of primary schools in Falkirk on “Using a Smart Board to Support Active Learning in Primary Mathematics.” This was organised and supported by Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in Falkirk Council Education Services Curriculum Support Team.
This provided hands-on guidance to making use of many of the interactive features of Smart Notebook software to support staff to make learning and teaching in mathematics more engaging for pupils.
Reference was made to resources available to download for free at Smart Exchange. Smart Notebook Express provides a means to access some of the tools in Smart Notebook online.
The presentation by Anne Forrest, along with a host of other resources colleated by Malcolm Wilson to support Falkirk teachers to be able to download the software for use at home, can be found by clicking on the Falkirk Glow Group for ICT in Learning and Teaching.
Comments from participants included:
“Lots of interactive ways to engage learners – opportunities to try these out were useful.”
“Excellent ideas to take away.”
“Very good tips on using the Smart Board in class.”
“Excellent mix of information and practical activity.”
“Extremely helpful course which has provided a vast amount of knowledge and resources to help deliver engaging lessons.”
Supporting the delivery of Quality Physical Education
Christine Snedden, Curriculum Support Officer Effective Learning and Teaching Health and Wellbeing, in Falkirk Council Education Services, Curriculum Support Team has been engaging in series of meetings supporting the delivery of quality physical education in Falkirk primary schools. These meetings with Headteachers of Braes cluster primary schools were to explore a variety of ways in which schools were able to meet the delivery of the 2 hour target to fulfil the pupil entitlement. These discussions provide the means to share different solutions to the different contexts in relation to staffing, accomodation and resources to name but a few.
Active Literacy Network Meeting – Reading
Sharon Wallace, Effective Teaching and Learning Teacher, Curriculum Support Team was delighted to host the second Active Literacy Network meeting of this year at Camelon Education Centre. As usual, attendance was fantastic and colleagues were keen and enthusiastic to hear the latest Literacy developments, share good practice and network with colleagues. News was shared about the forthcoming P6/7/S1 packs, as well as links to useful websites relating to reading and updates relating to the Early Years conference. Colleagues from Stenhousemuir Primary and Bonnybridge Primary shared good practice from their schools. Colleagues considered using ‘film’ as a text, as well as using resources such as the Comprehension triangles for each stage.
Comments from colleagues included:
‘As usual, inspiring!’
‘Great getting input from teachers sharing good practice!’
‘These courses are fab and really support us!’
‘Enjoyed professional dialogue with other teachers’
‘As always, taking away some new ideas and an ‘enthusiasm’ boost!’
Active Literacy – Effective Transition at the Early Level
Sharon Wallace, Effective Teaching and Learning teacher, Curriculum Support Team led an active literacy workshop at the Early Years Conference. The workshop explored ways Nursery and P1 are working together to ensure a smooth transition for literacy development. Good practice was shared by Camelon Nursery and Carmuirs Primary School and this was well received by colleagues. 
Sharing the learning in a blog for primary 1 classes at Denny Primary School
Malcolm Wilson, ICT Curriculum Development Officer in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, supported staff at Denny Primary School to set up a joint blog for pupils in the primay 1 classes to share their learning journey.
This was set up at the request of staff so they can post about what’s happening in their classes so that the posts can easily be seen by the school, parents and wider community.
Posts have included photographs, videos, slideshows and descriptions of the activities in which the pupils are involved. The blog is set up so that staff create and publish the posts while others are also able to add comments.
Click here to see what’s happening at the primary 1 classes at Denny Primary School
Sharing the learning with an online class discussion tool
Continuing Professional Development Session
A Continuing Professional Development session presented by Malcolm Wilson of the Curriculum Support Team with staff at Bowhouse Primary School in Grangemouth provided the opportunity for staff to further explore the use of a class discussion tool within their own class Glow page.
Class Example
An example was shared of the use by P7C where pupils had been set the task by the teacher to create their own versions of a poem inspired by The Selkirk Grace by Robert Burns. Pupils responded with their own creative and humorous verses updating the words of the bard for today.
Discussion Space for Class Sharing the Learning
Well done P7C, and a nice example of where the Glow discussion tool provided a facility for sharing work within the confines of that class so that peers and teacher could share in confidence with peers in their learning journey prior to sharing it more widely in public elsewhere.
Feedback from Participants
Comments from participants included:
“I’m going to use the ‘news’ and discussion’ tools with a class”
“I intend to continue to use Glow discussions as a way of gathering pupil work””
