First Outdoor Learning Network within Falkirk

Jane Jackson – Outdoor Learning Development Officer of the Falkirk Council Education Services Curriculum Support Team organised the first Outdoor Learning Network within Falkirk.

The outdoor learning network has been established to assist schools with delivering CfE through Outdoor Learning.  As well as giving opportunities for colleagues to share good practice the network will link schools with outside providers who can help with the delivery of outdoor learning.

Comments from participants have included:

“Great meeting last week.  was very pleased to be part of it so thanks for inviting me along.”

Support For Booking Rooms Within Camelon Education Centre

Kate Hotchkiss – Receptionist/Clerical Assistant in the Curriculum Support Team of Falkirk Council Education Services, provides the support for booking rooms within Camelon Education Centre.

Kate’s role is to ensure the facilities  provide the best learning environment for staff attending either short meetings or all day seminars. Staff can then return to the classroom with as  positive an experience as possible.

Comments from presenters and Participants include “Thank you so much for your help on the day of our training” and “you helped everything go smoothly on the day”

Administration of Instrumental Scheme

Fiona Dyson and Elaine Hunter, Clerical Assistants, Falkirk Council Education Services, Curriculum Support Team have been administering the Falkirk Council Education Services Instrumental Scheme.  This provides opportunities for pupils to learn a musical instrument.  By providing the administration at the centre this in turn saves the tutor valuable time and allows them to concentrate more on teaching.

Staff booking onto CPD

Jamielee Dickson, Clerical Assistant within the Falkirk Council Education Services Curriculum Support Team deals with staff booking onto courses. Jamielee is the person at the end of the phone or sending e-mails for staff booking onto professional development.

Employee Review and Development (ERD)

Anne Hutchison, Support Officer for Professional Development in Falkirk Council’s Education Services Curriculum Support Team has been co-ordinating the implementation of the new ERD scheme. 

Falkirk Council’s key education policy, Learning to Achieve  states  ‘In a culture of ongoing self-evaluation and professional accountability, practitioners will be encouraged to be proactive in their own professional developments in line with personal, establishment and authority priorities.’

Anne has worked with colleagues across our schools to devise Work Profiles which set out their key accountabilities in their daily practice. Those profiles will be used to support regular self evaluation of practice, and to focus the discussion at one to one meetings with line managers.  What’s the difference beteween the new scheme and the former PRD process?  ERD is an ongoing process, rather than just an annual review.  At the end of the day, we need to ensure that all staff have a responsibility to deliver the very best support for Falkirk’s children and young people- this can only be achieved by having a workforce that reflects on what they do, and takes action to improve.

Click here to see the Glow Group Employee Review and Development (ERD)- please note that a Glow username and password are required to access this group, which is open to Falkirk staff only.

Learning Journey Evaluation

Daniel Barrie QIO with the Falkirk Council Curriculum Support Team is visiting all Nursery Schools and Classes to evaluate the impactof the introduction of learning journeys on children’s experiences.  Karen Thomson, Early Years Support Officer with the Falkirk Council Curriculum Support Team will be working with him. The focus of these visits will be to discuss with staff and children  the way in which  learning journey’s are used to plan experiences for young children that are responsive to their interests

Enterprise in Education & Enterprise Champion Awards 2013

Lynne Lauder, Enterprise Co-ordinator and Daniel Barrie, Quality Improvement Officer, Curriculum Support team are busy preparing for the next round of Enterprise in Education and Enterprise Champion Awards.  

The Awards which were launched in November 2006  have proved very successful over the years allowing schools to celebrate excellent practice in Enterprise in Education.   The young people have a key role to play in the awards and benefit from seeing the work they have been doing in school celebrated across the authority.

Schools should complete their checklist for the appropriate level of Award, Gold; Gold Year 2; Gold Year 3 or Platinum and submit it along with a folder of evidence.  The portfolio should also include Enterprise Champion nominations for individuals ( not employees of Falkirk Council) who have motivated and inspired young people to be more enterprising.  Falkirk employees should be recognised through the  Learning to Achieve process. Schools aiming for Platinum Status will be invited to host a  half day Quality Assurance visit.

This link will take you to information on the Enterprise in Education pages of Glow which may help in preparing a submission. https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/falkirkcouncil/Enterprise%20in%20Education/Lists/Pages/Enterprise%20in%20Education%20Awards.aspx

The timetable for this year is as follows.

Date Activity
29th April 2013 Submissions delivered to Room 18 Camelon Education Centre
3rd May 2013 Notification send to schools where submission fails to meet standards
Week commencing 6th May 2013 Programme of Platinum School visits commences
31st May 2013 All visits completed and schools invited to attend Awards event
12th June 2013 Enterprise and Champion Awards Event