Category: Learning, Teaching & Assessment

A Pedagogue Ponders; by Ashley Cupples

My name is Ashley Cupples and I am one of the Early Years Pedagogues within Falkirk. Since beginning this role in August 2018 myself and my team have been privileged to receive so many wonderful training and continuous professional learning opportunities.

At present I am currently enrolled and actively undertaking The Early Years Leadership Professional Learning Course which is supported by the Professional Learning Office of the Moray School House of Education and Sport at the University of Edinburgh.

This bespoke programme was created for myself, and my team of Early Years Pedagogues and Principal Early Years Officer colleagues and it was designed with our learning interests in mind.  The main aim of the course is to help develop our leadership skills and confidence as leaders.

Each week we are asked to:

  • Reflect on our practice, strengths and aspects for development and decide if there is any action we would like to take.
  • Be active and present in the cohort group in whole discussions as well as participating in break out room discussions.
  • Consider both the opportunities and challenges your role as a leader bring.
  • Use a Learning Journal to capture current and developing thinking.

‘Being a reflective practitioner means having the ability to think analytically about your own professional practice, to think about what is happening and why it is happening, to consider how things could be done differently, to support best practice’ – Davis, G and Ryder, G. 2016:127

Due to the recent global pandemic all our sessions are conducted virtually which I think has just become the norm to us all now! I look forward to the day we can all be together again in the one room for CLPL opportunities….but for now I will keep dreaming.

We began undertaking this course in June 2021 and are due to complete it in November 2021. Weirdly, while being enrolled in any other academic study I have always been on the countdown until completion but with this one it is quite the opposite. I think I will be rather sad when the course is finished.

 

So why is the Early Years Leadership Programme any different?

Well here is my three honest reasons:

  1. I truly value the fact that we have been allocated time to do this within our working time as it eases the professional reading workload that we are expected to engage in after the session. I spend a few hours per week in the evening accessing the thought-provoking materials to challenge and support my thinking. – This I quite enjoy!
  2. I feel it has allowed “protected time” for our cohort of Early Years Pedagogues and Principal Early Years Officer colleagues to network. Without this course we most certainly would not have created this platform.
  3. Last but certainly not least, the tutors have been amazing. They each have considerable experience of working in early years and Primary sectors and have a huge array of wealth and knowledge, in learning and teaching, publication and leadership. Juliet Hancock, Peter McNaughton, Joanna Findlay, Mary Pat McConnell, Lorna Willows and Fiona Smyth – Thank you. It can be really difficult to engage people virtually and encourage participation, but you all make it look easy!

Play is the Way – Let’s talk about literacy!

In Falkirk, we know that play really is the way for our young children.  By providing lots of opportunities for free play in high quality environments and adopting a playful approach to teaching we inspire, and motivate, our children in their learning each and every day.

Sharing our rationale with families and helping them understand how we use play to support and challenge children to develop a wide range of skills and knowledge is an important part of our play is the way journey.  This blog post from Maddiston Primary School’s P1 staff team shows how they recently helped their families understand how their team’s playful approaches to teaching and learning are supporting children’s early literacy development.

P1 staff team at Maddiston Primary School Claire McGlynn (HT), Diane Russell (PT), Debbie Brown, Helen Chebe and Penny Byrne (CTs),Stacey Anderson (EYO) 

At Maddiston Primary School, we consider sharing the children’s learning with our families to be of utmost importance in supporting children’s holistic development.  This is even more important given the current climate with Covid-19.  Normally, at this point in the school year, we invite the families of our primary one pupils into school to be with the children in the class environment and to share an aspect of their learning in literacy.  With current restrictions, this was not an option so the team decided to create a digital workshop to allow parents a sesne of what the children’s literacy learning looks like in primary one.

Play and playful learning is integral to our practice in P1, and it was important for us that this was the message communicated to parents.  We wanted to show that, although there are teacher led targets and an order of progression, the children are encountering rich, foundational literacy experiences daily through the play environment. The team also wanted to emphasise the breadth of experiences we aim to offer in a variety of multisensory ways, so parents can then better understand how to support their children at home.

From the workshop, we have had really positive feedback from our families and have seen the benefits of sharing the learning in this way.  Families report that they are able to sit and talk with their child about their  learning.  In comparison to the traditional approach of welcoming families into the setting, the team felt enabled to capture more of the children’s learning and explain to families the rationale behind a play pedagogy.  Whilst we recognise that this could have been more explicit at some points in the digital workshop, we are confident that families can see what literacy learning looks like in P1 and that we are conveying the message that ‘Play is the Way’.

Click here to check out Maddiston Primary School’s brilliant P1 Literacy workshop for families.

 

To read more about promoting early literacy through play, Falkirk practitioners can check out the following materials on the Falkirk Early Learning Glow SharePoint pages by clicking on the links below:

Please share  your own playful literacy practice on Twitter using #PlayisthewayFC and #PlayfulLiteracy.  Don’t forget to tag @FCEYteam so we can celebrate and share your fabulous work.

If you are interested in writing a blog post for us to celebrate and share an aspect of the  Play is the Way journey in your own setting please contact Fiona Pascall.

 

 

 

 

Self Evaluation for Self-improvement?

Working over the last two years with so many different settings and practitioners across the authority has shown that there is a real commitment and belief in the critical importance of self- evaluation in all of our Falkirk settings.  So many of you have prioritised your time to come along to all of the training around self-evaluation and improvement planning even though the demands and restrictions around covid have been intense.  Feedback and improvement plans this year have highlighted the impact of that commitment.

Self-evaluation for self-improvement is a continuous journey that we embark on because we want to be the best that we can be.  We want to do the best we can for our children and families.  This is our driving force and is what makes the difference and results in real meaningful change that is both impactful and rewarding.

So take time to step back and look back on your journey.  Take pleasure in the impact you have had on not just the learning but the lives of our young children and families over the last 19 months.  Our commitment as individuals and as an authority to knowing who we serve empowers us and enables us to plan our improvement journey to ensure the best outcomes for our children and families.

You will all be aware of the new ‘A quality framework for daycare of children, childminding and school aged childcare’ from Care Inspectorate that was published in June.  As part of a RIC working group I am pleased to say that we have undertaken the task of marrying up the Framework with HGIOELC, the HSC standards and the national standards.  You should now all have been sent a copy of this but it can also be found on our Glow webpage.  A 30 minute update to answer any questions around this will take place on Monday 8th November (3.30-4).

 

A Pedagogue Ponders by Cheryl Brisbane

My name is Cheryl Brisbane and I am an Early Years Pedagogue based in Carmuirs ELC. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you a little bit about me and what I will be working on this year.  I moved to Falkirk Council in August 2021 after working with Clackmannanshire Council for fourteen years.   During my time there I carried out a variety of roles including Family Support Worker, Early Learning and Childcare Educator and Senior Early Learning and Childcare Educator.

My biggest passion is children’s Health and Wellbeing; for me this is fundamental and this is why one of my projects this year will focus on the Child’s Right to be Safe and Healthy.  For me, all children deserve the absolute best and I strive every day to support and ensure every child receives high quality provision within my setting.  Carmuirs Primary School is currently working towards their ‘Gold Rights Respecting School Award’ and this year the ELC will play a big part in this.  By embedding children’s rights in the ELC we are supporting our youngest learners to be aware of their rights and what they need from people around them as they grow and develop.

Within Carmuirs ELC this session I will be establishing positive relationships with children, families and staff as I am new to Falkirk Council and the setting.  Having spent one term at Carmuirs I am focussing my other two projects on Literacy – Developing the use of language through wordless stories and, Numeracy – Developing number recognition and systematic counting. All three projects will support the development of Carmuirs Improvement Plan.

As well as the 3 projects I am leading I will be working alongside Strathdevon ELC and Park ELC from Clackmannanshire on ‘Developing Technology in the Early Years’.  As the Senior ELC at Strathdevon I secured a STEM Grant from Education Scotland to develop a STEM programme across settings and to improve attainment.  This project has now grown and is not only going to be across settings but across Local Authorities also.  This will hopefully lead to some new and innovative STEM opportunities for our children and pave the way for more collaborative partnership working.

I feel very fortunate to have been welcomed so warmly into not only Carmuirs ELC but by Carmuirs Primary also.  It has been an incredibly busy, productive term which I have been lucky to be working with the ELC and Primary Staff. We are working on creating a seamless transition from ELC into Primary 1, which will showcase the experiences and outcomes of the Early Level as one continuous pathway.

I am very much looking forward to undertaking these projects alongside the staff of Carmuirs ELC to enhance the experience for our children and families.

By Cheryl Brisbane

 

Share your Story: Cluster Guest Blogs

I think we would all agree that term 1 has flashed us by and before we know it, the October Break is upon us. It has been great to see all of the fab spaces and experiences that have been developed over the last term for Falkirk’s wee people. Thank you!

In term 2, 3 and 4 we will be looking for settings in different clusters to contribute to our Blog. This gives us the opportunity to share best practice across Falkirk. Let’s fly the Falkirk Flag of Fabulousness!

 

Your blog might involve:

  • Telling us about something innovative that is happening in your setting.

 

  • Telling us a wee bit more about your new space or building.

 

  • Telling us about how you are embracing 1,140 hours through foundational aspects of practice such as marvellous mealtimes.

 

  • Celebrating special achievements and events in your setting.

If you would like to be one of our Guest Bloggers, then just get in touch with your EY Cluster Link Person.

Supporting Children with Potential ASN in Early Years

Have you signed up yet for the ASN training “Supporting children with potential ASN in Early Years” which will be held on the inset day on Monday 18th October?

We are delighted to be working in partnership with both Aberlour and the Inclusion and Wellbeing Service for this training. Practitioners from these services will be sharing their knowledge and expertise with attendees during the different sessions.

Session 1 will be delivered by members of the Early Years Central Team and this will focus briefly on initial steps in supporting children with potential ASN in the early years.

Here we will think about and discuss:

  • Different stages of intervention
  • Communication
  • Sensory
  • Behaviour
  • Referral Process
  • Support available
  • Child’s Plan
  • Building positive relationships with parents and families

Session 2 will be delivered by practitioners from Aberlour and during this we will focus on nurture, attachment and environments.

This session will incorporate a brief overview of:

  • Early Brain Development
  • Why our feelings matter
  • Why our interactions matter
  • The Five to Thrive Approach
  • Why the words we use matter
  • Why the environment matters
  • What to do if it’s not working
  • Importance of reflective practice

Session 3 will be delivered by practitioners from the Inclusion and Wellbeing Service and here we will focus on aspects of challenging behaviour and restorative practice in early years.

During this session we will reflect on and discuss:

  • Behaviour as communication
  • Attachment
  • Stress responses
  • Triggers
  • Conflict cycle
  • Strategies to support young people
  • Sensory processing

We hope as many settings as possible will access this training so please sign up via CPD Manager. A number of settings have requested input to support children with potential ASN and it is hoped this training will help practitioners to develop further awareness of strategies to support children who potentially have additional support needs.

To have maximum impact it is recommended that all, or almost all, practitioners in a setting complete this training.

If you are not allocated a space, don’t despair this training will run again on both the February and May inset days.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

NEW Blether Sessions

We are super excited to expand on our very popular ‘Blether sessions’ with the introduction of our new informative ’30 minute updates’ and ‘QI bite size’ sessions.  We hope you agree this is a quick and snappy way of sharing some crucial leadership information with colleagues across the authority.

Our ’30 minute updates’ are being delivered by our very own Heads of Centre who have a wealth of experience and knowledge on the critical day to day running of an Early Years setting.  The sessions share some do’s and don’t on specific areas from ‘Storing of medication’ to ‘Safeguarding: safety and security’.  There are 8 sessions in total that are spread out over the academic year.  Our sessions take place on a Monday from 3.30pm till 4pm.  Although these sessions are mostly aimed at senior leaders, they are relevant to staff at all levels within the ELC with sessions on ‘Infection Prevention and Control’, ‘Risk assessments’ and ‘Accident and incident paperwork’ to name a few.

Our QI bite size sessions are delivered by our very passionate Pedagogue Claudette Wright!  Again, there are 8 quick and snappy 30 minute sessions that will help raise knowledge and skills around the different aspects of the model for improvement.  Over the 8 sessions Claudette will take you through the improvement journey from the ‘introduction to the model for improvement’ to ‘PDSAs’ to ‘a family of measures’!  The QI bite size sessions are also spread throughout the year from 4pm-4.30pm.

Both our 30 minute updates and our QI Bite size sessions are live on CPD manager but can also be accessed directly through the Blether tile on MST.  If you are not already a member of the team then please contact your cluster link with your glow email and they will get you set up.

We are so privileged as an authority to have such amazing staff that are so keen to learn and share their skills and knowledge in so many different and flexible ways.

 

Making Falkirk Proud!

Learning is a journey, not a destination!

Everybody teach, everybody learn!

A Pedagogue Ponders by Yvonne Robinson

Hi I’m Yvonne Robinson.  I work within the Early Years Pedagogue Team. I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my project ideas for this session. At the very end of June ’21 I joined St Francis Early Learning & Childcare Class.  I really did receive the most warmest and kindest welcome from everyone at such a busy and hectic time of year!

 

St Francis ELC moved in Feb ’21 as part of the 1140 hrs expansion, into a new setting within the grounds of St Francis Primary School.  With this came a fabulous outdoor woodland space, which the nursery family call their woodland retreat.  The space is continually developing and flourishing, creating wonderful outdoor learning opportunities with and for the children.  Being in this outdoor setting has reignited an interest I have in Learning for Sustainability, in particular experiences relating to Eco Schools.  Inspired by the inherited raised beds, albeit requiring much TLC and the outdoor marvellous meals experiences children are receiving at St Francis ELC, through consultation and enthusiasm from the team, we decided to apply for the Education Scotland Food For Thought Grant with just 3 days to apply before the deadline!!  We are overjoyed to say that we were successful and achieved the full grant amount!  Our aim is to develop an area of our new woodland retreat to establish a working garden.

 

I have met with The School Community Gardening Group – made up of school pupils and members of their family and have planned with the school to further promote our links, through working with primary 1-7 children via The Eco Schools Group.  All will plan together with the nursery family to create and grow produce.  The process ‘Farm to Fork’ will further enhance children’s learning through the cycle of food growth to cooking and eating.  Creating and learning together also offers opportunity to develop buddy friendships and learning for sustainability understanding co-constructing their (children’s) knowledge.  St Francis ELC have also re-established links with St Mungo’s High School and I have met with the Head of the Technical Department, who is only too delighted to offer support, advice and help create the raised beds from the children’s plans.

 

Through discussions with the team and our initial Learning for Sustainability training, the team highlighted positively their rights-based approach. My focus will be on further raising the awareness of the UNCRC Article 12 and the visibility of the child’s voice through What Matters To Me consultations.  Children will be encouraged to lead their learning with opportunity to participate and share their thoughts, opinions and reflections on a variety of matters throughout the Food for Thought Project.

 

As identified in our Improvement Plan we will be further developing Emotional Literacy Learning through Experiences, Interactions & Spaces.  I will be working with the team and a focus group of children and their families to support and encourage appropriate emotional literacy language vocabulary and developing individual strategy skills to support and enhance children’s levels of wellbeing and involvement, throughout their daily play experiences.  I am hoping to use a variety of approaches when working with families through Bookbug @ Home and PEEP.  I will be further developing my Bookbug skills, which unfortunately have not been used as much as I would have liked over the last wee while. I will be working and learning from a highly experienced and qualified Music and Story Mentor through BookBug. I am delighted to have gained this opportunity and look forward to getting started.

 

I was equally delighted, to also receive training (during lockdown) from PEEP (Peers Early Education Partnership) that supports parents and carers to value and build on the home learning environment and relationships with their children, by making the most of everyday learning opportunities.  Myself and the group of Falkirk Cohort Practitioners, who trained together are supported through the new Early Intervention Team.  We have learned to deliver PEEP through a variety of methods, however hoping it will be face to face with families rather than virtually!  I am excited to see how PEEP will evolve at St Francis.  Families will be invited to take part and consulted on what ‘topics’ matter to them to shape the sessions.  The programme contains 74 child development topics covering 5 strands of learning.  I will work closely with a focus group of children and families to further promote learning and Fiona, a highly experienced early years educator from the St Francis nursery family who has a real interest in family learning, will join me.  It is with a view to roll out PEEP throughout the year, so all of our families have the opportunity to participate.

 

Not forgetting Helicopter Stories!  Although this is not one of my projects this year I could not imagine, not offering Helicopter Stories!  Fortunately, the St Francis nursery family are very enthusiastic and delighted to learn more and take this forward.  Already children are interested after one session!

Let the magic begin!

CLPL Opportunities 2021/22

We cannot believe we are half way through Term 1 already this year #FabFalkirkFolk!  Our team are finding it so wonderful and beneficial getting back out to visit you all in person in your settings. During these visits we continue to highlight the CLPL opportunities our team (and others) are offering this year to further develop your knowledge, understanding and skills.

You can find a copy of our Early Years CLPL Overview for 2021/22 on our Glow site which you will see features a range of exciting opportunities suitable for everyone working in the early year’s sector in Falkirk.  Every setting has a copy of this CLPL overview so make sure you take a look.

Please sign up for each of these courses on CPD Manager but if you have any problems with this please get in touch with your cluster link officer.  It is not intended that you or your team will attend all training. It is important to be selective as to the professional learning that supports your improvement priorities which you may choose to complete as a full staff team or individually.

Our self-guided CLPL continues to be available on our Glow Sharepoint. As always, we would encourage you to discuss any CLPL you take part in with your colleagues afterwards and remember to review the impact this learning has had on your practice afterwards.

Speech and Language Therapy, as well as our ASN Service continue to offer useful CLPL for  our ELC teams.  These sessions are not available to sign up for via CPD Manager, instead these sessions are on request.  Watch out for more details on each of these shortly!

This year we also have a series of Bitesize Quality Improvement Methodology Blethers.  The first session has a focus on Equity and the Model for Improvement which you can also sign up for on CPD Manager. Don’t miss out!

You will also notice our 30 minute updates highlighted on our CLPL overview which are incredibly helpful for our Senior leaders.  You will gather lots of useful advice and tips during these 30 minutes so make sure you get signed up to join us and have your cuppa ready.

We can’t forget about our Olle Modules which are another great way of achieving your CLPL hours for SSSC registration requirements, as well as meeting areas of your own personal development plan. Olle modules can be accessed remotely and provide you with a wide range of modules accessible from those geared at new employees, to those with aspirations of progression into a  leadership role, and those already in leadership / management roles.

Don’t forget to get signed up for these excellent CLPL opportunities and continue to develop your knowledge and skills #FabFalkirkFolk!

By Cheryl Smyth

Play is the Way- tips and advice for those new to play pedagogy

 

My name is Rachel Keane and I have been teaching within Falkirk Council for 8 years. For the past five years I have taught between primary 1 and primary 2. Three years ago we embraced Play is The Way. I thought I would share some of the things I wish I’d known at the beginning of our play journey for anyone who is starting out with play pedagogy for the first time this year.

Environment

Unfortunately no matter how much time and effort I put in to my environment it just would not stay Pinterest worthy! Of course your space should be empowering, nurturing and encourage children to wonder, explore and create but setting tuff trays up every morning with different small world settings can become demoralising when after 30 seconds of the children entering the space, and in the adults eye, it has been completely destroyed! That field made up of dried oats might look like an inviting space for cows to live but to many children in your setting it’s a sensory activity where you dig your hands through it and sprinkle it all over the floor!

Try to keep your provocations open ended. Model to the children what small world spaces could look like and allow the children to explore materials and create these spaces themselves. Not only does this free up your time in morning to complete other tasks but it encourages children to take the lead in their learning, developing motor skills, problem solving and their imagination.

You may find that your classroom very quickly becomes noisy and chaotic, this is children at work. However it is important to set clear exceptions of the space to ensure safety and to allow children to develop responsibility and respect for their environment.

Utilise outdoor space and allow children to participate in play and activities that require space.

Before break time I encourage children to “organise” where they are playing. Lids on pens and glue sticks and a clear path to the door. This allows children to continue their play after break but it also helps to keep the space inviting for other children. Initially, plan your day with additional time to carry out these daily routines and you will soon find the pace picks up. During ‘Tidy Up Time’ tidy alongside the children, modelling where things should go and how the spaces should look.

Child-Led

We know that relationships are important and building good relationships with our young people is vital. Make sure you spend lots of time away from the security of the teaching table and get on the floor with the children, playing and interacting alongside them. Get to know them, their likes, interests and their personalities.

It can be difficult at first to let go of your planning and plan based on your children’s interests, skills and needs. Through interactions and observations you will understand what stage of development your children are at.

Play opportunities allow you to support those still developing early literacy and numeracy skills and also challenge and extend the skills of others. Plan for opportunities to develop fine and gross motor skills, set up provocations and areas to promote literacy, maths and numeracy, sing and read stories and rhymes to help develop phonological awareness and foundational literacy skills. Give children time to build on these foundations before launching into a phonics and reading program.

CPD and Networking

Visit other settings, speak with other teachers and nursery colleagues, attend CPD courses, scroll through twitter, or create a Pinterest or Instagram page for ideas. There are so many experienced and passionate people out there! Being able to visit other settings, borrow ideas and discuss key issues with other teachers continues to be the most beneficial for me.

It can take a while to shift your pedagogical thinking but remember to have fun, ask questions and take your time building up your environment including your children in the planning and development of the space.

And finally…invest in a pair of comfortable shoes!

 

Check out the FabulousFalkirk Initiatives tab above to find more information and links to further support and advice about Play is the Way.

 

#wonderisers