Category Archives: Secondary schools

CPD, Early Years, Education Scotland, Events, Health and Wellbeing, Primary schools, Secondary schools

SEBN National Good Practice Conference 2014

February 21, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

Friday 14 March, The Grand Central Hotel, Glasgow

Education Scotland is taking forward capacity building activities to promote support for children and young people with social, emotional and behavioural needs (SEBN). This conference offers the chance to draw upon good practice in schools and communities active in this field across Scotland.

The conference will include a keynote address by Alastair Delaney, Strategic Director for Families, Inclusion and Local Authorities and an update from the Inclusion Team in Education Scotland including HM Inspectors, Senior Education Officers and Development Officers within the team. Practitioner-led workshops will showcase a wide variety of best practice in helping children and young people with SEBN, from throughout Scotland and from a variety of sectors. There will also be displays and information from a number of key partners. Please register your interest with Andrew McArthur (andrew.mcarthur@educationscotland.gov.uk ) by Friday 28 February.

Creative practitioners, Primary schools, Scotland Colleges, Secondary schools, Technologies

Gaming project opens up new worlds of creativity – TES article

February 18, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

“Part of it is embracing uncertainty, being open to whatever comes up,” said Dangerous Ideas curator Karen Lawson. “It’s about a belief that everybody is creative, and helping them to realise that.”

http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6400535

TES article exploring the Festival of Dangerous Ideas and how two primary, secondary and colleges from Scotland and Norway collaborated on an innovative online gaming project that developed new ways of learning.

Drama, Events, Opportunities, Secondary schools

Rapture Theatre Company Education Project

February 18, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

Rapture Theatre Company, in association with Mull Theatre, will be touring their spring season production of the Scottish comedy Uncle Varick to theatre venues across Scotland from April – June, 2014.

Uncle Varick, written by artist and writer John Byrne (author of Tutti Frutti and The Slab Boys), is a raucously funny adaptation of Chekov’s classic play Uncle Vanya, relocated to 1960’s rural Scotland.

Set against a sensational sixties soundtrack, arranged and performed by Dave “Wildcat” Anderson, the production stars

Scottish theatre legend Jimmy Chisholm (Para Handy and High Road) and is directed by Michael Emans.

Education Programme

Rapture Theatre Company are currently developing their education programme to ensure a relevant and sustainable approach to learning through creative participation.

As part of this programme, a pilot project involving the up-coming production of Uncle Varick is in progress. The intention for this project is to offer a CPD opportunity for up to six teachers from several Local Authorities to work in partnership with the company, resulting in a learning template which compliments the production and will be made available for use within schools across Scotland. The project will focus on the subject of “Adaptation” exploring it from the different perspective of the creative processes involved in writing and producing a successful adaptation. It is also our hope to introduce a series of mentoring and training placements for schools as well as develop our learning programme through the offer of Masterclasses and Participation & Engagement schemes (FREE TRANSPORT – funding dependent).

For more information on this project, group booking details and tour dates, please contact our Project & Education Coordinator by email at: christina-rapturetheatre@outlook.com

School Flyer Education Programme

Creative practitioners, Events, Primary schools, Secondary schools

11 days left to nominate for this year’s Creative Learning Award

February 12, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

The Scottish Education Awards celebrate the hard work and success which takes place in Scottish education. They recognise the achievements of people who dedicate their lives to children and young people and showcase the valuable work and innovation in Scottish classrooms and this year you can make nominations for the Creative Learning Award:

http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/nominate/categories/creativelearning.asp
The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday 21 February 2014.

Funding, Primary schools, Secondary schools

FINAL REMINDER: Seedcorn Transport Scheme 2013 – apply now to avoid disappointment!

February 12, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

Fife’s Cultural Partnerships Team would like to take this opportunity to remind you that there is still some funds left in Seedcorn Transport Scheme for 2013. The Scheme will run until the end of March 2014 and there has been a strong uptake on funds till now.

The Scheme is in place following demand from both schools and those in the cultural sector for support with transport costs. If the fund is not used it will no longer be available so please use it or lose it!

We are keen that this scheme allows maximum participation and will take numbers benefitting into account when assessing the application.

Please note that the scheme will support cultural activities within Fife only. This could be a trip to the theatre or a museum or a visit to the forest or a cathedral.

Conditions:

· The Scheme is open to schools and also community organisations that support vulnerable groups who wish to attend creative and cultural opportunities which they would not otherwise have the capacity to attend.

· Activities must take place between September 2013 – end of March 2014.

· Applications must be made using the ‘Seedcorn Scheme Application Form 2013’.

· Support is available up to a maximum of £250.

· Only one application will be considered per school/organisation.

· No retrospective applications will be considered.

· An evaluation form must be completed and returned no later than 4 weeks after your activity takes place. Applicants who fail to return the evaluations will not receive seedcorn support for future funding rounds.

Your application should meet at least one of the following Actions from Generations of Change – A Strategy for Culture in Fife 2011-13 (www.fifedirect.org.uk/culture):

Action 2 Identifying the barriers to cultural participation and ways of overcoming them.

Action 3 Encourage communities to maximise cultural opportunities to celebrate their strengths and their heritage.

Action 5 Increase access to participation in cultural activity and creative learning opportunities.

Please note that financial support is limited and applications will be assessed on a first come first served basis.

Events, Health and Wellbeing, Primary schools, Secondary schools

International School Meals Day, Thursday 6 March 2014

February 12, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

This year’s International School Meals Day (ISMD) takes place on Thursday 6 March 2014. Last year’s event was hugely successful and saw hundreds of schools across Scotland, and thousands of young people across the globe, coming together to raise the importance of food and nutrition. It is hoped even more Scottish schools will be encouraged to take part in ISMD 2014.

The theme of ISMD 2014 will be Food Stories and will encourage children and young people to promote healthy eating and learning through stories that involve food and which communicate the culture of people, and their dreams for a healthier and better future.

We would encourage all schools to celebrate the day and get involved in any way they can, it could be something as simple as a themed lunch or as grand as a fund raising event, involving the whole community, to raise money for a charity involved in school feeding programmes across the world. ISMD is also being promoted through school catering networks, and you should speak to your catering team about how you can work together to mark the day.

You can get involved in ISMD 2014 through the website www.internationalschoolmealsday.org and you can follow ISMD 2014 on Twitter at @IntSchoolMeals or on Tumblr at International-school-meals-day.tumblr.com.

Literacy and English, Primary schools, resources, Secondary schools

Commonwealth Poetry FREE book give away

February 12, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

February is here so we’re sharing the love by giving away a copy of Poems United, edited by Diana Hendry and Hamish Whyte. The anthology contains poems from Commonwealth countries around the world and is great for use in primary and S1/S2 classes. To be in with a chance to win, all you need to do is follow Making Makars. New followers between now and 14th February will be entered into a prize draw. And did we mention that it’s all completely free? Good luck!

Click here to find out more.

Events, Opportunities, Primary schools, Science, Secondary schools, Social Studies, Technologies

FIFE SCIENCE FESTIVAL 14th – 23rd March 2014

February 12, 2014 Olivia Wexelstein Leave a comment

Medieval Construction Science Show

Monday 17^th – Thursday 20^th March

Discover how Medieval castles were built with Historic Scotland in our cross curricular free show for P4 – S1 pupils. Pupils will take part in demonstrations as they follow the journey of a block of stone from a quarry to the top of an arch, exploring energy, forces and technology along the way!

Sessions available at the following times each day: 9.50am, 11.10am, 12.40pm & 2pm

Free workshops

Funding available for travel subsidy – conditions apply.

Booking essential – contact Historic Scotland Learning Services on 0131 652 8155 or hslearning@scotland.gsi.gov.uk to book.

Audience: P4 – S1 pupils

Venues: Monday 17^th – Tuesday 18^th March

Aberdour Castle, Aberdour KY3 0SL

Wednesday 19^th – Thursday 20^th March

St Andrews Cathedral, The Scores, St Andrews KY16 9AR

From Flags to Flanders Fields

Monday 17^th – Friday 21^st March

WW1 had a profound effect on the British population and communications played a vital role in both civilian and military life. With no radio, television or internet and few telephones in private homes, the public relied on newspapers for general information and telegrams for urgent, special messages. The military required rapid, secure communications in battle conditions which resulted in some major developments in technology. Imagine living at the time of WW1 and have a go at signalling with flags, lamps and Morse – and much more!

Free outreach workshops

Booking essential. Contact Dorothy Brankin on 01506 823424 or at dc_brankin@tiscali.co.uk to book.

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: Primary schools throughout Fife

Video Game Design

Friday 14^th & Monday 17^th – Friday 21^stMarch

Did you know that the UKs’ video game industry is one of the largest in the world? Would you like to be a part of it? Well now you can by creating characters that dance, sing and interact with one another. Add sound effects, backgrounds and music clips and then post online.

£350 for full day of workshops

Booking essential. Contact Lynne Kerr on 0131 6530580 or info@sescotland.computerxplorers.co.uk to book

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: South Fife Primary Schools

Lego Robotics

Friday 14^th & Monday 17^th – Friday 21^stMarch

Using the latest Lego robotics technology to build and program amazing creatures that can move using motors, gears and wheels. You will learn how to program sensors to make the robot react to its surroundings. Program robot birds to chirp, crocodiles to snap and place engines to rev!

£350 for full day of workshops

Booking essential. Contact Lynne Kerr on 0131 6530580 or info@sescotland.computerxplorers.co.uk to book

Audience: Primary Pupils

Venue: South Fife Primary Schools

I am Unique!

Monday 17^th – Friday 21^st March

What is happening in the amazing and rapidly changing world of DNA and genetics? What better way to learn about this fascinating and exciting area of science than to get hands-on with DNA extraction. In this workshop, learners create a unique necklace, containing their very own extracted DNA, to take home with them. Complementing our “I am unique” workshop, a mini-loan box is available to continue with the learning in your classroom. Introduce your inspired scientists to Dundee’s most inspiring scientists, learn about inheritance and explore more about DNA, its structure and why it matters!

Special education rates available.

Funding available for travel – limited availability, conditions apply.

Booking essential. Contact the Science Learning Team on 01382 868609 to book.

Audience: Primary Pupils (Second level)

Venue: Dundee Science Centre

Our extraordinary universe: amazing invisible light

Monday 17^th – Friday 21^st March

In this workshop, learners can participate in one or more investigative activities around visible and invisible electromagnetic radiation, making use of the hand-held infrared camera, laser optics kits, spectroscopes and ultraviolet sources. Through this, learners will develop their understanding of the properties of electromagnetic radiations, including visible light. How can we make use of visible and invisible light, and what difference does it make to us? How does gathering information across the EM spectrum from space impact on our lives?

For learners in third and fourth level or studying for qualifications in Physics in National 4 or 5.

Special education rates available.

Funding available for travel – limited availability, conditions apply.

Booking essential. Contact the Science Learning Team on 01382 868609 to book.

Audience: Secondary Pupils

Venue: Dundee Science Centre