Take a group of teachers, introduce them to the wonders of a local natural place and then leave them to do what they do best. The results? Exciting, creative and motivating cross-curricular outdoor learning opportunities for pupils – and teachers who are confidently using the site across the curriculum!

http://teachinginnature.stir.ac.uk/index.html

Last year four groups of teachers met with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) National Nature Reserve (NNR) managers to learn about the natural and cultural features that make their site special. Over the course of the school year these teachers, from early years, primary, secondary and special schools, worked collaboratively to develop activities for their classes to do on these sites and test them out. Find out more about the  project from the teachers and pupils themselves at http://teachinginnature.stir.ac.uk/index.html <http://teachinginnature.stir.ac.uk/index.html>

A report on the project was written by educational researchers from the University of Stirling, who provided invaluable support and insight throughout the project. This is available at:
http://www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research/publications/search-the-catalogue/publication-detail/?id=1839 <http://www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research/publications/search-the-catalogue/publication-detail/?id=1839> .

Conservation charity the National Trust for Scotland is asking secondary schools pupils to design an interactive, environmentally-themed game to take out on the road next summer.

The Trust launched its competition at Ben Lomond near Drymen, Scotland’s most southerly Munro.  Ben Lomond is one of the most popular mountains in Scotland, with around 30,000 walkers of all ages visiting it each year. Helping Trust staff at the launch were pupils from Drymen Primary, who were photographed doing their best to try and figure out some initial ideas.

The Ben Lomond Design Competition challenges teams of pupils to invent a portable, interactive game which is easy to set up and explain, is fun for all ages and which highlights how we need to conserve our environment.

The Trust hopes that the new family activity will raise awareness of its work to care for Scotland’s countryside and wildlife.

For full information and an entry pack visit: http://www.nts.org.uk/designcompetition

Angus Council reports that primary aged children can celebrate Halloween at Kirriemuir Gateway to the Glens Museum <http://www.angus.gov.uk/history/museums/kirriemuir/default.htm> , with Creepy Craft Workshops on Saturday 29 October.

http://www.angus.gov.uk/new/releases-archive/2011/2011-10-17d.html

As part of their art form development programme, Imaginate is offering a range of development opportunities for artists and producers, reflecting their commitment to empowering individuals and organisations to create work of the highest quality for children throughout Scotland. The Winter Sessions programme includes: a masterclass with Johan De Smet on creating for young audiences; Sharing Practice workshops with Lewis Hetherington and Gareth Nicholls and advice on planning and delivering a marketing campaign with Sally Wilson. For more information on the programme and to book a place visit the Imaginate website.

This website records information about grants and funding programmes accessible to organisations operating in Scotland. Funding programmes include those managed by Lottery Distributors, Corporate and Charitable Trusts, Statutory Organisations, European Commission, and others.

This free website acts as a point of reference for all public, private and third sector organisations wishing to identify the level and nature of funding opportunities for organisations operating in Scotland.
This opportunity is available in: All Scotland
For further information, please contact info@fundingscotland.com, or visit http://fundingscotland.com/

New Learn website opens up heritage learning
http://www.nts.org.uk/Learn/
http://www.nts.org.uk/Learn/schools_home.php

It is now even easier for Scottish schools to explore Scotland’s built and natural heritage thanks to the National Trust for Scotland’s revamped Learn website. Each year, the conservation charity hosts thousands of school visits at its sites across Scotland, encouraging young people to learn about the countryside and bringing history to life. Now, the schools’ web pages have been extensively re-designed to make them even more useful for teachers and pupils.

The Learn website provides detailed information that will help teachers plan their visits to the Trust’s stunning places. There are Factsheets for organising school trips to heritage and countryside sites, and Teachers’ Information Sheets for each individual place. In addition, free Teaching Resources are available on the Learn website. These are designed to help schools with classroom work, and cover key study areas such as Bannockburn, Mary Queen of Scots and the Victorians. New resource packs for whiteboards are being designed for 2012.

The online debate will close on Monday and I would encourage you to register with the Cabinet Minister’s wiki to share any views and experiences you might have:

http://eduscotict.pbworks.com

Recently Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning made an announcement on the future direction of ICT in Scottish schools. The full announcement is broadcast on Engage for Education (http://engageforeducation.org) but in summary the key points were:

· With immediate effect the current Glow Futures procurement has been stopped
· An open online discussion will take place to help shape the current thinking and shape of what Glow will become.
· On 17 October the Scottish Government will hold an ICT summit in Stirling where the results of the online discussion and way forward will be considered

Glow is an incredibly powerful resource that has a significant impact on teaching practices and has benefitted practitioners, young people and others involved in education across Scotland. This announcement is a real opportunity as it recognises that Scotland has been acknowledged as a leader in ICT in education in recent times, and that we are equally determined to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge in this area in the years ahead.

The key message for you is that Glow is being given even stronger backing than ever from Scottish Government and Glow will continue with business as usual until the current contract continues ends in September 2012. At this point all content will be migrated across to the new tools being used – meaning your work so far and over the next year within Glow will not be lost or lose its value. The likely benefits of the new approach are that the tools we offer will be far more familiar to you, and the skills needed to use them will be far more transferable (just as Glow Blogs make use of the popular WordPress technology).

Livingston is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a new town in 2012 and plans are underway to mark the occasion. It is expected that a number of official and community events and activities will take place in spring 2012. In preparation for the anniversary pupils at Livingston schools are being invited to enter a design and art competition which will result in the winning art works being displayed in a special exhibition at Howden Park Centre next April. Pupils are being asked to design a special logo which will be used to identify Livingston’s anniversary events.  It is planned that the logo will be reproduced on all information which is printed or promoted on websites.

http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/sitecontent/news/latest/Livi

Picture This Set
Two arts titles for just £6. Both explore the important role of creativity and the arts in children’s lives.

http://www.childreninscotland.org.uk/html/pub_tshow.php?ref=PUB0358

Check out the latest funding opportunities – many of which are targeted at young people:

http://dmtrk.net/FES-JSSM-784D19OCA4/cr.aspx