Evidence tells us that there is a significant gap in educational attainment between the most and least deprived children and the majority of this variation can be found within rather than between schools.

The Access to Education Fund aims to reduce the barriers to learning experienced by pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is important that learning is about the ability to learn, not the ability to pay, and pupils should not have to miss out on educational experiences for financial reasons.

Two of the fund’s key aims could be directly impacted upon by partnership working with creative partners available on the Creativity Portal.

• Enhancing a school’s capacity to provide trips, outdoor learning or other activities which will boost learning and are an integral part of the school curriculum;

• Enhancing a school’s capacity to develop or deliver innovative learning experiences which will raise educational attainment, promote attendance and encourage positive engagement.

You can find out more from the Education Scotland website here:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/supportinglearners/accesstoeducationfund.asp?dm_t=0,0,0,0,0

The Into Film Festival is a free and annual educational film festival which aims to help educators bring learning to life for 5 –19 year olds by inspiring them to watch, make and understand films in new and creative ways. Taking place from the 4 -21 November in over 500 venues across the UK the festival offers young people a free trip to the cinema and a diverse range of film screenings that are supported by curriculum focused educational resources.

What will schools and young people enjoy for free?

• Free Screening – UK-wide cinema screening programme.

• Educational resources – free activities that support learning and the curriculum.

• Accessible events – over 150 films and 500 venues to choose from.

• Meet film industry experts – free speaker Q&As, special events and masterclasses.

• Filmmaking workshops – learn tips from the best in the business.

• Exclusives – free access to special events, film previews and premieres.

Register your interest for the Festival now and we will let you know when bookings open up at the beginning of September.

http://www.intofilm.org/festival

We are currently recruiting for teachers interested in film to help us develop learning resources to go with our screenings and events. There will be a fee as well as a chance for career development. We are particularly looking for secondary teachers with expertise in either history or filmmaking. However, we may have other opportunities arising soon, so please feel free to contact me if you have an interest in getting involved. Get in touch by email or phone via my details below.

Monday 01 September 2014 (1045-1330)

Lochrin Belle

View Programme and Book Online

Creativity is high on the agenda for governments globally. It is certainly a focus in education, across the curriculum, not only in the expressive arts. In this climate of uncertainty creativity is an essential 21st century skill.

Ken Robinson argues that creativity is as important as literacy and should be given the same status. Instead of educating people out of creativity we should be teaching students how to be creative. He believes we should be giving credit for originality and giving students some way of reflecting on whether those new ideas are more effective than existing ones. Do you agree? Or not? Or partially?

Why not come aboard the barge on the Union Canal and join in the conversation as we enjoy a short cruise.

The Commonwealth through Film is part of the Game On Scotland official education programme for the 2014 Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow. The resource enables teachers and students to actively explore, through carefully selected films, the culture and identity of Commonwealth countries in the run-up to the games.  For more info you can go here: http://www.intofilm.org/news/articles/into-film-launches-in-scotland#.U6RiXY1dV64

Identity and Voice: Citizenship through Film is a new resource which engages pupils with themes of identity and political representation in advance of the independence referendum.  It seeks to prompt consideration of what Scottish identity might mean to different people, how it might be constructed and expressed, as well as how it is represented and seen by others. For more information please go here: http://www.filmclub.org/whats-new/details/1994/download-our-new-resource-scottish-identity-and-voice-through-film

GENERATION, a major, nation-wide exhibition project showcasing some of the best and most significant art to have emerged from Scotland in the last 25 years is now underway. Over 60 venues throughout Scotland will take part  bringing together an exciting programme of work by over 100 artists from this month through to November, with the majority of exhibitions taking place over the summer of 2014, as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme. One of the central aims of the project is to engage with a new generation and bring to life the possibilities that contemporary visual art presents to young people. Look out contemporary art workshops and CPD opportunities in your area!

GENERATION exhibitions now underway include Toby Paterson at Fife Contemporary Art and Craft @ Kirkcaldy Galleries (27^th April – 22^nd June), Corin Sworn at Inverleith House (12^th April – 29^th June), GENERATION  – SXSW 2014 featuring work by Christine Borland, Graham Fagen and Dalziel + Scullion (The Dick Institute, East Ayrshire (3^rd May – 16^th August) and ARTIST ROOMS: Douglas Gordon at Caithness Horizons (9^th May – 11^th October).Find further details at generationartscotland.org.

GENERATION is produced through a core partnership between National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Life and Creative Scotland. GENERATION is part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme. The series of exhibitions is being produced with the support of VisitScotland and EventScotland, British Council Scotland, Museums Galleries Scotland, the BBC, Education Scotland, Children in Scotland and Young Scot.

This new resource aims to bring together the range of material to support practitioners in developing their understanding of Recognising Achievement, Profiling and Reporting in the context of Curriculum for Excellence with specific reference to capturing skills development.

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/r/rapr/keymessages.asp?strReferringChannel=resources&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-827616-64

It includes: presentations on key messages in Recognising Achievement, Profiling and Reporting; a range of support materials; recent NAR exemplars; links to pertinent guidance materials from Education Scotland; direct links to Glow ‘Watch Again’ videos of related Glow Meets; support and findings from research.

https://blogs.glowscotland.org.uk/glowblogs/eslb/2014/04/29/skills-conversation-day-3/

The third Skills Conversation Day will take place at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness on Thursday 5 June 2014. Education Scotland are delighted to host the event with our education partners Highland Council and Skills Development Scotland.

The event will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to continue the conversations started at Loch Leven Community Campus in September and December 2013. The focus was on exploring the issues around developing a common language and understanding of skills and local approaches to engagement with employers, including contrasting rural and urban opportunities for work experience.