The latest issue of CfE and Glow News includes information about Making Good Assessment Decisions, Taking a Closer Look at Assessment and Glow TV events.
Category Archives: Education News
Taking a closer look at the National Assessment Resource: A professional learning resource
Education Scotland’s assessment team has published a professional learning resource for practitioners. It provides an opportunity to reflect on effective practice in learning, teaching and assessment, drawing on the work published on the National Assessment Resource (NAR). It also provides a structured look at the NAR flow chart as a tool for planning effective learning, teaching, moderation and assessment.
The resource can be ‘dipped into’ by individual practitioners keen to reflect and improve on their assessment practice as well as pairs, groups of practitioners, associated school groups (ASGs) or clusters working collegiately to reflect on and improve practice.
The resource can be downloaded here: TACLAN_onlinepdf
Creative Learning Recognised by GTC Scotland
Teachers who brought the Year of Creative Scotland into their classrooms by specialising some of their practice in Creative Learning have been awarded Professional Recognition by The General Teaching Council for Scotland at a joint ceremony held with Creative Scotland and Education Scotland.
Professional Recognition allows registered teachers to gain recognition for focusing their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in particular areas of interest, using their expertise successfully in the classroom and developing and sharing their knowledge with colleagues.
The Professional Recognition event was held at the Scottish Parliament and showcased the legacy of The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 by highlighting the work of teachers who have developed creativity in the classroom either individually, or through projects with external partners. A total of 24 teachers received the award for work on a variety of different areas including creative writing, dance, drama and opera.
In developing their skills in this area, teachers worked with a wide range of organisations such as; the Lyceum Theatre, The Scottish Book Trust and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra to bring creative projects to their schools.
The teachers were awarded their certificates by Joan McAlpine MSP, member of the Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee, and Anthony Finn, Chief Executive of GTC Scotland. Pupils from Knox Academy, who have benefited from creativity projects within their school, provided musical entertainment for guests at the event.
Mr Finn said:
“These teachers have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to enhancing their skills and sharing their knowledge with pupils and colleagues.
“Teaching our children and young people to embrace creativity ensures they have an enriched learning experience and an enhanced appreciation for culture and critical thinking which they will carry over into their adult lives.”
Alan Armstrong, Strategic Director Lifelong Learning at Education Scotland, said:
“Creativity will help children and young people to understand the world better and, critically, to be suitably equipped to shape its future. This GTCS Award recognises the importance of teachers ensuring that their pupils learn in creative ways and develop creative skills across the curriculum.”
Joan Parr, Portfolio Manager at Creative Scotland, said:
“It’s great to see the hard work, commitment and dedication of these teachers being recognised. The Professional Recognition scheme is a fantastic opportunity for teachers to enhance their own skills and experience through CPD, allowing them to teach in an informed and exciting manner and share their knowledge with their pupils and peers. We are delighted to support such an important and significant project.”
Lucy Vaughan, Head of Creative Learning, Lyceum Theatre Company said:
“With Project Dream our experience of placing Creativity at the heart of learning and developing a project with teachers to cover all areas of the Curriculum has been transformative for all involved – teachers, pupils and arts educators! Instead of taking a subject specialist approach to our work with schools, traditionally in our case drama, we developed Project Dream with teachers to be able to explore inter-disciplinary learning through creativity.
“Following a visit by the whole year group to the Lyceum Theatre to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the timetable was cleared for S3 pupils for 3 days, and they worked in small groups on their own creative responses to the play. Through Project Dream pupils had to share their ideas with each other, solve problems, take responsibility and show leadership – all essential skills for life beyond the classroom, developed through their participation in a creative project.
“Project Dream could not have been possible without the support and funding generously given by the Miller Group, Robertson Trust, Ernest Cook Trust and City of Edinburgh Council.”
Philippa Cochrane, Head of Learning at the Scottish Book Trust said:
“These teachers have worked with Scottish Book Trust on a number of exciting projects, and we are delighted to have been able to support their innovative approaches to teaching reading and writing. They have worked hard to foster enthusiasm for literature and to give pupils the tools to be creative, and it is a great pleasure to see their achievements recognised in this way.”
Kirsten Hunter, Connect Officer at the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) said:
“We are extremely pleased that staff from Preston Street Primary School have been recognised for their involvement in the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s Primary School Residency at Preston Street in 2011/12.
“This was a great opportunity for the SCO to collaborate with a school very local to its own home base; and through their exceptional professionalism, boundless enthusiasm and willingness to always go the extra mile on behalf of their pupils, the staff at Preston Street really made the project an outstanding experience.
“Always ready to explore new ways of learning through creative work with their pupils, we’re thrilled that the project has left a living legacy with staff continuing to employ techniques and ideas explored during the SCO Primary School Residency. “
Congratulations to the teachers who received awards:
Margaret Brown Knox Academy, Haddington
Laura Cassidy Preson Street, Edinburgh
Joy Christie Downfield Primary School, Dundee
James Clugston Lourdes Secondary, Glasgow
Jonathan Coulson Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Ruth Douglas Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Lyndsay Fullerton Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Sara Gulliver-Goodhall Howdenburn Primary School, Scottish Borders
Niall Irvine Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Susan Irving Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Lorna Lawson John Ogilvie High School, Hamilton
Gwen McCrossan Kilmodan Primary School, Argyll and Bute
Samantha MacDonald Leverhulme Memorial Primary School, Harris
Lorna MacDonald Preston Street Primary School, Edinburgh
Ann Moore (HT) Preston Street Primary School, Edinburgh
Linda Murray St Peters Primary School, Scottish Borders
Rebecca Oliver Lourdes Secondary, Glasgow
Scott Sinclair Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Paul Stewart Balerno High School, Edinburgh
Lalainia Tremell Woodmill High School, Fife
Angela Verity Kaimes Primary School, Edinburgh
Elizabeth Whatmore Burntisland Primary School, Fife
Peter Kelly Holycross High School South Lanarkshire
Graeme Lamb Bell Baxter High School, Fife.
Pamela Jannaway Forfar Academy
Steven Kidd Forfar Academy
Images: Gary Baker Photography
New website on Glow to support the new National Qualifications
Education Scotland is delighted to launch a dedicated website which will provide quick, secure and easy access to the range of web-based course materials being published to support the new National Qualifications. In addition, the site will also provide access to the popular series of Professional Focus Papers.
The website will be accessed via Glow (Glow log-in required), which is a recognised portal in Scottish Education for resources. Glow will, of course, also accommodate open and honest collaboration across the profession throughout Scotland, providing an ideal platform for practitioners to review and revise materials to suit their local requirements and share thoughts and ideas about materials.
We have been working very closely with ADES to co-ordinate the development and publication of these exemplar course materials across the full range of National 4 and National 5 qualifications, and further materials will be published over the coming months.
The course materials are being developed from a variety of sources and many are being developed locally in schools and local authorities. These are being shared nationally so that teachers can see what colleagues in other areas are preparing for their own contexts.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials (Glow log-in required)
ICT in Education Excellence Group Report published
The Education Secretary Michael Russell has welcomed a report by the ICT in Education Excellence Group. The Group, which was convened by the Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Muffy Calder at the request of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, was asked to consider the future development of Glow, the national intranet for schools. Over the past five months the Group, which consists of IT and education specialists and end users, have visited schools across Scotland to look at the experience of using ICT for learning. Their final report makes recommendations to the Cabinet Secretary on how to ensure that future Glow is dynamic and remains relevant to its users for years to come.
Related blog posts:
Blog post by Professor Muffy Calder, Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland.
Scottish Education Awards 2013
http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/index.asp
Nominations are still open for the Scottish Education Awards 2013.
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.
Nominations will remain open until midnight on Friday 22 February.
SQA announces set Scottish texts
SQA has unveiled the provisional list of Scottish texts that will be used in future Higher and National 5 English courses.
The list, including drama, poetry and prose, was drawn up after extensive consultation with English teachers, curriculum experts and other interested parties. It includes a range of contemporary works by writers such as James Robertson and Jackie Kay alongside classics such as Burns and Stevenson.
New professional focus papers published
Education Scotland has published further titles in the Professional Focus Papers series.
These materials have been designed to assist those supporting learners as they work towards the new qualifications.
The papers highlight important features of learning which are enhanced or different from previous arrangements. They provide advice on approaches to learning and teaching which build directly on those used in the 3-15 Broad General Education in order to promote continuity in learners’ acquisition of knowledge, understanding and skills. The papers are also intended to stimulate professional reflection and dialogue about learning.
This set of materials covers:
- Dance, Psychology, Sociology and Economics at National 5
- Lifeskills Mathematics, Mathematics, Care, Latin and Classical Studies at both National 4 and National 5
They come as part of the development of exemplar course materials across the full range of National 4 and National 5 qualifications, being managed by Education Scotland in partnership with ADES.
The Professional Focus Papers are now available for download on the National Qualifications area of the Education Scotland website.
GIRFEC blog:Supporting young people to become responsible citizens
David Anderson, the Chief Executive of South Ayrshire Council, explains why it’s everyone’s job to support children and young people to become responsible adults: Responsible citizens
Tam Baillie, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, discusses the importance of respect for children and young people: Respecting children and young people
Overcoming barriers to inclusion written by Sharon Johnston, Association of Support for Learning Officers
New support materials for S3 profiling
From June 2013 all young people in S3 will produce a profile which reflects their progress and achievements.
Further support for schools for the implementation of the profiling process, with a focus on S3, is now available in the National Assessment Resource (NAR) in the form of exemplar case studies, learner profiles and ‘snapshots’ of learner comments.
Use the S3 Profiles quick link on the National Assessment Resource homepage to access the materials. https://www.narscotland.org.uk (Requires Glow or SQA Connect login).
