Monthly Archives: August 2011

Responsibility of All

The work of the National CPD Team

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This is a cross post from the National CPD Team blog http://ltsblogs.org.uk/cpdteam/2010/09/17/the-national-cpdteam/

The National CPD Team in Scotland provide strategic support for CPD and PRD throughout Scottish Education. You can find out more about the work of the team by browsing this blog and viewing this short video, which explains what we do, where we started and what are our vision, values and beliefs around CPD.

Please feel free to share it.

What is our aim?

The National CPD Team aims to improve pupil learning by building capacity to implement Curriculum for Excellence at individual, school and authority level.

How do we achieve our aim?

  • by promoting a consistent model of professional learning which draws on a wide range of academic research, and reflects the values implicit in Teaching Scotland’s Future
  • by supporting the development of structures for CPD that focus on improving the quality of teaching and of school leadership
  • by working with our partners (through the CPD Network ) to a maintain a high profile for CPD among educators

 Who’s in the team?

The current team consists of:

So what is it we do?

Our team plan (due for completion in September 2011) will give you a flavour of our current activities:

We have initiated and/or continue to support a number of key projects including:

If you want to know more

Responsibility of All

The Importance of Teaching

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https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload/CM-7980.pdf

This publication offers interesting insights into the future direction of the English school system. There is I think much to reflect on in terms of the relevance and likely impact of some of the proposals it contains.

The White Paper begins by confirming that “the first, and most important, lesson is that no education system can be better than the quality of its teachers” but notes that while the system is improving, it is not matching, nor keeping up with, the performance of other countries. It says that “our school system performs well below its potential and can improve significantly”.

The White Paper outlines wide-ranging and significant strategies that will be taken to deliver the required improvement. For example, there is a commitment to:

  • free teachers from constraint, ”helping them to learn from one another and from proven best practice, rather than ceaselessly directing them to follow centralised Government initiatives.”
  • free schools from external control and “hold them effectively to account for the results they achieve”
  • reform teacher training by increasing the time spent in classrooms, focussed on core skills
  • develop a network of “Teaching Schools” to lead teacher and headteacher training
  • “Sharply reduce the bureaucratic burden on schools, cutting away unnecessary duties, processes, guidance and requirements, so that schools are free to focus on doing what is right for the children and young people in their care.” 
  • Increase teacher authority to search pupils, issue same day detentions and use “reasonable force where necessary”
  • review the National curriculum to reduce prescription and allow schools to decide how to teach
  • ensure that exam standards meet the highest international standards
  • raise the age of participation in education and training to 18 by 2015
  • help every school who wishes to enjoy greater freedom to achieve Academy status, to support schools as “autonomous institutions collaborating with each other on terms set by teachers, not bureaucrats”
  • reform OFSTED inspection, “so that inspectors spend more time in the classroom and focus on key issues of educational effectiveness, rather than the long list of issues they are currently required to consider.”
  • end the current centralised target-setting process, increase the number of head teachers of excellent schools committed to supporting other schools – and develop Teaching Schools to make sure that every school has access to highly effective professional development support.
  • Radically reform the funding model to make it more transparent, fairer and progressive

Lots of interesting ideas to discuss in our staffrooms!

Assessment, Literacy and Gàidhlig

Choinneamhan / GaelMeets

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Gus comharrachadh gu bheil coimhearsnachd leasachadh leantaineach proifeiseanta, Dachaidh, ga chur air bhog, tha sgioba na Gàidhlig aig Foghlam Alba toilichte innse gu bheil sreath de choinneamhan air-loidhne gu bhith air an cumail.

Bithear a’ beachdachadh air iomadach cuspair a bhiodh inntinneach do luchd-teagaisg anns an fharsaingeachd agus chan ann do luchd-teagaisg na Gàidhlig a-mhàin. Bidh cuid dhe na seiseanan air an lìbhrigeadh tro mheadhan na Beurla, cuid tro mheadan na Gàidhlig agus feadhainn eile le measgachadh dhen dà chànan.

Bidh Coinneamh 1 a’ dèiligeadh le Measadh. Bidh a’ choinneamh seo ann am Beurla agus bidh Maureen Martin bho Foghlam Alba a’ toirt an fhiosrachaidh a th’ aice fhèin air a’ chuspair. Bidh a h-uile gin dhe na coinneamhan ann an Gàidhlig air Dachaigh air an stiùireadh le Gillebrìde Mac ’IlleMhaoil.

Gus a dhol an sàs ann an Dachaigh, theirig gu http://bit.ly/dachaigh . Gus clàrachadh airson Coinneamh 1, theirig gu http://bit.ly/gaelmeet1  agus coimhead airson a’ bhutain airson clàrachadh.

To celebrate the launch of its online CPD community, Dachaigh, the Gaelic team in Education Scotland are pleased to announce the start of a series of online CPD seminars, GaelMeets.

These will tackle a number of topics of interest to many, not just Gaelic, educators. Some of the sessions will be Gaelic, some in English and some a bit of both!

GaelMeet 1 is the first of three on assessment. This GaelMeet will be in English and features Lorraine Facchini of Education Scotland. All of the GaelMeets will be facilitated by Gillebride MacIllemhaoil, the facilitator for the Gaelic Education CPD community  on Glow, Dachaigh

To join Dachaigh, visit this link http://bit.ly/dachaigh.  To sign up for GaelMeet 1, visit this link http://bit.ly/gaelmeet1  and look for the enrol button.

Modern Languages

Primary/Secondary transition project

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Passport to Europe  
This three-part resources provides reading, writing, speaking and listening tasks on weather, clothes, numbers, times on the clock, places in the town, rooms in the house, personal language and animals. They contain materials for a fun day event for Primary 7 pupils but many of the games and materials provided are suitable for use in the MLPS classroom
French
German
Spanish

Modern Languages

CPD Opportunity for Secondary Modern Languages Practitioners

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Please see attached an invitation to an evening seminar for language teaching professionals at the University of Strathclyde on 14 September at 5pm. 

 If you would like to attend this seminar on 14 September at 5pm, please contact Cédric Moreau at the following address: c.moreau@strath.ac.uk

Bridging the gap teachers invitation

Senior Phase

Senior Phase Timetabling

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Curriculum for Excellence Timetable development – Summary

Introduction
Four curricular models on the Education Scotland website were developed further with possible timetables for 2014/14; viz. Kirkland High School, Clydebank High School, Charleston Academy and Balfron High School.

Key Points
• All models built upon a well-considered and well developed model for the Broad General Education phase building on the guidance in BtC3.
• All models reported that timetabling of innovative curriculum structures to support CfE did not require any new or specialised timetabling skills
• Although the BGE phase plans were different to previous S1-S3 models and from each other they all allowed suitable progression and transition to the senior phase for all learners.
• The models varied in period number and length.
• All models were developed using traditional timetabling methods:
-development of a curricular model or map
-departmental and staffing capacity calculated
-teaching period and accommodation calculated
-timetable worked up
• All models effectively considered S4 – 6 as a single cohort
• All models provided one or two year courses for learners and offered a substantial degree of flexibility with vertical and horizontal progression

Key Considerations
• All models reported some specific difficulties regarding the incorporation of Health and Wellbeing, Physical education and support into their timetables and further consideration will need to be given to these areas
• All models mentioned the importance of partnership working with schools, colleges and other partners to develop meaningful senior phase opportunities for pupils and there are implications for timetabling around this including blocking to suit college times, consortia arrangements etc.
• Advance planning at this stage (2011) is highly recommended as various staffing and accommodation issues were identified which can be planned for in advance of 2014
• Consideration needs to be made at this stage for the transition years from 2013/14 into 2014/15
• There was some discussion in the models about possible occasional suspension of the timetable at points to help deliver some aspects of CfE and there was also some consideration being given to changing the timetable during the year.
• There were some concerns expressed about 2 year courses – specifically for S6.Some consideration needs to be given to this.

Reflective questions
• Do you have a sound curricular plan on which you can begin to develop a timetable for your senior phase model?
• Have you considered how to provide for Health and Wellbeing, PE and support?
• How strong are your partnership arrangements and how can these partners be involved in developing the curricular plan and a timetable?
• Is your planning early enough to cope with the transition year?

Early Years, Young people, children & families

Have You Heard About the Wee Blether?

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Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Tam Baillie would like children between the ages of 2 and 5 to have their very own creative conversation using their own forms of expression.

This creative conversation, which runs from 12th September – 31st October 2011, is called a RIGHT wee blether.

It is a chance for young children to inform the Commissioner’s work, to celebrate the variety and diversity of the ways in which children might choose to participate and to encourage their active engagement and involvement.

This conversation builds on the Commissioner’s 2010 national consultation with Scotland’s school aged children called a RIGHT blether. Over 74,000 children and young people took part in a RIGHT blether through creative projects, educational workshops, Tam’s Tour and a national vote. The outcomes influenced the Commissioner’s work plan directly in four key areas: Where I Live, Where I Learn, My Community and, The Country I live in – Scotland.

Join us for this Glow Meet to find out how you and your nursery/Primary 1 class can join in with this exciting National initiative.

Sign up with Glow TV and come and have a RIGHT wee blether with Tam on Tuesday 30th August at 3.45pm and find out more in Glow TV.

Assessment, Mathematics

The Numeracy Team

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The Numeracy team are currently very busy preparing CPD programmes for the new academic session.

Team members have been involved over the last week in providing CPD on Active Learning in Numeracy for 40 practitioners in North Ayrshire Council.

The team are also involved in Outdoor Learning, Financial Education and facilitating the NAR.

Early Years, Young people, children & families

Early Years

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The new Early Years team are excited to be part of Education Scotland’s Learning Blog. We will keep you up to date with the most exciting news from our team. At the moment we are finalising the September issue of Early Years Matters (Early Years twice yearly magazine). This issue includes an interview with Bill Maxwell our transitional Chief Executive. We are also looking forward to the Scottish Learning Festival where Jacqué Fee from the Early Years team will be speaking about “Policy to Pavement: ensuring the best start for Scotland’s Children”.

Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central and STEM Ambassadors

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Nicola Nielsen, Development Officer for Sciences attended a session last week with new STEM ambassador contract holders for Scotland. A chance to showcase the new web based resource STEM Central and to explore the underpinnings of CfE. The STEM ambassador scheme is a tremendously valuable scheme for Scottish schools, and we are delighted to support their work in helping them connect with learners even more effectively.

Technologies

Using Glow to Support ICT in S1

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Glow Cookbooks are real life examples of how practitioners have used Glow to support learning and teaching. This latest Glow Cookbook on Technologies describes how a Business Studies and Computing teacher used Glow to support a unit of work on Cyber-Bullying in their S1 classes.

 To visit the cookbook click here.

Early Years, Expressive Arts, Health and wellbeing, Responsibility of All, Sciences, Social studies, Young people, children & families

The Creativity Portal Update: “Creativity is contagious. Pass it on.”

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The Creativity Portal is now eleven months old and is playing its part in promoting creativity across learning and teaching. Users are visiting the Creativity Portal for its offer of creative partnerships, resources and inspiration, as well as engaging with the Creativity Portal Glow Group behind the scenes in new and exciting ways. Here are a few of the successes so far.

  • Nearly 12000 unique users have visited the Creativity Portal already, well over a thousand a month.
  • Users have viewed nearly 50,000 pages.
  • 100% of users surveyed say that they will be recommending the Creativity Portal to others.
  • Nearly 500 partnership opportunities and examples of good practice have already been shared through the Creativity Blog – many of which are free for teachers and community groups. Many of these are being re-tweeted and shared with an even wider audience through the @CreativPortal Twitter feed and Facebook page. A direct feed by email is now available (including special feeds relating to individual subject areas including Literacy, Dance and Heritage) and will be rolled out this academic year.
  • New creative partners are joining the Creativity Portal all the time, with Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Eden Court Theatre and Dance House amongst the most recent. By using the search tools users can find extremely local and relevant resources, Glow Groups, Creative Partners and opportunities all in the one place – and stumble across plenty of inspiration they didn’t know they were looking for.
  • 92% of users say that the Creativity Portal will make their search for Creative Partnerships easier, quicker or more successful.
  • Many of these partners are going on to develop their own Glow Groups, offering more for schools and community groups than ever before and embedding the use of Glow into their core activities. There are already 32 creative Glow Groups and communities listed on the Creativity Portal with more developing each week.

Various associated Glow Groups and tools have been developed alongside the public facing Creativity Portal including a Creativity Forum, Creativity Archive of projects and lessons, Creativity Portal online newspaper, listing of Creative Glow Meets and Glow TV’s Creativity Channel.

The Creativity Portal and Creative Learning Networks (CLNs) recently held a week long online discussion around creativity and the Glow Group is still open for business – Is It Creative?. Glow Meets and the Creativity Forum were used to engage CLN and creative organisation staff building a model for future use of Glow Meet technology. For almost all users it was the first time they had used web conferencing technology and the learning curve was impressive. The use of Glow Meet by the creative partners and CLNs will no doubt prove to be a major asset over the next year in their delivery of tailored CPD and creative experiences for young people.

This is an exciting phase for the Creativity Portal and with changes happening all the time your feedback is as powerful as ever. You can access the Creativity Portal Evaluation tool here – http://glo.li/mrNuJE, leave a comment on the Creativity Forum – http://glo.li/ieF6fA, or email me direct on stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk

If you have any questions or suggestions then please do not hesitate to ask. You can also find resources to help you promote and share the Creativity Portal’s resources with colleagues in the Creativity Portal Glow Group.

CLD, Early Years, Health and wellbeing, Young people, children & families

One Parent Families Scotland

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One Parent Families Scotland has recently updated the Young Parents Survival Guide jointly with NHS Health Scotland and has FREE copies available for distribution (postage costs only). The Guide can be viewed and downloaded here.

The Guide provides key information and useful advice for young parents covering a whole range of topics from when young people first suspect they are pregnant to coping with raising children.

OPFS is also working to link up services electronically across Scotland working with parents to share information on what has worked and on any difficulties faced through a dedicated section of their website.

Adult Learning, CLD, Community Capacity Building, Young people, children & families

CLD Standards Council for Scotland Website

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The CLD Standards Council website has recently been updated with some new content. Check out Rory MacLeod’s latest blog entry or have a click around in the Ideas Academy where there is a new inspirational banner which changes each time you visit.

CLD, Community Capacity Building

Community Development Across Europe

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The Scottish Community Development Centre, has been awarded funding through the Grundtvig programme of the European Commission to take part in a network for community development with marginalised social groups. Other partners are the Hungarian Association for Community Development, Estrategies de Transformacio Comunitaria Sostenible (Barcelona) and the Association of Local Democracy Agencies, which is based in France and works in the Balkans and Caucasus. The aim of the project is to allow for mutual learning about innovative tools of community work to strengthen the capacity of the partnering organisation to combat poverty and support the social integration and citizen participation of excluded social groups.

 This will result in a practical guide on community development with marginalised social groups as well as short films on the localities and projects visited through the programme.

 For more information contact Stuart Hashagen on 0141 222 4837 or stuart@scdc.org.uk

Adult Learning, CLD, Community Capacity Building, MCMC/16+LC, Young people, children & families

CLD video case studies now live on Education Scotland website

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Ten new CLD filmed case studies are now live on the CLD section of the Education Scotland website. The presenter-led introductory film offers a definition of community learning and development (CLD) in Scotland and introduces a series of filmed case studies illustrating current practice in CLD from the Shetland Islands to the Scottish Borders. The films reflect CLD’s three national priorities: achievement through learning for adults, achievement through learning for young people and achievement through building community capacity.
Watch the videos online or download the videos in MP4 format if you wish a sharper video quality or to share the case studies with others.

Literacy, Mathematics, Sciences, Technologies

STEM Central @ Aberdeen Primary Science Summer School

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Education Scotland colleagues attended the Aberdeen Primary Science Summer School this week to meet primary practitioners eager to enhance their understanding of learning and teaching in sciences. This gave us a chance to link STEM Central contexts, videos and interactives to practical workshops, in partnership with Satrosphere, Dundee Science Centre and the University of Dundee. We also highlighted new Education Scotland resources to engage learners and support practitioners including Glow Sciences video resources and Weather & Climate Change. STEM Central is about enriching learning and teaching through relevant engineering contexts and about strengthening links with industry and employers, and partners in education, so we were delighted to be given the opportunity to participate in this event. The STEM Central presentation is available on slideshare.net via the link below.

STEM Central