Assessing progress and achievement professional learning resources

Education Scotland has recently published Professional Learning Resources on assessing progress and achievement designed to support quality assurance and moderation activities.

The resources are a work-in-progress and draw on emerging practice from practitioners from 3-15.

Tell us what you think

We would like to hear what you think about what has been produced so far for your sector or curriculum area. Your feedback will help inform on-going work on annotated exemplification of achievement of levels in each of the curriculum areas to be shared through NAR.

We would like to hear what you think about what has been produced so far for your sector or curriculum area. Your feedback will help inform on-going work on annotated exemplification of achievement of levels in each of the curriculum areas to be shared through NAR.

In particular we would be interested in your views on:

· How well does the outline of the significant aspects of learning in each of the curriculum areas describe the range of learning in the Es and Os in a clear and succinct way?
· How well do the descriptions of breadth, challenge and application in each of the curriculum areas support planning for progression?
· In what ways have you used (or intend to use) the resources to support professional learning and reflection?
· What aspects of the resources did you find particularly useful?
· What aspects of the resources could be improved ?
· In using the resources to reflect on your practice, what aspects have you identified for improvement in your approaches to supporting learners in their progress and achievement?
· What further support would be helpful in managing assessment within each of the curriculum areas?

In your comment response please can you let us know which sector you work in – early, primary, secondary, special and also the curriculum area you are responding to. Many thanks.

The teaching of history, a model for collaboration

The Royal Society of Edinburgh is hosting an event, ‘History: A Model for Collaboration’, on 2 February 2013 to enable representatives of all the groups who are deeply committed to the teaching and learning of history to get to know each other better, to forge links and to discuss in practical terms what a History Learning Community in Scotland could be.

Find out more on the RSE website.

Wise Up Wednesday: 27 – 30 Month Review Guidance

The Scottish Government has published guidance on the 27-30 month child health reviews on their website. The guidance identifies the core issues which should be addressed and recorded at the review, and standardised methods of assessment to ensure consistency of practice across Scotland.

The 27-30 month review should be offered to all children.  Whilst achieving a high uptake of the review will be challenging it is critically important to ensuring the review makes the greatest possible contribution to improving children’s outcomes and reducing inequalities.

The overall priorities of the review should be the promotion of strong early child development (particularly social/emotional and language/cognitive development) within a context of helpful parenting and wider family wellbeing, and the promotion of child healthy weight. The Getting it Right for Every Child approach provides an overall framework for the new reviews.

It is expected that all NHS Boards will provide reviews in line with this guidance, and will return the national data set on completed reviews, from April 2013.

The document can be viewed or downloaded from the Scottish Government website here.

There will be no Wise Up Wednesday for the next two weeks, but we look forward to being back with you in the new year.

The Children and Families team at Education Scotland wishes everyone a happy and restful time over the holiday period, with special good wishes to those of you who are working hard, providing children’s services throughout the holiday season.

Launch of the Scottish Education Awards

The Scottish Education Awards 2013 were launched on Monday 3 December by Michael Russell, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning. 

The awards celebrate the hard work and success 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 learning environments across Scotland.

Nominations for the 2013 awards can be submitted from now until 22 February 2013. Please circulate and share this information.

These are the award categories:

  • Active Nation Award
  • Education Supporter of the Year Award
  • Aiming High Award
  • Enterprise and Employability across Learning Award (Primary)
  • Enterprise and Employability across Learning Award (Secondary)
  • Gaelic Awareness Award
  • Global Citizenship Award
  • Health and Wellbeing Award
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Learning Through Technology Award
  • Literacy Across Learning Award
  • Sustainable Schools Award
  • Teacher of the Year Award
  • Probationary Teacher of the Year Award
  • Headteacher of the Year Award

For more information visit the Scottish Education Awards website.

Learning for Sustainability – report published

Learning for Sustainability – the report of the One Planet Schools Working Group, was published 17 December 2012. 

The report includes strategic recommendations to support the development of coherent whole school approaches to ensure that learning for sustainability, global citizenship and outdoor learning are experienced in a transformative way by every learner in every school across Scotland. The report includes a number of recommendations relating to career-long professional learning and initial teacher education and advocates genuine partnerships with local communities and action to improve the sustainability of the school estate. A key ambition of the report is to provide an agenda for strategic change that will create an enabling framework, remove barriers, and build on existing excellent practice.

Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages said:
“I welcome the publication of Learning for Sustainability and would like to thank the Working Group for their work and commitment to producing the report and recommendations. As we approach the Year of Natural Scotland in 2013, the report reminds us of the importance of learning which connects young people to local and global issues, an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence.

“A wide range of actions have been taken as part of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development and we welcome steps to encourage and support schools in their approach to sustainability and global citizenship, including through outdoor learning.

“We will take time to consider the report, to engage with partners on its recommendations and respond in full in March 2013.”

The report can be downloaded from:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/curriculum/ACE/OnePlanetSchools 

See the associated Engage in Education blog from Professor Pete Higgins, Chair of the One Planet Schools Working Group: http://engageforeducation.org/news/learning-for-sustainability/

Improving Sciences Education 3-18 Conversation Day

The first of our face- to-face Improving Sciences Education 3-18 conversation days took place on Monday 10th at Denholm House in Livingston.

Find out more on our Sciences Impact Project blog bit.ly/sciences3-18talk

STEM Professional Learning: How is Education Scotland supporting you?

We’ve recently updated our Professional Learning section on STEM Central.

This section includes a number of videos in the “Exploring Engineering” series from “Getting started in engineering” to “Inspiring Space Engineering”. These can be used to help you understand more about STEM and engineering jobs and careers for children and young people, or used with learners to inspire them to pursue STEM careers.

With an overview of Education Scotland’s STEM work, and information on contemporary engineering jobs in Scotland, and links to partner resources such as myOilandGascareers.com and World of Work online, why not take a look to find out more?

Join our STEM Professional Learning Community (Glow login required) bit.ly/stemhome

Cinderella – The Panto Interview

Join us for a live interview with cast members of the Lyceum’s production of Cinderella on Wednesday 19th December at 1.45pm.

This panto is new twist on a classic tale, where Cinderella is relocated to modern-day Paris where she lives with her father and longs for the love and glamour of a rather unique Prince. Her world is shattered by the arrival of the wonderfully hilarious and awful ‘new sisters’ and their truly terrifying mother, Monique.

Join the rather scary Monique and the lovely Cinderella herself for a unique opportunity to ask them your very own questions!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV or if you mis it make sure you see the recording through Watch Again.

Wise Up Wednesday: Children and Young People Bill

The Children and Young People Bill will be introduced to Parliament in 2013 and will set out fundamental reforms to the way services for children and young people are designed, delivered and reviewed.

Last week the Scottish Government published the Analysis of Responses to the Children and Young People Bill Consultation.

The report provides an analysis of responses to the consultation on the proposed Children and Young People Bill.  The consultation document invited views on key areas of proposed reform: children’s rightsearly learning and childcare; getting it right for every child; and the care system. The consultation ran for 12 weeks from July until September 2012, and a total of 300 responses were received.

You can read more about the consultation and download the report here.

Christmas Talent Show

Yes it is that time of year again where we showcase some of the great talent from aroud Scotland and we want to hear from you!!

Whether you want to sing/dance/recite poetry or tell us jokes we would love to hear from you. You can perform individually, in a group or as a whole class – it’s up to you how you do it!

You can let us know if you want to perform on the day and we can sort out all the technical side so we can see and hear you if necessary on the day too!

We’ll also need a great audience so even if you don’t want to perform you can sign up and join us on the day for some festive fun!

Sign up and join us in Glow TV on Thursday 20th Decmeber at 1.45pm – we look forward to seeing you then!

Wise Up Wednesday: Santa Glow Meet

Never used Glow meet before? Now is the ideal time because Santa Claus is coming to town!

Don’t delay – tune in and join the Christmas fun!

Santa Glow Meet, 14 December, 11 am http://glo.li/UBQXTZ

For full details of this and other events, please log in to Glow and view the current schedule:

https://portal.glowscotland.org.uk/establishments/nationalsite/GlowTV/tvpages/Schedule.aspx.

(Glow log-in and password required).