Category Archives: Health and wellbeing

Food Security: 6th World Fisheries Congress

Perhaps you are working with learners exploring food security as a context for learning? The 6th World Fisheries Congress is opening its doors to the fisheries scientists of the future. With the world population increasing to 9 billion within our lifetime and a rapidly changing global climate, the science needed to deliver sustainable foo from our seas, rivers and lakes is becoming increasingly important.

From 8-11th May 2012 Edinburgh will host the 6th World Fisheries Congress that with address “Sustainable fisheries in a changing world”. The Congress, the first ever in the UK, convenes only once every four years, and gathers the world’s most eminent experts on all issues that relate to wild capture and aquaculture in freshwater and marine ecosystems.

The Congress will open its door to the scientists of tomorrow to provide an insight into the exciting and rewarding challenge of ensuring sustainable world food supply.

The Congress is inviting applications from secondary schools in Scotland to send up to five Higher level learners plus on teacher to the event with free registration for the learners and the teaching.

The detailed programme can be found at www.6thwfc2012.com. Applications should be submitted no later than 19th April 2012 to info@6thwfc2012.com with the e-mail subject Secondary Schools WFC and should include the following information:

Name of the school

Location of the school (e.g. town and local authority)

Name of teacher accompanying learners

Names of learners

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Please indicate which days you would like to attend (delete as appropriate those not attending)

Tues Wed Thur Friday or all days

Compete the following sentence using no more than 20 words:

“We want to attend the 6th WFC because…”

Substance Misuse Report – Peer Education

Engaging young people in a dialogue around substance misuse and effective substance misuse education, and providing credible information to young people is key to the prevention arm of the Scottish Government’s national drugs strategy – The Road to Recovery: A New Approach to Tackling Scotland’s Drug Problem.

As part of this Young Scot was asked by the Scottish Government to consider the views of young people throughout Scotland on peer led approaches to substance misuse education. Throughout this piece of work it was important that young people were regarded as part of the solution and not part of the problem.

The report below details the background and purpose of the consultation, the methodology used to complete the consultation, and the outcomes of young people’s views.

The report is available at the link below:

Click to access sme_report_-final.pdf

Materialism

Listen to an interesting talk by Carol Craig from the Centre for Confidence and Wellbeing on how materialism has undermined our wellbeing in scotland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQel6t784W0&list=PLD653EAC9A01E75E6&index=6&feature=plpp_video

Cut it Out Road Safety Project

The “Cut It Out” programme is two school periods long, (one hour and fifty minutes in total), and covers the main contributory factors in Road Traffic Collisions such as speeding, drink/drug driving and seatbelt use. It aims to raise awareness and challenge attitudes in young people with regards to the dangers associated with our roads.

The programme has been designed in conjunction with education, road safety departments, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Strathclyde Police, West of Scotland Road Safety Forum, NHS and Scottish Ambulance Service and in such a way as to be delivered by specially trained fire service personnel in partnership with other emergency services. It is a curricular based, interactive, multi-media programme designed for S5 and S6 pupils.

The programme, which relies heavily upon the interaction between students and facilitators, requires students to ultimately take on different roles and ‘investigate’ the cause and problems associated with a Road Traffic Collision. They are also asked to look at how the incident could have been avoided and to report their findings back to their peers.

If you want to know more about “Cut It Out” or want to book the programme then please contact your local Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Area Headquarters or Service Headquarters for details.

www.strathclydefire.org

Feeding the 7 billion

An expert panel discusses the main issues around food security and how science might help fill your plate in future. Part of Edinburgh International Science Festival.

Food shortages, price rises, civil unrest and riots are all real threats as demand for food rises and the amount of land suitable for food production decreases. Journalist and broadcaster Viv Parry will lead our panel – Professor Julie Fitzpatrick (Moredun Research Institute), Professor Peter Morgan (Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health) and Professor David Hopkins (Head of Life Sciences, Heriot Watt University) – in an accessible and interactive exploration of the main issues around food security and how science might help secure the future of our food. Presented by Moredun Research Institute and the Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health.

This event is also being run in Aberdeen as part of the British Science Festival on Saturday 8th September.  The panel will be the same with the addition of Dr. Cesar Revoredo-Giha from SAC. 

 Phone: 0844 557 2686

Website: www.sciencefestival.co.uk

School Open Day – Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk Council

School open day – using international education to develop a whole school approach to global citizenship

Venue: Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk

9:30am – 3.00pm

Thursday 17th May 2012

Note: this event was due to place at an earlier date in the year but has now been rescheduled for the date above.

Theme:  International Education

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders an exciting opportunity to visit Bo’ness Academy and attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase Event.

Bo’ness Academy is an inspiring example of a school that has used international education as a vehicle to engage the whole school in global citizenship activities. Through the Comenius Programme and other well established links the school has developed a rich international programme connecting it to countries across the world including: The Gambia, The Netherlands, China, France, Germany and The Czech Republic.

A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including: 

  • Making global citizenship a key priority in the school and a focus for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence
  • Using international links to explore important issues in a global context and to create engaging, meaningful and challenging learning experiences
  • Developing strong international partnerships which can be sustained and which have made an impact on every learner.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, International Coordinator, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms and school. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.

Download Programme for Bo’ness Academy Open Day 17May12

How to book

To book, please contact Megan Farr, Policy Officer, Falkirk Council. Email: megan.farr@falkirk.gov.uk or Tel. 01324 506671.

Places for the open day section of the event are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Shakti Roadshows 2012: ‘Honour Based Violence’

Shakti Women’s Aid have organised a series of road shows exploring Honour-based violence and Gender-based violence with a special focus on BME Children and Young People in different cities in Scotland.

The first road show will be held at the Auchterderran Centre in Fife on 13th June 2012

 Speakers will include:

  • Pragna Patel (Southall Black Sisters), 
  • John Fotheringham, (Lindsays Family Solicitors) who will talk about the new Forced Marriage Act
  • the FGM charity DARF on Female Genital Mutilation
  • Shakti Women’s Aid

 The event is free but booking is required: for more information & booking contact Ola on 0131 475 2399 or email info@shaktiedinburgh.co.uk

CHANGE- learning disabilities sexuality resources

The CHANGE sex and relationship pack includes 5 accessible books on a variety of SHRE Topics

The books encourage understanding of sexuality and awareness of safe sex and can be used to support open discussion about all aspects of sex and relationships.

The books are accessible which can be used as a useful tool for people with learning disabilities, people who speak English as a second language or people who find reading difficult.

CHANGE is a leading national human rights organisation, working for the rights of all people with learning disabilities. They also employ people with learning disabilities on an equal, living wage to produce accessible resources and deliver training.

The books are available either as a pack or as individual books from the CHANGE website

Drug Awareness – Do You Know the Signs?

Substance Misuse is a problem in many schools across Scotland but do you know what the signs might be and what to look out for? Possibly not so this special CPD event is aimed at you.

Constable Dougie McClounie from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency will deliver this Glow Meet on Tuesday 27th March from 4pm looking at the key issues surrounding drug education in Scotland.

He has wide range of experience including community policing and supporting young people in further and higher education. He was the drug awareness officer for Glasgow city centre and west end where he delivered a wide range of drug related presentations including inputs to all schools in the division.

Constable McClounie is now a member of the Interventions team at the SCDEA. He has a great interest in delivering drug education and awareness to support young people in making the correct choices in life. He also works in the planning teams for both Choices for Life and Shared Responsibility.

This Glow Meet will be useful to all practitioners working with children and young people. The importance of effective partnership working in substance misuse education will be discussed and there will be an opportunity to ask ‘tricky’ questions.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV – Health and wellbeing – Substance Misuse

Working in our National Parks – A Series of Events

Join us for the first two Glow TV events in a series looking at outdoor learning and skills for work.

Our first session comes live from Hermitage Academy on Thursday 22nd March from 11-12pm where pupils will be meeting two employees of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to give you an insight into the pathways to and the roles of a planner (particularly around the built environment) and a ranger (with roles in education and conservation). You will learn what qualifications, skills and areas of expertise are required and developed in both roles and have opportunities for questioning our experts.

In our second session on Tuesday 27th March from 2pm join our panel of experts, including some pupils involved, to learn about rural skills. A similar session to the one on Thursday 22nd March is featured, along with footage of a rural skills course in action with interviews from pupils, teacher and National Park ranger delivering the course.

Hear about the skills for work opportunities and how a course such as this helps the development of a suite of ‘soft’ skills which are transferable and support transition into work. There will be opportunities to interact and have your questions answered during both sessions.

Sign up and join us in Glow TV for Working in our National Parks – live from Hermitage Academy on Thursday 22nd and Working in our National Parks – Rural Skills on Tuesday 27th March. We look forward to seeing you!

It’s Not Too Late to Sport Your Trainers!

Did you Sport your Trainers and get involved in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on 12th March? If you didn’t take part though it isn’t too late you still can by registering in the Sport Your Trainers 2012 Glow Group and letting us know how you will continue to take part.

We challenged you as a school to try and reach a partner country by Commonwealth Day on the 12th March of this year and show your support for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games by getting involved in this year’s Sport your Trainers campaign. You were free to choose what country you wished to partner from the Official List of Partners and then you needed to find out how far away they were from your school!

We now want to know what you did or are hoping to do as we will be keeping the challenge going!

You can take part by walking, jogging, rowing, cycling, and spinning or even skipping, the choice is yours and all activities count, so get creative!

Last year 820,000 people across Scotland pledged their support, and we want 2012 to be even bigger! By taking part in this fun challenge we’ll all be doing our bit to support the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Official Glasgow 2014 shoelaces are up for grabs for all schools that take part so you just need to sign up below to let us know that you are taking part!!

So what are you waiting for, get active!

Did you miss our Sport Your Trainers 2012 event in Glow TV – well Watch Again and check out the pictures on our Your Pictures and Resource page too!

Wise up Wednesday – see our exciting new early years resources!

Every Day’s a Learning Day 

Two new books have been published by Education Scotland to help parents and carers of young children to make the most of the learning experiences that exist in everyday life.

 Every Day’s a Learning Day (Birth to 3 years)’ and ‘Every Day’s a Learning Day (3 to 6 years)’ aim to help parents support their child’s development in the crucial areas of health and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy.

 Both books are available in English and Gaelic language versions.

 www.educationscotland.gov.uk/everydaylearning  

There will be a copy of each of the books with the next issue of Education Scotland’s Early Years Matters.

The books will be distributed in the Scottish Booktrust’s Bookbug bags. The Birth to 3 book will go to parents when they visit their health visitor for their child’s first vaccination from March onwards. The 3-6 book will be in Bookbug bags for children when they turn 3 and join nursery.

Learning connections with game based learning

Nintendogs game for the Nintendo DS, has been used to create a rich, dynamic and inclusive educational context for learners as part of a game-based learning initiative run by Learning and Teaching Scotland and Aberdeenshire Council.

The initiative looks at how the challenging, demanding and appealing world of Nintendogs can help support effective teaching and learning in Curriculum for Excellence.

The initiative provided content for learning in a P2 class. The teachers involved in the initial project and subsequent teachers that have used Nintendogs, made the game the central focus for projects that created connections across learning.

Caring for and nurturing your virtual pet was central to this game. Teachers created purposeful and relevant activities that involved learning in Art & Design. The videos showcase in more detail accounts of what the teachers and the children did and how the game impacted on their learning.

To read this case study click here.

Wise Up Wednesday – did you know about…?

 Tracy’s Early Years Lowe-down

This weekly blog is the place Early Years Training Manager at the Scottish Book Trust Tracy Lowe (hence the pun-tastic title) shares new resources, interesting information and research relating to the early years.http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/blog/tracys-early-years-lowedown

NHS Health Scotland

NHS Health Scotland’s 2011 publications catalogue

http://www.healthscotland.com/uploads/documents/15300-PublishingCatalogue2011

Maternal and Early Years

This website is for everyone working in the early years workforce in Scotland. It covers a wide breadth of information relevant to practitioners at all levels. It brings together a wealth of up-to-date information, key resources and support.

http://www.maternal-and-early-years.org.uk/

SSSC Workforce Solutions

Practice Simulation for Childhood Practice and Practitioner Research

http://workforcesolutions.sssc.uk.com/course/view.php?id=27

Mental Health Toolkit for Young Carers

The Princess Royal Trust for Carers, Young Carers Mental Health Toolkit is now available online for anyone working with young carers.  The toolkit was developed in direct response to worker requests for more resources around promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.  The toolkit also addresses requests made by young carers for more information and help in dealing with emergency situations and building support.  The toolkit was developed by Young Carers Mental Health Development Coordinator from Princess Royal Trust for Carers, in partnership with Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance and funded by The Scottish Government. You can access the toolkit here.

 Alternatively it can be found on www.youngcarers.net click on Professionals page and then on subheading Health and follow the links to the toolkit.

In addition The Princess Royal Trust for Carers website has excellent information and resources for anyone working with Young Carers.

Smoking ban and link in fall of premature births

New research by the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at Glasgow University suggests a link between a reduction in the number of premature and low birth weight babies in Scotland and the introduction of the smoking ban in public places in 2006. The study shows that the number of pregnant women who smoked fell from 25.4 per cent to 18.8 per cent following the start of the ban. The research also showed that the number of pre-term deliveries (babies born before 37 weeks) fell by 10 per cent, there was a 5 per cent fall in babies born small for gestational size and an 8 per cent decrease in the number of infants born very small.
For more information see the comment from Sheila Duffy, chief executive of ASH Scotland, in the Scotsman today.

Alcohol – using percentages to calculate units

Glow Meet with Tom Renwick – Monday 12 March at 2 pm

Education Scotland will be hosting a Glow Meet with a difference with Tom Renwick from Maths on Track. Aimed at third level and suitable for S1, S2 and S3 pupils, this live transmission from the Medical School at Glasgow University, will examine the percentage calculations required to confirm units of alcohol, given the volume and alcoholic strength of the liquid.

Please note that cans of beer, as well as bottles of wine and spirits, will be used as examples of numeracy in the context of everyday materials.

Colleagues from the Medical School will be on hand to help explain the effects of units of alcohol on the body.

The lesson will last about 45 minutes and be available shortly after on Watch Again TV. You will need a Glow login to view this event.

International Women’s Day – Be What You Want!

Join us on GlowTV on Thursday 8 March @ 1.45 pm

“That’s women’s work!” “You’ll need a man to do that job!”

To mark International Women’s Day, join us in challenging the stereotypes and assumptions that young people may have when considering subject choices and subsequent career paths by participating in a Glow TV event aimed at P6-P7 pupils. Sign up here

Meet the London 2012 Olympic Torch – Friday 9th March

With a little over 2 months to go until the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay starts its journey across the UK, the London 2012 Olympic Torch will make a special visit to Bruntsfield Primary School, Edinburgh on Friday 9th March and you are invited to join us via GlowTV to see the stunning Torch design for yourself!

Bank of Scotland, the Presenting Partner for Scotland of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay, will be bringing the Torch to the school for a special assembly and interactive quiz which you can take part in too!

During the event pupils will learn more about the history of the Olympic Torch, plans for the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay and how they and their school can get involved when the Flame passes through their community this June.

Schools that register for Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week, delivered in partnership with sportscotland – the national agency for sport, will receive resources on how to become ‘Flame Followers’ including ideas for how to plan your own Olympic Torch celebrations. For more information and to register for Flame Followers and Bank of Scotland National School Sport Week, taking place 11-15 June 2012, visit www.schoolsportweekscotland.org

Wanted! Creative teachers and CLD staff

Are you creative in the classroom? Do you empower creativity in your young people?
Education Scotland is looking for teachers and CLD staff who use creativity in their work to speak up and share their creative learning and teaching approaches with the rest of Scotland through a series of very short online film clips.

Creativity in its purest sense involves generating original ideas that have value and crosses ALL areas of the curriculum (not just the arts) and we are looking for examples from subjects as diverse as PE, Languages and Maths. It could be the young people learning creative skills or an approach to lesson planning that is particularly creative. What creativity might involve can be found here: http://glo.li/xGyO32

Here are the questions we would like to put to you:

• What is creativity (to you)?

• Why be creative in your teaching?

• What happens when the young learners are engaged in a creative activity?

• What did you and your young learners do that was creative?
You might explain an example of what creativity looks like in your classroom or group.
You might detail day-to-day creative approaches or else explain a specific project, topic or development.
How did this specifically benefit you and the young people?

You will be filmed by a professional film company (they really put you at your ease) who will come to you, fit around your timetable, and the whole process of setting up and filming will take less than half an hour. Ultimately we are capturing just 3 minutes of glorious quality footage from you that will be shared through the Creativity Portal. This is a great opportunity to showcase your creativity to a national audience.

The filming will be arranged to suit you some time in the next three weeks.

It takes moments to offer your experience or suggest a colleague who you think would fit the bill:
Go to: http://glo.li/z0Mi3s
Email: Stephen.bullock@educationscotland.gov.uk
Phone: 0141 282 5194

Transform Toolkit

Education Scotland has published a new online resource,
Transform Toolkit. The toolkit has been created by National Theatre of Scotland and Education Scotland to give every school and community the chance to create their own transformative experience.

Transform is an initiative which gives opportunities to schools and communities to work collaboratively on a large-scale creative project and allows participants to engage with and learn from artists from a range of creative industries.

Transform can be carried out by using the range of suggested tasks provided in the toolkit and/or with CPD support from National Theatre of Scotland. You can use the toolkit as a guide and it is designed to allow you to pick and choose the appropriate activities for the participants.

Big Dance 2012

Call for Participants

Big Dance 2012 is the UK’s biggest ever celebration of dance, with events taking part around the UK. As part of the Scottish Government’s policy to ‘Get Scotland Dancing’, Dance Base has received investment from Creative Scotland to produce a celebration of dance.

On Saturday 30 June and Sunday 1 July 2012, Dance Base is inviting every dance group, school and society to perform, teach or demonstrate in themed stages/areas throughout Edinburgh city centre. At night they will show an outdoor dance-along movie and a fringe programme of dance in bars and clubs, bringing people into the city to celebrate dance.

Dance Base is co-ordinating celebrations for the Edinburgh region and hopes to work with as many partners as possible to make the Big Dance celebration a high profile event attracting thousands.

Information on Big Dance 2012 can be found here.

If you are a group who would like to be involved register your interest with Dance Base by 29 February 2012. Over the next few months Dance Base will also be looking for individuals who want to volunteer in the run up to and during the event weekend.

Children’s Mental Health Conference 2012 (Glasgow)

 
This conference will aim to refresh and enhance your knowledge on a variety of key topics and current developments in the field of children’s mental health, show examples of good practice and most importantly provide you with practical information which you can apply.  It will take place on Tuesday 15th May 2012 at Hilton Glasgow Grosvenor Hotel and costs £197 including lunch and refreshments.

Please click on the following link for information on the conference and booking details – http://www.bipolarscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Mental-Heath-Troubled-Times.pdf

NHS Health Scotland Healthy Living Publications Update

The NHS Health Scotland suite of Healthy Living public facing resources will be updated in 2012-13 and NHS Health Scotland needs your professional support to guide the development of their National publications.

These publications relate to; Child Healthy Weight, Food & Health and Physical Activity & Healthy Weight in Scotland, across all age stages. By supporting the update, you are sure to gain valuable experience of being part of a national steering group and an insight into resource development.

Three new topic based steering groups will ensure publication revisions are guided by people who have experience of using Healthy Living resources in practice and/or professional expertise in the topic areas. The three Healthy Living steering group topics are:

  • Child Healthy Weight Publication Steering Group
  • Food & Health Publication Steering Group (including ‘Eating for Health’ and ‘Hassle Free Food’)
  • Physical Activity & Healthy Weight Steering Group (including ‘Hassle Free Exercise’ and ‘Physical Activity During and After Pregnancy’)

Each of these groups will meet on a couple of occasions throughout 2012-13 to:

  • Review and edit the content within the identified Healthy Living publication titles (according to the update schedule and time you can commit)
  • Guide the dissemination of revised publications and raise awareness of these National publications

To find out more about the purpose and remit of the steering groups or to express interest in joining, please email Karen Mailer: karen.mailer@nhs.net asap.

Happy Talk

One factor that is increasingly being cited as an important economic indicator is happiness.

After all, what good is increased production and consumption if the result isn’t increased human satisfaction? Until fairly recently, the subject of happiness was mostly avoided by economists for lack of good ways to measure it; however, in recent years, “happiness economists” have found ways to combine subjective surveys with objective data (on lifespan, income, and education) to yield data with consistent patterns, making a national happiness index a practical reality

But at this moment in history, as GDP growth becomes an unachievable goal, it is especially important that societies re-examine their aims and measures. If we aim for what is no longer possible, we will achieve only delusion and frustration. But if we aim for genuinely worthwhile goals that can be attained, then even if we have less energy at our command and fewer material goods available, we might nevertheless still increase our satisfaction in life.

To read the full article click here.

Sport Your Trainers 2012

Sport your Trainers and get involved in the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games!

As a school we’d like to set you the challenge of reaching your partner country by Commonwealth Day on the 12th March of this year and show your support for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games by getting involved in this year’s Sport your Trainers campaign.

You can take part by walking, jogging, rowing, cycling, and spinning or even skipping, the choice is yours and all activities count, so get creative. You can find out more about this in the Sport Your Trainers Glow Group.

To help celebrate this we will be having a special Glow Meet as part of the national launch and we will be coming live from Maddiston Primary in Falkirk on Thursday 23rd February at 11am. The athlete who will be appearing at the school is 18-year-old Scottish Pole Vaulter Jax Thoirs. Find out more about Jax.

Join us and find out more about Sport Your Trainers 2012 and ask your questions!! Sign up and join us in Glow TV.

What are friends for?

The presence of friends mitigates negative experiences, study proves

“Stand by me” is a common refrain when it comes to friendship; however, new research from Concordia University proves that the concept goes beyond pop music: keeping friends close has real physiological and psychological benefits. 

The presence of a best friend directly affects children going through negative experiences, as reported in the recent Concordia-based study published in Developmental Psychology. The study was conducted with the collaboration of researchers at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Feelings of self-worth and levels of cortisol, a hormone produced naturally by the adrenal gland in direct response to stress, are largely dependent on the social context of a negative experience.
 
“Having a best friend present during an unpleasant event has an immediate impact on a child’s body and mind,” says author William M. Bukowski, a psychology professor and director of the Concordia Centre for Research in Human Development. “If a child is alone when he or she gets in trouble with a teacher or has an argument with a classmate, we see a measurable increase in cortisol levels and decrease in feelings of self-worth.”
 
A total of 55 boys and 48 girls from grades 5 and 6 in local Montreal schools took part in the study. Participants kept journals on their feelings and experiences over the course of four days and submitted to regular saliva tests that monitored cortisol levels. 

Concordia psychology professor William M. Bukowski | Photo by Concordia University
 
Although previous studies have shown that friendships can protect against later adjustment difficulties, this study is the first to definitively demonstrate that the presence of a friend results in an immediate benefit for the child undergoing a negative experience.
 
These results have far-reaching implications. “Our physiological and psychological reactions to negative experiences as children impacts us later in life,” explains Bukowski. “Excessive secretion of cortisol can lead to significant physiological changes, including immune suppression and decreased bone formation. Increased stress can really slow down a child’s development.”

According to Bukowski, when it comes to feelings of self-worth, “What we learn about ourselves as children is how we form our adult identities. If we build up feelings of low self-worth during childhood, this will translate directly into how we see ourselves as adults.”

The study builds on previous research at Concordia that has shown multiple friendships inoculate against negative outcomes such as bullying, exclusion and other kinds of aggression.
 
About the study
 The paper, “The Presence of a Best Friend Buffers the Effects of Negative Experiences,” published in the journal Developmental Psychology, was authored by William M. Bukowski of Concordia University in Canada, Ryan E. Adams of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and John Bruce Santo of the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the United States.

Health and wellbeing Glow Meet Wednesday 22 February 1615-1700

This Glow meet will provide CPD support to deliver the aspects of HWB that are the Responsibility of All. 

You will have the opportunity to hear about the building blocks of HWB to develop a whole school approach and a shared understanding of Responsibility of all.  This shared understanding can help teachers and partners to consider assessment in HWB, in particular on those aspects that are the Responsibility of all.

There will be the opportunity to post questions throughout the meet.

To join your colleagues, please click here. (Glow log in required).

Wise up Wednesday – Shrove Tuesday

Fantastic Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) books to read………..

  • “Curious George Makes Pancakes” by Margret Rey
  • “Pancakes, Pancakes!” by Eric Carle
  • “Mr Wolf’s Pancakes” by Jan Fearnley
  • “Little House in the Big Woods” by Laura Ingalls Wilder
  • “Pippi Longstocking” by Astrid Lindgren
  • “Moomintroll”  by Tove Jansson
  • “The Runaway Pancake” folktale

 

……and a quiz for afters, mmmmmmmmmmm!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/childrens-books/quiz/2011/mar/08/pancake-day-children-s-books-quiz

Have fun!

http://spotlight.britannica.co.uk/PancakeDay/PancakeDay_Activity.html

Education Scotland Awards

Health and Wellbeing Award

This category recognises schools and pre schools that are developing a holistic approach to health and wellbeing of children and young people, involving knowledge and understanding, skills and attributes necessary for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing.

To nominate a school:  http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/index.asp

National Early Years Conference: Getting it Right for Every Child – The Journey so Far…

 

NHS Health Scotland’s EARLY YEARS ANNUAL CONFERENCE 

1st March 2012

Getting it Right for Every Child – the Journey So Far

This event is now oversubscribed but you can still sign up to participate through webcast.

If you would like to participate through webcast, email : Lynn.Soutar@nhs.net

Find out more at the following links:

http://www.maternal-and-early-years.org.uk/early-years-annual-conference-getting-it-right-for-every-child-the-journey-so-far

Maternal and Early Years Website for Early Years Professionals

www.maternal-and-early-years.org.uk/

Sign up for the National Early Years Network and receive the monthly e-newsletter

http://www.maternal-and-early-years.org.uk/mail-subscriber 

Information for parents

www.readysteadybaby.org.uk

Health and Wellbeing Showcase, Thursday 9th February, Aberdeen

The Health and wellbeing team welcomed over sixty practitioners to our Showcase event. 

We had a packed day celebrating good practice across the health and wellbeing organisers. There was a marketplace where many of our partners were available to discuss how they can support schools, these included Active Schools, British Heart Foundation, The Red Cross, Organ Donation, Sustrans, Health Working Lives and Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency.  

Alison Hammerton from Outdoor Learning enthused with ideas that stimulated how schools can deliver health and wellbeing by taking the curriculum outside. Click here to go the Outdoor Learning Blog for updates.

We finished the day with a keynote speech from Craig Brown, former Head Teacher and current Manager of Aberdeen Football Club.  He shared some tales of football fun whilst integrating the key messages of health and wellbeing and gave us all a laugh too.

We hope our delegates gain a lot from the day and would encourage them to sign up to our HWB Community where we will share the presentations from the day and partner contact information. Click here to sign up to the community.

Also don’t forget to join Education Scotland on Facebook and Twitter.

Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS)

The Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) is part of an important and long established series of national surveys on smoking, drinking and drug use. Information has been collected in Scotland from 1982 on smoking, 1990 on drinking and since 1998 on drug use. The latest survey was carried out during the autumn term of 2010 with a sample of over 37,000 pupils from S2 and S4 classes from across Scotland.

The report provides information on:

Prevalence of smoking, drinking and drug use
Frequency of substance misuse
Sources of cigarettes, alcohol and drugs
Pupils’ attitudes to substance misuse

The report makes very interesting reading and is useful point of reference for practitioners working with children and young people.

A summary of the report can be found at –

http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/abstracts/salsus.htm

Talking Stem Cells

21/02/12 – 2pm
Scottish Stem Cell Network (SSCN) have been running a series of interactive workshops on the topic of Stem Cells.

The workshops are delivered live by scientists enhancing the class room experience and providing a unique opportunity to explore science as a career. The scientists presenting this session are Dr Paul Shiels from Glasgow University and Dr Andy Downes from Edinburgh University.

Resources address key objectives by setting up scenarios to encourage Interdisciplinary learning specifically addressing areas of  Science, RMPS together with issues from Health and Wellbeing. The resources are designed to develop skills in group work within and across schools and critical analysis skills where the students will be assessing the moral and ethical issues associated with scientific advancements based on factual information validated and delivered by experts in the field.

The workshops are lead by a stem cell scientist, making use of a mix of presentations, interactive quizzes, video and web based activities and cover:

• A basic introduction into stem cells, the science.
• How can we use Stem Cells
• What does the future hold
• The Ethical questions
• Careers in the Stem Cell Industry

These workshop sessions are aimed at S5 Higher Human Biology/ Higher Biology classes.

This event will be coming live from Forth Valley College on the day.

Click here to sign up and join in! (Glow log in required)
Please ensure that you have contacted Henriette Laidlaw prior to the event to ensure that you have the relevent materials – Henriette@sscn.co.uk

Falkirk – global citizenship showcase and school open day

Falkirk Council global citizenship showcase and school open day

Venue: Bo’ness Academy, Falkirk

9:30am – 3.00pm

This event will now take place on Thursday 17th May 2012

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders an exciting opportunity to visit Bo’ness Academy and attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase Event.

Bo’ness Academy is an inspiring example of a school that has used international education as a vehicle to engage the whole school in global citizenship activities. Through the Comenius Programme and other well established links the school has developed a rich international programme connecting it to countries across the world including: The Gambia, The Netherlands, China, France, Germany and The Czech Republic.

A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school move forward on its journey including: 

  • Making global citizenship a key priority in the school and a focus for the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence
  • Using international links to explore important issues in a global context and to create engaging, meaningful and challenging learning experiences
  • Developing strong international partnerships which can be sustained and which have made an impact on every learner.

Participants will have the opportunity to meet and talk with the Head Teacher, International Coordinator, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms and school. Time will also be set aside for participants to reflect and share their own experiences.

Following the open day event, participants will also have the opportunity to attend Falkirk Council’s Global Citizenship Showcase event which will also be taking place in Bo’ness Academy from 4pm – 6pm. This will feature exhibitions and displays from leading organisations such as Eco-Schools and British Council and will showcase innovative global citizenship practice from many Falkirk schools.

How to book

To book, please contact Megan Farr, Policy Officer, Falkirk Council. Email: megan.farr@falkirk.gov.uk or Tel. 01324 506671.

 Places for the open day section of the event are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Download programme for Bo’ness Academy Open Day >>

Body Confidence Event

Centre for Confidence and Well-being

New Events

The next Centre for Confidence and Well-being event is with Jo Swinson MP who will talk about both her role as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary group on Well-being at Westminster as well as the Body Confidence Campaign which was set up in response to the growing concern that photoshopped media images are affecting people’s confidence – particularly young women’s feeling about themselves. This FREE event is on Wednesday 15 February from 5pm to 7pm in the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow. Please get in touch to register your interest as places are limited.

The Centre is also planning an event called Wanting, Watching and Well-being at the Aye Right! Book Festival on Wednesday 15 March at 7.30pm at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow. The speaker is Professor Agnes Cairn who wrote the recent UNICEF report on young people’s well-being in the UK which suggested that materialism may be a major reason why the UK scores much lower in child well-being than other countries. Tickets available through Aye Right!

Obama’s aide offers food for thought

One of Barack Obama’s key aides will head the line-up for the Scottish Government’s 2012 National Food and Drink Conference.

Dr Janey Thornton, the US Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Service, will discuss the benefits of collaborative working for both Scotland and America at the event in Perth on March 7.

Also joining Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead on the conference platform will be Dr Joao Breda from the World Health Organization. He will assess how Scotland is progressing in relation to some of the world’s top food and drink issues.

Completing the line-up at the event – which celebrates Scotland’s high quality food and drink sector and its many innovative businesses and producers – will be one of Scotland’s top chefs, Nick Nairn, as well as entrepreneur Fraser Doherty of SuperJam, who turned his teenage hobby into a successful business.

Click here to download an application for the event.

Internet Safety Competition

Following the popular competition on internet safety in 2010 the Scottish Government will this year run a similar competition to coincide with Safer Internet Day on 7 February 2012.  The competition will run till 1 March 2012.  The theme for this year is ‘Connecting generations so that we can discover the digital world together safely’. The theme aims to encourage you to think about your internet use, and how other age groups might also use the internet.  Full details of the competition brief and internet safety information can be viewed here.

To view the Scottish Government Internet Safety Leaflet, click here.

Competition Brief

Wise up Wednesday…..for parents!

Health and Wellbeing Event for Parents – Saturday 25 February 2012

 The Health and Wellbeing team at Education Scotland is hosting an event for parents on 25 February at Stirling Management Centre. The event will start at 10 am and finish at 1 pm and is free to attend. The aim of this event is to outline the health and wellbeing entitlements for Curriculum for Excellence.

 There will be lots of opportunities for discussion about the different aspects of the health and wellbeing curriculum and how parents can support their children with this. Partner agencies will also be attending to facilitate some group discussions. This event will be of interest to any parent with children in the early years, primary and secondary settings.

 If you are interested in attending this event please register with Anne-Marie Lamont.  Anne-Marie.Lamont@educationscotland.gov.uk

Scottish Education Awards

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 close on Friday 2 March 2012. Visit the Scottish Education Awards website for more information.

A Right Wee Blether

A RIGHT wee blether, a creative conversation led by Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People ran from 12th September – 31st October 2011. 

The Commissioner, Tam Baillie, has a responsibility to promote and safeguard the rights of children and young people in Scotland.  A RIGHT wee blether encouraged children to creatively express how they feel by answering five key questions:

  • How are you feeling today?
  • What makes you smile?
  • Who is special to you?
  • You are given a special star, where will you put it? 
  •  What would you like to change?

The views and experiences of children have been captured and summarised. These responses, in addition to the consultation with school age children a RIGHT blether, will inform the Commissioner’s work over the next four years.

  • To find out more about the work of Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People and a RIGHT wee blether please visit http://www.sccyp.org.uk/.
  • You can also see an example of  how this was put into practice by visiting St Joseph’s Nursery website.

Health and Wellbeing Profiles 2010, Scotland Overview Report

Click here to access the 2010 health profiles, along with complementary profiles focussing on children and young people. These profiles highlight the considerable variation in health between areas and help identify priorities for health improvement. The profiles give a snapshot overview of health for each area using spine charts (which show how the area compares to the Scottish average), and allow further understanding of the results via rank charts and trend charts.

Global citizenship online community – now LIVE

Do you have an interest in, or remit for, global citizenship? Need some advice or want to share ideas with like-minded practitioners?

If so, then you’ll probably want to have a peek at the shiny new online community for global citizenship on CPD Central. Join now so you can brag to colleagues about how you were one of the pioneering members .

Why have we set it up? Well, there’s always a buzz of ideas and sharing at our face-to-face CPD events and we thought it’d be amazing if we could find a way of bringing people together again and again to keep the discussion and buzz going. Well we’ve found a way!  Here’s your bit:

Step 1 – Visit http://bit.ly/DGConline and add your picture (Glow log in required)

Step 2 – Share an idea or ask the audience

Welcome gift! If you join before Friday 17th February 2012 we’ll be happy to offer you a special gift to welcome you to the community – one of our highly-prized global citizenship wall calendars (these have been flying off our shelves!).

Whitelees Primary School – Open Day

School open day

Whitelees Primary School, North Lanarkshire Council

9:30am – 3.00pm, Monday 20th February 2012

Theme:  Sustainable Development Education

This event was originally due to take place on 8th December 2011 but had to be cancelled due to the severe storms. It has now been rescheduled for Monday 20th February 2012.

Whitelees Primary School hit the headlines in 2011 when it became the first primary school to be awarded five ‘excellent’ grades by the school inspectors.  This isn’t the first time their achievements have made news. The school’s accolades and awards include:

  • Finalist, Scottish Education Awards – Sustainable School category (2011)
  • Best Green School Award (2009)
  • Winner,  Scottish Education Awards – Best Enterprise category (2008)
  • Four Green Flags, Eco-Schools Scotland.

A key factor in the school’s success has been the way it has placed global citizenship and sustainable development education at the heart of the curriculum to provide exciting, relevant and engaging contexts for learning. This has helped to create, ‘Highly motivated, confident and ambitious children who are keen to learn and to make a difference in school and the wider community.’

This CPD event offers practitioners and school leaders from across Scotland the chance to visit Whitelees Primary School to meet with the Head Teacher, staff and learners and also tour the classrooms, buildings and grounds. A focus of the event will be to identify and share the practical lessons and ideas that have helped the school develop a successful whole school approach to sustainability and global citizenship including: 

  • A sustained commitment to pupil voice with learners being given real opportunities to shape the curriculum and school decision making
  • Effective use of the school grounds, nature and vegetable gardens to support outdoor learning and deliver the curriculum
  • The inspiring pupil rock band which has achieved notable success through their songs about fair trade and climate change.

Those participating in the open day will also have time to reflect and share their own experiences. 

Click here to download programme for open day

How to book

To book, please email: globalcitizens@educationscotland.gov.uk or Tel. 0141 282 5172.

Places are limited so please book early to avoid disappointment. This is a free event!

Health and Wellbeing Showcase – Carnegie Conference Centre, Thursday 26th January 2012

The Health and wellbeing team are welcoming a hundred practitioners to the first of our Showcase events.  We have a packed day celebrating good practice across the health and wellbeing organisers.  There is marketplace where some of our partners are available to discuss how they can support schools and we have a keynote speech from Dr Rosemary Geddes, Research Fellow for the Scottish Collaboration for Public Health Research and Policy at the Medical Research Council in Edinburgh.  Also Julie Wilson from Outdoor Learning will stimulate ideas about how schools can deliver health and wellbeing by taking the curriculum outside.  Click here to go the Outdoor Learning Blog for updates.

We hope our delegates gain a lot from the day and would encourage them to sign up to our HWB Community where we will share the presentations from the day and partner contact information.  Click here to sign up to the community.

Also don’t forget to join Education Scotland on Facebook and Twitter.

Enquire national conference

The Enquire national conference takes place on 8 March at The Quay in Musselburgh.

As an annual gathering of key people connected to additional support for learning across Scotland, the Enquire conference intends to spark ideas and actions that will further the understanding and appreciation of practice in the field. A report of findings of the conference will be sent to attendees and submitted to the Scottish Government.

Starting in 2012, the Scottish Parliament requires an annual report from Scottish Ministers in order to monitor the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act. The mandatory information includes four components the number of children and young people with additional support needs, the main factors giving rise to those additional support needs, the types of support provided and the cost of providing that support.

A vital consideration following this reporting will be what we know about the positive difference being made by additional support for learning and how we can better demonstrate that difference.

Conference participants will be encouraged to share their experiences, ideas and evidence around three broad themes:
● Ensuring positive outcomes from additional support
● Engaging effectively with children and families
● Effective co-ordination across the diverse services and professions in the ASL arena.

Confirmed speakers include:
● Chair, Keir Bloomer, The Commission on School Reform and Vice-convener, Children in Scotland
● Laura Meikle, Senior Policy Adviser, Support and Wellbeing Unit, Scottish Government
● Elizabeth King, Principal Educational Psychologist South Lanarkshire Council
● and film launch – young people from Edinburgh and East Lothian share their views about support that helps.

The following link will take you straight to the relevant section of the Children in Scotland website.

Get Set Network and Ticketshare

I am pleased to attach as usual the latest figures for Get Set registration and network membership together with lists of those schools in your authority which are either ‘not yet registered’ or ‘registered but not yet networked’.  You will see from the overall Get Set report that there are now extra columns detailing the final tally of schools which successfully applied for membership of the network before the 16th Dec ticketshare deadline.  The overall figures show a healthy 39% of eligible schools nationally and a rise to 65% of registrations.   Well done for all your efforts in making this happen!

 As we move into 2012 there is still plenty of time to apply (click here!)and take advantage of many more rewards and opportunities including Get Set goes global, World Sport Day and the Torch relay.  Please continue to encourage Get Set network membership!

Health and wellbeing event – 10th March 2012

The health and wellbeing team are busy organising a number of events to support staff in this key area of the curriculum. If you have any thoughts or suggestions regarding content for events then please let us know. Contact

An event for all practitioners takes place on 10th March 2012 at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow.
If you would like the opportunity to network, share good practice and hear key messages then add this date to your diary!

Watch this space for further information and sign-up details!
If you have any thoughts or suggestions regarding content for events then please let us know. Contact Yvonne Sherry at the following address: yvonne.sherry@educationscotland.gov.uk

Scottish Athletics

Scottish athletics have recently launched a new national schools athletics programme booklet to provide  guidance and support for schools in Scotland offering athletics opportunities.

National Schools Athletics programme

Pasta Geometry

Pasta + mathematical equations = food as a context for interdisciplinary learning?

“With over two hundred elaborate diagrams and photographs, as well as a few words on regional provence and cusine,” writes George L. Legendre in “Pasta by Design,”  the book “offers a surreal interpretation of the everyday experience of making and eating pasta.  “Here is a selection of photographs, mathematical equations and descriptions of unusual pasta shapes from the book.

See them in action by following this link.

Living Streets Competition

Walk Once a Week – WOW – Badge Design Competition

2012’s WoW badge design competition is here, and we’re delighted to confirm that the theme is ‘AROUND THE WORLD‘. We are inviting schools to get their pupils’ creativity flowing and design what could be one of the official WoW badges for 2012/13.

Each winner will have his or her design transformed into the monthly WoW badges worn by hundreds of thousands of children across the country, and will be invited to an awards ceremony and fun day out in London in May 2012.

Our annual WoW badge design competition is one of the UK’s biggest art competitions, with over 150,000 primary school children taking part to design badges for a specific theme. Each participant school is invited to submit three entries for consideration. In 2011 our judging panel viewed over 1,800 fantastic entries on a Sport theme; our biggest competition yet! The deadline for receiving entries will be 16 March. 

www.livingstreets.org.uk

Head Teacher / Depute Head Teacher HWB Event, Thursday 19th January, Carlton Barcelo, Edinburgh

The Health and Wellbeing Team had a very positive and stimulating day with Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers from across the Central Belt with just a smattering of snow.   

There were inputs from Granton Primary and Craigroyston Community High that received rapturous praise and look to have inspired leaders to return to school and share with colleagues.  Also there was welcome guidance and reassurance for delegates from Joan Mackay, HMI around inspection in Health and wellbeing.  As expected assessment was a more challenging part of the day. however the evidence from feedback featured a very strong steer that assessment is the key area for development and next steps described what will be taken forward from the day.

We would like to encourage participants to sign up to our hwb lead community which will also give members access to the hwb-cpd community.  To access the presentations from today please click here.  To add your intention about impact after the event click here.  Remember to use the hashtag #hwblead which you can also use to tweet about the event.

National No Smoking Day 14th March 2012

National no smoking day takes place on 14th March 2012. Register your no smoking day event by following the link below:

http://www.nosmokingday.org.uk/organisers/eventsregister.php

No Smoking Day was established as a national event on Ash Wednesday in 1984, and has grown in status and in impact over the past the 25 years.

No Smoking Day was originally organised by a committee of representatives from organisations with an interest in smoking and health. In 1988 No Smoking Day took on full time campaign staff and the Day continues to be organised by a small number of full time staff. No Smoking Day was registered as a charity in 1991 and in 2011 the charity was merged with the British Heart Foundation.

Since its inception, No Smoking Day has aimed to support those smokers who want to quit; research shows that around three in every four smokers would like to stop.

The success of the No Smoking Day is built on the commitment of local organisers throughout the UK. There are now over 8,000 registered campaigners for No Smoking Day and the charity circulates over 35,000 campaign packs each year.

The hard work of these dedicated organisers has helped ensure that No Smoking Day has remained the UK’s foremost public health event, with over a million people making a quit attempt every year.

Global Citizenship – JOIN our Glow drop in session

Developing Global Citizens through sustainable development education

Time:  3.45pm – 4.45pm, Thursday 26th January

Where: The shiny new Glow community for global citizenship

 2012 is a big year for Sustainable Development Education (SDE):

  • World leaders will gather in Rio to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 and decide on further action
  • 2012 is the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
  • We only have three years until the end of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Education and there is a buzz of activity happening in schools and local authorities across Scotland.

If you’d like to tune into all that’s happening and are looking for inspiration and ideas to kick start 2012 then this is the Glow meet for you. The Developing Global Citizenship Team will be hosting this informal session open to any practitioner or school leader – just drop into the Glow meet to pick our brains, find out what’s coming up or tell us what you’re up to. If you missed the previous sessions then click here to see how they work.

Note: if you join us with a headset or webcam then it means we can have a good blether. However, if you prefer to type fast with wonky spellng then that’s good too!

One click (then another small one) to take part >>  http://bit.ly/DGCdropin3

Seafood Scotland Launches Schools Art Competition

Seafood Scotland has teamed up with the 6th World Fisheries Congress to offer a competition that encourages school children to learn more about the relationship between scientists and fisheries, and how this helps to protect the marine ecosystem.

High school and primary school pupils taking part in Seafood Scotland’s ‘Seafood in Schools’ pilot project are being asked to design a T-shirt for delegates at the Congress, which will be held in Edinburgh in May 2012. The design must illustrate the association between seafood and science.

Prizes for the competition are sponsored by Seafish and include £1000 worth of science equipment for the winning high school and £500 of equipment for the winning primary school.

The pupil responsible for the overall winning design will receive a presentation T-shirt at the Congress, followed by a VIP visit to Deep Sea World at South Queensferry. A runner-up will be presented with their own design on a T-shirt and also visit the aquarium.

Jon Harman, Seafish director of development, said: “Seafish is committed to improving awareness and understanding about the importance of the seafood industry amongst all consumers, young and old.

“This competition is a creative, innovative way of encouraging school children to get excited about fisheries and science, so we are delighted to offer our support.

“This is a great way to make learning fun, and to ensure that the pupils gain a sense of how science is being applied in real life to protect our marine ecosystem for the future.”

Click here to read more.