Happy New Year!  I hope you had a relaxing break.  We have started the new term with enthusiasm and many exciting plans for the coming months.  We have enjoyed getting back into a routine this week, catching up on all the holiday news.

I have also been out of school three times this week.  I know it can be confusing at times when you are told the Head Teacher is out of the building.  The general feeling can often be that this shouldn’t happen; that I shouldn’t leave the premises during the school day.  However, the reality is that there are times I need to work in partnership with others in order to best meet the needs of our school and the individual families I serve.  On some occasions this means working elsewhere with other professionals from education or other services.

We are committed to Getting it Right for Every Child.  At times this means considering UNIVERSAL changes that will improve the learning experience of all pupils.  Today I have been working alongside Head Teachers from all North Lanarkshire establishments as well as senior officers from across the council.  There are many positive plans afoot to improve quality of life across the authority.  Education & Families plays a vital part in this and the Kirkshaws community will benefit as this vision becomes a reality over the coming years.  However, we don’t need to wait years to see positive changes: the change started today with more cluster working taking place.  All the primary schools associated with Coatbridge High School are committed to increasing collaborative practices in order to enhance the learning experiences of all.

At other times support requires to be TARGETED or INTENSIVE for a specific group or an individual.  My other meetings this week fell into these categories.  To best meet the academic of health & wellbeing needs of individuals we cannot always work in isolation.  Planning meetings with other professionals are vital to ensure we get it right for each pupil at the right time.

The bulk of my daily work will always involve working directly with our pupils and their families here in school, but the next time you hear I am not on the premises, please be assured I am aiming to get it right for your child.