Author: Professional Learning

Education Scotland continues to enhance its professional learning service to better support educators across the country. As we look ahead to the 2025/26 academic session, we’re excited to share a range of opportunities designed to support you and your colleagues to make informed decisions about your professional learning.

Click here for PowerPoint slide which outlines:

Upcoming professional learning programmes opening for applications in 2025/26
Open access resources available anytime to support flexible learning
Activities for individuals and groups that offer recognition and a record of completion
Guidance on how to find events via the Education Scotland website

These slides are a helpful starting point, but they don’t represent the full scope of our professional learning offer. For more details, we encourage you to click here to explore the Education Scotland website.

We’d be grateful if you could share this resource with your colleagues and teams to help them plan their learning journey for the year ahead. The application window for our Leadership Professional Learning programmes will be open from 18^th August until 5^th September, so please look out for further information on this in the coming days.

For our facilitated leadership professional learning, applications for the following programmes will go live at 9am on Monday 18 August and will close at 11.45pm on Friday 05 September. Application forms will be available under the ‘How do I apply?’ section of each page by 9am on Monday 18 August. It is important to note that demand for places on our facilitated programmes is high, and we may need to close application forms ahead of the published close date.

Building Racial Literacy – click here to find out more about this programme

Aspiring to Middle Leadership (facilitated cohort) – click here to find out more about this programme

Leading Professional Learning – click here to find out more about this programme

Leading the How of Change – click here to find out more about this programme

For our self-directed professional learning, we are again running online introductory sessions in order to support users to engage with the learning.

Aspiring to Middle Leadership – click here to learn more about this self-directed learning, and register for the introductory session

Middle Leaders Leading Change – click here to learn more about this self-directed learning, and register for the introductory session

Enquiry in Education – click here to learn more about this self-directed learning, and register for an introductory session

Coaching in Education – click here to learn more about this self-directed learning, and register for an introductory session

Lastly, don’t forget that you can also create a free account on our website which gives you access to our free Professional Learning Activities (PLAs) and Professional Learning Resources. And you can now download a certificate when you complete each PLA which can be kept as a log of your professional learning in 25/26. Click here to open the website and click the Register button to create a new account, or select Log in to access your existing account.

We look forward to supporting you with your professional learning this year.

Kind regards

Professional Learning and Leadership Team, Education Scotland

August 13, 2025

The Introductory GLPS Course

No previous knowledge of Gaelic is necessary. Training dates and the content of the courses are below for your information.

Commencing week beginning 27th October 2025, 4.30-6.30pm. There is a choice of a Monday or a Thursday session. This is a 6-week online twilight course which provides teachers with some simple Gaelic which they can introduce to their learners.

You must have the agreement of your head teacher before applying as the expectation is that you would deliver Gaelic lessons to your learners during the course. The course model is designed for the learning to be consolidated by using the key language in class.

If you are interested in taking part, please complete this FORM. Places are limited and will be offered on a first come basis.

Monday 27th October 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 30th October 4.30-6.30	Unit 1: Introductions & Names
Monday 3rd November 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 6th November 4.30-6.30	Unit 2: Feelings & Days of the week
Monday 10th November 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 13th November 4.30-6.30	Unit 3: Numbers
Monday 17th November 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 20th November 4.30-6.30	Unit 4: Where you live
Monday 24th November 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 27th November 4.30-6.30	Unit 5: Weather
Monday 1st December 4.30-6.30	OR	Thursday 4th December 4.30-6.30	Unit 6: Colours

August 13, 2025

Sing for Wellbeing

** NEWS: Primary teacher CPD launch

Click here for further info

We are ready to sign up our first cohort of teachers for 2025-26! Fill in the form below to sign up – CPD sessions will start on 19th September 2025.

If you have questions about the programme, please get in touch by emailing hello@lovemusic.org.uk. We are happy to call you if you provide us with a phone number.

August 13, 2025

Resources and support for anti-racist education practitioners in Scotland

This website provides tools, workshops and ideas to support Early Years practitioners and educators in Scotland to build an anti-racist curriculum which responds positively to the diverse needs of individual learning where all cultures, religions, identities, and languages are recognised and valued. There are materials for Early Level, which include 3 padlets on ways to develop spaces, experiences and interaction through an anti-racist lens, 1st level resources which take a story-line approach and 2^nd / 3^rd level materials which are designed as interactive workshops. In addition there is information about using the right language and how to deal with racial slurs.

The materials have been developed in partnership with a racially diverse group of children, young people and educators across different sectors of Scottish Education.

All the materials are free to access on our website https://www.antiracisted.scot/

August 13, 2025

Computing Science

Exciting Computing Science Professional Learning Opportunity

We have some truly exciting news to share that will empower you to bring Computing Science directly into your classroom! SSERC is offering a unique suite of professional learning opportunities designed specifically for local authority representatives and teachers like you.

What Makes This Opportunity Stand Out?

Hands-on, Experiential Learning: A full day providing excellent, practical experience that you can immediately apply.
Loan Robot Kits: Not only will you gain valuable knowledge and skills, but you’ll also receive a full class kit of robots on loan for up to 20 school weeks! This means you can instantly translate your professional learning into engaging, hands-on activities for your learners. Imagine the excitement and learning your learners will experience with these resources at their fingertips.
Highly Affordable Rate: We’ve made these events accessible to ensure as many educators as possible can benefit.

Secure Your Spot!

Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to act fast. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Kevin Reid at kevin.reid@sserc.scot.

August 12, 2025

Coaching Introduction

Coaching – An Introduction

Come along to a short session to learn all about Coaching in Education. Booking via Business World.

August 7, 2025

Teacher leader networks: Opportunities to lead SBCway priorities

Teacher leader networks: Opportunities to lead SBCway priorities
Rationale: As part of our new ‘Leadership Academy’, we recognise the need to provide strategic leadership opportunities for our classroom teachers. Teacher leaders will also provide additional capacity within the ‘Team Around the Cluster’ model, offering schools within each cluster access to expert support and advice about key #SBCway improvement priorities. These teacher leader roles provide a unique opportunity for experienced practitioners to lead, with support, out-with their own classroom and school.

SBCway-linked roles
For the priority areas listed below, teacher leaders will:
✓ Be classed-based but the school’s lead practitioner for ongoing specific priority developments.
✓ Remain up-to-date with SBCway developments.
✓ Attend regular (max. half-termly) twilight webinars.
✓ Support with ongoing evaluation of improvement developments.
✓ Join and engage with relevant SchoolHouse channel.
✓ Promote key messages to wider staff team, liaising with HTs.
✓ Support school / cluster improvement activity as directed by HTs.
✓ Commit 10hrs of individual CPD time to the role

SBCway priorities
To ensure key priorities receive proportionate teacher leader attention, the following opportunities have been allocated according to school size.

Commitment: Teacher leaders, by definition, are classroom based. They will commit 10 hours of their individual CLPL time to this development opportunity. School leaders may choose to provide additional time if appropriate. Additional CLPL sessions may be offered over the school year.
Middle leaders: In most secondary schools and some primary schools, these teacher leader roles will already sit within the remit of existing PTs or other middle leader roles. As such, there is no requirement to appoint additional individuals into these roles unless there is an appropriate rationale to do so.
Recruitment process: The opportunity to be a Teacher leader should be offered to all teachers. Headteachers should discuss these opportunities with staff. If necessary, informal interviews can be conducted to select the most suitable candidates.
Vacant roles: If a school/group of schools is unable to appoint teacher leaders, Headteachers will be the designated point of contact for improvement activity. But Headteachers will not be required to fulfil the expectations of the teacher leader role

As part of our new leadership academy approach, please send the ‘sign up’ link to any staff you have nominated for these opportunities. All responses should be submitted by Friday 26^th September.

Teacher leader sign-up

July 1, 2025

Introduction to British Sign Language

An introduction to the BSL 1+2 pack and its contents. Staff will be given the opportunity to explore resources and plan how it can be used in their setting.

Aims – to become familiar with BSL 1+2 pack. To feel more confident in the delivery of BSL. Opportunity for professional dialogue and questions around BSL. To become more deaf aware in your practice.

Target Audience – all interested staff

Online, 16 September 2025, 3:45pm until 5pm

Bookings can be made through Business World

July 1, 2025

OH LILA: A PRACTICAL RESOURCE FOR BUILDING RESILIENCE AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS IN YOUNG CHILDREN

VENUE: The Roxburgh Suite, Scottish Borders Council Headquarters, Newtown St Boswells

DATE: Friday 19^th September 2025

TIME: 1pm – 4pm

WHO: Early Years Settings

Oh Lila is a child friendly resource suitable for use with children aged 3 to 6 years and aims to build resilience and protective factors in young children, helping them to develop social skills and encouraging them to communicate. Oh Lila can be linked to the Curriculum for Excellence, particularly around Health & Wellbeing but other areas too, such as Creative Arts.

On completing training, learners will have:

An increased awareness of the key themes of Oh Lila and how they relate to building resilience in children.
Increased confidence, skills and knowledge to use the Oh Lila resource and to manage disclosures from children in line with organizational procedures.
An enhanced awareness and understanding of the problems caused by alcohol and that by strengthening the foundation (early years) of life can prevent problems later as young adults.
An increased awareness of local and national strategies and policies.

The Oh Lila resource pack does not talk about alcohol or any other substances.

How to book a place:

Scottish Borders Council staff can sign up via Business World
Private & Voluntary nurseries should use this form

All Early Years Settings have been supplied with the Oh Lila resource pack.

Please have your centre’s pack to hand for the session.

You can also attend this as a refresher session.

For more information on training and resources http://www.ohlila.org.uk

This course is free to attendees; however there is a charge to Borders Alcohol & Drugs Partnership. Please ensure you have confirmed your availability before requesting to attend.