The Pre-School Home Visiting Teacher (PSHVT) Service would like to offer mainstream Primary 1 teachers a series of 3 online workshops on TEAMS. These are aimed at supporting children who are currently on our PSHVT caseloads who will be transitioning to Primary 1 after the summer. These workshops will introduce a strategy called ‘Teacher Time’.

This course aims to support teachers with:

Building relationships with pupil(s)

Building confidence

Planning of learning activities

Tracking/monitoring of pupil progress

Enhancing relationships/communication with pupil’s parents/carers

Promote relationships with support staff

Networking with other Primary 1 teachers to share ideas

Providing opportunities to ask questions and engage in professional dialogue

Target Audience – Primary 1 Teachers with pupil(s) on PSHVT caseloads

Dates:

2 June 2026, 3:30 – 5pm

16 June 2026, 3:30-5pm

22 September 2026, 3:30 – 5pm

Places can be booked through Business World.

A 6 part, Professional Learning Activity (PLA) for Early Learning and Childcare practitioners

Individual learning, or group facilitated versions available

Let’s explore

The PLA will explore:

• Child development
• Pedagogy and play
• Observation, interpretation, and documentation
• Facilitation
• Responsive and intentional planning
• Transitions

Quote from previous participant. “I found the sessions built on existing knowledge, and cemented a lot of aspects of child development and pedagogy. It sparked discussions and a lot of reflection.”

A Professional Learning Activity (PLA) is a self-directed module of learning that you can access and complete at your own pace and at a time that suits you.

There are two versions of the Pondering Pedagogy PLA available.

Version 1: Individual approach

The Professional Learning Activity will be hosted on the Professional Learning and Leadership section of the Education Scotland website. In order to access the PLA, you will need to register with an email address. This does not need to be a work email. This is designed to be completed by individual participants, at your own pace and at a time that suits you. This is a self-directed learning opportunity for individual practitioners. The PLA will take around 9 hours to complete in total.

Version 2: Group facilitated sessions, e.g. Led by setting leaders or local authority leads, as part of a professional learning offer.

The materials offered as part of the Professional Learning Activity, will also be available to download in presentation format. This will allow leaders to be facilitators of small or large group learning sessions as part of a wider professional learning offer. These materials include all notes, presentations and videos used during the Professional Learning Activity. There will be a form to complete on the Education Scotland Professional Learning and Leadership part of the website from August 2026, to request access to download the materials.

Aims of the PLA

Section 1– Child Development
Participants will:

• Explore child development and key messages that underpin practice
• Engage with practitioner perspectives and reflect on existing knowledge
• Consider how child development knowledge supports children in everyday practice

Section 2 – Pedagogy, Play and Learning
Participants will:

• Explore early years theory, pedagogy, play and how children learn
• Learn from practitioners’ experiences of child‑centred pedagogy
• Reflect on how pedagogical understanding supports children’s learning

Section 3 – Observation and Assessment
Participants will:

• Explore the purpose, role and methods of observation, including ethical and practical considerations
• Apply the observation cycle and learn from practitioners’ experiences
• Reflect on how observation supports the recognition of significant learning

Section 4 – Facilitation and Learning Environments
Participants will:

• Explore facilitation, learning environments, and features of high‑quality provision, including sustained shared thinking
• Learn from peers’ experiences of developing learning environments
• Reflect on how interactions, experiences and spaces are shaped by child development theory

Section 5 – Responsive and Intentional Planning
Participants will:

• Explore responsive and intentional planning and how both approaches work together
• Connect observation insights to planning decisions and learn from practitioners’ approaches
• Reflect on how responsiveness and intentionality guide everyday practice

Section 6 – Transitions
Participants will:

• Explore horizontal and vertical transitions, including the Scottish Early Childhood and Families Transition Statement
• Learn from other practitioners’ approaches to supporting transitions
• Reflect on how child development, observation and transition knowledge inform effective transition planning and practice

For more information please contact:

ESTeamELC@educationscotland.gov.scot

Making Outdoor Learning and Play Inclusive

Date: Wednesday, 17th June 2026

Time: 4pm – 5pm

Platform: Teams

Cost: Free (Registration required)

Learning through Landscapes (LtL) is the UK’s leading outdoor learning and play charity. Join Jane Mackenzie (Early Years Lead, Scotland) and Niki Cooke (Training and Development Officer) as they explain how to make outdoor inclusive play work!

They will outline the benefits of being outdoors in nature for learning and some of the climate and sustainability work the charity undertakes in partnership with schools. Of particular interest to the SSC audience will be Nicola’s role in the development of outdoor sensory circuits.

Jane is the Early Years Lead in Scotland for LtL, and delivers training, advice and guidance to support colleagues working at the Early Level to build confidence in their approaches to outdoor learning and play and to best support their children’s connection to nature. She coordinates the Forest Kindergarten and Nurturing Nature projects and has a keen understanding of both the benefits and challenges of getting outdoors with children and young people.

Niki is a Training and Development Officer for LtL. She is a qualified teacher who has worked in education for many years, championing time spent outdoors as an essential part of a child’s education experience. She brings a wealth of knowledge of working with children with additional support needs and a deep understanding of how to connect children to the natural world in meaningful and achievable ways.

This webinar will be suitable for Early Years teachers, Primary teachers, Secondary teachers, Teachers of Outdoor Learning, Complex Needs teachers, Specialist teachers and support staff.

More information and register for this session

Sheila Mackenzie, Scottish Sensory Centre

Strengthening the Universal Plus Level supports for pupil resilience and wellbeing in mainstream schools is a key priority within education in the Scottish Borders, in response to nationally increasing need. As part of this, the Educational Psychology Service is pleased to be able to offer training and coaching in the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant training programme for 2 Pupil Support Assistants/Additional Needs Assistants in each SBC High School, and 3 in our largest High Schools, from August 2026.

What is the ELSA programme?

ELSA is an evidence-based initiative developed and supported by Educational Psychologists, who apply their professional knowledge of children’s social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by students. Educational Psychologists deliver training to ELSAs in evidence-based interventions and provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils.

Candidates put forward for this training must be agreed and supported by the school.

What is an ELSA?

An ELSA is a trained PSA who plans, monitors and delivers short-term, evidence-based interventions that are bespoke and focused on individual pupil needs relating to social, emotional and mental health.  It is an early-intervention approach where ELSAs can help with areas such as self-esteem, emotional literacy, managing strong feelings, social skills, relationships, and loss.  A full time ELSA PSA typically spends about 5 hours a week doing ELSA work.

What training and support will they get?

ELSAs should already have appropriate ‘soft skills’ in relation to being approachable, able to build relationships with children and young people, and being creative in planning sessions to meet individual needs.

The training will consist of 6 in person full days across the academic year. ELSAs will need to attend every session from 9:30am – 3:30pm.  LOCATION TBC: (central e.g. HQ)

• Day 1 – Tuesday 18^th August 2026 (In-service)
• Day 2 – Monday 19^th October 2026 (In-service)
• Day 3 – Tuesday 24^th November 2026
• Day 4 – Monday 15^th February 2027 (In-service)
• Day 5 – Tuesday 4^th May 2027 (In-service)
• Day 6 – Monday 7^th June 2027

Following the 6 days of training, ELSAs will receive 6 x 2 hr supervision sessions each year. This will be one session per half term. ELSAs will also need to participate in an SBC evaluation of the programme.

Training content is likely to include the following areas:

• Facilitation skills for active listening and reflective conversations
• Emotional Awareness and Emotional Regulation
• Self-Esteem
• Social and Friendship Skills
• Planning and Delivering Intervention Sessions
• Setting SMART Targets and Evaluating Sessions

A line manager (e.g., senior manager) should be designated to support ELSAs in the setting, ensuring a manageable workload and helping other staff to understand the parameters of the role, including realistic expectations regarding outcomes for children and young people.  They will also support the referral process to the ELSAs and practicalities of arranging appointments.  We would expect ELSAs to be given ring fenced time to start practising learnt skills with a young person from training Day 4 onwards.

*PSA Line Manager only required to attend the afternoon of Day 3

Please return by 1st June 2026 to Michelle Bradley (Michelle.Bradley@scotborders.gov.uk)

Equity

The second online information session regarding the national Equity: Mitigating the impact of poverty on Scotland’s children and young people professional learning programme, will be taking place on Monday 1st June. This session is for school leaders, ELC or CLD managers or LA leads.

Further information/sign-up link included in the flyer attached.  National Comms will follow after the pre-election period.

Attendance – 19^th May – A new report ‘Improving Attendance in Scotland: 2024-2026: Evidence, Impact and Actions for Consideration’ will publish on 18th March 2026. This session will share the key messages, what attendance data over the last two year tells us and practice which is having a positive impact to improve attendance.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-attendance-in-scotland-tickets-1988484537781?aff=oddtdtcreator

10^th June

This session builds on the previous webinar on 19th May which provided an overview of the key messages from the Education Scotland report ‘Improving Attendance in Scotland: 2024-2026 – Evidence, Impact and Actions for Consideration’. This session will further explore the key findings from the report through sharing effective practice from schools. Examples will be shared from a primary and a secondary school.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/improving-attendance-in-scotland-2024-2026-effective-practice-in-schools-tickets-1988486756417?aff=oddtdtcreator

P1 Play Pedagogy

The events team has brought to our attention that some local authorities have not been receiving the registration information for the leading play pedagogy in primary one resource. We have had lots of emails from people who did not receive the first or second email attempt to pass it on.

We have now put everything in to a padlet and this has been sent out and we think that most LAs are receiving this now.

I thought I would send on to you all so you have it as a simple padlet link. We have also extended the sign up to the 13^th May as a result of the email problems.

There are currently over 100 schools signed up so far which is fantastic but I think there will be others who just may not have the information they need to do so due to their LA email blocks.

Play Pedagogy in P1 – Information Session Padlet

PIRLS 2026

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to let you know of a new Education Scotland web page developed to support those primary schools participating in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2026.

The web page brings together key information and guidance to help the sample of schools involved prepare for the study, which is due to take place between 6 May and 19 June.

The resource includes:

• A class lesson aimed at introducing the purpose of PIRLS to P5 learners.
• Practical guidance and information for schools, learners and their parents/carers.
• Exemplar video demonstrations of reading passages and assessment questions from the IEA.
• Information on the four questionnaires designed to gather insights into reading in Scotland.
• Support and information from Pearson UK, the National Research Centre charged by the Scottish Government to deliver the assessment.
• Short information films for learners, parents/carers and schools.

The web page can be accessed here: https://education.gov.scot/resources/progress-in-international-reading-literacy-study-pirls-2026/

This information session, to be held online on Monday 1^st June 2026 at 4.00 to 5.00pm, will provide information to potential facilitators about the new national professional learning programme: ‘Equity: Mitigating the impact of poverty on Scotland’s children and young people’.

The programme has been developed by Education Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council, along with a range of other key partners, including four pilot local authorities.

Potential facilitators are school leaders, ELC or CLD managers or Local Authority leads. All the resources required to lead the programme will be provided by Education Scotland, including online resources for participants and facilitator slides and notes. The programme uses a flexible, hybrid model, with both individual and group learning elements, where the group learning can be online or in person. It can be delivered at establishment, team, cluster, or local authority level.

Register for this information session if you would like to find out more about delivering the programme with your team, cluster or local authority (or wish to share or delegate this task). The programme is suitable for delivery with ELC and CLD participants, as well as those working in schools. Please note this session repeats the one held on 18/3/26.

The learning outcomes of the programme are:

• To know and understand the theory, data and evidence base around poverty both locally and across Scotland
• To know and understand the impact of poverty on learning, achievement and attainment both locally and nationally
• To reflect on and critically examine personal leadership attitudes, values and beliefs within a social justice and equity context
• To know and understand the practice and approaches that can improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty
• To develop and apply knowledge and skills to effectively plan for equity and ensure measurable impact.