This Scotland wide Playfest is an exciting opportunity to hear about effective Play Pedagogy practice from authorities across Scotland, including Scottish Borders.  The Playfest is running from the 9^th – 12^th June and includes presentations from teachers across Early, First and Second level.  Further information on the content of each session and sign-up instructions can be found on the poster.

To book your place click here

                 

Early Years

	07853 836 229
	kirsteen@cnag.org
	www.parant.org.uk

Further information regarding the Froebel in Childhood Practice course is available on our website: Froebel Courses

Places available on the Summer or Academic Year courses but please note that these courses would have to be self funded.

The Summer course is delivered in Edinburgh over 5 consecutive days in July. This course will run between Friday 18^th and Wednesday 23 July, with no teaching session on Sunday 20 July.

The Academic Year course is delivered online on Saturday mornings from 0930-1230. The course commences on Saturday 25 October 2025 and the final session is on Saturday 7 March 2026.

 

 

✨💻Digital Skills Week 💻✨

Digital Skills week is just around the corner!

We’re thrilled to announce Digital Skills week is just around the corner! From 26 May, we invite all staff to dive into a week full of learning, sharing new skills and discovering handy tips and tricks.

Join us on Viva Engage All Company throughout the week for a treasure trove of information designed to boost your digital skills. Whether you’re looking to master a new tool or simply want to stay updated with the latest digital trends, we’ve got something for everyone.

Got some great tips to share? We’d love to hear them. Head over to our Viva Engage – Unlock your Potential: Productivity Pointers Community and share your insights. Your tips could be the key to unlocking someone else’s potential.

And don’t forget there’s a fantastic £50 Amazon voucher up for grabs, generously donated by CGi – make sure to participate for your chance to win!

We’re delighted that the Inspire Team has agreed to deliver two live 30-minute sessions, which you can attend in person or online on Friday 30 May. The sessions will cover SharePoint Tips & Tricks at 10am and Microsoft Tips & Tricks at 11am. You can secure your space at the in-person session by completing our booking form. A link will be sent to the live event nearer the time, so be sure to block the time in your calendar.

Check out our schedule for the week below – we can’t wait to see you there and make this Digital Skills Week the best one yet.

#digitalskillsweek2025 #getinvolved #bestoneyet

If you have any queries, please submit them using the Digital Skills Week MS Form

#digitalskillsweek2025 #getinvolved #bestoneyet

SBCAN are excited to launch our Youth Climate Action Fund 2025

Young people across the Scottish Borders are full of inspiring ideas to help tackle the climate crisis and promote community climate action– and we’re here to help bring those ideas to life. We’re inviting youth groups, schools, clubs and voluntary groups to apply for up to £750 to run a project that makes a difference in your community. Please note, we can only accept one application per group/ school/ organisation.

Key info:

• Projects must take place in 2025.
• The deadline for applications is 6th June 2025.
• Applications will be reviewed and money will then be distributed to those successful w/c 16th June 2025 in time for the summer holidays!
• The application form is available now on our website: https://www.sbcan.co.uk/funding
• Please return the application form to sbcan@sup.org.uk
• Projects must be based in the Scottish Borders

Helen Orde, Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Teacher

As you know, our Leadership+ offer launched late last year. Leadership+ is a series of one-off bespoke webinars which complement the work of Education Scotland’s leadership programmes, and we have since delivered four sessions from Dr Karen Edge, Dr Simon Breakspear, Dr Paul Bloomberg and Dr Karen E Bohlin.

 

We can now announce the speaker for our final session of the 24-25 session, and we’re delighted to share that it is Education Scotland’s own Education Officer for Digital Skills – Brian Clark! He will be joining us on Tuesday 10^th June, 4pm-5pm to discuss Artificial Intelligence, in his webinar AI Opportunities, Ethics and Practical Applications.

 

This Leadership+ webinar is designed to equip school leaders with an understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI and their potential within education. We will explore practical applications of AI in key areas such as curriculum planning, resource development, and assessment design.

 

Beyond the applications, this session will also delve into the crucial ethical considerations, potential risks, and effective mitigation strategies associated with AI adoption. You will gain insights into how to leverage AI to foster innovation, all while championing responsible and informed implementation. Whether you are beginning your AI journey or seeking to develop your understanding, this session will provide support to guide your leadership in this evolving landscape.

 

We anticipate high demand for this event, so would encourage you to sign up quickly. If a number of you in your establishment want to sign up, then why not watch together, learn together and take forward your post-event plans together?

 

Please click here to register for a place at the webinar or click the register now button on the attached poster.

 

Please note this session will not be recorded, but following the webinar Brian Clark will record a 15 minute summary of his session, which will be housed on the Leadership resource page on the Education Scotland website.

 

Leadership+ is offered to anyone in a leadership role in Scottish education, across sectors (this includes classroom practitioners, ELC and CLD practitioners, middle leaders, and school, setting and system leaders). The aims are:

• to enhance leadership learning across pertinent themes
• to encourage critical thinking in leaders at all levels.

 

As part of our PLL Community of learners (past and present) you benefit from prioritised spaces at Leadership+ sessions, as we will advertise these sessions to you before we advertise more widely.

Toolkit Launch– As you may be aware the youth nicotine prevention toolkit is due to launch on the 28^th of May. This is a resource aimed at educating, informing and challenging nicotine use amongst children and young people in the Scottish Borders. The resource will be rolled out in all Primary and Secondary Schools as well as community settings. We are hoping this can be extended to early years settings to help ensure a cohesive approach to youth nicotine prevention.

 

The toolkit itself is closely aligned with the UNCRC and provides evidence based current key messages, learning resources from early years to senior phase, a new nicotine cessation service and referral pathways for under 12years and those 12  years + (this is the first in Scotland) as well as a charter to support nicotine free environments, including guidance statements for establishments to implement. The launch event will be an opportunity to hear more about this resource, with key speakers from Scottish Government, ASH Scotland and IAMME. I would really appreciate if you could attend this event or assign a depute to come along as well as opening this opportunity to other colleagues to help implement the toolkit across the Borders.

 

Free Training opportunity

 

As part of the youth nicotine prevention agenda, in partnership with Youth Borders the Nicotine Prevention Working Group (NPWG) are providing a free training opportunity on nicotine prevention and the toolkit. This will be taking place on the 14^th of May at Tweed Horizons (see attached email with details). This is aimed at those supporting parents, children and young people including volunteers. Healthy snacks, tea and coffee is provided with certification provided on completion. Again, I have sent some further details in my previous email which state learning outcomes etc. It would be great if this could be promoted throughout your networks to encourage attendance.

EPIC Think Learn are hosting a free to access Neurodiversity webinar for teachers! The webinar will focus on common neurodivergent co-occurrences such as autism, ADHD and FASD. The content will focus on talking about the latest research on this topic in everyday language with a particular focus on the impact of particular co-occurrences on the child and young person and how they can be supported. The speakers are developmental psychologist Professor Sinead Rhodes and educational psychologist Miranda Eodanable. The webinar will focus on children and young people aged 5-18 years and so is suitable for primary and secondary level teachers. The webinar is on Wednesday 21st May 4.15-5pm including Q&A To book your free place click here: bit.ly/3Suumv3 Best wishes EPIC Think Learn team