Author: Professional Learning
STEM Nation Award Open Days
Building on last year’s successful STEM Nation Expo, our team at Education Scotland is delighted to announce that we are working with a group of inspirational educators to host a series of STEM Nation Open Days across Scotland. The programme of visits will run throughout February and March 2025 and will include three virtual visits to settings in rural and remote areas.
Details for all of these sessions can be found here. Please note that the posters are broken down into ELC / Primary / Secondary
SEEMIS Webinars – March 2025
Please see below updates to the Webinars currently scheduled for March 2025.
Please note that dates/times are subject to change/cancellation.
There is no need to pre-register for these events, to join the webinar, delegates should:
- login to the SEEMiS website at www.seemis.gov.scot you should use your Click & Go login but with a ‘b’ in front of your user name (e.g. bzj1020)
- navigate to Training | Training Webinars
- select the correct date/time for the webinar they wish to attend
- follow the webinar link
We kindly ask that delegates arrive on time and remain for the duration of the webinar.
| 3.1 -3.2 – COS Subjects & Students | 06/03/2025 | 9:10-10:40am |
| 3.3 – COS Options | 06/03/2025 | 11am-12pm |
| 3.4 – COS Classes | 06/03/2025 | 1:30-2:30pm |
| 7 – Standard Letters | 07/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 18 – This Session for Nursery & Primary Schools | 07/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 29 – Latest Pastoral Notes | 07/03/2025 | 1-2:30pm |
| 8 – Casual Groups | 11/03/2025
10/03/2025 |
9:10-10:10am |
| 6 – Primary Turnaround | 11/03/2025
10/03/2025 |
10:30-11:45am |
| 28 – Bullying & Equalities | 11/03/2025
10/03/2025 |
1-2:10pm |
| 3.5 – SETTS Resources | 12/03/2025
14/03/2025 |
9:10-10:10am |
| 3.6 – SETTS Matching | 12/03/2025
14/03/2025 |
10:30-11:30am |
| 3.7 – SETTS Timetable with Rotations | 12/03/2025
14/03/2025 |
1-2pm |
| 18.1 – This Session for Secondary Schools | 13/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 15 – SQA Estimates | 13/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 10 – Custom Reports | 13/03/2025 | 1-2:30pm |
| 3.1 -3.2 – COS Subjects & Students | 18/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 3.3 – COS Options | 18/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 3.4 – COS Classes | 18/03/2025 | 1-2pm |
| 11.2 – Tracking & Monitoring – Teacher | 19/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 11.3 – Tracking & Monitoring – Clerical | 19/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 4.1 – SQA – Additional Arrangements & Exam Planning | 19/03/2025 | 1-2:30pm |
| 3.5 – SETTS Resources | 20/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 3.6 – SETTS Matching | 20/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 3.7 – SETTS Timetable with Rotations | 20/03/2025 | 1-2pm |
| 4.1 – SQA – Additional Arrangements & Exam Planning | 25/03/2025 | 9:10-10:40am |
| 15 – SQA Estimates | 25/03/2025 | 11am-12pm |
| 28 – Bullying & Equalities | 25/03/2025 | 1:30-2:40pm |
| 23.1 – Progress + Achievement Teachers | 26/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 23.2 – Progress + Achievement Administrators | 26/03/2025 | 10:30-11:30am |
| 27 – Pupil Records | 26/03/2025 | 1-2:30pm |
| 2.4 – SQA Reports | 27/03/2025 | 9:10-10:10am |
| 6 – Primary Turnaround | 27/03/2025 | 10:30-11:40am |
| 10 – Custom Reports | 27/03/2025 | 1:30-3pm |
| 29 – Latest Pastoral Notes | 28/03/2025 | 9:10-10:40am |
| 7 – Standard Letters | 28/03/2025 | 11am-12pm |
| 8 – Casual Groups | 28/03/2025 | 1:30-2:30pm |
SBC Recognising and Responding to Human Trafficking
Scottish Borders Violence Against Women Partnership in partnership with COSLA and Scottish Government are pleased to share the new e learning module on Human Trafficking to supplement the new Scottish Borders Human Trafficking Multi-Agency Guidance: this directs all our efforts to responding safely and effectively to concerns about human trafficking.
The module can be accessed on SBLearn and is currently in the Spotlight area when you log in. If you are unable to locate please type human trafficking into the search box and it should appear. child protection
The e learning module is interactive, easy to follow and will give clear direction as to next steps.
If you feel a short input to your team would be of benefit please get in touch andrea.beavon@scotborders.gov.uk
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST)
Two-day interactive workshop in suicide first aid.
22nd and 23rd May, 8:50am – 5pm
An ASIST trained caregiver, will be better able to:
- Identify people who have thoughts of suicide, reach out and offer support
- Seek a shared understanding of the reasons for thoughts of suicide
- Apply a suicide intervention model
- Review current risk and develop a plan to increase safety from suicidal behaviour
- Link people with community resources
If you would like to attend this course please complete this form and 12 weeks prior to the course you will receive details on how to book from Public Health Scotland.
Live Science: Experiment and Lesson

Accessibility for All
25 February, 4-4:45pm – Online
Target Audience – SfL staff, ANAs and all teachers who work with 1:1 iPads
Run through of many of the built in accessibility features available on iPads.
Discover what features are available and how to set them up for individual users.
Places can be booked through Business World
New Digital Opportunities for Enhanced Provision Staff
Sounding Board App Training – 4 March 2025, 4-5pm
This session will guide teachers and support staff on how to create, edit and share communication Boards using the Sounding Board App. Staff will need to have access to their iPad for this session.
Staff should have access to their ipad and the Sounding Board app. Please email rebecca.smith@scotborders.gov.uk if you don’t have the app. Ideally the training would be viewed on an laptop so that the ipad can be used throughout the session but this is not essential.
Staff attending the course will be able to create, share and edit boards in Sounding Board.
Staff should have access to their ipad and the Sounding Board app. Please email rebecca.smith@scotborders.gov.uk if you don’t have the app. Ideally the training would be viewed on an laptop so that the ipad can be used throughout the session but this is not essential.
Boardmaker Training – 11 March 2025
Session 1 – Creating Symbolised Resources – 11 March, 4-4:45pm
Session 2 – Accessing and editing Boardmaker Community Resources – 18 March, 4-4:45pm
Session 3 – Boardmaker Interactive Resources – 25 March – 4-4:45pm
Staff should ideally have access to Boardmaker software on their laptop.
Staff will develop confidence in creating, editing and accessing online resources in Boardmaker.
Digital Literacy Supports for Pupils with Complex Needs – 1 April 2025, 4-5pm
Teachers and support staff will be guided through a range of digital tools which could be used to support literacy development in pupils with complex additional support needs. Staff will be aware of a range of digital tools which can be used to support the development of literacy skills in pupils with complex additional support needs.
Places for all of the above courses can be booked through Business World.
The importance of skills & intro to metaskills
Thursday 27 February, 4-5pm
The session will explore what skills are considered important for the future. You will be introduced to the meta-skills framework and discuss ways to embed skills in your practice. We will also highlight resources available to support this.
During the session we will use menti.com to share feedback from participants.
Target Audience – NQTs & Early Career Teachers
To book please email CLPL@scotborders.gov.uk
Senior Leader National Events – Attendance
As part of the forthcoming package of attendance support materials from ES we have co-designed a series of Senior Leaders National Events on this topic. We are looking for your support in communicating these professional learning discussion opportunities with the school leaders in your linked authorities.
The sessions are running over three consecutive Monday’s from 24 February to 10 March, all from 3.30pm to 4.30pm
Session 1 – 24 February 2025
Improving attendance: Systems (Senior Leaders in Primary Schools)
This session will take a look at improving attendance and engagement within primary schools, with a focus on ‘systems’. It has been planned with senior leaders in schools and will include presentations from Loch & Cairns primary schools from South Lanarkshire. They will highlight their learning community approaches towards creating and sharing policy and procedures. The session will also build in time for discussion on engaging learners online to support improving school attendance.
Improving attendance: Systems (Senior Leaders in Secondary Schools)
This session will take a look at improving attendance and engagement within secondary schools, with a focus on ‘systems’. It has been planned with senior leaders in schools and will include presentations from Duncanrig secondary school, South Lanarkshire, highlighting their engagement in collaboration with the West Partnership, and evaluation tools used to support focus on developing a school policy. Dunoon Grammar school, Argyll & Bute, will focus on their partnership with Education Psychology Services as well as other partners, including third sector. The session will also build in time for discussion on engaging learners online to support improving school attendance.
Session 2 – 03 March 2025
Improving attendance: Culture
This session will take a look at improving attendance and engagement within primary and secondary schools, with a focus on ‘Cultures’. It has been planned with senior leaders in schools and will include a presentation from Greenwood Academy, North Ayrshire, and will focus on their approaches to improving learning engagement, recognising ‘push & pull’ factors experienced by young people at home and at school. This cross sectoral session will also build in time for discussion on embedding change in school at all levels to support improving school attendance.
Session 3 – 10 March 2025
This session will take a look at improving attendance and engagement within primary and secondary schools, with a focus on ‘Practices’. It has been planned with senior leaders in schools and will include a presentation from Dunoon Grammar School, Argyll & Bute, and will focus on their approaches to using current and historic data to support transitions, recognising that the use of data at all levels in school informs planning and the effective use of resources. This cross sectoral session will also build in time for discussions on early interventions at transition periods, mental wellbeing support and parental partnership practices.


