Category: Inclusion

How We Create Change for Children – Conference

Conference 2024: How we create change for children – Rights Respecting Schools Award (unicef.org.uk)

The online event will explore school leadership within the framework of child rights education, aimed specifically at school leaders and those leading RRSA work in their setting.

The half day event will take place on 3 October from 930 to 1230.

Agenda

9:30 – Welcome: with Martin Russell, Programme Director RRSA

9:45 to 10:25 – Leading Change for Children: Find out how the RRSA creates change for children. In this session we will explore our theory of change, a methodology that outlines how we create change for children across the UK through child rights education. With Research, Evaluation and Participation Manager, Charlotte Fielder, teacher and RRSA Lead at Colgrave Primary School Nelson Ganeshwaran and RRSA Professional Adviser Steven Kidd.

10:30 to 11:10 – Child Rights Leadership for Today’s Challenges: with Dr Kulvarn Atwal. This session will explore the major challenges facing school and education leaders today and how incorporating children’s rights into management, policy, teaching and learning can help address these issues.

11:15 to 12:15– Leaders in Conversation: Join us to hear leaders in education from local authorities,  and secondary, primary and trusts school settings across the UK talk about the successes and challenges in their roles and the place of children’s rights and RRSA within the educational landscape.

12:20 – Closing remarks

About this event

This year we will come together on October 3 to explore how we create change for children through child rights education. We will celebrate our shared journey to embed children’s rights into school life and to celebrate the work we do each day to empower children and young people through their rights.

The conference is open to teachers and other staff from schools already involved in RRSA but will be particularly relevant for those working in a leadership roles or those leading RRSA work in their setting. It is also suitable for those as well as those looking to find out more about the programme and professionals in the field of rights-based education.

The conference will be held on 3 October 2024. It will be running from 09:30 – 12:30 (UK time). Attendees can join for the whole event or only attend slots of their choice. Please check the website for more details on speakers and the full timetable. The programme is subject to change.

The conference will be run as a Microsoft Teams Live event. Attendees can participate via live Q&A chat function with speakers and UNICEF UK RRSA staff available on the call to respond.

For any questions please contact rrsa@unicef.org.uk.

Speakers

Nelson Ganeshwaran  – Nelson Ganeshwaran is an Assistant Headteacher in East London, where he holds several key roles including Designated Safeguarding Lead, Behaviour Lead, Wellbeing and Senior Mental Health Lead, SEN Phase Leader, and Rights Respecting Schools Lead. With over a decade of teaching experience, Nelson has demonstrated a commitment to both educational excellence and the holistic development of students. His career includes a notable two-year tenure as Key Stage 2 Lead and Curriculum Lead at an international school in Shanghai, China. Nelson embarked on his journey with his current school in 2014, initiating its path towards becoming a Rights Respecting School. The school is now on the cusp of achieving reaccreditation as a Gold Rights Respecting School. In 2022, Nelson completed a Master’s degree in Education and Leadership, with his dissertation exploring the links between behaviour and oracy, and highlighting the significance of the child’s voice in the educational process. 

Dr Kulvarn Atwal  – Dr. Kulvarn Atwal has spent his entire career teaching and leading in East London schools, and is currently Executive Head Learning Leader of two large primary schools. He has been a Head Teacher of three different schools and his first action in each school he has led is to become a UNICEF UK Rights Respecting School. His doctoral thesis investigated the factors that impact upon teacher engagement in professional learning in schools. His findings were published in 2019 in his first book, ‘The Thinking School’ and he has just released his second book, ‘The Thinking Teacher’.

Rukhsana Ahmed –  I have worked in Manchester for over 25 years. I was born and raised in Longsight and so have a deep understanding of the needs and wants of our local community. I also lead three local children centres and a daycare provision. I sit on a number of influential boards, including Manchester Start Well and the GM School Readiness Board. We started our RRSA journey a number of years ago, and are proud to be a Gold Rights Respecting School. It has enabled our children to find their voices, shape our school, not accept injustice and be loud, clear and very proud. 

Rebcca Wheelan – Rebecca is Deputy CEO for Horizons Specialist Academy Trust. Prior to taking on the role of Deputy CEO, Rebecca had two successful headships, the most recent being the Principal of Abbey Hill Academy, a secondary school for young people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities. Previous to that Rebecca was the Principal of Green Gates Primary Academy, a school for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties.   Having worked with children and young people with a range of needs across a range of school phases, Rebecca is passionate about ensuring that all children and young people achieve their full potential. Rebecca has seen the impact of taking a whole school approach to putting children’s rights at the heart of school policy and practice and for that reason has encouraged all schools within the Trust to become a Rights Respecting School. 

Developing Whole-School Policies to Promote Language & Literacy Development

Developing Whole-School Policies to Promote Language & Literacy Development Tickets, Wed 15 May 2024 at 16:30 | Eventbrite

Date and time

Wed, 15 May 2024 16:30 – 17:30 BST

Location

Online

About this event

  • 1 hour

The presentation will examine causes of underachievement among immigrant-background and other multilingual learners and the evidence-based educational directions that respond to these causal factors. Potential causes of underachievement go beyond simply the challenges of acquiring the language of instruction. In addition to the challenges of developing conversational and academic skills in English, many multilingual learners are also experiencing the effects of both poverty and broader patterns of discrimination in the wider society. The presentation will discuss the research evidence relating to these factors and describe teaching interventions that have the potential to reverse patterns of underachievement resulting from all three causal factors. A central element in the creation of whole school policies and instructional practices that will engage all learners entails mobilising pupils’ multilingual resources and helping them to bring their languages into productive contact with English. The presentation will describe how educators have pursued these goals in a growing number of schools that have joined the ‘language-friendly schools’ network in recent years (www.languagefriendlyschool.org).

Areas of focus will include:

· The causes of underachievement in multilingual learners.

· The challenges of developing conversational and academic skills.

· The need for evidence-based strategies.

· The impact of poverty and discrimination on raising attainment.

· The creation of whole school policies to engage all learners.

· The interventions which can support learners’ language development.

· The advantages of using all learners’ language repertoires.

· The benefits of becoming a language friendly school.

· Opportunities to ask Jim Cummins questions.

Who should register for the webinar:

School staff working at primary and secondary level, including:

· School leaders

· Teachers;

· EAL teachers;

· Teaching assistants;

· Support for Learning Workers;

· EAL coordinators;

· Anyone with responsibility for EAL;

· Teaching and Learning leads;

· Phase leaders;

Why you should register for this webinar:

· A great opportunity to hear expert advice from Dr. Jim Cummins

· One-hour intensive session with Q&A

· Access to session recording;

· First to hear about future webinars and how to sign up.

If you have any questions that specifically relate to the webinar topic, which you would like answered during the live session, please send them to: webinar@bell-foundation.org.uk.

If the webinar is full, please complete the wait list form and you will be contacted if a place becomes available. Everyone on the wait list will be sent a copy of the webinar recording.

Ticket sales close on 15 May at 12:00 UK time.

If you are viewing this event after ticket sales have closed, please click here to register for our newsletter and receive updates on future webinars or online courses.

The webinar URL will be issued 90 minutes before the session. When you receive the webinar URL, please check that it takes you to the event room, if not, please email: info@bell-foundation.org.uk. Please note that you will not be able to log in to the webinar event room in advance. Please check your “junk” folder if you have not received this information one hour before the event.

Biographies:

Dr Jim Cummins

Jim Cummins, Ph.D., is a Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. His research focuses on literacy development in educational contexts characterized by linguistic diversity. In numerous articles and books, he has explored the nature of language proficiency and its relationship to literacy development with particular emphasis on the intersections of societal power relations, teacher-student identity negotiation, and literacy attainment. He has been awarded four honorary doctorates from universities in Greece, Norway, and the United States.

Scottish Association for Teaching English as an Additional Language
SATEAL exists to foster and develop the teaching of English as an Additional Language (EAL) in a multiethnic environment through our conference and website. SATEAL organises an annual conference in person and virtual events for educators across Scotland who are working with bilingual learners and wish to develop their professional skills and knowledge. The SATEAL Conference is an ideal opportunity to network and share with EAL colleagues and professionals from across Scotland and beyond.

Important notice: there are only two websites authorised to promote and take bookings for this event run by The Bell Foundation. These are: The Bell Foundation’s website and Eventbrite. Please do not book, or express interest in, this event through any other website or platform.

Inclusion & Wellbeing Resources

These have been highlighted at a recent national group (ASLO) as useful for schools to know and be reminded about or made aware of:

Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit – The Reading Circle resource has recently  been updated

https://addressingdyslexia.org/resources/reading-circle/

Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants

Maximise the impact of teaching assistants.

https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/teaching-assistants

CALL Scotland PL offers

CALL Scotland (Communication, Access, Literacy and  Learning) help children and young people across Scotland to overcome disability and barriers to learning created by their environment, and to fulfil their potential.

ASL and Technology Online Conference 2024.

For those interested in technology to assist students with Additional Support Needs. Bringing together brilliant educators and the UK’s leading suppliers of software and technology to support learners with ASN.

https://www.aslandtechnology.org.uk/

CALL CPD – AI course; 5, 8, 10 week courses. DAA course August 2024; AAC course Sept 2024.

https://www.callscotland.org.uk/training/

Use of AI – blog article here

https://www.callscotland.org.uk/blog/can-artificial-intelligence-ai-help-learners-with-dyslexia/

Child Protection Induction

Child Protection Induction – for all new starts

Thursday 9th May, 4.00-5.30pm, MS Teams

Aims 

Content

Book on Business World

Fully funded places available on Open University Microcredentials

The OU in Scotland is currently offering some fully funded places on our Microcredential courses starting in June/July 2024. These courses run from 10 – 12 weeks and are designed for people looking to gain new skills to help advance their careers. The courses are delivered online via distance learning which allows you to fit in time for learning alongside work and life commitments. They can give you and your staff practical skills that can be immediately utilised in the workplace. Offered at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the courses will also give you the chance to learn alongside people in a wide range of sectors and roles and share knowledge and experience.

The courses on offer are:

  • Agile Leadership and Management
  • Business Management: Marketing Principles and Practice
  • Business Management: Improving Organisational Practice
  • Business Management: People Management and Leadership
  • Business Management: Project Management
  • Business Management: Fundamentals of Management Accounting
  • Business Management: Financial Accounting for Non-Financial Roles
  • Climate Change: Transforming Your Organisation for Sustainability
  • Cyber Security Operations
  • Mental Health: Working with Children and Young People
  • Mentoring and Coaching in Professional Learning
  • Python Programming
  • Teacher Development: Embedding Mental Health in the Curriculum

More information about the courses and the application form can be found at https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/choose/scotland-micro. The deadline for applications is 19th May 2024.

Inclusion Offers – Bilingual

Bookings are being taken for the following sessions:

Supporting Established Bilingual Learners in the Mainstream Setting; 13/05/24; 4.00-5.30pm

Supporting Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in schools; 22/05/24; 4.00-5.30pm

Inclusion – Supporting Bilingual Pupils in the Early Years Setting; 30/05/24; 4.00-5.30pm

Please book on Business World

iws

Borders Carers Centre – Big Hiccup Training

We are delighted to offer the return of our highly successful ‘Big Hiccup’ training.
An opportunity for Professionals to ‘walk in a carer’s shoes’ with this powerful, interactive and immersive training. Suitable for social workers, CCA’s, health or education workers. Covering your requirements and duties under the Carers Act, this training will ensure you are able to confidently support carers in your role.
This session will be run 3 times in 2024. You only need to attend one session
All dates here:
https://www.borderscarerscentre.co.uk/professionals-training.htm
Please note the Carers Centre will be closed from 2pm on Friday 22nd December, and will re-open at 9am on Friday 5th January
If you require support during this time, please call Social Work 0300 100 1800 (option 1) or ‘out of hours’ on 01896 752111