Category: Uncategorized

Capturing Learning & Observations for assessment

This course is aimed at settings wishing to develop their understanding of how to capture learning and observations in a variety of ways (including digital, using a platform such as Showbie) and how these can be used for assessment to support children to make progress in their learning across the curriculum.   Where possible, it would be beneficial for as many of your team as possible to attend. This should include an SEYO or EYO. This is to enable teams to discuss and develop a shared approach through the course. If the location of your setting makes it challenging to attend this session in-person, please get in touch with the tutor to discuss the possibility of joining remotely as a team .

The course will comprise three compulsory sessions across the year. These will take place in-person at Council Headquarters. There will also be two optional online drop-in sessions for additional support if required.

  • Session 1 will consider why and how we capture learning & high quality observations and the variety of ways in which we can document this involving children and parents.
  • Session 2 will delve into understanding why systems must be in place to analyse and interpret our documentation to progress individual children’s learning across the curriculum.  We will discuss and share what this can look like in practice.
  • Session 3 will require practitioners from settings to share their progress across the year and the impact this has had on children. Practitioners will have the opportunity to share their journey with another setting in the Borders.

In order to experience impact from these sessions, participants are required to;

• share current observations and systems

• participate in the sessions and to implement a change after each session (to both observations, and then systems)

• share the changes they implemented and the impact the change has had on their interpretation of children’s progress.

 

Practitioners will:

• Gain clarity on a variety of documentation types which evidence a child’s holistic development.

• Establish systems to put in place as a team to ensure that documentation is purposeful & supports progress & effective assessment.

• Share practice with other settings and quality assure their documentation against key messages.

• Work as a team to establish a robust framework that sets out their own setting’s types of documentation & systems around these.

 

Target Audience – SEYO or EYO. For this training to have the most impact, it would be beneficial for as many of your team as possible to attend.

Friday 24/10/25 – 2-4pm HQ business suite

Wed 3/12/25 – 4-5pm Online Teams (optional drop-in)

Wed 28/1/26 – 4-5:30pm HQ business suite

Wed 25/3/26 – 4-5pm Online Teams (optional drop-in)

Wed 27/5/26 – 4-5:30pm HQ business suite

Inspiration, Innovation, Impact-Inspirational environments

A series of 4 core (mandatory) CLPL sessions (1 hour each presented virtually) and an expectation participants will engage in a minimum of three hours implementing learning in practice.     Optional drop-in sessions to support practitioners will be arranged.

14/11/2025 – Inspirational Environments Session 1 1hr live presentation- Practical implementation- Core and Continuous Provision Audit Introductory session to Core and Continuous Provision across the indoor spaces supporting holistic development and learning (incorporating CfE capacities & meta skills)

30/01/2026 – Innovative Practitioners Session 2 1hr live presentation- Practical implementation- Observation of children’s use of core and continuous provision (Feedback from practitioners’ implementation of core and continuous provision audit) Focus on Loose parts including block play

20/03/2026 – Creativity and Curiosity Session 3 1hr live presentation- Practical implementation-improved core and continuous provision  (Feedback from practitioners’ observation of core and continuous provision)  Focus on Expressive arts play including role-play

01/05/2026 – Impact Session 4 1hr live presentation  Stimulating indoor spaces where children explore, experiment, and develop curiosity and creativity have been improved throughout the setting. Children are highly confident and engaged in the available spaces that meet their changing developmental needs.

 

Course aims:

Individuals will be able to implement changes to create stimulating indoor spaces which enable children to explore, experiment, and develop curiosity and creativity throughout the setting.

Individuals will be able to demonstrate that children are highly confident and engaged in spaces to meet their changing developmental needs.

 

Target Audience – All Early Learning and Childcare setting practitioners

14/11/2025 – 2-3pm

30/01/2026 – 2-3pm

20/03/2026 – 2-3pm

01/05/2026 – 2-3PM

 

Skills Development Scotland – Education Offer

Click the link to find out about our Education team 2025/26 professional learning offer.

We offer sessions either F2F or online for Primary Clusters regarding the following themes:

We also offer virtual sessions that individuals can register for using the links below:

23/9/25 – Introduction to meta-skills

8/10/25 – Meta-skills in Practice: Sharing approaches from primary schools 

12/11/25 – Introduction to career education

4/12/25 – Meta-skills in Practice: Sharing approaches from ASN settings

Please get in touch if you would like to discuss this offer in more detail.

Amber

Amber.beatson@sds.co.uk

Fischy Music – free teacher training

Fischy Music is running free teacher training this term. It’s a great opportunity to learn about the songs and resources for the 2025/2026 School Year, and is open to all Primary School teachers, whether or not they feel confident musically.
Feel free to share these registration links:

Data Literacy in the Primary Classroom

Join an Online Professional Learning Course on Data Literacy in the Primary Classroom

We’re inviting student primary teachers, probationary teachers, and those in the first five years of their careers to take part in a new professional learning course as part of a research project led by the University of Edinburgh.

The course is designed to help early career teachers build confidence in teaching data literacy through playful, inclusive, and meaningful activities aligned with Curriculum for Excellence.

What’s involved?

  • A flexible, self-paced online course
  • Live sessions and peer support
  • Use of ideas or activities in your current/future classroom
  • Short survey or interview to reflect on your experience
  • Certificate of completion

Timeline: September–October 2025

Who can join?

  • Primary teachers in their induction year
  • Early career primary teachers (within 5 years)
  • Student primary teachers (PGDE/ITE programmes, all parts of Scotland)

💬 What past participants say:

“I wish I had this in my ITE programme.” – Primary Teacher

“Now I feel confident to use data in my classroom.” – Student Teacher

Register here: https://edin.ac/4dLhFGh

📩 For more information: Mustafa Ciftcioglu – s2452324@ed.ac.uk

New PL Offers – Supporting Neurodivergent C&YP

Supporting neurodivergent children and young people who mask in classroom situations (Thursday 25th September 3.30-4.15pm).

Join us for insightful discussions, practical tips & valuable resources to help better understand & support neurodivergent individuals.

Book a place here

 

 

Supporting neurodivergent young people in the classroom who show signs of depression (Thursday 2nd October September 3.30-4.15pm).

Join us for insightful discussions, practical tips & valuable resources to help you better understand & support neurodivergent individuals.

Book a place here 

 

NSA National Webinars

  • An Introduction to the National Standardised Assessments for Scotland is useful for anyone involved in the delivery of national standardised assessments in primary or secondary schools who wish to understand the purpose of the assessments and gain familiarity with the functionality of the assessment system. It also highlights examples of good practice in administering the assessments and provides advice and practical information. It will be particularly useful for anyone who is new to the National Standardised Assessments for Scotland (newly qualified teachers or teachers new to their current stage) or as a refresher for anyone who hasn’t used the system recently.
  • A Closer Look at the National Standardised Assessments for Scotland in an ASN and EAL context includes content that is relevant when working with learners who require additional support with their learning or for whom English is an additional language, including details of system functionality that can be used to support accessibility and some practical advice on using NSA.

The webinars will take place via Microsoft Teams, with links to join being sent directly to all signed-up delegates. The dates for this term are:

Course Date Time
An Introduction to the National Standardised Assessments for Scotland Monday 29th September 4-5.30pm
A Closer Look at the National Standardised Assessments for Scotland in an ASN and EAL context Tuesday 30th September 4-5.30pm

Both of these courses would be valuable for teachers engaging with the NSA system for the first time, whether new to stage or to the profession.

This invite will be sent out to all active users who have signed in to the system within the last 12 months. However, it would be extremely valuable if you are able to highlight these webinars to new users, as well as further promoting these webinars in your local authority as appropriate.

Places are limited so delegates should sign up here to register their place as soon as possible to avoid disappointment:

https://forms.office.com/e/EHncS1FMn3

Please note that a valid school email address is needed  to register. Please also note that we will be unable to accept any attendees who have not registered in advance.

Further dates for these webinars will be made available again later in the academic year. Gaelic versions of these webinars will also be hosted later in the academic year.

If you would like any further information, please contact the service desk on 0330 403 0041 or support@nsa.scot