Balfron Highlights

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back - it has been a great first four weeks at Balfron High School.  Firstly, congratulations to all of our senior phase pupils who were successful in their National Qualifications.  There was much to celebrate across S4 to S6.  There were strong results overall from last session's S4 across the school with 101 S4 pupils achieving As in N5 English and 97 achieving As in N5 Maths or Applications of Maths. Of course, all of our young people's achievements are worth celebrating but I thought this headline was positive and worth sharing!

We have prioritised senior coursing since the results.  The aim has been to link with pupils to make sure their choices match their best chance of success, based on progression rates.  Our exam results analysis noted a drop in the percentage of young people who achieved five Highers in S5 and in those who left us with 5 Highers from 6.  This has been a focus for staff.  We feel confident that we have almost all young people coursed to achieve their best suite of awards.  We plan to tightly track pupil performance and offer short, intense interventions for small groups early as required.  We have protected some funding to provide afterschool supported study for targeted small groups of young people.  We will use our data to inform our target groups from our tracking.

You will receive updates in your child's progress as follows:

Term 1 S3/4: 3rd October S5/6: 10th October S1/2: 31st October

Term 2 S3/4: 12th December S5/6: 19th December S1/2: 16th January

Prelim Results: S4: 20th February S5/6: 27th February

Term 4 S1: 7th May S2/3: 15th May

Parents Evenings through the session have been planned as follows:

7 October - S4 6 November - S5/6 17 November - S3 4 December - S2

18 February - S4 (online) 2 March - S5/6 (online) 7 May - S1

S1 settling-in interviews will take place week beginning 29 September and week beginning 6 October.  Parents/carers will be invited in to school during the school day to meet with your child's Form Class Leaders or PT PS.  I hope you will be able to make it.

A massive thanks to parents and carers for your support with improving school uniform standards at the start of this term. Our young people look fantastic, appear more ready to learn and the school is calm and focused.  It has been a pleasure to show a range of visitors around and receive such complementary feedback about our school.

Using last session's data, observations and feedback, we are finishing off the detail of our school improvement plan.  The key priorities are as follows:

• Increased consistency in high quality Learning & Teaching through professional learning and teacher collaboration

• Improved Wellbeing & Inclusion of all young people (Pupil led equalities input, wellbeing drop-ins, HWB tracking & interventions)

• Increased Curriculum Pathways (increased range of courses at level 5 & 6)

• Improved Attainment & Achievement (5 qualifications for all, with a focus on attainment at Level 6, Higher)

• Increased influence of Pupil Voice on Improvement (more pupil leadership opportunities & collaboration across the school) 

We have welcomed eleven new staff to the team.  They have made a positive start and we are delighted to have them across the school. New staff include Ms Montgomery - DHT Campsie House (Monday & Tuesday), Mr Murphy - PT ASN, Mrs Nunes - Home Economics, Ms McGuigan - ASN, Dr Allen - English, Ms Grandison - Modern Languages, Ms Gear - Chemistry, Ms Bowie - History/ Modern Studies, Mrs Caruthers - Business and  Ms Clark & Mr Stark - PE. 

As you know we communicate via email, through our School App for Parents (see right for details on how to download) and through this monthly newsletter, Balfron Highlights.  If you have information to share please let me know.

We respectfully ask that parents do not come onto the campus to drop their children off. unless it is part of your child's agreed plan.  Doing so increases congestion and the likelihood of an accident occurring.  The visitor carpark, with its disabled parking, should be available to visitors during the day.  

Coming up:

We are looking forward to our Outstanding Award Ceremony next week (17th September) and we are delighted to have Erin McKee, a former Head Girl join us as a key note speaker.  Erin is currently Special Adviser to the  First Minister of Scotland. 

Congratulations to our Dux Medallists who will receive their awards at the ceremony:

Senior Dux: Laurie Mohaupt

Senior Proxime Accessit:  Ailie Mailer

Junior Dux: Beth Stephen

Senior Proxime Accessit: Zach McColl

Our S1 pupils will be taking part in their House Team Building days in September.  The aim is to reinforce and develop friendships, relationships with their House teachers and to take part in fun outdoor, team building activities.

23rd September - Campsie

24th September - Lomond

25th September - Endrick

Feedback on Balfron Highlights is always welcome.  I am happy to receive that directly  

In addition, I am holding a drop-in between 3.30 and 5pm on Tuesday 23rd September.  If there is something you would like to ask or share, it would be fantastic to see you.  Of course, you are welcome to make contact any time.

Very best wishes,

Elaine Bannatyne

Head Teacher

bannatynee01s@glow.sch.uk