Balfron Matters
Congratulations to Rose and Mary - through to the semi-final of the Donald Dewar debating competition
Congratulations to Rose and Mary - through to the semi-final of the Donald Dewar debating competition
10 March 2025
Weekly communication for staff
Building Futures Together
Dear colleagues,
I hope you had a restful weekend at this busy time. Just four weeks left of this term with a massive focus on supporting our senior phase learners to secure their best 5 qualifications. For most of S4, this will be best grades at N5s, for others this is five qualifications N2-4. Thanks to our PTs PS who have reviewed the overview of our least secure learners post prelim, and are working hard with you to pull together evidence of learning so that all pupils have their best learning certificated. Our priorities for these learners are:
Literacy/numeracy, then
drive towards 5 qualifications (best possible level)
If you have a learner who has struggled to attend, complete or engage, please link with your PT and the learner's PTPS to make arrangements for support.
To help with this, I was informed on Friday afternoon that of the £6000 that I bid, we have been awarded £2000. The priority for use of this funding is to support our least secure and most disadvantaged learners. Given the priorities outlined above, please link with your PTs. I requested funding so that we can provide backfill/cover to allow more intense working and supported study funding (Saturdays, Easter School). Please have a discussion in your teams with the focus of supporting our least secure. I will liaise with David and PTs to agree funding allocation and how cover might best be managed. I am keen to get plans and support moving quickly given the limited time left and appreciate your help with this..
We have our final pedagogy working group after school on Monday to focus on our Plus Ones. Michelle met with working group leads last week to begin planning for the 2025 Pedagogy Festival. There will be some discussion around the format you would like to share your plus one at the Festival on 2nd May. Here is a link to our Festival Programme and video from last year to provide inspiration!
We have bought the licence for the School App. I am hoping that this will provide a positive alternative to high profile social media presence that we had developed. Wati is arranging training for the office and for staff. If you had made use of Twitter/X and would like to be part to the early training (45-60 minutes) in order to share good news stories, pictures, videos clips please let me or Wati know and I will include you in the first round of training. The app goes live as soon as the training starts.
And finally, I am so pleased to share that on Friday after much discussion and toing and froing, thanks to The Paul Trust, I was able to raise the order for our brand new new minibus! I hope that we will have it for the start of the new term. As it is a flexilite model, all who have been MIDAS trained and have a driving license can drive it. For those interested, this is the spec:
Citroen Enterprise Flexilite - Manual (Pre -Registered 28.02.25 - 74 Plate)
L4H2 (140) with Air Con & Sat Nav
Colour: White
17 seat 1 wheelchair
Manual ramp
Manual side step
I have been in regular contact with Kirsty who manages Fleet at Stirling. They will maintain the minibus for us. Kirsty is aware that we will have a number of staff who will want to quickly get MIDAS trained. If you are likely to need use of the minibus, please liaise with David (info) and Jenifer who will organise the training.
Thanks for your hard work and commitment to achievement and attainment at Balfron High. Every small act makes a massive difference. #buildingfuturestogether #weareBalfron
Have a great week.
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
S3 Tracking Reports
S4/5 Course Choice
N5 & Higher Music Practical exams
Mon: S6 Anthony Nolan Assembly
Working Group - Plus Ones
Tues: N5 Cookery Exams
Wed: S1 Assembly (Mobile March)
HSOG U18 Rugby 7s
SAAS Student Funding Talk, 7pm
Thurs: S2 Assembly (Mobile March)
HPV Immunisations
Fri: S3 Assembly (Mobile March)
HPV Immunisations
Notice Boards
Pics include:
Chinese Club - Lunar new year crafts; red pockets which are a tradition to give money as a gift
S3 Netball Team played against Dunblane last week
U13, U14 Boys and U13 Girls all qualified for the next round of the Glasgow Warriors Championships on Tuesday - congratulations!
Outdoor Learning: S2 Forest Schools at Mugdock
Outdoor Learning: S2 at Green Routes
Senior Roofing Course
PC Barclay visiting S3 Modern Studies
Rose and Mary after successfully getting through to the next round of the Donald Dewar Debating Competition
Please take photos and share with me directly via email or Whatsapp (with pupil's permission). Let's recognise and celebrate all the good stuff. We will also share in the Parent Noticeboard. #wearebalfron #buildingfuturestogether
Inhouse CLPL 24-25
active learners - active thinkers
Coming up this term
We continue to discuss strategies around feedback, one of our most powerful drivers of improvement for learning
Have a look at our discussion so far on the slides and come join us for more sharing of great practice around feedback
Key Messages Around Feedback
Adaptive Teaching is simply our
Everyday Excellent
Scaffolds:
A temporary support to reduce
the complexity of a task
writing frames ◾word banks ◾ structured study mats ◾help sheet how-to◾ number lines◾ worked examples ◾graphical organisers
Scale:
Flexibility within the scale of output required
Can build this up over time
Challenge:
Meaningful ways to extend learning that isn't just 'more of the same'
All resources in the Classroom
code to join: 6a7mbjk
Promoting Study Skills
Head Prefects will be promoting all things
Good Study this week at lunchtime
Direct your seniors to the stall for:
BHS Core 4 steps to Study Success
QR links: How-to Techniques
QR links: e-sgoil support pages
Grab n Go Study Planners
Grab n Go Flashcards
Top tips on the best Study Apps
Positive physical & mental wellbeing
Powering up our seniors for successful studying
Quick links for form and class resourcing
This Week: Display in S4/5/6 Form Class
Sharing our Resources
Feedback from our festival was super positive, it was clear we all enjoyed sharing and learning from one another
Please share useful resources here
Accessing our digital resources
Professional Reading Library - Strathendrick Suite
More Digital CLPL
always available through the links below:
Education Scotland:
Professional learning modules
to work through at your own pace.on Scotland: Professional Learng Modules
Increased consistency in Learning & Teaching
Improved Wellbeing & Inclusion of all young people
Increased offer in Curriculum
Increased Attainment & Achievement
Increased influence of Pupil Voice on Improvement