Balfron Matters
Senior Ski Trip to Austria
Senior Ski Trip to Austria
Monday 24 February 2025
Weekly communication for staff
Building Futures Together
Dear colleagues,
Many thanks to Clair, the languages team and young people for the activities, tannoys and events that contributed to a great languages week. Well done to the young people who shared messages with the school in foreign languages. It was really impressive. Many young people spoke positively about the link with Cantabria, very much enjoying the connection with Spanish pupils. In the evaluation 92% of those involved stated that their confidence speaking Spanish had increased as a result. 94% fed back that they would like more opportunities to speak Spanish. Thanks to Rebecca for sharing evaluation results and pictures (below).
This week the Health & Safety Committee are meeting to update and amend our critical incident planning. This will include planning protocol should we require to lockdown.
Prelim Evaluation
This year we condensed the prelim diet to minimise time away from class. I appreciate that this meant that we used new, shorter papers in most cases. It is important that we get everyone's views on this. If you haven't already, please complete Phil's survey.
Attainment Matters
I have been meeting with PTs to review team prelim results and to discuss interventions that we can put in place to maximise learners' attainment in SQA exams. I have shared an overview of the current S5 and S6 prior attainment from last session's Insight. It provides a useful flag for progression. I found it interesting to compare our annual attainment data with Stirling and East Dunbartonshire schools. Here is the link: Our Attainment Story
Post prelim tracking shows that our breadth and depth is currently:
S4: 5+@level 5 - 49% (83% are doing 5+ N5 courses)
5+level 5 - 2024 final results 61%
S5: 5+@level 6 - 15% (50% are doing 5+ Highers)
5+level 6 - 2024 final results 35%
Every learner's progress is important and we continue to drive for 5 best qualifications:
There are 10 pupils (7%) in S5 doing N3-N5 courses only.
There are 20 pupils (15%) in S5 doing 1 Higher
There are 37 pupils (28%) in S5 doing 3 Highers
It is important that we do all that we can to keep learners in courses, particularly in S5 where there is no fall back position to recognise attainment.
Interventions Matter
We have 6 school weeks before the Easter holiday. to maximise intervention and support for young people. I have made a bid to the local authority for funding to provide cover for targeted support and funding for supported study masterclasses. The focus of the funding is to target our pupils who are PEF, SIMD 1-6, Care Experienced and Young Carers. I will let you know as soon as I am told if the bid has been successful.
Action required in the mean time:
S4-6 FCLs please review the overall position with individual pupils in your form class. Here is an overview of their results. You can see a breakdown for each individual on the tabs 'S4 ON - OFF' and 'S56 ON-OFF'
Do they have a study timetable?
Do they know how to study? BHS Study Techniques
Flashcards and timetables available at Form Class pigeon holes (medical room)
Direct your Form classes to the Head Prefect study pop-ups in the theatre this week.
Class Teachers please check who in your class is in our four target groups:
TSP1 (Equity and Poverty related): Learners who are Senior Phase and FSM/FME and/or in SIMD Vigintile 1-6
TSP2 (Low Attainers): Learners who are likely to have low attainment in the current year or already has a pattern of low attainment from prior years.
TSP3 (Drive for Five): Learners in S4 who are at risk of not achieving 5 SQA qualifications at Level 3 or 4 or 5.
TSP4 (Leave with Five): Learners in S6 who have not yet achieved 5 Highers, but have achieved 3 or 4 and it is possible to achieve the five by the end of S6.
Impactful classroom interventions:
Collaborative learning approaches (+ 5 months)
Feedback - Feedback - Feedback (+6 months) *see resources and info on in-house CLPL * 3 sessions planned in March
Targeted Homework (+5 months)
Metacognitive Approaches (+ 7 months)
Small Group Tuition (+4 months)
Thanks again for your professionalism and hard work at this busy and focused time. It will make a massive difference. #buildingfuturestogether
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
Team meetings
Post Prelim Review Meetings
Mon:
Tues: Duke of Edinburgh Presentation, 730pm
Wed: Health & Safety Committee, P5
Thurs:
Fri: S1/2 Tracking Reports due
Notice Boards
Prelim Tracking Overview
Self Evaluation Matters
Thanks to the SLAs and teachers who participated in the focus groups on the in-service day. Full notes are available through the title links.
The action from these reviews is most important and here are the key messages, considerations and actions for all:
Where time allows, planning in partnership with SLAs provides best outcomes
SLAs would welcome a mechanism to feed into learner's reviews and plan
SLAs would like to be included in all whole school professional learning
When young people are sent or allowed to go. to FL, they should be sent with appropriate work
We should consider providing and holding core curricular work for targeted learners in Flexible Learning to provide more of a structure.
Some S2 behaviour was raised as a concern. Drop-ins to be organised by SLT. EB to make PTs aware to ensure awareness and support. EB to check with LR if there are opportunities for 2P3 to have SLA support.
Review and improve approach to celebrating success
Review our approach to skills progression across the school
Put in place a mechanism for changing classes that have a concerning combination early the year?
Pics include:
ESOL trip to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Glasgow University
Austrian ski trip highlights
Collaboration with school pupils and staff from Santander
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
Weeks Beginning
3rd, 10th, 17th March
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