Dear colleagues,

I would like to pass on thanks from the attainment visit team at the council for everyone's efforts to raise attainment, ensure positive destinations and address the barriers that our least secure learners face. While we were disappointed in the attainment dip recorded by the 2023 cohort, I was able to highlight work being done across the school:

• • curriculum development, particularly new courses

  • continued high focus on pedagogy

  • drive for 5 (all levels)

  • rigorous tracking to quickly intervene 

  • support from Amanda, our new Inclusion Support Worker, to get young people back into school

As you know, Andrew Lauder leaves up at the end of the session to take up his new post at Preston Lodge.  This has given us an opportunity to review that PTPS role and make a change aimed to further support our least secure learners and young people who require a more bespoke approach.  In addition to supporting stage 3 and stage 4 pupils, the successful candidate will coordinate and deliver aspects of alternative programmes. That means that this person will not teach in one of our teams but have contact time in the inclusion pathway hub (still to be formally named). This post will be advertised soon for an August start.  If you are interested in learning more about the new role, please see Claire.

I am very much looking forward to our first Pedagogy Festival on Friday.  We will begin in the Strathendrick Suite and utilise the English classrooms thereafter. I hope that protecting time for teachers to work together researching and learning in preferred areas of pedagogical interest has been positive for you all. It will be great to see the whole picture on Friday morning. In due course with your input, Michelle will evaluate the festival and general approach with a view to tweaking and improving next session. Thanks to everyone in advance - this is an exciting addition to our Learning & Teaching improvement strategy.

In another exciting development, promoting literacy and supporting the Languages team, I will be sharing Balfron's 'Word of the Week' every week in the BM.  As we all have a responsibility to develop literacy, the ask is that we all use the word of the week where we can in our own context. It will be defined and modelled in a sentence by the English team.  It will also be on their display in Spanish and French. This week: 'resilience'; last week's was 'elated'. The team are encouraging pupils to use the word(s) in their speech and writing, giving them stickers and/or merits when they do so. The team would love us all to do the same - please get on board and reward pupils for using these words.

May your resilience shine brightly as you navigate through challenges and thrive in your work!

Have a great week.

Elaine