Dear colleagues,

We are speeding towards the end of term at a rate of knots.  Thanks for your input in and beyond the classroom at this busy time.  Colleagues are preparing for trips to London and Zanzibar.  Thanks for leading and supporting these.  They contribute to school ethos, build excellent relationships, bring new experiences and wonderful memories. 

Grease this week

Our school show rehearsals are looking great.  S2 pupils and their teachers will attend the matinee performance on.  The show will start at 12:30pm and run until 3:15pm (approx).  Pupils will be allowed out for class from 12pm to have their lunch. 

Lunch arrangements: pupils must not leave campus and can only order paninis & baguettes via the usual ordering app. 

S2 Form Class Leaders: Please can you remind pupils that they must pre-order their lunch online by Tuesday break and can only order panini's & baguettes.

If you have an S2 class P4: Please come down with your class at 12pm to supervise lunch in the lower part of the atrium.

If you have an S2 class P5, 6 or 7 please come to the theatre to supervise. This is really important as we also have guests attending the performance.  When entering and leaving the theatre please use the back door only. We will leave seats at the end of rows for staff to sit on. 

Lunchtime supervision: If anyone is available during lunchtime on Tuesday and would like to see part of the show for free we would really appreciate your support supervising the S2 audience. Please let Anna know if you are able to do this. 

Learning & Teaching Matters

Open Doors has been really positive - thank you for your welcome and preparation for the visits. Videos are posted below.  It struck me that this is a good time to highlight Michelle's work in providing excellent resources for us to make use of. We had always hoped that our toolkit would be at the centre of all of our work.  Following your feedback it has been re-formatted, along with our lesson visit sheet.  Here are links to our key learning and Teaching documents, which now have a common format.  I hope this helps.  All resources be found on our fantastic L&T website:

• Learning & Teaching Toolkit

• The Balfron Lesson

• Lesson Visit

• Plus Ones - resource link

School Improvement Matters

Our SIP/TIP 2024-25 is under final review.  While our overall priorities will remain the same, I would welcome your views on your views/suggestions on actions that will support further progress in 2025-26.  I am hoping that some time at TMs this week can be used to review our progress and success with the 2024-25 TIP actions.  It will be helpful in the TIP to quantify progress with reference to data, views & observations - spell out how we know the extent to which we have made progress.  

In draft, our School Priorities 2024-25 will remain improving our approaches to and impact in.  Along with review of data (attendance to class and behaviour stays) discussion at the Leadership Team meeting highlighted a need to re-focus on behaviour with particular reference to our most dysregulated young people (new S3).  We will do this through all of our key priorities, in particular, wellbeing & inclusion and the curriculum.  We are already looking to engage some of these young people through an increased offer in outdoor learning and a curricular offer that offers certification. Focus on how we deal with their more challenging behaviour will also be a key focus. SIP areas are:

• Learning & Teaching

• Wellbeing & Inclusion 

• Curriculum

• Attainment & Achievement

• Pupil Voice

S5/6 Form Class Leaders, please prompt your pupils to complete the Easter school survey  on the year group Google Classroom.  Some data and views will be used to add to staff views in the funding report. 

As always, thanks for your hard work and professionalism. 

Have a great week. 

Elaine

 #buildingfuturestogether