Balfron Matters
Monday 15 May 2023
Weekly communication for staff
Dear colleagues,
I hope you have had great weekend. News hot off the press... We have achieved Bronze Reading School Accreditation! Congratulations to Nicola Douglas who has done a great job getting us there.
It was great to see and hear about such a positive S3 geography trip to the Yorkshire Dales last week. Thanks to Alistair, Bethany, David and Heather for their time and care in running the trip. They reported that our young people were fantastic throughout. Pictures are in 'Last week at Balfron' below.
This is national Mental Health Awareness Week. The flag flying on our campus is the mental health awareness flag and has been flying since our male mental health event. Mental health awareness will be the focus of assemblies this week too, where we will be sharing information and tips on how to
This is the time of year where we should focus on school improvement and planning for next session. I know that you have been awash with surveys and appreciate you finding the time to fill them in. Patterns that emerge in responses allow us to follow up with conversations and focus groups. This along with data and observations give us a clear mandate for improvement. So please do share your views when asked and don't worry about my feelings - improving the school is the priority!
I have replicated the HMIe questionnaire exactly as it will be done when they next visit. I am hoping that it will be a couple of years away and want to show our best. We're getting ready now. The timescale affords us the time to sharpen up our improvement cycle so that we are working on the right things. I shared the parent/carer survey last week.
Here are links to the staff surveys - please complete them honestly. I firmly believe that all feedback is a gift. I am keen to properly understand where we are and what needs to be done. The surveys will be open for one week.
Teaching Staff Survey - May 2023
Support Staff Survey - May 2023
We have a strong focus on Learning and Teaching having had the Science of Learning input core and twilight sessions, tri-learning, peer visits and now open doors.
Massive thanks to colleagues in Technologies for the warm welcome for Open Doors. Lynne Rice and I had a positive time observing and chatting with staff and young people. There is a short video below.
I am looking forward to visiting Expressive Arts (Monday with Neil Macquarrie), Science (Wednesday with Debs Gormal), Social Subjects (Thursday with Roy Pearson) and Health (Friday with Matt Harvey) - another busy week ahead. Thanks in advance to everyone involved.
Have a great week.
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
Mon: Open Doors - Expressive Arts
N5 Health & Food Technology
N5/H/AH French
Tues: S2 Show Racism the Red Card workshops (C1, E1, L1)
N5/H Business Management
N5/H engineering Science
Wed: S2 Assembly
Open Doors - Science
S2 Show Racism the Red Card workshops (C2, E2, L2)
N5/H/AH Physics
Thurs: S3 Assembly
Open Doors - Social Subjects
N5/H/AH Modern Studies
School Meeting - Tri Learning
Fri: S1 Assembly
Open doors - Health
N5/H/AH
CfE - Campsie 2, Maths
Reading School Success
Massive thanks to Nicola Douglas and the entire staff for getting onboard with our Reading School initiatives this year. It has been a great success for individuals and our school culture.
Equally Safe at School - Next steps
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The staff survey responses so far are on the left for your to view. It is always interesting to see responses come in. It helped to identify emerging themes, providing a mandate and focus for improvement.
We would like everyone to complete the survey. If you have not managed, don't worry, time has been built into the training sessions next week should you need it.
Sessions next week will run as follow:
Wednesday 25th, periods 1 & 2: Lomond House staff
Thursday 26th, periods 1 & 2: Campsie House Staff
Thursday 26th, periods 3 & 4: Endrick House Staff
Open Doors Technologies - Thursday 11 May 2023
Last week at Balfron
When people outside your walls know what you are doing, it gives value to those inside
Photos from last week include:
S3 geography trip to the Lake District
S1 and S2 researching and celebrating Eurovision
SIP 2022-23 Review and Priorities for 2023-24
Assembly Programme April- May 2023
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Inservice follow up resources
Graphic Organisers
Graphic Organisers
Read or Listen
A great blog on using the graphic organiser in lots of ways.
It can also be listened to as a podcast.
CLPL opportunities
In house CLPL
Voluntary Sign up sessions
Making effective use of Show me boards - Tuesday15 May
Lunchtime In person, Sharing good practice session
Giving feedback - Exploring the many ways - w/b 22 May
In person, Sharing good practice session
Sign up available soon
External CLPL
BHS Professional Learning Notice board.
Search. Click. Book
Powering up our seniors for successful studying
Study Skills Resources
National weekly study sessions: https://www.e-sgoil.com/
BHS Study techniques website: https://sites.google.com/stirlingschools.net/bhs-study-skills/home
NeLO Learning Spaces: https://www.thinglink.com/card/1421866155961745410
Achieve: https://achieve.hashtag-learning.co.uk/user-start/?next=/
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Teachers Guide to the BHS Study Planner - 3 min watch
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BHS senior study planner
e-sgoil weekly online supported study timetable
One portal to hold all information
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Health & Wellbeing - Counselling for staff
Did you know counselling is available through Stirling Council?
Employee Counselling is available through our Occupational Health provider, People Asset Management (PAM)
There are a few ways employees can request Counselling.
Stuart Shaw on shaws@stirling.gov.uk
Contact hr@stirling.gov.uk
Call Ann at PAM on 0800 882 4102
If you want some more information about counselling, what to expect or looking for self-help resources then please pop in and see Karin Figliolini or drop her an email.
Useful Links
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