Balfron Matters
Tuesday 20 September 2022
Weekly communication for staff
Dear colleagues,
The Thematic Inspection is on Tuesday. Thank you for your input, suggestions and attention to the detail that will support the day. Patricia Cameron (HMIe) will be with us throughout Tuesday. She will be out and about at intervals and lunchtime and will have a tour of the school at a point of the day that suits her. Please be mindful of this. Additional hands on deck at break and lunchtime would be appreciated particularly as Campsie House staff are out at Auchengillan.
Thanks again to those who have some time to give for Supervision Rota. I will share the rota with Hilary. She is happy to provide lunch/snack for those helping out. It's never too late to join us. Just add your name to the final rota.
This will be a busy week between the inspection, three days at Auchengillan and S4 Columba 1400 group out all day on Wednesday. As per Neil's email, if you require cover for the S1 team building days, and have not already completed this cover request, please do so as soon as possible to help with planning.
Sixteen S4 pupils have been selected to Columba 1400. They will be out of classes on Wednesday all day and then all week from 26-30 September. They will not have access or time to do school work or homework in that week. They know that it is their responsibility to catch up afterwards. Thank you for your support and patience with that.
The Columba 1400 pupils are: Rebecca Baird, Cameron Baxter, Cameron Brown, Tilda Dalziel, Aaron Freckingham, Verity Gibb, Harry Haggerty, Orla Haggerty, Kelsi Hewines, Scott Howe, Grace Johnstone, Callum MacKay, Adam Nicholas, James Smith, Matthew Victor, Harrison Ward. Staff involved with me are Andrew Lauder, Grace Shaw and David Whiteford.
Please note the new CLPL notice board that Michelle has put together. It is highlighted in bold black to the right and there is an over view of it in the CLPL Corner below.
Thanks to all of you for your input to last year's attainment. We know that a high level of withdrawals contributed to a drop in breadth & depth in S5. Actual results overall are positive. I have been meeting with PTs to reflect on results and discuss priorities for this year. The Results Machine (Balfronhs with usual password) gives a fantastic overview. We have focused on component marks, scatter plots and course history.
It's National Recycling week. Remember mixed recycling can go in the clear bags in your classrooms but it must be dry.
As always, thanks for your hard work and professionalism.
Have a great week.
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
Team Meetings
Mon: Closed
Tues: S1 Campsie at Auchengillan
Thematic Inspection
C1400 Parents meeting, 7pm
Wed: S1 Endrick at Auchengillan
S4 Columba 1400 out all day
Thurs: S1 Lomond at Auchengillan
Fri: CfE: -Technologies
Dealing with Bullying Behaviour: Promoting Positive Relationships
In preparation for our Thematic Inspection on Tuesday. The programme outline is also below along with the names of those involved. Thanks for your pupil focus group suggestions.
Respect for All.pdfPreventing-and-Challenging-Bullying-Behaviours-2019-2020 (5).docxFree online CLPL Also 20 September 3.45 - 5pm
PEF - Equity Matters
Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) Team Update (F Fisher)
The PEF team has begun project work and positive interventions to support reducing the poverty related attainment gap.
A summary of key priorities this year. With PEF-targeted young people we will focus on:
Improving reader confidence
Building on numeracy skills
Providing family support to limit the Cost of the School Day
Engaging families in learning (link with David W - project lead)
An awareness of the rising cost of living is fundamental to our planning this year and we will be delivering a Balfron High 'Families First' support service. This will officially launch during Challenge Poverty Week 3 - 7 October 22.
Also during Challenge Poverty Week, a team of pupils from the Higher Modern Studies classes (thank you to Kate and David for coordinating) will deliver assemblies and are in the process of creating a form class discussion task.
Nicola has trained up the PEF paired readers and has been out developing literacy in partnership with our primary schools Our pupils are supporting reading in Primary 4/5 classes. Balfron High S1/S2 targeted support will begin shortly.
Our partnership with LEAPS widening access programme for university entry preparation has begun. 10 pupils will be supported by the programme this year to aid the transition from school to university.
A reminder of our Free School Meal (FSM) pupils: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HZ5goQTM70KX3dBmfPMcBcHs-JgayLGdsunGdAA4LYk/edit#gid=0
Pupils can begin receiving FSM at any point throughout the year so please check the list regularly and when planning any trips and activities us our Equity reflective questions checklist:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kwuD3YfnSwUdDQ5Qb_kpRMFT3C4Myd1bdaetW3brKog/edit
The Future of Qualifications & Assessments in Scotland (Hayward Review)
The focus of the Leadership meeting last week was discussion around Phase one: the draft vision and principles that have been set out in the Hayward Review. Please do feed your views to your PT.
In summary, the team generally agreed with the vision and principles layed out. We recognised that they were broad in nature and we discussed the considerable resourcing implications. I have forwarded our notes to our school link, Danny Smith to pass on.
It is important that we are all aware of the review. A link to the formal slides is on the right.
Last week at Balfron
When people outside your walls know what you are doing it gives value to those inside.
Here are some pictures from last week. These include, our new Young Sports Ambassadors, a murder in the library, Staff Retrieval Practice twilight, our girls rubgy squad who played in their first festival of the session, Mr Dalziel's Higher Class brain dumps, the Games Hall ready for S3 Sports Leader training, and Pupils working with the Tollbooth on music making.
Please keep them coming. I am sharing on the parent notice board too.
CLPL Corner
Retrieval Practice weekly input
Retrieval Practice Templates
Thanks to everyone for sharing their ideas and experiences at the twilight session last week.
Hannah shared this resource she has been using it to raise attainment in N5. She trialled lots of different templates with her class and choose three methods she felt worked best with them.
Kirsty is a big fan of Cops and Robbers with the BGE and recommended trying this one.
Challenge Grids are great for senior groups. This pack has a good template to manipulate.
Increasing Challenge through Retrieval: Using Graphic Organisers
Using graphic organisers increases challenge during retrieval. Scaffolding thinking using these structures encourages the learner to make connections, improving schema development in the long term memory. Linked concepts are easier to retrieve and foundations laid are more extensive for future learning.
A brain dump on Mammals and Placentals would promote retrieval of knowledge.
But adding a simple Venn Diagram encourages the learner to challenge themselves further using this same knowledge.
Read or listen below, the Cult of Pedagogy explains the impact and uses of Graphic Organisers in our classrooms:
Leadership Thoughts & Perspectives
What kind of leader are you? Perhaps a hybrid of more than one style? This is an interesting article on four educational leadership styles.
Professional Learning Opportunities
What's new?
We now have a BHS CPD Opportunities Padlet. The link will be here each week.
Arranged as a timeline, have a look at offers - many are in house events, others are online or in person.
Applying for CPD: Check with Amanda and your line manager if cover is required.
Then book your own place.
Scottish Learning Festival Live in BHS
Wednesday 21 & Thursday 22 September
We are excited to announce our first learning festival, streaming live into BHS!
Sessions that align with our school priorities have been selected and will run live in the Upper and Lower Conference Rooms. Have a look at what's on offer.
We want to help you attend these CLPL sessions but cover is very limited! Please try to arrange cover and release with one other to allow us to collectively attend the session/s we would like. Speak to Michelle and Amanda if your only option is official cover and we will try our best. Together, we can maximise our resources to help each other participate. Attending a session for only part of the time is fine too.
Sign up for sessions is OPEN - use the google form below
School Priorities 2022-23
Wellbeing – staff, pupils, community
Recovery - re-establishing positive school culture of challenge
Learning, Teaching and Assessment - the science of learning, digital approaches, assessment
PEF & Equity
SIP coming soon...watch this space....
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
Reducing+Risks+in+Schools+guidance+-+version+6.1+-+September+2021.pdfBHS SIP & Recovery Plan 202-22.docx