Balfron Matters 

 


Monday 23 January 2023

 Weekly communication for staff 

Dear colleagues,

Thanks everyone for your help and flexibility in dealing with the impact of the road closure on Friday. The quick solution and rescheduling minimised the stress for young people and colleagues. 

It has been great to see the S2/3 FCL interviews taking place.  This is such an important process.  Getting our young people in the right courses at the optimal levels is critical for them and us.  The tracking should be used to safeguard this. I will leave the links below for the duration of the FCL course choice interviews.

S1 tracking is due on Friday as per Phil's email.  You can also access the spreadsheet here. 

The recent data analysis, discussions in education, Hayward report discussions and having a new DHT curriculum, have served to prompt us to refocus on our purpose and the improvements that we must seek to our curriculum and pedagogy. It is, of course, important that we evaluate, review and improve regularly in order that we do our best for all of our young people in an ever changing world.  With that in mind, I have included the link to our current curriculum rationale below.  We will protect some time on the inservice days to support these discussions and work on curriculum.  Network meetings are also planned on the second day.  I will share the finalised programme shortly.

Welcome back to Amanda Short on Thursday!  Looking forward to having Amanda with us as a biology teacher.

Have a great week.

Elaine

Curriculum-rationale-May-2019.pdf

This week at Balfron High:

Team Meetings



Mon: N5/AH Maths


Tues: closed to pupils


Wed: H Business Management 

H Drama

Leadership Team Meeting

Smartphone drop-in for parents


Thurs: N5/H/AH Chemistry

N5 Practical Cookery


Fri: N5/H Spanish

N Biology

CfE: Lomond 2 Science


Leadership Reflections

We aspire to build positive relationships. We know we have the best chances of success if we work positively with young people and each other.

Every interaction, every word, gesture, decision has an impact. Often, the impact can be unintended.

This is an amusing #1minwalk2work about the importance of assuming the best in others.

Prelims 10 - 27 January

(a link to week 3 supervision is on the left below)

invig week 3 wb 23 Jan 2023.xlsx
All Data - Full Details
Programme - Pupils not sitting prelims Group 2

What does the tracking data tell us and what should we do about it?

The purpose of tracking is two-fold:

While on inspection last month, a key focus on the QI 2.3 was looking at the extent to which assessment influences planning and decision making. This includes:

So what does our tracking tell us?

Below is data on levels taken from recent (December) tracking from S2 (left) and S3 (right).  This should be used to help young people and their parents make best decisions for most positive outcomes.  The data is in alphabetical order by surname.  

Form class leaders should use this to help pupils and their parents navigate decisions that will lead to the highest possible attainment.

S3 NQ levels CC 2023.pdf
S2 CC Pathway data 2023.pdf

Important points from the data to support decision making

We should consider these as teams and as a s school


According to our tracking data, in S3 there are 21 pupils who are likely to be N3/4


According to our tracking data, in S2  there are 41 pupils who are likely to struggle with some N5 courses.

Their names are on a tab on the spreadsheet on the right.  

We should consider the same questions from above at team and SLT level.

EB 2022-23 Summary S3 TP Data-2.xlsx
EB 2022-23 Summary S2 TP Data.xlsx

Last week at Balfron

When people outside your walls know what you are doing, it gives value to those inside.


We love the Diversity in STEM board and the creative approach to learning about DNA.

10 mins Pedagogy Power up


This Week:

Mini White Boards

Easy Read

Need white boards?  Want to stock up?  See Jennifer for a class set


Next Week: Think, pair,  share

Ongoing CLPL opportunities


What's on offer?

In house CLPL


A teacher is always 

a student of learning


Feb Inservice:

Working memory and it's classroom applications


April Inservice

Moving information into Long Term Memory


Voluntary Offers:

Increasing Challenge

Adaptive teaching using the working memory model

External CLPL


Professional Learning Notice board. 

Search. Click. Book

Powering up our seniors for successful studying

Teacher's Guide to the BHS Study Planner.webm

Teachers Guide to the BHS Study Planner - 3 min watch

Weekly Study Planner 2022

BHS senior study planner

e-sgoil weekly online supported study timetable

Pupil Council Meetings

Here is the link to our school improvement plan.  It is a real, working document that will be updated and amended as we go through the session. Thanks to everyone for input.  If there is anything that you would like to add or ask, let me know. 

Improvement Plan - Balfron High School

One portal to hold all information

ERP MyPortal.pdf

 Calendar 2022-23

27 January S1 Tracking due

1 February Pupil Council

3 February S4/5/6 Tracking due

13 February Inservice Day

14 February Inservice Day

28 February Pupil Council

15 March Pupil Council

22 March Insight visit (Lewis Paterson)

18 April Pupil Council

Collegiate Calendar 2022-23

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. 

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.pdf
BHS SIP & Recovery Plan 202-22.docx