Balfron Matters

Dear colleagues,

It certainly was a full-on first week back and judging by the calendar, this week will be full and busy too. Thanks for your input and commitment - it does not go unnoticed. A special thank you to the English Team who hosted Gordon MacKay and I for an Open Doors morning last week. We saw some great practice and were pleased to see that pupils are beginning to work collaboratively again. Young people were focused, hard working and really enjoying English. Here is our morning in a minute English Open Doors

While get get into a more recognisable pattern of working, the Covid mitigations remain in place. Thanks for reminding young people to sanitise hands and desks and to continue to wear face coverings. For those who have not had a chance to read it, here is a link to the latest Education Recovery document from the Scottish Government.

We are learning to live with Covid and inevitably staff have to deal with additional PCR tests, positive results for themselves or family members. Amanda has brought in additional supply to help support the cover required when we can. I anticipate that this is the way it will be for a while and appreciate everyone doing their bit to keep the school running.

PC McNulty joined us to run consent work shops for S6 pupils last week. He will do the same for S5 after his redeployment to COP26. This input was oprganised following a number of seniors raising general concerns around respectful relationships in a range of contexts. Kate Reid and a couple of the Head Prefects have helped me put together a carefully worded survey that I plan to share with senior phase pupils. This will follow a short recorded input from myself that Form Class Leaders will be asked to play. I hope to have this ready by the end of the week. We are taking the opportunity to reinforce the importance of respect in all relationships and are doing some research into how the range of pupils with protected characteristics (race, culture, sexuality, etc) feel that they are treated. I know that you will join me in reinforcing that if anyone is treated disrespectfully, they should report it to a member of staff who will treat it seriously.

Last week six pupils were trained by Education Scotland as 'Leaders of Learning'. They will join pupils from Dunblane and McLaren High Schools in reciprocal visits. The purpose is to share experiences of learning and have an opportunity to visit the other schools. I will share more information with you as the project progresses.

Have a great week.

Elaine

Wellbeing week will incorporate the Sport Scotland Active Girls Day on the 28th and a Wellbeing day for boys on the 29th.

There will be various events taking place for pupils and staff with information going out to parents too. Here is a link to the activities activities available for staff and pupil activities

The pupils will be asked to complete google forms to choose their activities, we would really appreciate Form Class Leaders support with this.

I am really grateful to the Expressive Arts team who are pulling together a brilliant offering for the pupils to take place during the wellbeing week at form class time and lunch. Anna will share more detail with you all later in the week.

We hope all teams will promote the theme of wellbeing throughout the week. We will launch the week with a form class activity and there will be input for form class leaders throughout the week. We would ask that you take some time in Form to engage with these with the pupils.

Neil Macquarrie.