Balfron Matters
Monday 5 December 2022
Weekly communication for staff
Dear colleagues,
Only three weeks left of term and much still to do! Thanks in advance to everyone who is able to support the Christmas Dances and concert, both in planning and delivery.
Thanks to Heather and Pam for leading the latest study skills workshops for all of our S4 pupils. It is certainly a long day for colleagues working through a year group in double periods. I am sure that the input on recall, retrieval & remembering will be really worthwhile for our young people.
Well done to Matthew Crawford on leading the 'Movember' charge. It has raised the profile of men's health, raised some money for charity and provided fun activities that were enjoyed by all. Thanks to everyone involved in that.
Our assembly programme has been updated to accommodate end of term activities, course choice and prelim assemblies.
Thanks to Michelle for the insightful Professional Learning sessions in school and online last week. It was great to have some discussion with colleagues on best practice and to see and review the Teach Like a Champion video clips.
As you know, we have been working on a Toolkit that should help us plan and review pedagogy and support us with identifying areas of practice that we would like to share or improve. You will be reviewing a first draft at your team meetings this week and your feedback is extremely important to us. Michelle will be in touch via email.
As you know, we will remain open to S5 and S6 pupils on Thursday. If you are not in the SSTA or NASUWT, you should:
report to work as normal
sign-in at reception
provide work online for S1-4 timetabled classes by the time the class is timetabled
teach S5/6 classes in person
Please note that colleagues will only be asked to cover classes of those not in school who are not in SSTA or NASUWT.
Thanks to Steven McIntyre for planning and running the Rotary Young Musician of the Year on Monday. This is a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to take part in the prestigious competition. We wish them all well.
Many thanks for you hard work and professionalism,
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
Team Meetings
Mon: S3 Assembly
Young Musician of The Year
Tues: S2 Assembly
Pupil Council
Wed: S5/6 Assembly
Thurs: Industrial Action
open to S5/6
Fri: S4 Assembly
CfE - Technologies
S2-3 Tracking due
Last week at Balfron
When people outside your walls know what you are doing, it gives value to those inside.
This week we have pictures of our pupils in science reviewing a skull collection, S3 Graphics pupils using sketches to develop CAD, our senior footballers after a cup game at Grangemouth, our S3 Enterprise group (TOMRA) finalising their pitch, pupils taking part and fundraising for Movember, Reading Elves gifts, E2 getting festive with Christmas decorations, rugby festival, our weightlifters, and our Top of The Bench Chemistry Team at FV College.
Thanks for the pictures - keep them coming!
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=/
Stars in our midst
Alistair and Cailan Galloway star in this newly released HBO Christmas movie. Both have small roles in the American movie called A Christmas Story Christmas. What a fantastic opportunity for the boys!
Equity Matters
Our Young People
We have 52 pupils now receiving Free School Meal (FSM) entitlement. These pupils are supported by our Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). Please have a regular check of the list. It is particularly important that these pupils are considered when planning any trips or activities which have a cost. Please use the 'Equity Checklist' to guide planning regarding reflective questions to ensure we are fully supporting these young people.
PEF list & Checklist: FSM 22/23
Challenge Poverty Week - Impact Evaluation
Thank you to David, Kate and our amazing Higher Modern Studies pupils who delivered Challenge Poverty week assemblies and created the form class task. I have reviewed the data from our impact evaluation. Feedback was positive with over 54 percent of young people (who responded) indicating an increased understanding of issues relating to poverty and the rising cost of living. We also now have a team of over 15 pupils supporting project work relating to Cost of School Day as a consequence of the Challenge Poverty activities.
Challenge Poverty - Evaluation
Literacy - Targeted Interventions
Nicola has been busy supporting our PEF young people with targeted literacy interventions to develop reading confidence. A second group of pupils are now attending paired reading sessions at Drymen Primary, alongside our paired reading for our junior school pupils. Nicola is also developing approaches based on phonics research. Lots of exciting things to come for literacy.
Families First Support
We are currently trialling our Families First SMS text service to directly support our FSM families and reduce the impact of the Cost of School Day. This service allows families to access:
Balfron Larder (emergency essentials)
School uniform
Sportswear and 'Kit for All' funding
Support with applications such as Educational Maintenance Allowance & NEC Free Bus Pass scheme
Parents/carers are engaging well with the text service, and we will continue to reduce barriers to opportunity created by low income.
Coaching - 1 to 1 Senior Phase
1 to 1 Coaching support this year has been prioritised for senior phase pupils. Meetings will begin early in December in the build-up to prelims and SQA qualifications. Again, we aim to ensure that these pupils have access to opportunities, resources and equipment that will support their learning alongside the mentoring role promoting attainment.
Hampers 2022
The PEF team will be coordinating 20 Christmas Hampers again this year for targeted families. If you can, please donate to the hampers by Wednesday 14 December. A box for donations is located in the staff room. Here are a few suggestions for donations:
Thank you again to staff for your continued support.
Fiona
Pupil Council Meetings
Tuesday 6 December
Wednesday 1 February
Tuesday 28 February
Wednesday 15 March
Tuesday 18 April
Powering up our seniors for successful studying
Don't forget, we have an abundance of useful resources to help seniors on the run up to the prelims.
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
Teachers Guide to the BHS Study Planner - 3 min watch
![](https://www.gstatic.com/images/icons/material/product/1x/docs_32dp.png)
BHS senior study planner
e-sgoil weekly online supported study timetable
Increasing Challenge
This week we continue with a series of CLPL around challenge. In the short clip, Tom talks about the powerful and mighty Think Pair Share routine. Simple and quick to use, it not only promotes a culture of error, but makes learners more accountable for thinking.
In house CLPL Professional Learning Opportunities
Join us for Edublethers, new ideas, old ideas and sharing good practice
Increasing challenge in our classrooms
Week beginning 12th December
Who's thinking?
How do we achieve a learning environment where everyone is accountable for participating in thinking?
Join us to explore techniques and tweeks
External Professional Learning Opportunties
SQA Understanding Standards Events
Use the QR code to see what's on offer
Scottish Learning Festival 22
All sessions now available to watch on Education Scotland's You Tube channel
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Depression: Identifying and supporting Children and Young People - This FREE webinar covers an especially important topic, particularly following the pandemic, as children may struggle to articulate how they are feeling, and parents/teachers may not know how to approach the child. https://www.acamh.org/event/depression-young-people/
We also have free webinars coming up on; School Avoidance, Self-Harm, Substance Misuse, Bereavement, and Social Media, to name a few.
Do please share with colleagues and take just 1 minute to register for our new session on Depression.
We hope you can join us online.
Keep safe and well.
ACAMH
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.
Calendar 2022-23
5 December Rotary Young Musician of the Year
6 December Pupil Council
12 December EB, HMIe deployment (all week)
14 December S2 Parents Meeting
14-16 Dec N5 & Higher Music Practical Prelims
16 December Christmas Jumper Day
20 December Christmas Concert
1 February Pupil Council
28 February Pupil Council
15 March Pupil Council
18 April Pupil Council
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
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)
![](https://www.google.com/images/icons/product/drive-32.png)