Balfron Matters
Monday 6 March 2023
Weekly communication for staff
Dear colleagues,
Congratulations to the S2 Balfron Team (Beth, Emily and Sophie) who won the 7 Cities Hydrogen Challenge regional heat and are off to the finals in Aberdeen. Congratulations to the team and thanks to Debs for organising this.
It is boys mental health day on Friday. Thanks in advance to Neil and Andrew for planning activities to support this. Thanks also to Scott Mason for sharing a link to the mental health flag (who knew!) which we are now flying proudly. Linked to this, Elaine J and Claire have been working on assemblies to help young people further understand equity, equality, discrimination and conscious and unconscious bias. Thanks to them for this work. We know that much unkindness and nastiness comes from bias, so we continue our journey with this very important work.
Thank you for supporting World Book Day last week. It was great to have the Drop Everything and Read activity to promote the benefits of regular reading. To help Nicola and the team, please also update the 'I am reading...' whiteboards on your classroom doors. It is good to see the evidence build up in support of our Reading Schools accreditation. Massive thanks to Nicola for driving this.
We had a fantastic family learning evening for parents of S2 last week. Thanks to David for organising this and everyone who delivered a session. The purpose was to give insight into the S2 learning experience at Balfron, to build relationships and to have some fun. The photos are certainly a testament to all of that. I have included them below. There are three further 5pm online sessions being offered to parents which you would also be welcome to attend:
7 March: Promoting Wellbeing in Young People (Psychological Services)
14 March: Mental Health and the importance of sleep (with Kooth)
21 March: Healthy use of mobile phones (D Whiteford, Mobile March)
The toilets remain an issue for pupils. Bellrock are monitoring them every hour and supervision staff are checking them at breaks and lunchtime. We recognise that there is also an issue between classes. Perhaps the next stage is to look at a rota of staff to check the corridors and toilets at the start and end of each period. Alternative suggestions are most welcome.
During every inspection, I learn key lessons to bring back. The big one this time was the importance of genuine pupil voice and co-creating improvements or change with young people. We should be considering opportunities for this from classroom activities, right through to whole school policy changes. Using data, views (staff, pupils and parents) and suggestions from those the policy will impact is the key to successful implementation. I plan to improve this through the new improvement planning process and suggest that we all consider how this could be more thoroughly done in our own contexts. I will do the same with the ethical conduct survey. I am currently analysing the results. With the Head prefects, I will devise a way of sharing them, planning an online/ recorded assembly to promote discussion in form classes.
Looking to next session, we have increased our curricular offer. We have ordered a coffee machine so that we can deliver the SCQF Level 5 Barista Skills qualification. Lynne Rice is leading on this. Lynne and Jenny MacKay will be sharing information with S5 about the course and howto get involved. Lynn is consulting with her team and young people to plan the creation of the cafe. We are also delighted to be offering Child Care next session. Daniel and Lesley are developing this course.
Also hot off the press is phase 3 of the Hayward Review (review of qualifications and assessment). Views are being saught on the proposed model, the Scottish Diploma of Achievement (SDA). This includes:
Subject Studies
Learning in context
Personal Pathway
Please familiarise yourself with these proposals. It is important that we reflect, respond, influence decisions and prepare for change.
Back in our classrooms, please continue with the consistent message to our young people:
Meet and greet at your door at the start of the lesson
All outdoor jackets/ hoodies removed in class
Mobile phones away and silent in class
Pupils should be not be dismissed before the bell
Thanks for all the great things that you are doing. Have a great week.
Elaine
This week at Balfron High:
S4/5 Course Choice Interviews
Mon: S2 Assembly
Tues: S1 Assembly
Wed: S3 Assembly
S5/6 Parents Meeting (online)
Thurs: S4 Assembly
Fri: S5/6 Assembly
Male mental health day
CfE: Endrick 1 Technologies
Study Support for S4 and S5
Pam and Heather are running voluntary study support sessions for pupils in S4 and S5 in the lead up to their final exams focussed on study techniques.
S4 and S5 FCL's, please show the clip below to their Form Classes on Monday and encourage them to sign up to the sessions via their Year Group Google Classroom.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IRgJx4vlfyyR5m56wQDuma0eaeCzi0D0/view?usp=sharing
Last week at Balfron
When people outside your walls know what you are doing, it gives value to those inside.
Photos from the last week include: Higher Modern Studies trip to London; Energy Quest - S1 STEM event; Struan Ferguson competing in The Scottish Motocross Championships in Tain, 7 Cities Hydrogen Challenge regional finals, Peer Reading and Lovely note with Drymen Primary School, Lab Skills pupils at FVC; S2 Family Engagement evening.
So much to celebrate. Thanks everyone!
Promoting Positive Behaviour: De-escalation
(Borrowed from the Expressive Arts Bulletin)
What is de-escalation?
De-escalation refers to the process of diffusing conflicts as they begin to prevent them from getting worse. Within the classroom, this usually requires identifying a risk and intervening as quickly as possible (in a calm and controlled manner) to prevent small behavioural issues getting out of hand.
De-escalation Strategies within the Classroom
Active Listening. Acknowledge the opinion of the young person and their feelings towards the situation. Communicate openly to help them see that you are on their side. This will help you work together to find a solution.
Stay Calm (even if you're not). Modelling calm, respectful behaviour will help the young person feel less threatened and more likely to communicate with you.
Offer Positive Choices. Instead of telling a young person what to do, or forcing a certain behaviour, try offering them a few different options to choose from. This will prevent them from feeling powerless/unheard and help direct them towards displaying desirable behaviour. Remember to allow take-up time.
Choose your battles wisely. If something doesn't need to be a big deal, don't turn it into one. Don't sweat the small things. Is there an alternative solution? Can we give a reminder or provide something?
The aim for these strategies is to encourage and allow learners to feel that they can choose to make appropriate choices, rather than feel coerced.
February Data by pupil and year group (usual format)
The links below show data for the last four weeks. It is always great to see so many merits go out in a four week period (2403, down in total from January). There has been a decrease in the number of demerits for S1-3 in this period compared to January (545 - from 667).
Thanks to FCLs and PTs PS for their targeted work with these young people and their parents/carers.
If you have not already, please pick up the conversations with those highlighted, and reinforce to those doing well that we do note this too.
The next data update will be shared for S1-6 on 17 April.
Improving behaviour at Balfron High School
While it is fair to remember that most of our young people are cooperative and well behaved, there are some who struggle to regulate their behaviour and others who make poor choices. These can cause frustration and stress to those around.
This 'Improving Behaviour in Schools' document by the EEF is helpful. The research does reinforce that consistency is the key. With that in mind, we must ALL do our bit to reinforce the school expectations and policies or we send conflicting messages to young people and make it harder for our colleagues.
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Inservice Evaluations Responses & Action
Thank you to those who found time for the evaluations - a small sample but some points well made. I have shared all feedback with the key people.
Key actions:
Consider the theatre set up. This was considered a positive change - chairs with break out areas.
No more than one hour without a break (staff meetings)
Flexible learning to class Google Meets to support targeted pupils: IT requirements to SLT
Resources required to create nurture space in classrooms: requests through Lynne Rice to EB.
The Hayward Review - School Reflection Pack
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10 mins Pedagogy Power up
This Week:
Managing Low Level Behaviour
There are lots of excellent, simple to use strategies for dealing with low level behaviour.
By teachers for teachers.
Read: Bill Rogers top ten tips
Watch: Tom Sherrington You Establish what you Establish
Listen: Jamie Thom Managing behaviour at the start of a lesson
CLPL opportunities
In house CLPL
Voluntary Offers: Sign up below
Curriculum Design: 9th March 4-5pm
Middle Leadership online session: Education Scotland:
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Low level behaviour challenges: Mon 20th March 3.45pm C8
In person E Bannatyne and C Appelquist:
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April Inservice
Moving information into Long Term Memory
External CLPL
BHS Professional Learning Notice board.
Search. Click. Book
CLPL: Coaching other Teachers
One of the best learning resources we have as teachers is each other.
Hopefully, you have fond memories of your mentoring sessions when you were a probationer - it's often commented that the same mentoring throughout our careers is an unfortunate gap in our profession.
But, we are all mentors, everyday. Not only does this enrich our lessons, departments and the future of the profession, it enriches our day to day mental health and wellbeing with positive relationships.
If you are thinking of developing your coaching skills, Education Scotland are offering a wide range of coaching courses that you can sign up for. Use the QR codes to explore more.
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
Pupil Council Meetings
Tuesday 6 December
Wednesday 8 February
Tuesday 28 February
Wednesday 15 March
Tuesday 18 April
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.
One portal to hold all information
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Calendar 2022-23
23 February S4 Parents meeting (online)
28 February Pupil Council
2 March Higher Modern Studies London trip
6 March D of Ed BAG Meeting, 7pm
7 March Parent Council meeting, 7pm
8 March S5/6 Parents Meeting (online)
10 March Non Unifrom Day (back on Side)
Boys Mental Health Day
13 March Climate Ready Classrooms (geography)
Science Week
15 March Pupil Council
16 March S3 Bronze D of Ed session, 7pm
22 March Insight visit (Lewis Paterson)
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
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