Balfron Matters


Monday 9 January 2023

Weekly communication for staff

Dear colleagues,


Happy new year! I hope that you have had a restful break. The end of term was extremely busy and sucessful. Thank you all for your contribution to the many fantastic activities that ran. A range of photos from the last week of term are in the 'Last Week at Balfron' section below. I would also like to acknowledge the great work done by the Equity Team in supporting our most vulnerable families at the end of term. The hampers put together were amazing and gratefully recieved. Notable is the sensitivity, thoughtfulness and kindness shown by our team - thank you.


I know that you will be keen to join me in extending a warm welcome to David Braid, our new DHT for Lomond House. While David will be quickly getting up to speed with the needs of our young people, our systems for cover, course choice and timetable, I know that he will be keen to get to know you all quickly.


Thanks to Phil and Jennifer for getting the Prelims ready for Tuesday. I have pulled together a couple of Phil's links below that I hope will help - invigilation and overall detail.


There are links to last term's behaviour data below. Please could S1-3 Form class leaders and PTs PS take some time to review with pupils, set some targets and where necessary, contact parents.


As you all know, the school is closed to pupils due to industrial action on Wednesday. Parents and carers have been informed.


Many thanks to the SNC for agreeing the following changes to the collegiate calendar:

  • Working Group - 30 January 2023 - removed

  • Team meetings - 8 and 22 May 2023 - removed

  • S1 Parents' Evening (in person) - Thursday 23 March. This will take place online if there is adverse weather.

  • Leadership team meeting moved from Wednesday 22nd to Monday 20 March.


The collegiate calendar has been updated to reflect these changes.


Thanks again - have a great week.

Elaine

This week at Balfron High:

Team Meetings


Mon: Return



Tues: N5 Applications of Maths

H Maths

Parent Council, 7pm


Wed: Industrial action


Thurs: H Sociology

N5 English


Fri: N5/H/AH Modern Studies

CfE: Office & technicians


Prelims 10 - 27 January


Just a reminder that you must submit all of your exams paper digitally to ensure that the digital question papers are ready for use on the day of the exam.

  • For AAA (dyselexia etc) pupils, they are entitled to have a Digital Paper on screen. They will also have an answer book on screen.

  • Pupils who have no AAA, but have asked to type, do not get an onscreen question paper, only an onscreen blank Word DAB to type on.

If you haven't already, please share your paper with the Technicians must be uploaded through this Google From Link https://forms.gle/ACErbkTHXUYkB4Yy5

  • Either Word or PDF documents can be uploaded – please ensure they are high quality documents.

  • Poor formatting and mixed font/size/text will lead to a poor exam experience for AAA pupils.

  • Audio files can also be uploaded for listening exams.

Please follow the instructions carefully on the form.

  • For prelims with a single paper - please rename the exam paper (eg Practical Cookery Nat5 Single Paper ).

  • For exams with 2 papers, please upload both papers together, correctly renamed (eg "Physics Nat5 Paper 1" and "Physics Nat5 Paper 2"

but note that all multiple choice answers should be completed on paper)

  • You should also upload a Digital Answer Book if there is a separate one, and a cover if that is separately needed.

invig week 1 wb 10 Jan 2023.xlsx
All Data - Full Details

Behaviour Data (December '22)

The links below show data for the last four weeks of term (approx). It is great to see so many merits go out in a four week period (4086). There are, of course, some clear areas for improvement and a small number of young people who contrubute to the number of demerits. 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 S1-3 on 6 February. It will be useful to compare the next 4 week period.



Behaviour Stats by Year 12/22
Behaviour Data Dec 2022

Last week of term at Balfron

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

This is a quick look back at the last week of term.

Thanks for the pictures - it is a great way to share and celebrate the work of the school. Please do keep them coming.

One portal to hold all information

ERP MyPortal.pdf

Powering up our seniors for successful studying

Don't forget, we have an abundance of useful resources to support study skills

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

CLPL corner

What's available?

It's that time of year when we get some breathing space for our CLPL interests

Have a look at what's coming up in house, resources available to look at and external opportunities available

Sessions will be delivered through whole school inservice training and voluntary twilights

In house Opportunities

This term:

  • Increasing challenge in our classrooms

  • Working memory and its classroom applications

  • Moving information into Long Term Memory

  • Adaptive teaching using the working memory model

BHS L&T Resource Links

There has been so much shared over the last few sessions.

Did you know you can access these resources here?

Have a browse, read, listen, learn and enjoy!

BHS Professional Reading Library

We have an amazing library with loads of new books

There is a variety of topics including behaviour management, cognitive science, ASN, pastoral care and leadership.

It's good to keep a book on your desk for a reading brain break throughout the week.

Please ask for recommendations!

External Opportunties


Education Scotland and FVWL RIC have lots of opportunities to engage with live and pre recorded sessions. Click on the links on our BHS CLPL opportunities below:

STEM and Learning for Sustainability CLPL Opportunities


This fab new all-in-one-place CLPL calendar has just been published by Education Scotland.

The list of opportunities to book into events is excellent. Many are free and online as well. Have a look by clicking here

Pupil Council Meetings

  • Tuesday 6 December

  • Wednesday 1 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.

Improvement Plan - Balfron High School

Calendar 2022-23


9 January School re-opens

10 January Prelims start

Parent Council Meeting, 7pm

11 January Industrial Action

16 January S3 Parents Meeting (online)

S2/3 FCL interviews begin

24 January HT drop-in (parents/carers)

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

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.

  • 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.pdf
Strike QA 20.12.22.doc
BHS SIP & Recovery Plan 202-22.docx