Don Ledingham’s Learning Log

I was pulled up short last week when someone asked me what I would regard as my greatest professional achievement.
Without having to think about it I responded that it had been creating a culture in a school where boys willingly participated in and enjoyed creative dance.
I became a Principal Teacher [...]

Over the coming year I’m going to be working with local authority directors, heads of service and other key stakeholders to support the implementation of a Curriculum for Excellence.
What questions should we be attempting to answer to assist with its effective implementation?
Here are some possibilities:
How do Local Authorities ensure that Skills for Work, GIRFEC, More [...]

 
I was asked last week what my advice would be for a head teacher taking up their first headship
Obscurely my advice was that they should laminate their notices, pick up in the snow; say yes; and stick up for the kids.
So here are four true stories which underpin this advice:
A  new secondary head teacher reached the end of their [...]

We are currently involved in preparing for a comprehensive self-evaluation of the quality of the education service we provide to children in East Lothian.
We’ve identified seven themes for which we will gather evidence. Each theme will then be subject to rigorous self-evaluation by teams composed of councillors, parents, head teachers, young people and colleagues from other departments.  The [...]

The OECD reinforced the point that there is more variation in educational outcomes within schools than between schools.
The report also stressed the difference in educational outcomes for those pupils who are socio-economically disadvantaged.
We have been doing some research into this area in East Lothian - which is still at an early stage - but initial results would [...]

HMIe have just published their most recent report on Scottish education in the form of Improving Scottish Education The report is based upon the findings of HMIe inspections and reviews of schools and local authorities in the period 2005-2008.
HM Senior Chief Inspector Graham Donaldson, in a very comprehensive commentary, sets out some the main challenges facing the Scottish [...]

Assumptions are the beliefs we have about the programme and the people involved and the way we think the programme will work. This is the “theory” we are talking about: the underlying beliefs in how it will work. These are validated with research and experience. Assumptions underlie and influence the program decisions we make. Assumptions [...]

Situation Analysis
Description - The situation is the foundation for logic model development. The problem or issue that the program is to address sits within a setting or situation-a complex of sociopolitical, environmental, and economic conditions. If you incorrectly understand the situation and misdiagnose the problem, everything that follows is likely to be wrong.
Situation Analysis of [...]

The Curriculum for Excellence ADES Implementation Partnership is a bit of a mouthful but it is a group initiated by the Association of Directors of Education Scotland (ADES) and supported by the Scottish Government to support the strategic implementation of A Curriculum for Excellence.
The Partnership will meet eight times over the coming year with a [...]

 
We used the Logic Model this week to translate a 10 page Action Plan into a much more coherent and user friendly model (with the exception of some of the acronyms).  It really does work!!!
Assumptions
Where services for children, young people and families are delivered in a well integrated, seamless manner it will result in positive [...]