Unless you’ve been there I don’t think it’s possible to imagine the anxiety which teachers, principal teachers and head teachers experience at the time Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) results are published.
I’ve been in there in all three roles and now in my wider role as Head of Education.
Over my 27 years in the business I’ve experienced [...]
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So often in education we focus upon the hard data - figures -statistics - numbers.
So it’s really useful sometimes just to stop and listen to people’s stories.
If you want to read an interesting story about a mother’s perspective on her child sitting his Standard Grades a year early tune into guineapigmum.
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We’ve completed the template which schools can use to complete their Standards and Quality report.
The background and rationale behind to this development can be accessed here
We will be launching the new format for all schools on the 21st March at our Head Teacher Conference. Those schools who volunteered for the on-line version will receive additional [...]
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We have been trying to use this blogging platform to fulfil our statutory obligation to complete our Standards and Quality Report on education in East Lothian.
The reasons for exploring this format were threefold: improve accessibility to the report; cut down on environmental impact of producing a ‘glossy’ report; enable people to interact with the report.
However, another reason has [...]
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I’ve been working on our Departmental Standards and Quality Report. I’m trying to set up a template which can be used by schools - with a view to reducing workload but improving the impact it makes.
One of the other differences is that I’ve used this blogging platform to present the plan on-line. There will be [...]
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Prestonpans Primary School
Originally uploaded by Don Ledingham.
I visited Prestonpans Primary School this afternoon to find out about some of the exciting plans they have for the coming session. Learning and Teaching, Curriculum and Timetabling were all on the agenda. A member of staff challenged me to “know” the school better at a personal level.
I’ve been thinking about [...]
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The schools are on their October break. I’m working on two major tasks this week. Firstly our department’s Standards and Quality report and secondly, some research and reflection on Curriculum for Excellence
Im taking a similar approach towards the departments S&Q report as I did with a schools. When I was at Dunbar I pulled apart [...]
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8.15-9.30am Weekly Education Officers Meeting. Each person reports on issues that have arisen in schools over the past week. It proves to be a very useful forum to share information and to pick up on concerns.
Colin Sutherland (HT North Berwick HS) arrived at 9.30am to help us develop our attainement evaluation procedures. I'm keen that [...]
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Friday 7th October
In at 7.00am to clear my desk for the day. Meeting of Education Officers at 8.15am. This is the weekly sweep of school issues arising from contact with HTs. Ive missed the last few EO meetings for a variety of reason but it is proving very useful in tracking problems and improving communication [...]
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Directorate meeting from 8.30-10.00am This takes place every Monday morning. Alan Blackie, Director of Education and Children's Services, Alan Ross, Head of Children's Services and myself meet to dicuss issues which have arisen over the previous week and to tackle any matters which require attention.
Met Alan Cruickshank, ICT Dept, at 10.00am to discuss the future [...]
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