Learning festival to highlight Curriculum for Excellence in the Highlands
A major event to showcase good practice around Highland in relation to Curriculum For Excellence will see over 1,800 people gathering in Dingwall Academy on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 October to discover more about the work achieved in Highland schools.
Primary and secondary schools from across all areas of the Highlands have been invited to participate. Teaching staff, learning support auxiliaries and classroom assistants attending will be able to participate as fully as they wish with over 100 presentations, activities and workshops to choose from over the two days.
The majority of the workshops will be led by staff who will be sharing their experiences with their colleagues. Marybank Primary School will be demonstrating how a school blog can strengthen the partnership between school and home, Raigmore Primary School head teacher Moira Leslie will describe how they achieved becoming an Emotionally Literate School and representatives from Dingwall Primary with talk about how using comic software has enabled pupils to create their own comics and learn new skills.
Other primary schools hosting workshops include Grantown, Newtonmore, Aviemore, Carrbridge, Inver, Ardross, Marybank, Smithton, Duncan Forbes, Kirkhill, Central, Stratherrick, Inshes, Cauldeen, Kirkhill and Drummond.
The secondary schools represented in the workshops include Wick, Farr, Dornoch, Tain, Alness, Dingwall, Ullapool Gairloch, Plockton, Mallaig, Lochaber, Nairn, Kingussie, Grantown, Millburn, Charleston and Inverness High School.
The workshops led by staff working in secondary schools will include a presentation by Ullapool High School on how a crime scene investigation scenario project was used as an interactive way for pupils to learn about forensic science and how the introducing of Philosophy to S1 pupils at Grantown Grammar has helped pupils develop thinking and questioning skills.
There will also be workshops featuring the involvement of other organisations such as the Soil Association, Health Promoting Schools, Highland One World, Highland Numeracy, Scottish Screen and Eden Court Theatre’s Art Education team.
An exhibition area will also be available for participants to browse around when they are not involved in seminars or presentations. Over 30 stands will be displaying material and promoting local community groups, organisations and businesses which are able to support the Curriculum for Excellence.
There will also be presentations by keynote speakers, Bob Barfoot from HMIE and Eddie Broadley, the former Head Teacher at Glenurquhart High School who now works with Learning and Teaching Scotland and the Council’s Director of Education, Culture and Sport, Hugh Fraser.
Eddie Broadley is looking forward to returning to Highland as a guest speaker. He said: “Curriculum for Excellence promises transformational changes across Scotland’s educational landscape, building on and enhancing the existing good work and strength of our schools. For such a change to be successful we need to take a fresh look at what we are doing and involve a wide range of collaborative partners including our young people.”
Hugh Fraser said: “This festival of learning will provide us with a superb opportunity to share and develop our understanding of practice and principles of Curriculum for Excellence and to recognise and celebrate learning in all its forms. Curriculum for Excellence firmly places the learning needs of young people at the centre of the learning process and gives pupils more choices at all stages of their learning.
"Developments in Highland schools have been very strong and will be clearly evident in this Highland showcase of good practice. I am delighted that the Council’s Continued Professional Development group have built upon the ideas and initiatives of practitioners in our schools to fill a complete and varied programme over both days and would like to thank everyone involved in the organisation of such an ambitious event.”
Graham MacKenzie, Head Teacher of Dingwall Academy who is chair of the organising committee, said: “I very much hope that all members of staff who attend will enjoy and be inspired by what is on offer during this special learning festival. This event will be the first of its kind to be held in the Highlands and will be a magnificent showcase for the excellent work achieved across Highland’s classrooms.”
For further information please contact Terry Kerr, CDP Development Officer on (01463) 702039