National Conference 2008

There were 15 options over the morning and afternoon sessions and topics included interesting practice from schools that helped support children and young people, working with partners, current educational developments such as Restorative practices, More choices, More chances, GIRFEC, Health and Wellbeing and many more. A full list of topics and presenters is below.

1. The voluntary sector's role in pupil support - Colin Morrison, PINS Co-ordinator

The Pupil Inclusion Network (PINS) will profile the key role that the sector can play in support for some of the most vulnerable and at risk pupils; highlighting the key elements of effective partnerships, the specific contributions that the sector brings to delivering better outcomes for children and young people, and to the emerging developments around Curriculum for Excellence.

2. Getting it right for children affected by domestic abuse - Artemis Pana, National Domestic Abuse Delivery Group, Scottish Government

Drawing on practice examples from across Scotland, this interactive workshop will be an opportunity for participants to explore how schools can address the causes and consequences of domestic abuse through the curriculum, the culture and ethos of a school and the support for learning provided to children, young people and their families.
It will also be an opportunity to explore how work in schools around domestic abuse may best be supported through national developments such as Getting it right for every child.

3.‘Happy Safe and Achieving their Potential’ Implementation by Local Authority - Lorretta Scott, Adviser, Glasgow City Council

This workshop will focus on 2 activities within the process Glasgow City Council engaged staff and children/young people in order to develop their understanding of the 10 standards for personal support. The first, with unpromoted staff, examining the 10 standards in order to develop their understanding of what they mean in the various sectors and what their contribution is, and the second, looking at how we engage children and young people in producing a 10 Standards poster for Glasgow schools which would show what each standard meant for them. Copies for the activities will be provided for workshop participants.

4. Restorative Approaches in Scotland's Schools. Improving Relationships, Promoting Positive Behaviour - Derrick Bruce, Positive Behaviour Team Scottish Government

The Scottish Government is committed to enabling support for schools and local authorities in relation to promoting positive behaviour.
To this end a range of approaches have been developed that are known to have a positive impact upon ethos and practices within schools. The Positive Behaviour Team, working within the Schools' Directorate, enables access to these approaches on a planned basis and within the improvement planning process.
These approaches, while specific in content, share core themes. They are concerned with skills for life and improving relationships.
The workshop will provide an introduction to Restorative Approaches and will explore links with the curriculum (for excellence).
It will also enable participants to consider links and common intentions with 'Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential'.

5. “Health and Wellbeing – An Integrated Approach” - Bill Boyd, Programme Manager and Iain Ramsay, Team Leader, LTS

This workshop will give delegates an opportunity to discuss the recently published draft experiences and outcomes for Health and Wellbeing in the context of Curriculum for Excellence in general and the new legislative framework of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Scotland Act. It will provide a background to the writing process, explore some of the ways in which teachers and schools are beginning to look at a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, and look at what the priorities will be for the coming year.

6. Supporting Transition to the Post School Sector/ The Role for Personal Support and Guidance? - Cyril Hellier & Ron Crichton, Post School Psychological Services, Scottish Government

This workshop will set the legislative and policy context for supporting transition to post school. It assumes that there is scope for transformational change in schools in this respect. It will outline issues relating to partnership working, including a model widely used in promoting effective shared assessment/intervention. Opportunity will be taken, to reflect on roles/contributions of personal guidance to supporting transition for all school leavers and to consider implications for practice.

7. ‘If you feel good you learn well’ - Dr. Elizabeth Morris, Principal, School of Emotional Literacy

Emotional literacy involves sensing, understanding and using emotional information from oneself and other people in order to make informed and effective decisions, which then drive our actions. An understanding of Emotional Literacy and the development of positive relationships in schools will mean that young people engage with learning and achieve better outcomes.
This workshop is designed to give you a unique combination of up to date theory and practical solutions to help you in your work.

8. Winning hearts and minds – Engaging parents and pupils - Staff and pupils from St Paul’s High School

The Schools of Ambition programme was set up to support school transformation. St Paul’s High School has embarked on a number of initiatives to improve ambition and opportunity for young people, and set an example to the whole community. This workshop will demonstrate how the school revised their method of engaging parents and are empowering pupils to be responsible citizens in their school, their local and their global community.

9. Supporting Vulnerable Children through the FRIENDS FOR LIFE Programme - Ian Liddle, Psychological Services Stirling

Many children and young people fail to assess the full benefits of the Curriculum for Excellence because of difficulties of anxiety, self esteem confidence, depression or low mood. Up to 20% of children experience problems of this nature but only a small number receive help in addressing them.
The FRIENDS FOR LIFE Programme was devised to enable teachers and others to support children in developing resilience and raising self-esteem, to overcome problems of anxiety, and thereby to participate more fully in both school and in social and community settings.
Participants in the workshop will receive information on the programme's effectiveness and an introduction to some of the activities and concepts covered.

10. Why: understanding motivation - Ian Smith Director Learning Unlimited

We know how motivation works in schools, why too many students still lose interest in learning at school and what we can do about it. This session will help participants to explore what this is and consider the implications for them, no matter what their role in the education system is.

11. Building Personal Support - Terry Ashton,
(Guidance and Careers, Aberdeen City Council and leader of the national implementation team, 'Personal Support in Schools')

This workshop will look at personal support as an integral part of Curriculum for Excellence, and at ways in which schools can progress towards achieving this. Examples will be included from the interesting practice collected by the national implementation project.

12. Participation and Learning - Alison Weatherston, Education for Citizenship Development Officer, LTS

This interactive workshop will explore some of the wider issues of pupil voice and participation. Delegates will have an opportunity to share and examine their own experiences, and reflect on practices from across Scotland, using the LTScotland and Save the Children publication 'Participation and Learning’.

13. Communities of Philosophical Enquiry - Paul Cleghorn, Educational Consultant

Paul Cleghorn works as an educational consultant, having previously been a Headteacher and Development Officer. Over several years, Paul has spoken at many national and international conferences. His workshop will show how philosophical enquiry is not only a proven method of cognitive development, but also of social and emotional development - leading to reasoning and reasonable young people.

14. Meeting the needs of all learners: the complementary roles of school self-evaluation and inspection by HMIE - Elizabeth Ritchie, HM Assistant Chief Inspector

This workshop will focus on the use of the new quality framework in How good is our school? (3) and the revised advice on planning, which together form Parts 3 and 4 of The Journey to Excellence. It will look at the relationship between school self-evaluation and HMIE inspection and how they contribute to improvements in supporting pupils and enabling them all to achieve success.

15. Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) - Penny Cullum, National Pathfinder Co-ordinator, GIRFEC

Getting it right for every child is a national programme that is informing how adults think and act to help all children and young people grow, develop and reach their full potential. Personal Support in Schools is central to this process.
This workshop aims to raise awareness and increase understanding of the Getting it right for every child approach. It will provide an update on the core components, principles and values that underpin the approach and highlight activity taking place in pathfinder areas. It will also update participants on developments associated with a national information sharing model and the establishment of an on-line Learning Community.

Supporting material

Personal Care and Support in Scotland’s Schools (80 KB)

Health and Wellbeing and Curriculum for Excellence (2.0 MB)

Pupil Inclusion Network Scotland (80 KB)