National Conference - 18 March 2008
Improving Relationships, Promoting Positive Behaviour
The one-day national conference on building positive relationships and promoting positive behaviour in Scotland’s schools was held on 18 March 2008 at the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.
The event, which was fully booked, was aimed at everyone with an interest in promoting positive relationships with children and young people: Directors of Education; local authority staff; headteachers; teachers; additional support staff; partners from children’s services and the voluntary sector; partners in the Discipline Stakeholder Group, and other key stakeholders.
The programme included keynote speakers, workshops and demonstrations of the innovative approaches already adopted by many Scottish schools.
Word file: Programme - Improving Relationships, Promoting Positive Behaviour National Conference (30 KB)Keynote presentations
Professor Katherine Weare, University of Southampton, looked at what the international evidence suggests can improve behaviour, relationships and learning in schools.
Whole school approaches to promoting positive behaviour - an international perspective (619 KB)
David Cameron, Director of Children’s Services, Stirling Council, discussed the role local authorities can play in improving relationships and promoting positive behaviour.
Workshops:
- Workshop 1 - Staged Intervention
- Workshop 2 - The Motivated School
- Workshop 3 - Solution Oriented Thinking and Practice
- Workshop 4 - Cool in School
- Workshop 5 - The Nurturing Schools 2008
- Workshop 6 - Progressing Our Journey
- Workshop 7 - The Growing Confidence Project
- Workshop 8 - Restorative Approaches
Workshop 1 - Staged Intervention/Framework for Intervention
Ten years on from the introduction in Birmingham of the Staged Intervention/Framework for Intervention (SI/FFI) model, systems are now in widespread operation across Scotland. This workshop provides an opportunity to explore some of the very successful but very different models in operation.
Chris Wright from the Framework for Intervention project in Birmingham will introduce their new training DVD for early years and update delegates on the project’s progress. Other Scottish practitioners using different variations of SI/FFI across the country will each describe the operation of their system followed by discussion with participants.
Workshop 2 - The Motivated School
The Motivated School programme provides a comprehensive framework for staff in schools to consider what motivates young people (and adults) to learn. It hinges on the interaction between learning environment and learner characteristics, challenging us to think differently about ‘managing’ pupil disaffection. The aim is to optimise the learning environment, whilst progressing pupils towards greater autonomy and self-motivation. The approach gives teachers advice on how to motivate children displaying differing levels of motivation, from energetically engaging to opposing/threatening.
Morning session - the Glasgow experience
Presented by teachers and educational psychologists from Glasgow City Council, the workshop will describe how Glasgow has used The Motivated School over the last three years and will provide evidence of its impact on schools.
Afternoon session - the Renfrewshire experience
Presented by teachers and educational psychologists from Renfrewshire Council, the workshop will highlight the innovative approach of Renfrewshire’s self-evaluation model during the first two years of a three-year project, and will look forward to further plans for its use.
Workshop 3 - Solution-Oriented Thinking and Practice
This approach is being widely used across Scotland within educational and social services as an effective and focused way of finding positive solutions and outcomes to complex and challenging issues.
This workshop includes contributions from across Scotland on current solution-oriented thinking and practice in schools. There will be opportunities to learn more about solution-oriented approaches from practitioners within local authorities about their practical application in schools, and to discuss present and future developments.
Workshop 4 - Cool in School
Being Cool in School is a personal and social development programme developed by Fife Council. The evaluation illustrates that this approach 'encourages parents, staff and pupils to work together to help children learn respect for themselves and others'.
This workshop will provide an outline of Cool in School and will give delegates an opportunity to hear from a psychologist about the findings from the early years evaluation. Information about further developments will be discussed.
PowerPoint file: Cool in school - Workshop 4 (2.8 MB)Workshop 5 - The Nurturing Schools 2008
Sharing experience across Scotland.
Concerns have been raised about the apparent increase in the number of very young children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. Many schools in Scotland are finding that nurturing methodologies provide an effective system for supporting vulnerable young people.
This workshop will enable participants to find out about how nurture groups are being developed in Scotland. Glasgow City Council and West Lothian Council will share their experience and answer questions from participants.
Workshop 6 - Progressing Our Journey
Exploring the emerging links between positive behaviour approaches and Curriculum for Excellence.
Schools are increasingly assimilating and implementing approaches that promote positive behaviour, such as Restorative Approaches and The Motivated School. Evidence is emerging about progress towards developing the four capacities of Curriculum for Excellence.
The workshop will provide an opportunity for delegates to explore the links between positive behaviour approaches and progress in relation to the four capacities. It will also provide an opportunity to consider examples of current interesting practice from schools. Contributions will be made by HMIE, the Curriculum for Excellence Engagement Team and the Positive Behaviour Team.
Workshop 7 - The Growing Confidence Project
This project is a holistic approach to promoting positive mental health and emotional well-being among children, young people, families and staff. Patti Santelices from Edinburgh City Council will lead a workshop that will look at emotional well-being and introduce participants to the different elements of this project especially focusing on staff well-being.
Edinburgh City Council has also developed a whole school personal and social development programme for primary-age children. It is called Creating Confident Kids and has a clear focus on embedding an emotionally literate culture across the school. Several primary schools in Edinburgh have successfully piloted these materials and believe that they have made a significant impact on the school as a whole. Richard Napier from Burdiehouse Primary School will talk about:
- how the school introduced and managed the programme
- the challenges faced and addressed
- successful outcomes and next steps.
Workshop 8 - Restorative Approaches
Restorative approaches have proved to be one of Scotland’s most widely used approaches to promoting positive behaviour. The Scottish Government funded a major pilot and the very positive evaluation is available at Restorative Practices in three Scottish Councils: Evaluation of pilot projects 2004-2006
In this workshop, participants will share their experience of training, introducing and embedding the approach in their schools and the successful impact it has made on improving relationships across the whole school.