CfE and Glow News - Email updates

The CfE and Glow News e-update provides you with updates on Curriculum for Excellence and support for practitioners, along with all the latest developments within Glow.

In this issue...

National Qualifications

Major milestone reached in delivery of new national qualifications

A significant milestone in the ongoing embedding of the new curriculum in schools was reached on 30 April when Education Scotland and the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) issued the latest tranche of materials to support the new National Qualifications. Developed with the support of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) and local authorities and schools across Scotland, these resources have been provided to teachers to ensure they have the support they need to deliver the new curriculum.

The material from both organisations is available to download from their websites – Education Scotland: National Qualifications and SQA: Scotland's New National Qualifications.

Read the Education Scotland media release of 30 April 2013.

Curriculum for Excellence

Further examples of Curriculum for Excellence implementation

Education Scotland recently highlighted that a number of schools had been evaluated consistently as ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ across all five of the key evaluations used in inspection, since the issue of updated guidelines that reflect the increased expectations now applying as a result of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence. The schools had been inspected earlier this year.

The media releases regarding these schools are listed below:

Curriculum for Excellence Briefing 10: The Role of Community Learning and Development and Partnership Working

A new title in the CfE Briefing series has been published on the Education Scotland website. The briefing explores the important contribution that CLD is making to CfE outcomes for learners through partnership working in educational establishments and communities.

This is the tenth title in the series and, along with all the other titles, is available to download from the Education Scotland website.

Curriculum for Excellence Learner Journey

The National Parent Forum of Scotland has prepared a graphic illustration of the Curriculum for Excellence Learner Journey in response to parental requests for clear explanations of Curriculum for Excellence.

There are two versions of the graphic illustration: a full colour one, and a printer-friendly version. Both are available to view on the NPFS website.

National Assessment Resource

New exemplars on moderation

Additional exemplars, focusing on moderation within individual schools and authorities, have been uploaded to NAR. Projects illustrate the critical role of moderation in planning learning, teaching and assessment and its positive impact on learners, practitioners, schools and authorities.

Find out more on NAR.

Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy 2012 (Literacy)

The report on the national performance in literacy in Scottish schools was published on 24 April 2013. The findings of the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy can be found on the Scottish Government website.

To coincide with the publication of the report, Education Scotland has published a set of professional learning resources to help practitioners develop the literacy skills of their pupils. The support materials are available on the Education Scotland website. Further literacy resources, based on an in-depth analysis of the survey results, will be made available in September 2013.

Find out more on the Education Scotland website.

Education Scotland's Learning Blog - recent posts

Glasgow 2014 Athletes' Village Art Competition – register your interest now!

Game On Scotland is asking every school in Scotland to get their pupils to design posters to be placed in the rooms of the Athletes' Village. Through this competition, your school can be part of the Games. Register on the Game On Scotland website to take part.

Find out more on the Education Scotland Learning Blog.

Game On Challenge – put your goals on the map!

No matter how big or small your Games related initiatives are, we invite you to share them through the Game On Challenge and add to the excitement now building towards Glasgow 2014, the biggest multi-sporting event ever hosted in Scotland.

Find out more on the Education Scotland Learning Blog.

Twig on Glow Summer Challenge

This summer term, Twig is offering Scottish students the chance to tackle some 'Big Questions' that even the best scientists struggle with today. Using Twig Studio, a brand new film editing resource, students can create their own films on these topics. Professor Robert Winston will be judging all entries, and winners will receive personal commendations from the renowned scientist.

The challenge helps deliver second, third and fourth level experiences and outcomes from the broad general education, including those from topical science. It is a great opportunity for students to demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the big ideas and concepts of the sciences. For more information, please visit the Summer Challenge page on the Twig On Glow site.

Find out more on the Glow Scotland blog.

Glow TV events coming up

‘Look, Capture, Create’ interdisciplinary learning experience

The ‘Look, Capture, Create’ interdisciplinary learning experience takes place over four weeks and is aimed at second level learners. It consists of four Glow TV broadcasts and a set of supporting learning experiences, which will be shared via the Look, Capture, Create Glow Group (Glow log-in required). Week one started on 13 May.

Find out below about broadcasts still to come in this series:

Look, Capture, Create - Inky Adventures (21 May 2013, 10 am) - Week two of the Look, Capture, Create project coincides with 'Walk to School Week' and 'Scottish Biodiversity week'. This Glow TV broadcast gives learners the opportunity to journey on an inky adventure with the Scottish illustrator/designer Johanna Basford to learn about her art techniques, what inspires her designs, and her success commercially.
Look, Capture, Create - B is for Biodiversity and Beauty (4 June 2013, 10 am) - During week three of the 'Look, Capture, Create' interdisciplinary learning experience, we will be joined by a scientist/mathematician from Dundee University, live in the Dundee Botanic Gardens to learn more about the importance of Scottish biodiversity and how we can do simple things to help nature survive and grow. We will look in particular at the types and purposes of the beautiful patterns nature creates.
Look, Capture, Create - Biodiversity Awareness Design (10 June 2013, 10 am) - For the final 'Look, Capture, Create' Glow TV broadcast, join the learning team at Dundee Contemporary Arts to explore the visual elements – line, shape, form, colour, tone, pattern and texture - to create a design to promote Scottish biodiversity. Watch as we reveal and celebrate the Glow Stampede of Scottish fish, flora and fauna, your collaborative artwork.

SCILT - Gathering Evidence and Reporting (21 May 2013, 4 pm)

Sinking in a sea of paper? Not sure if your evidence is robust? Think about it another way: value what you assess and assess what you value! This workshop will explore the types of evidence on which to focus. We will share practical ways of gathering and retaining evidence. There will also be an opportunity to consider how we report pupil attainment to learners and parents. This event is presented by Fhiona Fisher, Depute Director of SCILT, Scotland's National Centre for Languages. Suitable for Secondary and ASN practitioners.

SCHOLAR Sessions - Modern Languages 2 (21 May 2013, 7.30 pm)

Delivering National 5 in Modern Languages - Glow TV is delighted to offer teachers the opportunity to join a session on Modern Languages provided by SCHOLAR. This session will be presented by Douglas Angus, SCHOLAR Online Tutor for Modern Languages.

Full details of the event can be found on the SCHOLAR website and participants can sign up and access the event from there as well.

Choices for Life Live 2013 (22 May, 10.30 am and 1.30 pm)

Choices for Life is back for 2013 on Wednesday 22 May. The broadcast is aimed at all P7 pupils and teachers in Scotland and will focus on the risks and dangers of alcohol, negative peer pressure, substance misuse, aspirations and making positive healthy lifestyle choices.

Simple Acts 2013 - Cook a Dish from Another Country (29 May 2013, 11 am)

For 2013, we have chosen four simple acts, which we think are great ways for the pupils in your school to get involved. They fit in perfectly with Curriculum for Excellence, and with the theme of heritage for Refugee Week Scotland 2013, and are great fun too! In this Glow Meet, students will be able to cook along with a Scottish Refugee Council representative. The dish will be a simple recipe from another country. As well as baking the dish, students will learn about the country the dish comes from.

For full details of these and other events, log in to Glow and view the current schedule (Glow log-in and password required).

CfE and Glow News - May 2013