Item 08 Appendix 1b
West Dunbartonshire Council · 12 June 2024
Back to Educational Services Committee — 12 June 2024 and its agenda
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Gartocharn Primary School and ELCC Standards & Quality Report 2023-2024 Appendix 1b
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Introduction - The Story of Improvement 2023 - 2024 Welcome to our Standards and Quality Report. This report highlights the progress that we have made against our School and ELCC Improvement Plan for the session 2023-24. It also considers our next steps for continuous improvement. This is in relation to our 5 main priorities: 1. Improving health and wellbeing of our learners 2. Achieving excellence and equity for all learners 3. Improving teaching, learning and assessment
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4. Building leadership capacity within a self improving system 5. Develop learning and teaching through through Forest Schools Our Campus Vision and Values At Gartocharn Campus, our vision is ‘Learning, Playing and Discovering Together’. Our vision helps to drive forward our improvement priorities and reflect the experiences our children have. Learning - We are all excited about what and how we learn. Playing - We play, we have fun and we learn. Discovering - We discover indoors and outdoors all about our world around us. Together - We believe we do all of this best when we do it together. Our 7 values can be heard, felt, seen and celebrated daily across our campus. Our 7 values relate to: challenge, perseverance, kindness, teamwork, effort, learning from mistakes and developing leadership attributes and skills. They help to shape our children as independent, empowered learners who are able to achieve their potential. In addition, daily interactions and a weekly assembly celebrate the children who have been living the Gartocharn Values, driving forward a sense of community and shared identity.
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1 - Our after school Chess Club, run by our parents and a teacher was much enjoyed by all, and gave the children another valuable opportunity to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. 2 - Together we are stronger. Children have worked as a team, using specific criteria, to make this den.
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3 - Our Vision and Values are lived throughout the campus. Our youngest children within our ELCC are learning to talk about the values they have been developing.
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A message from our Head Teacher, Anne McKerry
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Welcome to this years Standards and Quality Report. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to lead Gartocharn Primary School and ELCC this session. Working together, we have achieved successes across all of the key priority areas. This has ensured that our ELCC and School are continually improving and serving to meet the needs of our children through the delivery of an effective, evolving curriculum. As this academic year draws to a close, we have the opportunity to reflect on our current progress and highlight the improvement priorities for next session. I hope that this document gives you an insight into the positive changes we have made, the direction of improvement we are travelling in, and the way in which our children have, and will, live the Gartocharn Vision and Values. The context of our campus
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4 - We love to explore our surrounding area. Our parents join us, come rain, hail or shine to enjoy a walk together! 5 - Building strong community links across the campus and wider community is a fundamental part of who we are, and what we do, here in Gartocharn ELCC and Primary School. 'Learning, Playing and Discovering' together, in our forest. Gartocharn Primary and Early Learning and Childcare Centre (ELCC) is situated on the edge of the village of Gartocharn, just under a mile from the southern shore of Loch Lomond. Our unique location provides opportunities to learn outdoors in a rich environment, surrounded by natural beauty. The present building was constructed in 1968 and has four classrooms arranged on two levels. The ELCC is in a separate building, on the campus grounds. There are two asphalted playgrounds, one at the front of the school and one at the rear for all children on the campus to enjoy. The ELCC has a newly designed and purpose built garden which very effectively supports play and learning. In addition, there is the John Young Community Pitch which is used well by all children in the campus, and members of our community. The campus also has fully established forest area which allows for a host of learning opportunities including Forest Kindergarten and Forest School. Gartocharn Primary is a non-denominational coeducational school and can accommodate children from Primary 1 to Primary 7. At present, we have 83 children on the school roll, and can cater for 100 children. 33 of these children live locally, with 50 of them living out with the village of Gartocharn. The ELCC can
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accommodate up to 30 children per day, across different stages of development from babies to pre school children. This varies from year to year, dependent upon the specific cohort. Currently, our attainment data shows that over 80% of our children achieve the expected levels within Numeracy, Reading and Talking and Listening. Our attainment data in Writing shows that 70% of children are currently on track to achieve the expected levels. 6 - Our children are spreading Christmas Joy by singling to our community at a village coffee morning. 7 - Our whole community come together frequently at points throughout the year. This Autumn, as part of our Fun Night, we had a 'Family Scarecrow Competition' which we all greatly enjoyed. The results gave us many smiles! Our Facilities Manager, Mr Douglas and his 'Scarecrow Twin', created by one of our families.
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How have we improved and supported the Health and Wellbeing of our children? What did we set out to achieve in our school? • To implement Year 2 of CIRCLE, ensuring clear links between this and our ASN Strategy. • To support Health and Wellbeing through the implementation of data informed and targeted interventions. What did we set out to achieve in our ELCC? • To support Health and Wellbeing through the implementation of targeted interventions. • To introduce Year 1 of Up, Up and Away, ensuring enhanced support in Health and Wellbeing for targeted children. School: Progress and Impact • Using the CIRCLE Classroom Inclusive Scale, all teachers have collaborated to evaluate their classrooms, leading to action plans which have been actioned to ensure development. All
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children with an ESP have supporting CIRCLE evidence to ensure their needs are being met. Restorative Discussion resources have been introduced across the school, ensuring consistency of approach and promoting a nurturing, positive ethos towards behaviour management. • Termly Pupil Health and Wellbeing Surveys were introduced for all children. Providing the opportunity for termly self evaluation against the indicators, resulted in some some children raising individual Health and Wellbeing issues/concerns. Enhanced scrutiny of this data and appropriate actions thereafter, ensured a readiness to learn at the start of each term. • One class teacher has been trained as a Seasons for Growth Champion. The results in the ability to adopt a more timely, flexible approach to implementing the intervention through 'in house' Seasons for Growth Champions, meeting the needs of children. All parents have been invited to put their child forward for Seasons for Growth. This resulted in two different Season's for Growth interventions throughout the session. One in Term 2 for P5 -P7 children, one in Term 4 for P1- P4 children. All children involved in Seasons for Growth, so far, have demonstrated positive progress as captured through evaluations. • We have promoted many aspects of Health and Wellbeing through after school clubs. Several parents have contributed leading an Athletics Club, Lego Club, Rugby Club, Chess Club and Art Club. The majority of our children have participated in these and data tells us they they have been greatly enjoyed for a variety of reasons relating to many aspects of Health and Well-being. ELC: Progress and Impact • Universal provision of Health and Wellbeing has been increased this year through more rigorous tracking of all wellbeing indicators. Data collected through these trackers has informed next steps for all staff. Targeted children have engaged in specific interventions as a result of this, for example PATHS activities to support specific emotions. In addition, daily checks in using specific language associated with expressing how the children are feeling have impacted positively on each child's wellbeing. As a result, playroom observations have demonstrated that all children, to differing degrees, are making progress at talking about, and dealing with their emotions. Self Regulation resources have been used for specific children to support health and wellbeing, including the promotion of positive behavior. This resource has been used effectively for targeted children. All targeted children have demonstrated increased self help and self regulation skills as a result of this. These systems and processes compliment the introduction of Up, Up and Away. All staff have been trained in this and are using the resources and strategies to support targeted children. Next Steps for our school: • Implement Year 3 of CIRCLE developing inclusivity both universally, and for targeted individuals. Progress to be measured through SPQ and CPS, demonstrating developments in environment, skills, structure and routines.
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• Refresh and develop the Heath and Wellbeing Survey/collation of more Health and Wellbeing data to ensure maximum impact and opportunity for children to effectively evaluate themselves against the wellbeing indicators, developing more child lead leadership of learning. • Develop a whole campus Health and Wellbeing Strategy across the ELCC and School. • Develop a whole campus Outdoor Learning Strategy to support Health and Wellbeing across the ELCC and school. Next Steps for our ELCC: • Implement Year 2 of the Up, Up and Away developing inclusivity both universally and for targeted children. Link this carefully to the Health and Wellbeing provision, ensuring tracking captures progress/improvement needs across all Wellbeing Indicators. 8 - Setting off for our Wellbeing Walk. All children on our campus take part and we are always joined by lots of families and friends. 9 - P1 engaging in mindfulness. They are relaxing and appreciating the sounds within our forest.
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10 - Our ELCC children using props to help them to articulate their emotions, developing their emotional wellbeing.
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How have we achieved excellence and equity in supporting our learners and families?
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What did we set out to achieve in our school?
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• Refresh the curriculum, with a focus on Rationale, Design and Delivery. • To develop a whole campus approach to Raising Attainment for children who are not on track. • To develop a more informed understanding of poverty and equity and our role in ensuring an equitable approach. What did we set out to achieve in our ELCC? • To develop a whole campus approach to Raising Attainment for children who are not on track. • To develop a more informed understanding of poverty and equity and our role in ensuring an equitable approach. School: Progress and Impact • A bespoke three year Curriculum Journey is being developed and will be ready to begin in August 2024. This encompasses the Principals for Curriculum Design and is reflective of our unique context. It allows for professional choice and maximizes the individual strengths of the teaching staff through informed allocation of curricular areas/organisers. • Strategies to 'trial' the delivery of the new Curriculum Journey were developed this session. For example, all teachers have planned and delivered a series of lessons to all children. All teachers reported that this helped to streamline planning, maximise their individual strengths through teaching areas of personal interest and develop a more informed working relationship with all children in the school. • Collaborative Communication Club (CCC) was introduced for all children in Term 1. Through our weekly CCC afternoons, all children are engaging in lessons which focus on the development the 6 WDCs across a variety of curricular areas. Almost all children talk positively about their weekly experience and their abilities to use and develop the 6 WDCs. Almost all children enjoy and benefit from the opportunity to work with different children and different teachers, during this time. • Processes to gather and use Children's Voice have been developed. This data is being used to help inform learning and teaching methodologies and experiences for our children. For example, we have adapted CCC, Reading Circles and aspects of the the Literacy Curriculum in response to Children's Voice. This has helped to develop ownership for the children, and ensure that the Curriculum Journey is informed by its recipients. All children, to varying degrees, have been involved with this. • Tracking and Monitoring systems and processes have been developed to gather and triangulate evidence across aspects of teaching, learning and assessment. This has resulted in the development of a more robust attainment profile within each class, informing the strategic direction of the school. All teachers have developed skills and confidence in terms of data literacy. They are now more informed about the needs of their class, including children with ASN. This enhanced scrutiny has also resulted in timely interventions taking place to support the
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needs of targeted children. Support staff timetables have changed to ensure a more equitable approach, and are successfully impacting on meeting the needs of our children. • Children have contributed towards Tracking and Monitoring through focused class discussions and discussions with SLT, about their learning experiences. All teachers have used this data to help inform aspects of teaching, learning and assessments, helping to meet the needs of learners. For example, as a result of the class discussions, 75% of teachers are now engaging children more explicitly with their Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. • All members of staff within the ELCC AND School were part of a professional learning experience relating to the indicators of poverty, and specifically about Rural Poverty, which is a feature of our community. 100% of staff reported that this was a positive learning experience and helped to inform their knowledge of the context of our community. Subsequently, data has been gathered relating to the 6 Indicators of Poverty and to Rural Poverty. This knowledge and data is prompting cultural changes within the campus, helping to develop a more equitable approach. ELCC: Progress and Impact • Planning has been developed to ensure that all ELCOs evaluate, plan and track learning across all curricular areas. This has ensured the delivery of a curriculum which reflect the principles of design, and meets the needs of our children. Professional dialogue lead by Principal ELCO has ensured that all staff have further developed skills in discussing effective planning and delivery methodologies. This has been enhanced by Termly Improving Learning Meetings which have engaged all staff with the learning journey of all children. Some ELCOs have developed their data literacy skills through working closely with the EST, interpreting the data collected to plan next steps for learning. Next Steps for our school: • Implementation of Year One of our new Curriculum Journey in August 2024. Evaluations of all stakeholders to take place to help shape and inform the direction of change, ensuring effective implementation. • Further refine Tracking and Monitoring systems and processes. This includes a more joined up approach for the whole campus, aligning improvement priorities and systems and process to help deliver excellence and equity across the ELCC and school. • Use data gathered on Indicators of Poverty and Rural Poverty to inform PEF plan, and influence systems and process ensuring equity and promoting social justice, across the ELCC and school. Next Steps for our ELCC: • Enhance data literacy skills of all staff through the introduction of electronic baselines, ensuring data is interpreted effectively to inform interventions, supporting an equitable approach. This will impact positively helping to create a more seamless transition into P1.
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11 - Our children in the ELCC are categorising materials whilst developing their attitudes to helping our environment around us.
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How have we improved teaching, learning and assessment?
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12 - P3 enjoyed developing their mathematical skills outdoors. Sticks from our school forest have many uses! What did we set out to achieve for our school? • To develop Literacy ensuring: Breadth of provision; Challenge; Clear links between Reading and Writing: Planning Documents to support this. • To evaluate and develop the effective use of assessment strategies, specifically: 4 Types of Assessment; Learning Intentions and Success Criteria; Feedback; Using a Range of Data; High Quality Questioning. • To engage in Year 1 Visible Learning, evaluating Gartocharn Primary School against the Visible Learning Strands of: The Visible Learner; Know thy Impact; Inspired and Passionate Teachers; Effective Feedback. • To develop a Play Strategy with a focus on: Pedagogy - age and stage appropriate; Environment; Assessment/Recording; Continuity of approach. • To evaluate Numeracy and Maths across the campus, specifically: Planning; Delivery; Resources; Assessment; Attainment; Against the Principles of C f E. • To embed the 1+2 Languages programme across the campus. What did we set out to achieve for our ELCC?
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• To develop a Play Strategy with a focus on: Pedagogy - age and stage appropriate; Environment: Assessment/Recording; Continuity of Approach. • To evaluate Numeracy and Maths across the campus, specifically: Planning; Delivery; Resources; Assessment; Attainment; Against the Principles of C f E. School: Progress and Impact • Introduction for Big Reading and Big Writing lessons across all classes. Newly adapted planning formats have put Assessment at the centre of planning and ensured connections within Big Reading and Big Writing through the beginnings of a genre approach. Further adaptations have been made to the Reading Curriculum for some first and all second level learners. All teachers report on the positive impact these changes are having on planning, learning and teaching within Literacy. Attainment within Reading is high, with a school average of 82%. • Work on Assessment and Moderation has helped to raise awareness of the strategies used for effective learning, teaching and assessment. 100% of teachers have made positive progress in terms of their use of Learning Intentions and Success Criteria within the classroom since the start of the session. Classroom visits and observations demonstrate that children are increasingly able to talk about their learning, using these terms. An Assessment Calendar has been created and is in initial stages of use. It helps to ensure children are assessed at carefully considered and appropriate points within the year and against the 4 assessment types. • All staff have engaged in professional learning and evaluations relating to Visible Learning. Initial data, collated as a result of specific evidence gathering exercises, is beginning to inform changes and direction within learning, teaching and assessment. • For all Early Level and early First Level children, a blended play based approach has been applied with Literacy, Numeracy and IDL. Our environments have been, and continue to be adapted to support this. Teaching staff have worked with the Principal ELCO to develop a working knowledge and understanding of Realising the Ambition, beginning to develop some continuity of approach from ELCC into school. The children have helped to shape their environments by, for example, helping to design specific play areas within the classroom, such as the Post Office from Katie Morag. An Early Level/Play Based Strategy has been created and will inform developments and improvements in Term 4 and into next session. • Aspects of Numeracy have been evaluated with stakeholders contributing to this data. All teachers have made some progress on developing their skills to deliver an effective Mental Maths input, daily. All teachers have been using more concrete and pictorial resources to support learning, teaching and assessment. Children report on the benefit of this, helping them to learn. 85% of the children within the school are at the expected level of attainment for Numeracy. • In line with WDC direction, French has been embedded across the school. The children also engaged well in a Modern Languages Day, experiencing 4 lessons, on 4 different languages from 4 different teachers. Gaelic has been explicitly taught throughout the Scotland topic, this was in response to pupil and parent evaluations which expressed interest and value in Gaelic. Observations and discussion with children and staff demonstrate that almost all children engage
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effectively with, and enjoy these lessons. As a further result of pupil evelauations, current CCC lessons are on Languages and all children are experiencing lessons relating to the development of the French, Spanish and German languages. ELCC: Progress and Impact • Significant environmental changes within the ELCC have resulted in an environment that supports effective learning and teaching through attractive, well defined areas and 'free flow' between rooms and outdoors. All staff were involved in the design and implementation of the refreshed environment and 100% of staff comment positively about this significant change. Pupil Voice has been a feature, informing resources and experiences within the playroom. • All ELCOs worked with the EST to evaluate the Numeracy and Maths curriculum, resulting in the creation of a more numeracy rich environment throughout the playroom. In addition, relevant resources were purchased and experiences planned/provided to support an effective Numeracy and Maths curriculum. 13 - Developing mathematical skills by measuring worms in our outdoor classroom. Much fun was had during this lesson! Next steps for our school: • Moderation to take place across Literacy and Numeracy. Creation of a Moderation Strategy linked to Curriculum Journey.
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• A whole school focus on Writing improving universal provision for all children, and supporting progress within and of a level for targeted children. • Development of Assessment and Moderation approaches to include effective Questioning and Feedback. Creation and implementation of an Assessment Strategy, linking all relevant aspects of Assessment and Moderation. • Further development of a Play Based Pedagogy through learning, teaching and assessment approaches, supported by an adapted environment. • Development of play based approach to Numeracy and Maths in Early Level and early First Level. Development of active approaches to Numeracy and Maths across First and Second Level including interactive and lively Mental Maths experiences. • Further develop Modern Languages Day, ensuring Children's Voice is informing learning and teaching, maximising engagement and enjoyment. Next steps for our ELCC: • Develop a Play Based/Early Level Strategy which links closely with the school equivalent, developing consistency of approach. • Further development of Numeracy and Maths including a whole campus strategy and links to Family Learning across the ELCC and Early Level within the school.
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14 - Sharing our learning with our parents has been an important feature of practice this year. We have changed ways in which we share our learning each term, to develop different skills and ensure an interesting approach to this. Families and friends have enjoyed whole school assemblies, classroom visits and community Scottish Country Dancing! Parental evaluations have been very positive in relation to this. 15 - Working collaboratively to develop geographical knowledge of Scotland during CCC time.
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How have we built leadership capacity through a self improving system and collaboration with others? 16 - We have developed working across the campus this year, supporting each other and developing the 6WDCs. What did we set out to achieve in our school and ELCC?
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• To develop our children as Leaders of their own Learning. School: Progress and Impact • All children have been involved in evaluating certain aspects of their experience of learning and teaching. Systems to capture this, for example, a Child's Voice Book, have been introduced and developed. In addition, targeted groups of children have given further responses through guided evaluations of more focussed aspects of learning and teaching. All teachers have commented on the impact this had made in terms of being more aware of learning through the 'eyes of the learner.' This has impacted positively on a cultural shift towards more 'child led learning' regarding day to day teaching. • Weekly assemblies are designed to include a focussed section about Children's Learning. During this, children have the opportunity talk about their learning journey. Almost all children can articulate their learning with some confidence and effectively talk about their learning experiences. Progression in using appropriate language and discussing learning in a meaningful and 'deeper' way has been demonstrated by the children this session. • The Young Leaders of Learning (YLL) programme has been introduced this session. This gives children a say in their school and empowers their agency in relation to the UNCRC (1989)(Articles 12 and 13). It ensures a focussed and guided opportunity for selected children to be actively involved in on-going self-evaluation that is reflective of their learning context. As YLL a collaborative programme, children are working across ages and stages which has shown an increase in awareness in the needs of learners across the campus. Further to this, plans are in place for Term 4 for the children to collaborate with pupils from another school, offering an invaluable experience in relation to developing their evaluation skills and empowering them as leaders of their own learning. • During both Parents' Night a discussion has taken place with each parent, teacher and child, centering around each child's voice in relation to their specific learner journey. A prior discussion with teacher and child, prompted by a newly adapted set of questions/prompts has allowed each individual child's learner journey to be captured at 2 specific times during the year, and shared with parents. during both Parents' Night. Adaptations have allowed children to comment on the 6WDCs and areas of support and challenge. All teachers have made positive evaluations about these changes and the positive impact they have had in representing the individual learner journey. Parent report of the success of these Learner Conversations and have given valuable feedback relating to further change they would like to see. ELCC: Progress and Impact The role of Child's Voice has been evaluated during this session, and systems and processes have been adapted to ensure that Child's Voice is captured and informs practice. For example, Child's Voice is captured in an increasingly focussed way within Folios, Wall Displays and daily interactions. A Child's Voice Folder has been created to evidence the impact that this has and to demonstrate next steps. Systems ensure that all children contribute in this way. Further to this, children have designated Leadership Roles within the ELCC. For example, Snack Helper, Letter Helper, Lunch Helper and Toilet
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Monitor and Risk Assessor. All children will experience this within the current session. Data gathered evidences that all children have enjoyed this and observations have demonstrated that confidences are being increased through added responsibility. 17 - 'Responding to Our World' has been introduced in Term 4 for all school pupils. This is an opportunity for children to record aspects of current affairs (local and global) that they are interested in and wish to further understand. Pupils will then dictate the current affairs to be explored through 'Responding to Our World' lessons, in class, at the end of the term. This is helping to further increase child led learning. Next steps for our School and ELCC: • To further develop effective systems and processes to increase the collation of Child's Voice, and evidence impact of this. Create a whole campus strategy, ensuring consistency of approach and a curriculum which is well informed by its recipients. • To ensure that evidence is captured from all stakeholders and and informs growth and improvements within our campus.
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How have we enhanced learning and teaching though our Forest School? 18 - Team-building games in our forest help to foster positive relationships and leadership skills. This is our P1s enjoying an 'Ant Walk.'
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19 - These children were developing their skills in art and design as the created beautiful Autumn Wreaths using the natural resources within our school forest.
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20 - The process is as good as the end product! What did we set out to achieve in our school in our ELCC and School? • To develop a bespoke Forest Schools Programme and Strategy. SCHOOL: Progress and Impact Provision of Forest School experiences have been enhanced, with all school children having a weekly lesson within the forest. These lessons develop the 'Principles of Forest Schools' through learning and teaching across the curriculum, within the setting of our school forest. Almost all children comment very positively about their experiences. Almost all children are eager participants of this aspect of learning. Observations confirm that the children develop positive relationships with their peers in this way, and engagement is high. A bespoke programme has been created for the school children, ensuring progression throughout the levels from Early Level to Second Level, supporting and consolidating learning across most curricular areas. Currently, children form our ELCC and P1 are working together in the forest to develop their skills. This 'joined up approach' is bringing together ELCC and school staff to plan and deliver these sessions. Initial evaluations tell us that this is a very positive development. All parents have been invited to spend some time with their children in the forest, sharing their learning. Parental evaluations have been very positive and encouraging of continued learning in this way. ELCC: Progress and Impact
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All ELCC ante and pre school children have experience a series of Forest Kindergarten or Forest Schools lessons throughout the 2023-2024 session. These experiences have allowed for the early development of forest school principles and have contributed towards the develop positive relationships and happy, settled children within our ELCC. Next steps for our School and ELCC To continue to develop a more 'joined up approach' through using their skills of staff within the ELCC and School to deliver joint lessons for our transitioning children. Complete whole campus padlet, capturing the plans and progression through a bespoke Forest School Programme. Develop a whole campus Outdoor Learning Strategy to promote effective teaching and learnign throughout the curriculum. 21 - Developing the abilities to assess risk, whilst enjoying the outdoors. Toasting marshmallows in out forest.
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What are our campus improvement priorities for session 24-25? Across the campus, our priorities remain focussed on developing our practice around the 5 main areas, namely: Improving health and wellbeing of our learners; Achieving excellence and equity for all learners; Improving teaching, learning and assessment; Building leadership capacity within a self improving system and developing learning and teaching through through Forest Schools/outdoors. This document has more detail around the specific areas of focus, detailed within. What is our capacity for improvement? ELCC
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School
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Links to further information Gartocharn Campus Website Gartocharn Village Website