Broad General Education Team Stirling
Professional learning is a key focus of the Broad General Education team (BGE team) in Stirling Council, which has an ethos of trust, self-evaluation, self-reflection and mutual respect. We are committed to providing professional learning which empowers staff to lead learning individually, collegiately and through collaboration and enquiry ensuring positive outcomes for learners.
Since 2020 we have continued to provide high-quality professional learning. This has included a sustained focus on pedagogy, leadership and equity. Our offer has been developed through the use of digital technology. For example, we held regular online ‘drop-in’ sessions where headteachers set the agenda working in collaboration with colleagues and BGE team members. During the pandemic, there were increased opportunities for colleagues to be involved in online forums shaping learning relevant to their communities but also participating in activities across the authority ensuring a broadening of knowledge and connectivity. Our sustainable model is responsive to community needs in the ever-changing landscape of Scottish education.
We are committed to professional learning opportunities which are collaborative and promote critical enquiry. The BGE team create an empowered culture where school leaders ask critical questions of themselves throughout their leadership journey. This is evidenced by the high number of school leaders who undertake professional learning and reflect on the impact of professional enquiry at Professional Review and Development (PRD) and collaborative meetings. Lead On is a bespoke senior leadership programme devised by the BGE team empowering participants to commit to their own professional learning as drivers of change for improvement in their own schools. Aspiring Principal Teachers can participate in Lead Next (a bespoke middle leadership programme designed by the BGE team) where practitioners are key enactors of change in their own settings, developing their own practitioner enquiries and collaborating with fellow participants in a culture of trust.
Self-evaluation and ongoing reflection to identify next steps are embedded within our practice. The Professional Standards for teachers support ongoing rich, reflective dialogue leading to practitioner improvement. PRD in Stirling Council is embedded in self-evaluation, learning and reflection. Information on PRD Guidelines is shared and refreshed on the intranet and links to GTC Scotland materials ensure all staff have access to current documentation. Authority PRD Guidelines are detailed and clear, ensuring participants are aware of their entitlements, roles and responsibilities. A robust programme to mentor probationer teachers is founded on the Professional Standards.
PRD is established as a coaching and mentoring model to support ongoing discussion. Many establishments across the authority use the GTC Scotland self-evaluation wheel to support self-evaluation. School leaders learn coaching approaches as a result of professional learning sessions including an ‘Introduction to Leadership Coaching’ and ‘Columba 1400’. These have been delivered in partnership with other professional learning organisations. Coaching tools and techniques were created collaboratively with school practitioners as part of our approaches to professional learning for moderation. There is planned regular professional learning for supply teachers and within collaborative School Improvement Partnerships for headteachers.
Professional Learning is founded upon the best outcomes for learners. Our ‘Pupils Leading Learning Event’ for school leaders was planned, organised and led by children using ‘How Good is OUR School’. Enterprising Schools Scotland commended this as an example of excellent practice. The needs of learners are fundamental to professional learning opportunities e.g. Raising Attainment Champions’ Professional Enquiry commenced with a needs analysis of the learners in the practitioners’ settings informed by data. Professional learning opportunities such as Data Champions develop systemic perspectives and strategies with a focus on improving outcomes for children. Our local professional learning offer mirrors the national opportunities to provide rich professional learning in tandem which impacts directly on our children.
A sustainable system leadership approach is embedded within our team. School Leaders are empowered agents of change. Teachers informing change through Primary 1 Practitioner Enquiry Group; Curriculum Review Groups; Raising Attainment Strategic Leaders. We revise our professional learning to meet the needs of learners and their learning communities ensuring that our approaches are sustainable by encouraging system leadership e.g. next session our P1 Practitioner Enquiry Group will be led by teachers from this year’s cohort and our BGE offer will be amended to focus on creative pedagogy P1-P7.
Headteachers have a range of professional learning opportunities through system leadership. These include Regional Improvement Collaborative Literacy Lead; Headteacher Mentoring Programme; School Improvement Partnership Group. This is empowering, as they are collectively seen as life-long learners, setting positive examples for others. There is a strong, supportive culture where collective professionalism and collaboration pervade all that we do.