Blog, Events and conferences
Scotland Summer Training – Glasgow and Edinburgh Open INSET Days
Sometimes plans just work out very well, don’t they? Jenny was invited to Glasgow and Edinburgh by two lovely forward-thinking schools to carry out training days right at the start of their term and inviting other local staff in to share the days and create big training days. Consequently, the two days this week turned into big INSET days, sharing best practice and with everyone mixing with staff from local schools, with both courses attracting about 100 staff. What a great recipe for success!
The week started off very well in Glasgow on 12th August with a whole day of Jenny’s “Promoting Emotional Health And Wellbeing Through Positive Relationships, Circle Time And Purposeful Play At Lunchtimes”. This course focused on how schools can develop a whole school approach to Wellbeing and Positive Behaviour, providing a really practical day where Jenny highlighted the importance of adults ‘being the change they want to see’. Jenny’s Whole School Approach also encourages us to look at how we can help children take responsibility for their own behaviour. There is always a great emphasis on fun and games in Jenny’s training days – which has become a signature for her training – and this day didn’t let the side down and everyone joined in beautifully and took back to school a virtual ‘party bag’ of great activities to engage and inspire children.
Also importantly, is the fact that Jenny’s Whole School Approach fits really well with ‘Health and Wellbeing Education’, which is one of the eight curriculum areas outlined in the Curriculum for Excellence. The Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, plays an important role in promoting the health and well-being of children and young people and equally of all of those in the educational communities to which they belong. The paper, Principles and Practice, is closely related to the Guidance on the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. Together, these documents describe the expectations on individuals, schools and local authorities for promoting the health and well-being of children and young people.
The Scottish government states that the curriculum:
‘emphasises the importance of nurturing learners to help them develop the knowledge and skills they need for positive mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing at school, in their everyday lives which will be sustained into adult life.’
Jenny then went from Glasgow to Edinburgh to hold a compelling “Powerfully Positive Lunchtimes and Playtimes and Calm Dining Halls” training workshop on 13th August. As a pioneer of many lunchtimes, playtimes and dining hall initiatives, Jenny shared many of her ideas with enthusiastic practitioners who were also making great use of their INSET day. As well as covering how to calm dining halls, delegates worked with Jenny on a fun, practical and knowledge-based journey through the morning to empower everyone who attended to improve their own school’s lunchtime experience for both staff and pupils. Jenny’s approach reinforces the ideas within the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence.
The Scottish Curriculum for Excellence states that a practitioners’ roles and responsibilities for health and wellbeing include, “Children and young people should feel happy, safe, respected and included in the school environment and all staff should be proactive in promoting positive behaviour in the classroom, playground and the wider school community. Robust policies and practice which ensure the safety and wellbeing of children should already be in place. Good health and wellbeing is central to effective learning and preparation for successful independent living. This aspiration for every child and young person can only be met through a concerted approach; schools and their partners working together closely to plan their programmes for health and wellbeing explicitly, taking account of local circumstances and individual needs.”
The Curriculum also states that, “Whatever their contributions to the curriculum as a whole, all practitioners can make connections between the health and wellbeing experiences and outcomes and their learning and teaching in other areas of the curriculum. Within health and wellbeing, physical education can build learners’ physical competences, improve aspects of fitness, and develop personal and interpersonal skills and attributes in preparation for leading a fulfilling, active and healthy lifestyle. The Scottish Government expects schools to continue to work towards the provision of at least two hours of good quality physical education for every child, every week.”
We have a feedback mini- blog from this training here:
Website Managers Notes
- Jenny Mosley is available for wellbeing, better behaviour and lunchtimes and playtimes INSET training days, Working In School Days and for different length projects involving several schools for schools training.
- Find out about booking Jenny or attending open training conferences around the country throughout the year. Jenny also excels as an educational presenter at schools conferences, LA conferences and Headteacher conferences.
- The areas of Jenny’s expertise include staff wellbeing training, training for mental health and wellbeing, training for positive behaviour for learning, early years training, training for midday supervisors and lunchtime supervisors, to promote calm dining halls and healthy, active playgroundsJenny’s resources support all her areas of training and are available form her webshop.
- Do get in touch if we can help! Phone 01225 767157 or email circletime@jennymosley.co.uk or use the contact form on our website.