# data[].attributes.headline
strengthened empowered staff at all levels needs to be built on - however this is dependant on wider levels of trust within society of the teaching profession - how do we build trust in the profession beyond the boundaries of the school walls when so much criticism is happening of the wider education system

# data[].attributes.subject
strengthened empowered staff at all levels needs to be built on - however this is dependant on wider levels of trust within society of the teaching profession - how do we build trust in the profession beyond the boundaries of the school walls when so much criticism is happening of the wider education system

# data[].attributes.body
The ongoing pandemic has brought many challenges to the teaching and learning in our schools with learning taking place remotely.  This has proved to be a steep learning curve for staff who have engaged fully with the associated professional learning required to provide a good quality learning experience for all resulting in an enhanced digital curriculum.  How can this be sustained now we are all back in the classroom and have limited access to devices?

Staff have worked tirelessly, adapting to working from home and then back into the classroom.  The strengthening of staff relationships has been very visible as they have supported each other through the challenges faced.
Much has been written about the impact on the children's health and well-being - it was reaffirming to note that notice is now being taken of staff health and well-being. Staff, and children, have found it difficult to work in isolation within their own classroom 'bubbles' and has led to a loss of that 'school community feeling' which is vital. To counteract this, it has been necessary for the SLT to think outside the box and be creative in ways to build back that sense of community.

# data[].attributes.body
Would like to keep elements of online classrooms. Particularly for non-attenders due to anxiety etc. The ability to access content before returning to school or class can keep levels if engagement up and reduce anxieties.

# data[].attributes.body
Collaboration and innovation in the delivery of curricular content. Two years ago, when struggling for a Maths teacher, we considered the advanced Higher class joining pupils from the highlands and islands to be taught remotely. At the time that seemed fanciful. Now it would make sense on some level.

# data[].attributes.body
Relationships have been strengthen within teams. This has been an opportunity to work more closely with some colleagues. The ability to channel energies in to a common challenge has had the effect of increasing morale in some instances.

Some learners have excelled. Those with anxieties around school have reported to enjoy remote learning.

# data[].attributes.body
Adopt
No lining up - this has been a game changer at our school.

Soft starts to focus on wellbeing and ensure time is given across the school to check in emotionally.

Adapt
Use of technology - lots of lessons learned from technology. How can we adapt this to fit a model where children are in school full time. Can we continue to engage parents in their children's education more this way?

Abandon
Isolation and bubbles. Lack of collegiate time to get together physically. Sense of community in the school being lost to operational changes.

# data[].attributes.body
I would like to see a complete overhaul of assessment and attainment policy and narratives which dominate in education.

Remove the dominance of numbers and accountability and transformational change could flourish. Risk taking and experimentation, depth of learning and wellbeing could be given true priority - as we have seen happen throughout the pandemic.

How do we ensure this focus remains?

Schools have also been integral to community recovery - closer than ever before to our communities, despite being further away physically. Would be great to continue this.

# data[].attributes.body
- Change can happen, in a revolutionary and transformational way in the right circumstances.
- Huge leaps forward in digital technology and the understanding of their potential for enhancing and transforming education.
- Greater awareness and understanding of the fragility of some members of our community.
- Nurture and wellbeing focus - forced a question on the purpose of school and education?
- Professional development with the increase of digital technology and access.

# data[].attributes.body
What changes will occur or should occur in the post covid world in education?

# data[].attributes.body
With school closures and the move to online learning we witnessed a unique collective effort and commitment across the country to support our children and families and provide creative and high quality learning online. Certainly in Edinburgh, colleagues worked together to build strong supportive networks, to share good practice, offer advice and share resources. Local Authorities supported school leaders and provided clear guidance, school leaders supported staff in developing their digital pedagogy, worked collaboratively to develop an online framework, teachers proved their adaptability and commitment to delivering high quality learning but also their creativity in developing a holistic approach in their online provision. School partnerships grew stronger, and the whole school community worked together with a common focus. However, while governing bodies call on the system to make bold and significant change and to resist falling back into our old ways, we cannot underestimate the toll this last year has had on the profession. Yes, there were many positives borne out of necessity. The country was/is in crisis. The profession reacted, they were innovative, creative and they delivered but the profession as a whole is fraught, exhausted, depleted and in desperate need of an opportunity to draw breath, take stock and reflect being picking up their weapons and marching on to their next battle of reviewing and redesigning the curriculum.

Throughout the period of lockdown, while the LA was supportive and provided clear guidance, as a school leader we have been given directives. It has been top down and we have returned to hierarchical positions in our sector. HT receiving directives from LA, and because of the mitigations and culture of risk assessment and providing guidance, HT providing directives to staff who seek it. How do we build an empowered system post COVID?

The HT charter for school empowerment stated that HT's and LA will work as partners. How do we truly become partners when L.A provide the directives, ask us to jump and reply, 'how high?'

The context of the school should be taken into consideration, as all schools are unique. Smaller schools are at a disadvantage as we don't have the budget for PSO's, school counsellors and additional support staff. Our PSA's also can't access PSO training but we are expected to provide the same level of support for health and wellbeing as our larger cluster schools. We simply can't. Why isn't more consideration given to size of the school, their budget and their capacity to undertake all that is being asked of them to do?

# data[].attributes.body
What bold and creative changes would you like to see continue post COVID?

# data[].attributes.body
How to you lead a school and empower people when the Scottish Charter for Empowerment stresses that you remain “accountable to both their employer and to their learning community”.

# data[].attributes.headline
What are the systemic challenges/limitations that school leaders need to navigate?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the systemic challenges/limitations that school leaders need to navigate?

# data[].attributes.body
Anxiety around COVID 19

Interrupted learning – gap has widened.

Restriction not allowing staff to Set up opportunities and experiences that have a big impact on pupils.

Staff absence

Mental health issues

Poor staffing – NQT’s failed probationers.

Another lockdown?

Limitations to how you spend your PEF.

Equity for those in the most deprived areas

# data[].attributes.headline
changes do you wish to keep & which aspects of pre-pandemic schooling do you not wish to return to?

# data[].attributes.subject
changes do you wish to keep & which aspects of pre-pandemic schooling do you not wish to return to?

# data[].attributes.body
•        Good communication – videos, phone call, websites, twitter.

•        Resources online and accessible.

•        Increased focus on HWB.

•        Using ICT creatively for parents’ evenings…

•        Focus on professional learning that has a positive impact on L&T

•        Don’t want to return no ICT in classes / using paper text books…

# data[].attributes.body
o   digital devices in all classes.

o   Additional support to close the poverty related attainment gap.

o   Further support with everyone wellbeing.

o   Learning from home a key focus on parental engagement.

o   More regular contact with parents – continue to build on compassionate relationships.

o   Teachers given more time to develop or work on their on HWB.

# data[].attributes.body
•        We’ve seen transformational use of technology by teachers across Scotland.

•        creative approaches to ensuring equitable access to learning and more flexibility in terms of ‘time and place’.

•        Improved professional reflection by educationalists on the nature of learning,

•        There has been genuine partnership with parents, partner organisations and other services.

•        The emergent themes: communication, compassion and connectedness are evident in the examples of submissions shared with Education Scotland illustrating success and achievement.

•        Improved engagement in professional learning

•        Improved use and access to technology

•        Improve communication with parents.

•        Improved understanding of HWB.

That education

# data[].attributes.body
There is no doubt that people have struggled through this pandemic and still are - that is the lived reality. There are many things that we have learned and there are many strengths in our teams that we have had affirmed in the way we have responded in such a committed and creative way to very difficult and at times impossible circumstances. If we are to truly move forward, then I think we must be honest. What is empowerment? Is there a shared understanding? Are we all on the same page? The ICEA Report 2018-2020 advises that we should make sure that 'the right leaders are in the right places in the right numbers at the right time'. They go on to say that if we are to achieve equity in the most disadvantaged areas, we must 'bring in more leaders - middle leaders'. I know in my own local authority, due to the current management model we are losing deputes, from schools that only have one depute!So, rather than put in more support, we're taking away the support that is already there. How do we expect our Headteachers to maintain their own health and wellbeing, far less look after the health and wellbeing of their staff, children and families? Many Headteachers are not empowered, they are merely surviving.

# data[].attributes.body
Lots of interesting ideas here.  Looking forward to catching up on Friday.

Peter

# data[].attributes.body
Improvements & opportunities in the wake of Covid:
highlighted our interdependence in and across schools

Expedited staffs familiarity and confidence in IT - improving work flow. This extended to digital pedagogies in the 2nd lockdown

ACM - move towards greater consistency and understanding of standards across school. Greater understanding of moderation processes and improved networking within, and across depts

Well-being agenda (staff & pupil) brought to the fore

Setbacks - momentum lost of long term planned improvements

Fatigue, burnout, disillusionment with national institutions and partner services/agencies

# data[].attributes.body
Whilst I am all for empowerment, this term cannot be used to add to school and teacher's workload as there is not enough resources to meet the needs of children and young people in other areas of national provisions.

The Education Improvement Framework and Plan 2021 notes "The Scottish Government's commitment to supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing was already in place (pre-covid)."

Whilst I fully support schools must do their utmost to support children and young people's wellbeing, I fear a lot of pressure is being put on school staff.  The framework also states...

-"increased support for pupils, delivered through schools"
- "where ever possible, the commitment to access to counselling support through schools".
- "A contractor has been appointed by the Scottish Government to develop an online, open access Professional Learning Resource in Mental Health & Wellbeing for all school staff across Primary and Secondary education in Scotland."
- "As part of the development of the free training resource for all school staff, the project team will consult with school staff, children and young people and families on what should be included to assist school staff to best support positive mental health in school."
- "To complement the professional learning resource and the publication of resources, the Group are also developing a Framework for a Whole School Approach to support children and young people's positive mental health and wellbeing.  The framework will provide school leaders and practitioners with guidance on measures that can be introduced across the full aspect of a school day to support mental wellbeing, both in children and young people and in the school environment".

Staff are continuously participating in professional learning, and for primary staff, especially in small schools, where there are only a few staff do deliver 'everything', teachers need to be a 'Jack of all trades' and are constantly engaging in professional learning: e.g. 2+1, literacy, numeracy, music etc and will now be asked to be mental health support workers too.

Would government funding, putting more localised mental health support in for each cluster, for example, be more beneficial and more impactful that stretching, already stretched teachers, more thinly, and asking of them something they may not have the capacity for?

I also wonder, are there enough graduates, qualified in mental health issues, coming through the system to meet the mental health demands of the nation and if not, is this why is will become the responsibiity of schools/teachers?

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with much of the recommendations in "What Scotland Learned" (Education Scotland 2021).  However, the dual focus on developing digital skills and developing outdoor learning may create another tension in the system.  In addition, schools played a vital role in creating their own online environments and responding to the needs of their communities during lockdown, an example of true empowerment.
Given this backdrop, how likely do you think it will be that the Scottish Government will be able to step back and allow school to navigate their own paths, meeting the needs of their communities without further policy guidance?

# data[].attributes.headline
I agree with comments and questions already posted.  The characteristics cited in the Empowerment of School Leaders - agency, creativity, adaptability - have been much more difficult to develop in recent months. Multi-agency working has also been challenging. School leaders and school staff have been left alone for the most part to support children and families who have been adversely affected.  There needs to be recognition of how challenging this has been and will continue to be.  This is a time to be having dialogue about big questions but time and energy is taken up in risk assessments, changing health and safety guidance and dealing with positive cases.      

# data[].attributes.subject
I agree with comments and questions already posted.  The characteristics cited in the Empowerment of School Leaders - agency, creativity, adaptability - have been much more difficult to develop in recent months. Multi-agency working has also been challenging. School leaders and school staff have been left alone for the most part to support children and families who have been adversely affected.  There needs to be recognition of how challenging this has been and will continue to be.  This is a time to be having dialogue about big questions but time and energy is taken up in risk assessments, changing health and safety guidance and dealing with positive cases.      

# data[].attributes.body
How can time be carved out to transform Scottish education?

# data[].attributes.body
I fully endorse calls to capitalise on the unique opportunities the pandemic has provided which would allow us to make bold and creative changes that set a new pathway, away from some of the ‘traditional’ failings of the system.  Particularly with regards to the purpose of education and what and how we assess. A narrow lens of school attainment does little to recognise the positive impact of what we do.  Wellbeing, rightly so, is a huge priority within education, yet our efforts are not fully recognised as these successes and achievements are not evidenced in our examination system nor our measurement of positive destinations. The contributions we make to a child’s mental health and wellbeing are the platform upon which learning and future success are built upon.  During the pandemic wellbeing was an elevated priority, how can we keep this momentum going, when the focus swings back to attainment? And how can we support practitioners  and their professional learning to ensure our education system contributes to the social and emotional health of its children? Although for the sake of the profession being able to cope with overwhelming commitments, surely this needs to remain ‘contributes to’, rather than ‘assumes responsibility for.’

# data[].attributes.body
How can we ensure professional learning cognisant of the current climate is available and fully funded for all?

With mental Health & Wellbeing at the forefront of recovery, how do we engage/involve reluctant external agencies/groups to offer 'physical' face-to-face support for pupils, YP and families?(when it was already extremely difficult pre COVID)

# data[].attributes.body
I believe that the ever-changing mitigations and restrictions necessary during the pandemic have removed much agency and autonomy from school leaders and there has potentially been a lack of innovative school improvement as a result.  My experience is also that school leaders have been less likely to empower staff and middle leaders to take risks, responding to a culture of risk assessments which has led them to take tighter control of school life.  How do we overcome this is the coming months and years?

The ICEA report 'proposes a profound transformation to Scottish education' post pandemic.  How likely is this in reality?