Newsletter Ten Winter 1998
 
Contents
Inverclyde Roadshow
Margaret McGhie
Editorial
Making Links
Attendance Initiative
What makes a good headteacher?
The Inverclyde Roadshow was held on Friday 13th November, 1998 in St. Columba's High School, Gourock, Inverclyde.

Bernard McLeary, the Director of Education for Inverclyde, presented the 1000th member of the Ethos Network certificate to representatives of Garvel Deaf Centre.
Garvel Deaf Centre
There were three presentations in the morning session:
  • "Books for Babies" - Joy Monteith, Sandra Wilson and Lynda Heron, Inverclyde Pre-School Initiative
  • "A Collaborative School, Working for Excellence" - Maureen McGarrity (HT) and Isobel Delussy (DHT), St. Kenneth's Primary School, Greenock
  • Away Practitioner Insight, The Baffle Club: "Bellshill Academy First for Learning and Enjoyment", North Lanarkshire, Alan Clark (AHT) and Derek Goldman (Partnership Officer)

Five workshops were held:

  • A general discussion
  • "Investing in Ethos: Working Towards Excellence"
  • "The Baffle Club"
  • "Taking a Critical Eye at Your School Grounds"
  • "Learnucopia: The Learning Skills Package"
The afternoon keynote speaker was Margaret McGhie from the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum. The title of her talk was "Achieving, Making Mistakes and Feeling Valued". She outlined some of the work on ethos which impacts on achievement and invited delegates to:
  • re-examine the word achievement
  • be aware of the emotional agenda for achievement
  • recognise that achievement is also about making mistakes
  • acknowledge that achievement must be wide-ranging
  • see that teachers themselves need to feel a sense of worth and achievement
  • recognise the barriers to achievement

She made available to Ethos Network members copies of the overheads she used to illustrate her talk
The editorial section of the newsletter talked about Inverclyde and Angus Councils taking out corporate membership of the Ethos Network; spreading the experiences of the Network overseas; representation on the Advisory Committee; and the development of a business plan.
As regards making links with other networks, Judy, with staff and pupils from Carlogie Primary School, was invited to address the "Grounds for Learning" 3rd Annual National Network Seminar which took place on November 18th, 1998. Also, discussion have taken place with Bob Currie, Associate Director of the National Centre: Education for Work and Enterprise, to explore ways in which that network and the Ethos Network can work together.
The newsletter also contained a report from G Lyons, Depute Headteacher (Acting) of Bellarmine RC Secondary School titled "Aiming High for Young People: An Attendance Initiative".

Pupils from The Mary Erskine and Stewart's Melville Junior School in Edinburgh provided answers and illustrations to the question "What makes a good headteacher?".