290 teachers join Limitless Learning

Since schools returned in August, Winning Scotland have registered 290 teachers onto our Limitless Learning courses, in 106 nursery, primary and secondary schools across three local authorities.

Limitless Learning is a short-form, high-impact growth mindset CLPL approach, comprising 6x 60-minute online modules supported by 6x 60-minute complementary twilight sessions.

Of the 290 teachers beginning their Limitless Learning journey, 205 are newly qualified and early phase teachers from Dundee and Aberdeen, with a further 85 teachers joining a numeracy focused cohort from Renfrewshire.

The Dundee and Aberdeen teachers are the first to sign up for our new Limitless Learning curriculum specially designed to support teachers who have had the early stages of their career disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

For more than 18 months, schools have been at full-stretch to address issues arising from or exacerbated by Covid-19 disruption.

A Children’s Parliament survey shows the outbreak has left young people feeling more downbeat, listless and anxious, while analysis by the Poverty Alliance shows the poverty-related attainment gap has widened as a result of the pandemic. 28% of children said they were now behind in schoolwork as a result of closures in a BBC Newsround survey.

And, due to school closures, restrictions, absences and ongoing self-isolation protocols, many early phase teachers have been unable to complete placements or probation years, and enjoy settled periods of time with their class.

This in turn has left many teachers short-changed when it comes to building their classroom experience, engaging in professional learning and bonding with their pupils and peers.

As a result, teachers may be short on confidence and lacking in practice at a time when the need for quality teaching is paramount.

By supporting teachers to apply a growth mindset approach in their classroom, we will help them develop their own practice as well as supporting pupils to engage in learning after so much disruption.

Hazel Lynch, Probationer Manager at Aberdeen City Council said: “Aberdeen City Council’s commitment is very clear – to continue supporting our post-probation, early phase teachers by providing engaging professional learning opportunities that inspire high quality learning and teaching. This will support our children and young people to flourish and to be the best that they can be. We value our partnership with Winning Scotland and look forward to reflecting on the impact of growth mindset in the classroom.”

Helen Gray, Education Officer at Dundee City Council said: “Dundee City Council are delighted to support more than 100 newly qualified teachers through the Limitless Learning programme. Growth mindset is an integral part of our education strategy in Dundee, and supporting so many teachers right at the beginning of their careers is a great way to build a sustainable mindset culture across the city.”
 
Wendy Sinclair, depute head teacher at St John’s RC High School in Dundee, is supportive of her new staff joining the course. She said: “I am loving the materials, the NQTs are so lucky to be given this opportunity. I am really looking forward to the twilights too.”
 
A further 85 teachers are from Renfrewshire, who will take part in a numeracy focused programme. This is Renfrewshire’s second Limitless Learning cohort in 2021.
 
Almost a third of those teachers come from one school – St James’ Primary in Renfrewshire. Explaining their whole school approach, depute Mags Pacitti said:
 
“St James’ Primary School are very excited to join Limitless Learning. We strongly believe that growth mindset can make a positive difference in our school, particularly in relation to maths. 

“Our commitment as a school, to ensure consistency of this approach, is seen in our investment of staff collegiate time enabling all teachers to participate in the course. The first module has created a buzz around the school with professional dialogue around the effects of implementing some of the ideas from the first module.”

You can learn more about Limitless Learning in Renfrewshire here. 

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