The Curriculum for Wales provides guidance to help our school develop its own curriculum, enabling our learners to develop towards the four purposes – the starting point and aspiration for every child and young person in Wales. The four purposes are:
At Bryncethin Primary, our school vision is ‘Believing is Achieving – Credu i Lwyddo’
‘Our school provides a safe and stimulating learning environment where every child matters. We encourage and help our learners to become ambitious, capable and confident learners that can flourish. We teach and support the development of skills, core values and well-being ready for learners to play a full part in life and work’
Our school’s vision was created in consultation with a range of stakeholders including our pupils, parents, staff and governors and is aligned to the national aspirations of the four purposes.
Our curriculum enables us to realise our vision. As part of our curriculum design and its ongoing refinement:
Our school curriculum is suitable for all learners and will enable them to realise the four purposes. It takes account of and responds to the unique opportunities and challenges that present themselves to individuals and groups of learners in our school.
Bryncethin Primary School is committed to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). All decisions related to the curriculum considers the impact on learners’ mental health and wellbeing.
Article 26 UNCRC ‘Your right to become the best you can be’.
The Curriculum
The National Framework provides guidance for the required elements of our curriculum, with the four purposes:
Our curriculum is broad and balanced, is suitable for learners of differing ages, abilities and aptitudes and includes learning opportunities within and across the 6 Areas of Learning and Experience, with content drawn from the statements of what matters and informed by the national principles of progression. The 6 Areas of Learning are:
Our curriculum also aligns to the mandatory requirements of teaching Welsh, English, Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE), Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE), and the cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and digital competence.
Curriculum Rationale
We teach using a mix of individual standalone lessons teaching specific skills and knowledge such as in Languages, Literacy and Communication and Mathematics and Numeracy; as well as other areas of the curriculum, where necessary. We also organise learning opportunities cross-curricular, topic-based themes, ensuring authentic and meaningful experiences relevant to our school and community. We run a two year theme / topic cycle with each of the following lasting for a term:
Life: How can we help our world be full of life?
We want pupils at Bryncethin Primary School to be given opportunities to explore living things, including plants, animals and the human body, and develop their understanding of how living organisms grow, survive and interact with their environments. They will investigate ecosystems and the relationships between living things, while using scientific enquiry skills to ask questions, gather evidence and draw conclusions.
Events: What happened in the past?
Our aim is to help pupils understand about their own personal history, understand how society has changed and developed over time. Our school has a belief that pupils need to be aware of the impact of events in our changing world.
Awe & Wonder: What makes our world so wonderful?
At Bryncethin Primary School, we inspire pupils to appreciate and reflect on our wonderful world. We want pupils to establish a meaningful connection with the environment in our local area, Wales and the world while alongside, developing creative and artistic skills.
People & Work: Who makes the world go around?
We engage, motivate and encourage pupils to aspire to roles in a diverse society, understanding how jobs change over time. We make strong links with our local community and appreciate the impact people make on our local area, Wales and the wider world. We provide opportunities for pupils to learn to work effectively with others, valuing the different contributions they and others make.
Innovation: How does that work?
We want inquisitive pupils who are curious to build skills and confidence for their futures. Pupils who develop an awareness of emerging technological advances. They should be able to distinguish between fact and belief, understanding how the world is evolving.
Sustainability: How do we look after our world?
In this constantly evolving concept related to current issues, we want pupils to know what their part is in looking after our world. Pupils are given opportunities to be able to critically evaluate alternatives, make informed decisions and know how certain actions impact the planet.
Learning Progression and Assessment
Our school curriculum is underpinned by the national mandatory principles of progression which describes what it means for learners to progress. Our staff will seek to support the capacities and behaviours of learners regardless of their stage of development. The principles of progression are designed to be used by all teachers across Wales to:
At our school we believe assessment and progression is fundamental to ensuring we achieve our school vision of ‘Believing is Achieving’. We use a variety of assessment strategies, evidence informed to enable each individual learner to make progress at an appropriate pace. We ensure our processes identify learners who require further support or challenge and they provide rich qualitative data through ongoing assessments for us to inform next steps in learning for individuals.
Our assessment arrangements ensure active engagement between learners and teachers and is based on continually reflecting on “Where are learners in their learning? What do they need to do to make further progress? How do we support them to further their learning?”
Bryncethin Primary School is continuing to review and conduct ongoing assessments for every learner which will be embedded within day-to-day practice throughout the school year.
Additional Learning Needs (ALN)
If a learner has an additional learning need, our school does all it can to meet these individual needs. We comply with the requirements set out in the ALN Code 2021 in providing for pupils with specific needs. A range of assessment strategies are utilised to help identify particular difficulties, and external agencies can be involved in order to provide more specialist assessments and support.
The school produces a One Page Profile (OPP) for every child. A sound knowledge of each pupil leads to person-centred adjustments in teaching strategies to accommodate individual needs and requirements (Universal Provision). Through a range of assessments, required support is identified and applied. Following a graduated response, referrals are made where necessary. Where class based and person-centred support through Universal Provision has not impacted on progress, a person-centred review will be held with parents in attendance, as well as pupil involvement and external agencies. The main barrier to learning is identified and an Individual Development Plan (IDP) written up and shared. This IDP is then reviewed annually, or more often when necessary.
Reviewing the curriculum
Our school curriculum will be kept under review to ensure that is meeting the needs of our learners and our vision. Throughout the year there will be a variety of self-evaluation activities to inform our understanding of the effectiveness of our curriculum and the required revision. We will work within our school, across the cluster and in partnership with governors and school improvement services to further develop a shared understanding of progression and ensure a high-quality 3-16 learning continuum of learning for all.