Roots to grow and wings to soar

VISION

The school vision was launched in Spring 2022 and underpins all areas of school life. It was created in consultation with stakeholders via -

INSET days with staff Meetings

With the Governing Body

Engagement with the school community.

At Llwynypia Primary we believe that we are at the core of our community and its families.  Wellbeing is at the very heart of everything we do. We aim to provide a safe and inclusive environment where everyone will be welcomed, celebrated and can thrive. We will ensure an ethos of mutual respect and acceptance, where each child is nurtured and supported as they grow into grounded, compassionate individuals.  We strive to foster a strong sense of community and belonging creating an ethos where children show respect for each other’s needs, culture and environment.

We will empower our children to fulfil their potential as kind and respectful members of Wales and the global community. We will lead by example and encourage each other to make a positive difference.

To realise our vision, we will inspire and motivate our children by developing a dynamic, broad and balanced curriculum, fostering a lifelong love of learning and self-development, with opportunities for experiential learning.  We encourage all of our learners to become citizens of a bilingual Wales and a multilingual world, to become digitally competent and healthy global citizens.  We will ensure our learning environments are places which inspire curiosity and creativity, where a growth mindset is encouraged, reflection is key and where staff are highly skilled in supporting all children in these aims.

CURRICULUM@LLWYNYPIA

Our curriculum is ambitious and aspirational, embodying the skills, knowledge and understanding for all our learners to progress, giving due consideration to all of the mandatory elements. Our curriculum is learner focused and purpose driven, reflecting our passion to provide high quality teaching which excites and motivates our learners in the classroom and beyond.  Every child in our school will gain experiences that nurture knowledge and understanding and develop skills which enable them to be ambitious capable learners. The school has designed and developed a curriculum that is suitable for all learners. It enables them to develop in the four purposes. It is broad and balanced and includes learning opportunities within and across all of the Areas of learning and experience. It encompasses the concepts in all of the statements of what matters

THE FOUR PURPOSES

Everything our learners experience is in pursuit of the four purposes and we strive to raise standards for all. They are the focus for all decisions on the content and experiences that we are developing as part of our curriculum. They are designed to influence how we plan, teach and assess. We aspire for our children to be ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society by focussing on the four purposes throughout our curriculum.

We have spent time focussed on what the four purposes look like within our school, consulting with all stakeholders and the wider community, on how we can-

· Develop ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives. We aim to create an environment where pupils set themselves high standards and have the confidence to challenge themselves.

· Nurture ethical, informed citizens who are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world. We endeavour to develop a strong sense of community not just in Wales but in the world.

· Encourage our pupils to be enterprising, creative contributors who are ready to play a full part in life and work. We will inspire pupils to seize opportunities and take risks, knowing that mistakes are an opportunity to learn. We will provide all pupils with challenging and creative learning opportunities and celebrate all achievements.

· Nurture healthy, confident individuals who are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society. We will strive to develop emotional intelligence and positive relationships in constructive environments where everyone feels listened to and valued.  Our pupils will learn to become resilient and empathetic ready to face challenges throughout their lives.

CURRICULUM DESIGN & ALIGNMENT

The school has designed and developed a curriculum that is suitable for all learners. It enables them to develop in the four purposes, and it gives due consideration to all of the mandatory elements. It is broad and balanced and includes learning opportunities within and across all of the Areas of learning and experience. It encompasses the concepts in all of the statements of what matters and provides appropriate progression in accordance with the principles of progression.

The school’s curriculum aligns to the mandatory requirements of teaching Welsh, English, Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) and the cross curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and digital competence.

Further design and development is required with regard to Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) following the publication of the agreed syllabus.

PEDAGOGY AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

The school has considered pedagogy and developed professional learning and support focused on high quality teaching. All teachers have engaged in enquires within their classroom to explore strategies for modelling and scaffolding. This is informed by individual research and training from credible outside sources.  All staff have engaged in the formulation of the new curriculum.

ASSESSMENT AND PROGRESSION

Assessment arrangements are informed by principles of progression and are embedded in day-to-day practice through a variety of evidence informed assessment strategies. They enable the identification of learners who require further support or challenge and provide rich qualitative information to inform next steps in learning for individuals and groups of learners. Our assessment arrangements ensure active engagement between learners and teachers and is based upon where the learner is, what their next steps are and what is required to support them in achieving these.

Progression of learning is at the core of our curriculum and is underpinned by the mandatory principles of progression which describe what it means for learners to progress. Alongside assessment of our progression steps, we will use the information provided by the Welsh National Tests and our own assessments to enable each individual learner to progress at an appropriate pace, ensuring they are supported and challenged accordingly. Our assessment arrangements ensure active engagement between learners and teachers and is based on ongoing reflection on where a learner is, what their next steps are and what is required to support them in achieving these.

IMPLEMENTATION & REVIEW

The curriculum was agreed by the governing body in Summer Term 2022 and will be implemented in all year groups from September 2022. The school plans to publish a summary of their curriculum on the school website by 19th July 2022 and will inform parents and the wider school community of this through their usual communications, e.g. Seesaw, school newsletter, Twitter, Facebook.  The school curriculum will be kept under review through the self-evaluation activities in the school’s MER cycle. This includes learning walks, book scrutiny, pupil, parents and staff forums and questionnaires, etc. Termly reports of these will be shared with the governing body. The school will plan detailed annual reviews of the curriculum.

IMPACT

The school ensures that it considers the impact on learners’ mental health and emotional well-being in all curriculum decision making. The school is using the framework on embedding a whole school approach to emotional and mental well-being to support this.

Staff, School Sennedd and other stakeholders are aware of UNCRC and all staff will participate in professional learning in this area. The school will continue to foster close partnerships with their cluster schools, the regional consortia and the local authority to fulfil their duties.