Removing barriers to learning by providing pupils with the language and strategies to discuss their emotions
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Information about the school
Waun Wen Primary School is an inner city school in Swansea.
- 202 pupils on roll
- 93% of pupils from 20% most deprived area in Wales
- 47.5% free school meals (Wales average 21%)
- 42.8% have English as an additional language (EAL)
- 25 home languages in school
- 44.1% pupils on ALN register
- Pupil mobility -19.3% (Y1-6) in 21/22 (5th highest in Swansea)
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The school faces many challenges and pupils arrive in nursery with skills well below those expected for their age. There is significant pupil mobility with pupils joining part of the way throughout the school year and their primary education. Staff note significant issues with pupils’ language and vocabulary, with many beginning school unable to communicate effectively and lacking concentration and engagement. Pupils also often come to school with emotional needs that inhibit their ability to maintain focus and learn in their classes. Leaders recognised these challenges and the need to understand the specific issues that were having a negative impact on pupils’ progress. In order to address these, leaders developed a whole school approach to improve communication and vocabulary skills, along with a programme to improve pupils ability to identify their emotions and self-regulate.
Staff recognise that if pupils feel safe, supported and able to communicate, and if well-being is placed at the very heart of their learning, then they will be able to focus, to learn and to have a chance to succeed. Estyn recognised the strong progress the pupils make from their starting points.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
To improve pupils’ communication skills, training for staff took place to improve their knowledge of tiers in vocabulary acquisition. However, during the training it became apparent that many of the pupils did not have tier 1 basic vocabulary. As a result, the school decided to address this issue with a whole school approach. Staff improved their understanding of the ‘communication chain’ and how to deliver strategies and activities to support language and vocabulary acquisiton. At the start of any new topic in any subject, teachers plan a vocabulary lesson to teach pupils the words they will need to understand the activity. This ensures that all pupils understand exactly what is being taught.
Staff carry out Initial assessments of pupils’ vocabulary in the youngest classes every autumn term to ensure that pupils’ needs are identified and that they provide the correct, sometimes bespoke, support.
The school has many languages and cultures and so new pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) are assessed and staff made aware of the pupils’ linguistic, education and cultural background. Basic vocabulary, verbal skills and early literacy skills are prioritised with an emphasis on visual learning. The need for each pupil to develop a sense of belonging within the school is also a priority and this is supported by other pupils who will interpret when needed. Different languages are celebrated each month throughout the school and pupils are encouraged to use their first langage whenever possible.
Staff also focus on language acquisition in maths lessons. At the start of a new concept, they teach pupils the vocabulary for that objective first. Concrete apparatus and ‘bar modelling’ are used throughout the school in every year group. Staff do not see the use of apparatus as support for pupils who struggle with maths, but as part of the process of developing their understanding of an abstract maths concept and supporting pupils’ ability to explain their work and learning. The use of the concrete apparatus and vocabulary lessons allows all groups of pupils, including those with EAL, to access the lessons fully.
A whole school daily check-in system is used to identify feelings and extend pupils’ expressive vocabulary. In addition, each class has an empathy lesson each week to improve pupils’ recognition of emotions, to be able to describe them both for themselves and for others and to develop social action. Creative literacy drama projects further develop the self-esteem and communication of pupils. The school recognises that creativity is a vital part of the curriculum in enabling pupils with communication difficulties to express themselves and feel included.
The school identifies specific members of staff to work with pupils needing additional emotional support. This results in a strong working relationship between staff and pupils and encourages a sense of trust and security. Some pupils receive additional emotional support through personalised programmes.
The school also trained staff to deliver a programme that teaches pupils strategies to be able to self-regulate. They have set up areas in every classroom with resources for pupils to use to help them regulate their emotions throughout the day to support their readiness to learn. Staff taught pupils from Year 3 to Year 6 the full programme in small groups using books to support pupils’ understanding of emotions, such as anger and fear and how these make our bodies feel. The youngest pupils also learned about emotions with staff showing them strategies and providing resources to help them. Pupils have areas in their classrooms with resources and personal cards showing their chosen activities, which support them when they feel dysregulated. All children are able to use these areas independently and can describe their own choice of activities and how they help them feel calm.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
Overall, these approaches have:
- Improved pupils’ engagement in learning and progress across the curriuculum
- Improved pupils’ self-esteem and emotional literacy
As a result of the improvements in vocabulary pupils are now more confident in understanding and expressing their needs. Improvement in pupils’ self-regulation has led to them being able to recognise a reaction to an emotion and use a strategy to address their feelings. Pupils use the skills learned in school to support self-regulation at home and in other areas outside of school. Parents have informed the school of their children using the strategies successfully at home.
The focus on empathy has led to pupils understanding better how their actions impact on others. School has observed greater tolerance and empathy towards peers, which has improved playtimes and disputes are now quickly resolved, often by pupils identifying issues without the need for adult intervention.
The pupils have told us about vocabulary lessons:
- “The words help me understand what I am learning. “
- “It helps me when I’m talking to someone because I know what word to use.”
On self-regulation, they say:
- “It really calms you down if you’re really wound up.”
- “if you are worried, it helps because there are exercises you can do which will help you.”
How have you shared your good practice?
Staff from other schools have visited to see the strategies used for self-regulation and how they are organised in the school. The school uses social media and an online parent communication tool to share with parents their empathy work. Classes have made films of the drama projects, which they have shared with parents.