Vocational Curriculum / Outdoor Experiences / Professional Learning
Spotlight: Vocational curriculumThe school’s curriculum effectively prepares pupils for the next steps in learning and future possible pathways. This is a notable strength. Vocational and work experience opportunities enhance pupils’ independence and employability skills. Work experience placements are chosen carefully for pupils of all ages both within the school and in the wider community to reflect the skills and interests of pupils. For example, younger pupils explore different roles, such as serving as the school’s postman, allowing them to develop confidence and responsibility.Spotlight: Outdoor experiencesAcross all sites, many pupils benefit from highly valuable opportunities to experience outdoor activities such as cycling and mountain biking, hiking and exploring, paddle boarding and camping. Leaders ensure that all pupils have access to these activities by acquiring specialist bikes, wheelchair friendly tents and accessible paddle board equipment. These experiences foster important skills such as independence and resilience. Further pupils show increased self-esteem and well-being by experiencing new activities. These sessions have also contributed to an improvement in the attendance and communication of a few pupils.Spotlight: Professional learningLeaders expertly nurture, support and develop staff at all levels. They prioritise building a highly skilled workforce and have fostered a strong culture of continuous professional learning for all staff. There are many significant examples of the school working collaboratively with schools in the local authority, across the sector and the wider world, which have led to mutual improvements at Ysgol y Deri and its partner schools. Through a well-planned and tailored programme of activities, leaders ensure that professional learning links appropriately to addressing school priorities for improvement and to individuals’ needs. They adapt learning opportunities to suit the school’s diverse provisions, including beneficial in-house weekly ‘micro-training’ sessions. Further, the range and high quality of leadership training and coaching and mentoring has strengthened the quality of leadership at all levels. Leaders evaluate the impact of professional learning on improved provision effectively.