Effective Practice Archives - Page 39 of 66 - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

St Mary’s R.C. Primary School is in Wrexham local authority.  There are 395 pupils on roll aged 3 to 11 years, including 42 who attend part-time in the nursery.  The school organises pupils into 14 single-age classes and two nursery classes.  About 5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is considerably below the national average of 18%.  The school identifies about 8% of pupils as having additional learning needs which is below the national average of 21%.  The majority of pupils come from an ethnic minority background and around a half the pupils have English as an additional language.  This is notably above the national average of 6%.  A very few pupils speak Welsh at home. 

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school staff are organised into teams to lead and develop priorities.  This has proved successful, for example when implementing new initiatives within the school following their involvement in a number of collaborative, cluster-based projects. 

Previously, the headteacher and senior managers were responsible for leading the school’s self-evaluation process.  Whilst staff and governors were involved and aware of the SDP (school development plan) through staff and governors’ meetings and training opportunities, there was limited involvement in its creation and on-going evaluation.

In addition, the traditional role of the curriculum co-ordinator had become redundant within the school.  Staff were working much more collaboratively to plan stimulating learning experiences with the pupils, and all members of staff were involved in monitoring exercises on a rota basis. 

With the imminent arrival of the new Professional Teaching Standards, the leadership team recognised their professional responsibility to support and facilitate the development of all staff as leaders.  Going forwards, it was vital that the self-evaluation and school development process became a whole school concern and that all staff members claimed greater ownership of their professional development.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school self-evaluation, its development planning and staff development is a shared responsibility of staff who work collaboratively as a professional learning organisation.

  • Initially, draft school improvement priorities are identified following a robust self-evaluation process involving all staff and governors.
  • Key personnel with specific responsibilities are nominated by the leadership team to lead the development of each identified priority within an SDP development team e.g. literacy coordinators, Successful Futures Cluster Lead.
  • Staff are invited to express an interest in joining a particular SDP team.
  • Based on this information, the leadership team then organise teachers into cross-phase teams with an appropriate balance of expertise and experience to ensure effective whole-school development of each priority.
  • Each SDP team work collaboratively to evaluate and detail their specific priority area for development within the shared SDP document.
  • They reflect on the current situation in relation to the priority area, identify criteria for successful implementation and document specific actions to be taken.  Any staffing and resource implications are detailed, including costs and their source.  Deadlines for achievement are also included.
  • On completion, the SDP teams present their part of the development plan to the whole staff and any further actions are added following discussion.  Links between different priorities are made to ensure a consistent and cohesive approach.
  • The leadership team analyse the overall SDP and prioritise whole school development, research and training needs.  This informs a planned programme of in-house action-based research activities, staff meeting workshops, training and any other staff development sessions to be provided by other key professionals.  
  • SDP teams are then given short-term targets for development linked to their priority, with an expectation to share research and good practice with the whole staff during a designated staff meeting and training session.
  • All staff meetings and development sessions provide an open forum for staff to contribute, ask questions, and professionally challenge ideas and strategies.  This ensures that systems are appropriately refined and adapted to best suit the pupils and their setting.
  • Each half term, SDP teams conduct a full review of progress towards the identified actions and the SDP is updated accordingly on the shared online document.  Each action is RAG (Red, Amber, Green) colour-coded and progress is evidenced.  Where necessary, actions may be modified in light of any additional training or research conducted.
  • All staff and governors have access to the ‘live’ SDP and it is also formally shared with governors at each curriculum and governors’ meetings.  Progress is discussed and challenged where appropriate to ensure sustained improvement.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

  • A climate of mutual support where all staff effectively collaborate on all areas of school improvement
  • A shared ownership and understanding of the school’s vision for strategic development
  • Successfully distributed leadership responsibilities to all staff according to their strengths and areas of interest and expertise
  • Staff working in cross-phase teams, ensuring that everyone has an overview of the school’s improvement journey
  • Well-defined roles and responsibilities clearly understood by all members of staff
  • Staff at all levels empowered to contribute extensively to developing their own leadership skills
  • Collaborative teaching and support for colleagues, providing tangible guidance for less confident or experienced staff
  • Opportunities for professional learning both within and beyond the school
  • A platform for staff to share good practice and provide training at a whole school level, which also successfully enhances their own presentation skills
  • Innovation and professional growth at all levels, facilitated by action research conducted by SDP teams
  • Higher expectation for staff to conduct research and to be responsible for their own professional learning
  • Encouragement and empowerment for staff to reflect on their own practice and be open to trialling new, innovative and forward thinking pedagogy without the fear of making mistakes

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has shared the development of this leadership model with the regional consortium, the Diocese and key stakeholders.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

Cardiff and Vale College was established in August 2011 following the merger of Barry College and Coleg Glan Hafren. It provides further education at eight locations between Trowbridge in East Cardiff and Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan. The college’s Cardiff city centre campus opened in September 2015 and was extended in 2018.

The college has approximately 9,000 learners, of whom around 5,000 study full-time further education courses. Sixty-nine per cent of the main qualifications learners study at the college are vocational, with 31% being academic. The college’s courses range from entry level to level 5 and its provision covers nearly all subject sector areas. The areas accounting for the largest proportion of provision are arts, media and publishing; health, public services and care; and science and mathematics.

Cardiff and Vale College serves a diverse region that includes areas of significant deprivation. A minority of learners live in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Wales as indicated by the Welsh index of multiple deprivation. Thirty per cent of the college’s learners do not have English as their first language. Approximately 30% of the college population are black, Asian or minority ethnic learners.

For further education, the college has an annual turnover of £56m and employs over 600 staff. The college itself is part of a wider Cardiff and Vale College Group that includes large work-based learning providers.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

This case study relates to the inspection area of wellbeing and attitudes to learning.  The college has focused on embedding employer-linked work-related education into vocational courses.  All vocational learners have the opportunity to take part in ‘real not just realistic’ activities formally linked to their programmes of study.  The college also offers a programme of enrichment activities specifically designed to have a work-readiness focus.  This helps learners develop valuable personal, employability and leadership skills during their time at the college.

The college prides itself on being a ‘skills machine’.  Its curriculum and enrichment programmes are focused on developing skilled and employable people.  Close partnerships with key employers help identify the need for learners to have soft transferable skills that prepare them well for life as part of an ever-evolving workforce.  Such skills enable former learners to flourish as they face the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy.  Since the college was formed in 2011 there has been a relentless emphasis on ensuring that it responds to the needs of local communities and bridges the social mobility gap.  The college serves an area which is undergoing significant change, with one of the fastest growing populations in the UK, and is experiencing a significant increase in business and industrial activity.  This all contributes to the need for a strong, informed and responsive skills offer to produce a pool of employable talent for the capital region.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

Nearly all vocational learners work on ‘live briefs’, producing work for real organisations to industry deadlines.  Live briefs are projects agreed between partner employers and curriculum areas as part of regular employer boards.  These boards are used to link the college’s curriculum to the needs of local employers.   Examples of live briefs include learners in hospitality and catering working alongside internationally recognised professional chefs at social and charitable events.  Creative learners work backstage for large-scale concerts, design displays for the city’s theatre and organise events for CADW.  In 2017-2018, learners helped organise and stage testimonial dinners for two former captains of the Wales rugby team.  Other events have included fashion learners launching their summer clothing rage at a commercial indoor market.  The college has also established a pop-up shop to help learners who are interested in self-employment and entrepreneurship, to hone their skills whilst pursuing their ambitions.

Many learners take part in enterprise and enrichment activities that help them develop their skillsets and an appreciation of entrepreneurship as a viable career choice.  The college promotes its BEPIC brand to encourage learners to ‘be employable, purposeful, inspired, and challenged’.  To this end, the BEPIC teams of employment and progression officers, together with staff responsible for enrichment and entrepreneurship, have worked to support learners in cross-curricular participation in a range of external activities. For example, learners hosted events at the 2017-2018 National Eisteddfod, conducted sessions in bilingual storytelling, took part in a robot challenge, gave beauty treatments and supported the college cycle challenge.  Learners took part in the production of a short film called ‘Edgar’s Hair’ that aired on BBC Wales television in September 2018. 

Learners are trained alongside college staff members as ‘digital leaders’, enabling them to deliver training and support to peers and staff in using a range of software packages and new educational technology. These digital leaders have helped college managers develop their understanding of technology-enhanced learning and have hosted taster sessions for schools.

The college works in partnership with employers through its career ready programme in which learners work with several highly regarded organisations.  This programme breaks down barriers and allows young people to establish business relationships, creating a network of opportunities to aid their future progression.  Nearly all learners who took part in 2017-2018 had business mentors and all progressed onto further study at college, university or as part of an apprenticeship. 

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The experience learners have at the college helps them develop highly effective work skills and behaviours.  They cultivate strong work-related problem‑solving skills, and grow in confidence and resilience, all of which supports them in their progression into employment.  Learners’ engagement with national vocational skills competitions is very high.  This has positive effects on their aspirations for the future and the college’s own data on learner destinations shows an upward trend in the proportion of learners who move on to further study or to work.

This quote from one learner illustrates the effect the college’s approach has had on her:

My Career Ready journey started last year. I have developed so much that I find I am almost unrecognisable from the less confident individual I was before I joined the programme.  Career Ready has given me the fantastic opportunity to develop myself into a professional, independent and self-motivated person with the confidence needed to really shine in the workplace.  I have been given the chance to gain work experience at a corporate bank in London as well as ample opportunities to visit businesses across the Cardiff area to really network with the companies that are relevant to me.  I’m proud of the progress I have made with Career Ready and I would encourage anyone who wants to better themselves to join the Career Ready programme.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

The college and its partners serve three local authority areas Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire, which have a total population of almost 400,000.  They work in partnership with over 1,100 employers of all sizes across the region, including Airbus and Flintshire County Council. Approximately 1,600 learners complete apprenticeship frameworks each year.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

The provider’s strategic plan aligns provision to the needs of employers, regional economic development and the increase in the number of higher and degree apprenticeships.  Senior leaders have very strong links with employers and key strategic groups.  This enables the provider to develop customised, responsive provision, which meets employer needs and plays a valuable strategic role in the regional economy.

The provider’s strategy was developed to build upon their existing successful arrangements for employer engagement.  The clear aim was to strengthen existing arrangements to make sure that training was closely matched to the individual needs of employers.  The provider’s clearly defined strategy has been developed and strengthened over time.  As a result it is used consistently across the organisation by all staff.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

An outstanding feature of the provider is its employer engagement.  A key strategic objective of the provider is meeting the current and future individual skills needs of employers under the umbrella of  ‘employer-led learning’.  The provider is an active member of the regional economy and works particularly effectively to engage employers of all types and sizes from micro-businesses to large multinational organisations.  The provider has developed and established long-lasting and highly beneficial partnerships that give greater opportunities for learners and aids economic growth in the region.

The provider’s assessors and tutors work very closely and highly effectively with businesses to develop a clear understanding of their staff training needs. The provider’s staff carefully matches their learners’ individual training needs to tailored additional activities and experiences that further enhance their training experiences.  For example, learners at one company benefit from bespoke robotics training and at another receive additional time for Welsh classes to meet the needs of their business.  In the care sector, learners benefit from additional specialist workshops to support their job roles.

Assessors at Coleg Cambria carry out a very beneficial minimum of two days’ industrial placements per annum to ensure that their professional vocational skills are up-to-date, and that they are familiar with current practices and the latest technology.  This helps them maintain high levels of professional credibility in their sector.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The provider’s strategy and approach has led to learners developing increased levels of motivation, developing a wider range of skills and knowledge and being trained to a higher standard. Employer satisfaction rates have significantly increased as their individual staff training needs are being closely met.  This strategy and approach have led to an increase in the number of learners and employers taking part in apprenticeship training, particularly across the engineering and manufacturing, leadership and management and health and social care sectors.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College was established in 1987 by the Archdiocese of Cardiff.  It provides sixth-form provision at its campus located in the Penylan area of the city.  The college employs approximately 130 staff members and caters for around 1,400 learners, nearly all of whom study full-time and are between 16 and 19 years of age.

The college offers learners a choice of 30 A level courses as well as level 3 vocational courses across eight subjects. AS and A level courses account for 64% of enrolments at the college, with level 3 vocational courses accounting for 23% of enrolments.  Level 2 courses make up 10% of enrolments, with level 1 courses accounting for 2% of enrolments.  The subject areas that have the largest proportion of provision are science and mathematics; business, administration and law; arts, media and publishing; and social sciences.

The college recruits learners from a wide range of schools, including four Catholic secondary partner schools. Learners from a diverse range of socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds attend the college.  Thirty-four per cent of learners live in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Wales as defined by the first quintile of the Welsh index of multiple deprivation.  Twenty-six per cent of learners reside in the least deprived areas in Wales. Thirty-six per cent of the college population are black, Asian or have minority ethnic backgrounds.  Thirty-nine per cent of college learners are followers of the Catholic faith.

The governing body is working on a proposal to dissolve the college as a designated further education institution and re-constitute it as a voluntary aided school according to the schools’ regulations, under the control of the City of Cardiff Council.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

This case study relates to inspection area 5 of the common inspection framework and describes the college’s professional learning work to improve teaching through an emphasis on observation, deep self-reflection, coaching and collaboration.  This approach has fostered a culture whereby staff strive for excellence and positively engage in activities to improve the quality of their teaching to help learners reach their full potential.

In 2017 St David’s College introduced a four-year strategy to improve the quality of learning and teaching as part of its pursuit of excellence.  This strategy involves an enhanced approach to the evaluation of learning and teaching.  Prior to this period, the college’s lesson observation arrangements consisted of traditional lesson observations.  These were conducted by senior and middle leaders who provided feedback and guidance to teaching staff in developing personal action plans to address areas for development and share good practice.  Whilst this approach was effective in recognising the strengths and areas of development for teachers, the college identified a need for teachers to be more reflective in their practice in order to bring about sustained improvements.  This led to the use of video-technology to film lessons.  Staff members use this technology to facilitate a coaching approach to professional development.  Leaders and teachers utilise recordings to stimulate professional dialogue about learning and teaching.  As well as hosting these recordings, the college’s learning observatory digital platform provides access to relevant teaching and learning development resources.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

St David’s Sixth Form College’s professional learning strategy includes a comprehensive range of  measures to improve the quality of learning and teaching across its provision:

  • A focus on six key principles of highly effective learning and teaching.  These six principles of challenge, explanation, modelling, practice, feedback, and questioning provide the foundations for professional development work throughout the year.  Teachers are encouraged to adopt and explore these principles within their lessons.  Staff use professional development sessions and time within learning area meetings to disseminate and share best practice. Leaders have aligned the college’s learning and teaching observation arrangements to the six principles and ensured that there is a strong focus on the progress that learners make.  Teachers can choose whether observations are traditional or filmed.
  • The use of video technology to record lessons enables teachers to review and reflect on the quality of learning and teaching in their lessons.  It facilitates valuable analysis and professional dialogue between teachers and enables them to carefully analyse specific aspects of learner activity and teaching.  This enables teachers to make worthwhile adjustments to their practice, giving them confidence in their planning and delivery.  With the agreement of teachers, leaders use recordings to standardise the lesson observation process.
  • Teachers can observe the lessons of their peers using a bespoke teaching observation room with a semi-transparent mirror.  With the consent of all involved, including learners, this provides teachers and leaders with a valuable opportunity to observe and discuss the learning and teaching whilst ensuring minimal disruption to lessons.  An audio communication device also enables the teacher to receive coaching in real time.  This instant feedback allows teachers to explore the effectiveness of different strategies as the lesson progresses.
  • The college’s Learning Observatory provides development resources and guidance on the six principles.  This is a bespoke, purposeful online platform to support the college’s teachers. Relevant ongoing research materials and video clips are available through this platform which is quality assured by senior leaders.  Video clips of effective learning and teaching strategies,
  • encompassing the six principles, are drawn from other organisations and the college itself.  The learning observatory is a collaborative tool and an effective way to share and celebrate good practice.
  • An annual teaching and learning conference for students helps leaders to measure the impact of the college’s teaching and learning strategy against stated targets, as well as providing college-wide benchmark information for specific teaching and learning strategies.  The conference is led by the college’s director of teaching, learning and assessment and involves learners representing all courses across the college.  As part of the conference, learners respond to closed questions about their learning and teaching experiences.  The results are instantly collated and presented to learners.  Leaders use the valuable follow-up discussion to explore any issues that arise.  Leaders use the outcomes from the annual conference to influence the professional development priorities of the college.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The college’s innovative approach to improving learning and teaching has secured positive improvements for teachers and learners.  The strategy has successfully engaged teachers, increasing enthusiasm and deeper professional dialogue about teaching and learning within course teams and across subject disciplines.  Teachers have become more reflective and self-evaluative.

Learning and teaching observation feedback shows evidence of an improvement in the quality of learning and teaching within the college, along with an improvement in the progress that learners are making within lessons.  Learner outcomes have improved since the strategy was introduced.  In particular, learners achieve very strong grades for A level and vocational level 3 courses.

Learner satisfaction with learning and teaching has improved consistently since the introduction of the strategy.  For example, in 2018-2019, 93% of learners stated that they gained useful feedback from teachers about how to improve their work.

Spending on externally-sourced professional development related to learning and teaching has fallen.  The college’s learning observatory has facilitated a collaborative approach among teachers through which good practice can be shared.  It has provided teachers with a bespoke, highly appropriate and impactful resource for professional development.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

St David’s Catholic Sixth Form College was established in 1987 by the Archdiocese of Cardiff.  It provides sixth-form provision at its campus located in the Penylan area of the city.  The college employs approximately 130 staff members and caters for around 1,400 learners, nearly all of whom study full-time and are between 16 and 19 years of age.

The college offers learners a choice of 30 A level courses as well as level 3 vocational courses across eight subjects. AS and A level courses account for 64% of enrolments at the college, with level 3 vocational courses accounting for 23% of enrolments. Level 2 courses make up 10% of enrolments, with level 1 courses accounting for 2% of enrolments.  The subject areas that have the largest proportion of provision are science and mathematics; business, administration and law; arts, media and publishing; and social sciences.

The college recruits learners from a wide range of schools, including four Catholic secondary partner schools.  Learners from a diverse range of socio-economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds attend the college.  Thirty-four per cent of learners live in some of the most disadvantaged areas in Wales as defined by the first quintile of the Welsh index of multiple deprivation.  Twenty-six per cent of learners reside in the least deprived areas in Wales.  Thirty-six per cent of the college population are black, Asian or have minority ethnic backgrounds.  Thirty-nine per cent of college learners are followers of the Catholic faith.

The governing body is working on a proposal to dissolve the college as a designated further education institution and re-constitute it as a voluntary aided school according to the schools’ regulations, under the control of the City of Cardiff Council.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

This case study relates to inspection area 5.1 of the common inspection framework ‘quality and effectiveness of leaders and managers, including the governing body’.  Using the servant leader methodology, college leaders have developed highly effective, engaged teams of staff that work together to secure outstanding outcomes by learners.  This supportive leadership approach models and promotes professional values and behaviours that have led to college-wide improvements including strong collaboration between staff members.

Significant emphasis has been placed on improving outcomes for learners across schools and colleges.  Sustainable high performance can, and should, be achieved by adopting an approach that promotes the wellbeing of all within the college community.  The servant leadership model, with its potential for alignment with Christian theology and a supportive, inclusive ethos, enables the college to realise this ambition.  The model allows for the integration of approaches to learner and staff pastoral care within a leadership framework that is applicable to the whole college. Consequently, mutual support and the achievement of excellence have become a focus for the entire college community.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

The servant leadership model requires that the leader becomes the one who serves others.  It is a radical model.  The college’s own approach is based on three principles.  Firstly, a commitment to the common good.  Unlike the ‘greater good’ the common good emphasises the dignity and rights of each and every person.  Secondly, all people are seen as persons of equal value and as a result the role of the leader is to serve others.  Thirdly, there is praxis, where leaders reflect on their actions to optimise future actions for the common good.

Using the servant leadership principles, the college developed its leadership model to integrate theology with the skills needed by servant leaders, and the college’s core behaviours.  The associated skills include: listening, awareness, empathy, foresight, conceptualisation, persuasion, healing, stewardship, and community building.  Development of these skills and commitment to the growth of people are central to the college’s servant leadership training programme.  The behaviours are derived from Jesuit teachings that emphasise an ambition to be learned and wise, curious and active, eloquent and truthful, faith filled and hopeful, compassionate and loving, attentive and discerning and intentional and prophetic.  Frequent self-reflection by leaders is an essential part of the college’s dynamic and evolving leadership approach.  This involves recognising, addressing and forgiving the failings that are inherent within any human endeavour.

Senior leaders have recently extended the servant leadership training programme to college learners.  Learners are able to work alongside teaching and professional services staff in the development of the skills necessary for successful servant leadership.  Learners who wish to serve on the student council or lead groups or activities within the college are welcomed to the programme.

Leaders promote community and ethos through staff community development days, staff wellbeing programmes and through the college’s bespoke reflective education programme for learners.  The behaviours inherent within the leadership model are the same as those aspired to by learners and promoted within the reflective education programme.  These behaviours are strongly influenced by the classical virtues contained within the Jesuit pupil profile scheme.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

The college community is very diverse; approximately half of learners join from Catholic schools, a fifth of learners are from Muslim backgrounds and others come from a range of faiths or none.  The college has a high proportion of young people from socio-economically deprived areas and is the most ethnically diverse college in Wales.  The servant leadership model and its integration with the college’s pastoral care programme, helps all stakeholders to unite as a community.

Leaders at all levels see their role as supporting and facilitating change and improvement.  This supportive approach has encouraged co-ordinated and managed risk-taking by teams across the college.  Accountability mechanisms apply horizontally across the organisation rather than top down.  This has led to greater innovation by staff members, which has impacted positively upon the learner experience.  The college has achieved an increasingly diverse intake of new learners alongside continued improvement in learner outcomes that include outstanding learner grade attainment and successful completion rates.  The college’s own annual teaching and learning survey shows significant improvements in learner perceptions of the college that recognise teachers’ innovation. The servant leadership model has ensured that a culture of mutual support, managed risk and continuous improvement has become embedded across the college and should continue even after current leaders have moved on.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

Berriew Playgroup is an English-medium setting in Berriew in Powys local authority.  It is registered for 24 children from the ages of two to eight years.  It offers early years education sessions from Monday to Friday from 9.00 am until 11.30 am during school term time.  At the time of the inspection, 16 children were receiving funded early years education at the setting.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

Leaders prioritise improving wellbeing and standards for all children.  They achieve this by extending their work through sustained and effective partnerships.

Description of nature of strategy or activity identified as sector-leading practice

The strong partnership with parents and carers is vital to the setting’s ethos.  Practitioners understand that, to achieve the best outcomes for lifelong learning for children, they need to involve parents fully in what their children learn and experience at the setting.  Sharing information is a powerful tool to help achieve this and is done a variety of ways to meet different families’ needs and preferences.  For example, practitioners post a blog of each session’s activities and update the useful information board outside the building daily.  Practitioners make themselves available before and after sessions for informal chats about children’s progress.  Sharing information like this helps parents talk to their children meaningfully about what they have been learning, and provides them with opportunities to follow up on activities if they want to.

Acting on feedback from parent questionnaires, practitioners offer parents termly consultations to hear about their child’s progress.  Key workers feed information about children’s achievements into a concise ‘all about me’ report noting progress and next steps for learning.  When practitioners share this with parents, they include ideas about how they can support their children at home.  For example, they encourage parents to help their children use coins to pay for items when they go shopping, look at shapes and print when they are out and about, talk about what they see, and count steps and household items.

Practitioners give high priority to preparing children for their move to school, supporting them to start school as healthy, confident individuals, ready to learn new things.  They take children on progressively long visits to school, including lunchtime visits and visits for significant celebrations such as special assemblies and concerts.  With permission from parents, practitioners share information about children’s progress from the foundation phase profile with the reception teacher so that she can plan effectively to build on what they already know.  The reception teacher visits the setting frequently.  Through professional discussions the setting leader and reception teacher have a shared approach to learning.  They attend training together and regularly discuss practice. 

Practitioners value the setting’s links with the local community.  These have contributed greatly to improving the children’s learning environment as well as enriching children’s learning experiences. For example, members of the local community helped create a sensory garden, built flowerbeds and set up fences to improve the outdoor area.  Practitioners support children to develop an awareness of their place in the local community by arranging activities such as regular walks into the local village.  Whilst visiting the local church the children introduced themselves to the local vicar.  As a result, the local vicar visited the setting to talk to the children about the church, who goes there and about different features of the building.  This encouraged children to look closely at the church building, inspired their drawings, and developed their speaking and listening, creative and mark-making skills naturally.

The setting has close links with other partners that enhance children’s learning successfully.  The setting worked with a wildlife group, to develop a sense of awe and wonder in the children as they investigated their outdoor environment and used real tools to build bug houses.  To promote positive working partnerships with the local community, the setting holds regular open days.  Practitioners invite children, parents, community, professionals and practitioners from other settings to join them and see what they do.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Nearly all children benefit from a rich and exciting curriculum that makes the most of all that the local community offers, and that they contribute to effectively.  Parents feel very involved in the life of the setting and are well equipped to support their children at home.  Children feel confident about moving on to school.  As a result of close partnership working with the reception class teacher, practitioners establish strong foundations for a seamless progression in children’s learning.  

How have you shared your good practice?

The setting shares its work with other staff and settings through training events.  Other settings within the local authority visit the setting.  The local authority advisory teacher shares practice during support visits to other settings and on social media.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg is a designated Welsh-medium school that provides education for pupils from 3 to 19 years old.  There are 1,250 pupils on roll, 168 pupils in Years 1 to 6 and 1,019 in Years 7 to 13.  There are 147 pupils in the sixth form.  Pupils from six other primary schools in the catchment area transfer to the secondary school in Year 7 and the school is situated in the town of Barry.  Barry is not a traditionally Welsh-speaking area.  Around 40% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes.

Context and background to the practice

Pupils and staff have a strong sense of pride in their Welshness and an appreciation of being part of a close-knit and caring Welsh community.  Welshness and firm discipline are among the school’s main priorities.  All members of staff have a clear duty and responsibility to promote and encourage the use of the Welsh language in all possible situations, whether at school or off-site on trips or visits.  Teachers are reminded in joint sessions that they are all teachers of language, and most are effective language models who correct pupils’ language skilfully on a daily basis.  This vision has been at the heart of the school since it was established, and hard work is undertaken to maintain high standards and expectations in terms of the use of the Welsh language.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

Provision to develop Welshness is at the heart of all of the school’s work.  The ‘Welshness Committee’ has a very positive effect on promoting social use of the Welsh language across the school.  In the primary department, teaching athletes from Team Wales to learn Welsh was a challenge and an unforgettable experience for pupils.  ‘Language Mentors’ in Year 10 work closely with younger pupils to promote the use of the Welsh language as a way of life.  Older pupils take their responsibilities seriously and work as mature role models when supporting younger pupils with literacy activities during morning sessions.  They also conduct activities.  This has a positive effect on pupils’ skills across the school and enriches their language.  Discussing issues relating to language and Welshness, and maintaining standards, are also a focus for the School Council and the ‘Cabinet’.

‘Welshness Week’ is highly successful.  Guest speakers and celebrities come to the school to discuss the language’s importance to them.  This ignites pupils’ pride and enables them to see the language’s value and status.  Activities include ‘gigs’, which are held in co-operation with agencies such as the Urdd.  A group of pupils who present on the school radio station give a taste of their experiences and open pupils’ eyes to aspects of Welsh life that they have not experienced.  ‘Language psychology’ sessions are held by teachers who attended Welsh-medium schools even though they did not come from Welsh-speaking homes themselves.  Pupils are able to relate to their backgrounds and see the advantages of the Welsh language in the world of employment.

An exceptionally rich range of extra-curricular experiences is provided through various clubs, visits to the local area and beyond, and sports experiences.  These experiences have a positive influence on pupils’ wellbeing, Welshness and motivation, and develop their social skills exceptionally well.  There is a variety of activities that develop a sound awareness of Welsh culture and history, which includes studying myths and legends in lessons and an annual trip for key stage 4 to visit important places in Welsh history, which is organised by the Welsh department.  The school Eisteddfod and Urdd Eisteddfod are a focal point of the school calendar.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Comments from guest speakers and visitors to the school are extremely complimentary about the pupils’ use of the Welsh language in lessons and around the school.  Visits and trips are a pleasure for teachers as pupils have so much pride towards the language.  Praise from residential centres, such as Glan-llyn and Llangrannog, is extremely positive.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Bassaleg School is a mixed 11-19 school to the north east of Newport.  Currently it has 1,749 pupils on roll, with 405 in the sixth form.  Pupils come mainly from six partner primary schools. Around 6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.  Around 2% live in the 20% most deprived areas in Wales.  One point four per cent (1.4%) of pupils have statements of special educational needs compared with 2.2% for Wales as a whole.  Around 8% of pupils have a special educational need.  Many pupils are from a White British background.  A few pupils come from an ethnic minority background.  A few pupils speak English as an additional language and a very few speak Welsh fluently.  The school is an Innovation School and is working with the Welsh Government and other schools to take forward developments related to the curriculum and professional learning.  The headteacher has been in post since September 2018.  The leadership team is made up of two deputy headteachers, a Director of Business, three assistant headteachers and two associate headteachers.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school’s vision is centred around providing young people with a breadth of opportunities to develop as ethically informed citizens; to demonstrate a strong sense of social awareness and responsibility and be part of a culture where diversity and equality are celebrated and embraced.  Detailed actions to enable the school to realise this vision sit within all aspects of wellbeing, teaching and learning, care, support and guidance and leadership.  The school’s core values permeate through the school improvement plan, thus ensuring that they never lose sight of their core purpose.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

  1. Central to realising this vision was the creation of a transformational wellbeing-driven tutor programme, co-constructed by pupils and staff and rooted in current action research.  Driven by pupil voice, it covers an extensive range of topics around mental health, relationships and sexuality education and building resilience.  The bespoke provision tailored for each year group is also grounded in reflection and provides young people with the opportunity to engage in open and honest dialogue about challenging topics in a safe and supportive environment.
  2. The school’s overhaul and rebranding of the newly enhanced ‘Religion, Morals and Philosophy’ Programme (RMP,) previously Religious Studies, have been a significant contributing factor in enabling the pupils to explore and understand further spiritual, cultural and moral values and beliefs.  Pupils show confidence, resilience and passion in celebrating difference and identity and transfer such attitudes to all aspects of their school life.
  3. One of the school’s exceptional features is the provision to raise awareness of the LGBT community.  All pupils embrace LGBT diversity and have subsequently formed a Queer and Straight Alliance (QSA) group showing the respect the young people have for promoting individual rights.  Ensuring that extensive support is in place for transgender pupils has meant that pupils feel safe, confident and passionate about speaking out about their experiences to help others.
  4. Unpicking misconceptions and any potential stigma around mental health issues has been a driver in drawing the school community closer together.  The school’s pupil-led mental health council actively raises awareness and offers strong peer-to-peer support by trained pupils.  The school’s ‘Wellbeing Ambassadors’ also provide extensive support for pupils of all ages in an unthreatening and informal way.  Such coordinated support for pupils and which is led by pupils is key to them developing a strong sense of resilience.
  5. Supported by a ‘Health and Happiness’ agenda, which prioritises ‘looking after ourselves and looking after each other by ‘keep looking up’’, the school places the wellbeing of pupils and staff at the core of its philosophy.  The ‘Health and Happiness’ agenda also provides pupils and staff with beneficial opportunities to develop a strong sense of social responsibility through raising significant amounts of money for charities which the pupils have chosen.  During planned monthly events on the school calendar, the school community comes together as one, has time to reflect on all aspects of their own wellbeing and, importantly, have some fun.
  6. A notable feature of realising this vision is the way in which the school encourages pupils’ active involvement in all aspects of school life and the community.  The sixth form ‘Giving Back to Bassaleg’ programme models to pupils the extent to which the school values the importance of contributing to one’s community.  Similarly, by closely tracking the involvement of vulnerable pupils and those with protected characteristics in community activities and pupil groups, the school is confident that all pupil groups are reflective of the school population as a whole; an aspect which evidences how the community is also one driven by equity.
  7. In terms of pedagogy, the school’s ‘Articulate’ agenda across the curriculum empowers pupils to express themselves and challenge others appropriately on all topics.  The professional learning in active listening and social oracy strategies like ‘Trios’ (which place focus on pupils being trained in actually listening to each other) also very much attribute to enhancing the school’s inclusive culture.
  8. The school’s behaviour for learning policy reinforces the extent to which the school community is driven by core values.  Staff, pupils and parents co-constructed a newly-revised policy which places a clear emphasis on understanding their rights and responsibilities.  The policy deploys helpful strategies to enable pupils to reflect successfully on their behaviours and to learn to manage their emotions positively.
  9. A nurturing environment has been critical to the realisation of the school’s vision and the bespoke work of the Pastoral Support Officers (PSOs) in particular.  Interventions have provided pupils with the emotional support they often need before considering how to access the curriculum.  The PSOs proactive work in identifying and supporting young carers is further reflection of the attention placed on supporting vulnerable learners.  The coordinated approach of the wider pastoral team, inclusive of every member of staff, is central to the creation of a safe, secure and nurturing environment for all pupils.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

  • Pupils show high levels of care and respect for others.  Their active involvement in the extensive range of provision listed demonstrates how engaged the young people are in ensuring high levels of tolerance and support for each other.
  • The innovative work of the mental health council and wellbeing ambassadors has generated an increased understanding and acceptance of mental health issues across the school community and pupils/staff are much better placed to think about and prioritise their own wellbeing.
  • In addition to playing a significant role in developing an inclusive environment, groups such as the Queer and Straight Alliance have positively impacted on enacting change to school policy to introduce a gender neutral uniform for example.
  • In practical terms, the Behaviour for Learning Policy has been successful in reducing the number of exclusions and the number of reported behaviour incidents.  Most importantly this reflects a culture rooted in diversity, equality and respect.
  • The way in which this ethos underpins everything the school does has successfully created a community where such core values are celebrated, where pupils’ individual rights are respected and an environment in which all learners can flourish as they ‘can be who they want to be’

How have you shared your good practice?

  • Bassaleg is an Innovation School and so has shared, locally, regionally and nationally how its new curriculum is rooted in developing these core values through the four purposes.
  • The school supports other schools within the region through their LNS status (Lead Network School) in science, PE, RMP and wellbeing; the latter two agendas giving them bespoke opportunities to cascade some of the provision identified in this case study.
  • The school has led conferences locally and regionally on their mental health agenda and is in partnership with other agencies to continue to action research and support their young people.
  • Bassaleg works very closely with its partner primary schools.  As such, they have shared good practice in all aspects of how to develop pupils’ moral, cultural and spiritual understanding.
  • Key to promoting and celebrating its core values of diversity, equality and respect has been the transformational way in which the school makes use of social media to share its good practice.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol y Strade is a bilingual comprehensive school that provides education for pupils from 11-18 years old, in Carmarthenshire local authority. The school is situated near the coast, on the western side of Llanelli. There are 1,120 pupils on roll, 192 of whom are in the sixth form.

The school’s catchment area extends along the south east coast of Carmarthenshire, from Fforest and Hendy in the east, to Kidwelly in the west. A majority of pupils come from Llanelli and the surrounding villages, and 17.3% of pupils live in the 20% most disadvantaged areas in Wales. 

Ten primary schools feed into the school.  Seven point eight per cent (7.8%) of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is lower than the national average for secondary schools of 16.4%.

Most pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds. Around 40% of pupils come from English-speaking homes, but all pupils are able to speak Welsh to first language standard.

Ysgol y Strade is an inclusive school with a homely and friendly environment.  Safeguarding its young people is one of the school’s priorities.  

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school’s leaders realised that the demands on pastoral staff to deal with issues relating to wellbeing, and specifically mental health, were increasing significantly year-on-year.  As a result, it became obvious that a number of staff lacked the confidence to deal with these issues effectively.  This was highlighted further when scrutinising the number of referrals that were sent to the school counsellor.  There was a waiting list of around 7 weeks to see the counsellor, and this was due mainly to mental stress and work pressures having a significant effect on pupils’ health and emotional wellbeing.  In addition, the pressure of work on the inclusion unit officer was increasing significantly as a result of pupils who were unable to cope with social situations and relationships with friends, and who were unaware of how to deal with their emotions effectively.

The most significant factor to the school was the effect that this had on learning.  As a result of social issues between pupils, often on social media websites outside of school, worry and anxiety were being brought into the classroom with them.  Pupils were often unable to concentrate effectively as a result of their anxiety and their lack of ability to deal with feelings and emotions.  This would often manifest itself in a sudden decline in behaviour and frequent disagreements between pupils. 

With these issues in mind, and in order to raise the profile and ensure that everyone engaged with the concept, the leadership team ensured that emotional health and wellbeing were given whole-school recognition as a priority in the improvement plan.  As part of the professional learning plan during this time, members of staff took part in attachment training and focused on ‘Why does bad behaviour occur?’.  The theory was that focussing on training pupils to deal with their emotions would help to solve behavioural problems.   

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

At the start of the project, the school invested in emotion coaching for a member of teaching staff who was keen to develop knowledge and understanding of this issue through action research.  This training developed into effective networking between Ysgol y Strade and another nearby secondary school.

In became clear that in order to broaden this emotion coaching, the school council and committees would need to be included in order for it to have the greatest effect on pupils and on behaviour as a whole.  As a result of this, the sixth form established an emotional health and wellbeing committee.  A group of sixth-form pupils were trained as emotion mentors, in addition to receiving training on how to deal with their own emotions.  Sixth-form pupils provided ‘Saib a Symud’ (‘PausePoints’) emotion coaching to Year 7 tutor groups over a 6-week period, as a starting point.  This was extended to Years 8 and 9 as part of the ‘Curriculum Enrichment’ activities at the end of the academic year.

All pupils in Year 7 have a mentor in Year 10 who helps with transition and settling at the school.  These mentors, along with Year 12 pupils who are on the committee, have been trained and visit the primary schools as part of the transition process, and present what they do to parents and teachers.  This activity is also beneficial to pupils in terms of developing their social and communication skills. 

In order to spread the message further, a number of sessions were held to present the information and methodology to staff through teacher meetings and an INSET day for all staff.  A digital resource was developed in the whole-school cloud to share information with staff and ensure support for them throughout the year.

This work was developed further to encompass provision for mindfulness and a focus on work.  The foundation that had been laid by the emotion coaching informed the plans for this project.  Pupils were keen to create a resource that helped other pupils to apply the principles of mindfulness and controlling their emotions in order to work more effectively.  By working with individuals outside the school, the school has now piloted calming software (‘Calm Cloud’) and developed resources and guidelines in order to familiarise with mindfulness strategies.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Referrals to the wellbeing officer, in addition to referrals to the counsellor, have reduced significantly following the training and, in particular, the use of ‘PausePoints’ and ‘Calm Cloud’.  Staff who are associated with the wellbeing posts are seeing fewer pupils who are unable to deal with emotional difficulties that hinder effective learning.

A learner’s voice video, which is part of the evaluation process, shows clearly that the training has had a positive effect.  Pupils express that staff are much more aware of how to deal with situations.  A large number of pupils say that ‘PausePoints’ and the calming software are very useful and mean that the class settles much quicker and concentrates much better.  This is most obvious in the lesson after lunchtime. 

Staff are very positive about the effect of these techniques, particularly with pupils of lower ability and less motivated pupils.  The mindset of trying to understand the background and emotion behind the behaviour is particularly powerful when discussing with pupils.

How have you shared your good practice?

Co-operation with other schools

This work has derived from working with local schools when developing the training.  Other schools are keen to trial aspects of the scheme and have met with teachers from Ysgol y Strade to gain information.  The school works closely with the family of primary schools, and this project has sparked an interest from a number of these schools.  A number of them already use the same kind of systems and are keen to spread the message.  The school is planning to develop this aspect further during the next academic year.

Presentation to the region

This work was presented as part of a training day that was organised by the ERW region for other secondary and primary schools.  This day was a great success and it was noted that others were interested in moving along the same lines. 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

Canolfan Deulu Dolgellau is a Welsh-medium setting that is registered to care for 48 children from 0 – 11 years old. The setting is open from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 6pm for 48 weeks of the year. A majority of children come to the setting from English-speaking homes and are immersed in the Welsh language while attending the Cylch Meithrin. The setting employs 19 staff and one manager.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The centre works effectively with a range of external agencies to support the children’s overall development. It has developed a beneficial relationship with the local care home and children from the setting have been visiting them regularly for three years. This has developed children’s social skills successfully, in addition to improving their oracy skills and their confidence in using the Welsh language outside the setting. These valuable experiences also develop children’s understanding of their local community and teach them about the importance of respecting the elderly. These sessions also teach children about their area’s history and about day-to-day life in the past.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

Visits to the care home take place on a monthly basis. The children are divided into groups of 8-10 at a time to visit, and everyone has an opportunity to visit during the term. In addition to socialising and developing their use of the Welsh language by talking to the residents, children are given an opportunity to keep fit by walking to the home. This is a good opportunity for children to observe and appreciate the world around them and talk to the staff. It is also a good opportunity to teach children about road safety. While at the home, they play games, talk and sing Welsh nursery rhymes with the residents. They share their experiences with each other and talk about day-to-day life. The kitchen staff prepare a healthy snack for them, which is also a good opportunity for the children to socialise. In addition to the monthly visits, the children attend the home’s Christmas lunch, which is an excellent opportunity for all children at the setting to socialise and sing with the residents.

What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?

Visits to the care home develop children’s social, emotional and linguistic skills very successfully. Children learn and practise traditional Welsh songs and nursery rhymes in a fun and purposeful way. A few shy children have also gained the self-confidence to talk to others through the medium of Welsh. A few of the elderly people who did not socialise with others previously look forward to these visits and enjoy coming to the lounge to sing and socialise.

How have you shared your good practice?

The setting reports back regularly through the Flying Start and Mudiad Meithrin link officers, in addition to the local authority’s advisory teacher, in order to share its practice with other settings. Information is also shared with parents and the public through social media and the community newspaper.