Effective Practice Archives - Page 40 of 66 - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe is a Welsh-medium secondary school for 800 pupils between 11 and 18 years old.  The school is situated in the north of Swansea and 30.2% of pupils live in the 20% most disadvantaged areas in Wales and 10.6% are eligible for free school meals.  Twenty four per cent (24%) of pupils are on the school’s additional learning needs register and 1.8% have a statement of special educational needs.  Around 10% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes and nearly all pupils speak Welsh fluently.  The school has a Welsh-medium language, speech and communication unit for primary and secondary age pupils in the city and county of Swansea.  

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school has a clear vision to develop its pupils’ advanced digital skills by ensuring that all leaders are part of planning the digital learning continuum with the school’s digital council.  They also focus on developing a digital learning continuum for all pupils in their cluster by working closely and frequently with its partner primary schools.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

The first step was to identify departmental opportunities to develop pupils’ advanced digital skills, and these were mapped against the Digital Framework.  Under the leadership of a member of the senior leadership team and the digital co-ordinator, time was invested in planning rich tasks jointly with heads of department.  The focus of planning was to create purposeful tasks to promote subject learning, in addition to nurturing pupils’ advanced digital skills e.g. in the humanities, a database was created by using ‘Access’ software to interpret the effect of immigration in Britain in 2015.

An audit of staff’s professional learning needs was carried out in order to provide them with training as they provide the best digital opportunities for pupils.  In order to support the professional learning needs that were raised through the audit, weekly voluntary lunchtime session were held to develop staff’s digital skills in addition to individual training for staff.

In order to develop more consistency in the advanced digital skills of pupils in the cluster, the cluster working group agreed on the main advanced skills to be developed.  Following this planning, the school’s ‘Digital Leaders’ have provided successful training for the primary schools’ ‘Digital Wizards’ to improve their own advanced digital skills.  In order to avoid duplicating primary schools’ work at the beginning of Year 7 and ensure consistency in pupils’ digital skills, a programme of digital lessons was planned and purposeful training was provided for primary schools.  This ensured that the primary schools in the cluster developed the same digital skills and that pupils had common experiences before they arrived at the secondary school.

The cluster’s digital working group has organised and held twilight training sessions for staff in the cluster, and some external agencies have also contributed successfully.  The selection of activities was based on the strands in the Digital Competence Framework and the professional learning requirements of staff in the cluster.  As a follow-up to training, all departments were asked to provide at least two rich digital tasks that developed pupils’ advanced digital skills.

The school invests significantly continuously in developing its digital infrastructure, software and resources.

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

Detailed planning to improve pupils’ digital experiences has had a positive effect on the confidence of the school’s staff.  As a result, staff provide challenging and exciting opportunities to develop pupils’ advanced digital skills.  Elements of the numeracy and digital frameworks are woven into lessons successfully.

There has been significant improvement in pupils’ use of the advanced digital skills across the subjects e.g. functions in Excel, producing graphs when analysing data, databases, coding, analysing performance, animations, e-befriending, creating algorithms, creating and editing videos by using green screen, ‘flipgrid’ and flow programmes.  Pupils use a variety of software more confidently and skilfully.  Pupils take pride in their use of the advanced digital skills in their day-to-day work at the school.

The work of the ‘Digital Leaders’ is far-reaching within the school.  They have trained the primary schools’ ‘Digital Wizards’ in advanced digital skills.  Their vision has a very positive effect on the continuous campaign to improve pupils’ advanced digital skills.  As a result of their work, the school has gained ‘Microsoft School’ status.

How have you shared your good practice?

The cluster’s digital working group meets every half-term to self-evaluate the term’s/year’s work and plan improvement for the pupils’ learning progression.

Digital Leaders presented their work to the school governors so that they were also a part of planning to develop pupils’ skills.

As part of evenings to share good practice, staff are given opportunities to present and see examples of each other’s digital tasks.  The digital leader is available during registration to meet with individual staff to develop their skills further.

The school has shared its practices to develop pupils’ advanced digital skills with a number of schools, both locally and nationally. 

 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe is a Welsh-medium secondary school for 800 pupils between 11 and 18 years old.  The school is situated in the north of Swansea and 30.2% of pupils live in the 20% most disadvantaged areas in Wales and 10.6% are eligible for free school meals.  Twenty four per cent (24%) of pupils are on the school’s additional learning needs register and 1.8% have a statement of special educational needs.  Around 10% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes and nearly all pupils speak Welsh fluently.  The school has a Welsh-medium language, speech and communication unit for primary and secondary age pupils in the city and county of Swansea.  

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Historically, the school council followed the traditional structure of electing one boy and one girl from each year to represent the pupil’s voice.  These pupils would work diligently to realise the council’s objectives, but there was great pressure on only around 15 pupils.  Although year councils also existed, the school felt that not enough pupils were represented on the school council and, as a result, not enough pupils contributed towards critical and key changes within the school.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

It was decided that six different councils would be established under the umbrella of the school council, with each council working on specific priorities.  The six councils are the Teaching and Learning Council, the Welshness Council, the Health and Wellbeing Council, the Environmental and Eco Council, the e-Learning Council and the Charity Council.  All of the councils respond to the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child and, specifically, the right to voice an opinion and to be heard.

The practice of electing pupils was removed.  All pupils who are keen to contribute and lead on one of the councils now write an application letter which identifies their skills and relevant experience, in addition to their vision for the year’s work.  This enables pupils to participate in councils that are of particular interest to them and, as a result, the councils’ work has been more successful.

In addition to the work with the school council, listening to the pupil’s voice is an integral and continuous part of reflecting and planning in all departments and for the Areas of Learning and Experience.   

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

Changing the structure of the school council has had a striking effect on the number of pupils who now engage fully in roles and responsibilities to lead improvements within the school.  Annually, more than 60 pupils, including those who are eligible for free school meals and those with additional learning needs, work every week on issues that are important to them in order to ensure that the school is a happy and caring community that continues to aim for excellence.  The councils’ work is shared regularly in school assemblies and governors’ meetings, and pupils take the lead in ensuring that everyone is aware of the ways in which they have a direct effect on school life.

The Teaching and Learning Council is passionate about expanding pupils’ cultural knowledge.  By working closely with specific departments and teachers, they have ensured a stronger emphasis on Welsh history and culture across the curriculum, and have shared their views about the most beneficial and useful experiences in lessons through video clips and presentations in staff meetings.  These pupils work with particular departments and have a direct effect on what happens in the classroom.  The Charity Council raises thousands of pounds every year and charities are nominated by the pupils themselves, sometimes following personal experiences.  The Environmental and Eco Council has ensured that there are plastic recycling facilities in all classes, and the Welshness Council holds language awareness sessions and wider activities for the school’s younger pupils and schools in the cluster, which have a positive effect on pupils’ attitudes towards Wales and their Welshness.  The e-Learning Council also works closely with Digital Wizards from primary schools in the cluster in order to develop digital skills and share good practice, in addition to holding valuable training sessions for staff and pupils.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school shares work based on the pupil’s voice regularly with parents, governors and the local community through its website and the school’s Twitter account.  It works closely with other schools in the City and County of Swansea to promote the pupil’s voice by attending termly events to share the good practice of schools across the county.  In particular, the Welshness Council and e-Learning Council work closely with primary schools in the cluster to develop positive relationships, share good practice and ensure consistency when transitioning between key stages 2 and 3.  Pupils have also presented their work within the council to the headteachers of south Wales network of Welsh-medium schools. 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Pencaerau Primary School is located on the outskirts of Cardiff.  There are 273 pupils aged 3-11 registered at the school, including 60 who attend the nursery.  There are nine single age classes, including two in the nursery.  The number of pupils eligible for free school meals on a three-year average is in excess of 40%, which is significantly higher than the national average of 18%.  The school has identified 18% of the pupils as having additional learning needs.

Around 78% of pupils are from white British ethnic backgrounds with 22% from a range of ethnic minority groups.  No pupils speak Welsh at home.  

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

At Pencaerau Primary, there is a strong established model of partnerships working that enriches provision for all pupils.  These make an excellent contribution to raising standards within the school. Strong emphasis is placed on staff wellbeing and, in addition to providing enrichment extra- curricular activities for pupils, there is a variety of wellbeing clubs available for staff.  These include Tai chi, Dance and Keep Fit.  In recognising the extra effort the school places of wellbeing, it has recently achieved the Investors in People Platinum award.  This is the only primary school in Wales to achieve this at present.

Pencaerau Primary has built year-on-year strong working relationships with parents and carers. Parental involvement has been a key factor and has a sustained positive impact on attitudes to learning and school pride.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

“The school provides a tranquil and welcoming environment for all pupils.  It is an extremely happy and caring community, which many pupils regard as a second home.”

The school has a dedicated and committed staff who all share the same principles for developing pupils’ self-esteem and encouraging aspirational ideas and thinking.  There is a high level of ‘give it a go’ attitude and appetite for risk taking towards new ideas or approaches.  This is because all staff are part of the planning and discussion around new concepts and are able to openly share thoughts and ideas and identify any apprehensions before they are put in action.

Pupils are part of the process too and consulted with regularly.  Their ideas and thoughts are taken into consideration when planning both curriculum and extra-curricular activities.  Although this process is ongoing throughout the year, the school hosts separate Innovation Days for the entire school community to engage in the process.

Pupils have a great sense of pride and belonging to the school as a result of their opinions being genuinely considered and, where appropriate, ideas are put into practice.  Over the years, Pencaerau Primary has developed core values for class, which are developed and built upon year-on-year.  Each class has a set value to explore during that academic year.  Through assemblies and open days, the classes share knowledge and insights of class values with the wider school community.  This has the effect of embedding the value concepts and ultimately leading to positive wellbeing.

“The school has a very effective partnership with parents, a secure foundation on which pupils thrive and learn.”

Pencaerau Primary places huge importance on building positive relationships between home and school.  The school has a highly skilled parental engagement leader who has put in place a number of workshops and programmes, which develop parents’ skills and interests to support their children’s wellbeing and learning at home.  The school has spent several years developing a wide variety of activities to encourage parental involvement.  It monitors the success and impact of the programmes and refreshes them regularly to sustain and attract new interest.

The school continues to have a successful partnership with Cardiff University, whereby parents can take selected access courses to enable them to sign up for courses at foundation stage in the future.  Several parents have successfully taken advantage of this opportunity.

Pencaerau Primary continues to build on previous successful practice.  The school has further developed its networking opportunities with several local, national and international schools.  This has kept new initiatives and ideas flowing and opportunities to develop good practice further.  The school has fostered strong international partnerships as a follow on from their role within an Erasmus project.

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

There is now a greater sense of self-esteem from the whole school community, in addition to developing greater reliance in approaching new ideas and concepts.  This has been evident in the continued high standards achieved and the strong value added, from entering the school to the end of key stage 2 for nearly all pupils.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has continued to develop its international partnership and hosted further visits from European countries to exchange ideas for wellbeing and guidance support.  Parents have led some of the workshops, and the school leadership team exchanged best practice.  Best practice has also been shared during consortium and local authority training days.

The school’s many parental engagement projects have been celebrated and shared through an event that welcomed professionals from all over Wales.  This culminates in an award ceremony to celebrate the year-end achievements of the workshops and programmes.  Pupils are extremely proud to see their parents rewarded on these occasions.  Several of the programmes have been set up for parents to work alongside their children and cover a variety of areas, for example tea toast and tales, pottery, and IT starter programmes.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Bro Teifi is a bilingual school for pupils from 3-19 years old, and is maintained by Ceredigion local authority. The school opened as Ysgol Bro Teifi in September 2016, following the merger of Ysgol Gyfun Dyffryn Teifi and Aberbanc, Pontsian, Coedybryn and Llandysul primary schools.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

When the school was established in 2016, a need was identified at an early stage to create structures to facilitate pupils’ journeys throughout their time at the school so that they were as smooth as possible.  A phase system was established (Phase 1 – Nursery to Year 4, Phase 2 – Year 5 to Year 8, Phase 3 – Year 9 to Year 13), which has led to effective transition and information-sharing systems in order to ensure the best identification of all pupils’ needs, and therefore to continuous provision for them.  The fact that there is one additional learning needs co-ordinator for the whole school strengthens identification of individual pupils’ specific needs and ensures that suitable and early intervention programmes are tailored for them.  In order to target appropriate and timely intervention for pupils across the age range, the school makes effective use of information to track progress, behaviour, attendance and wellbeing.  The school considers provision for pupils’ wellbeing to be just as important as curricular provision and that the two aspects cannot be separated.

Description of the nature of the strategy or activity

There are consistent tracking systems that identify pupils’ progress and attainment across the school.  As part of the strategy to improve identification of pupils on entry to the school, social and emotional skills are assessed by using commercial tests and the school’s internal assessments.  By using this information, nurture provision is arranged for primary age pupils who have underdeveloped social and emotional skills within the “Clwb Cwtsh”.  This provision is available four days a week and is held in a purposeful classroom.  Within the sessions, trained staff provide support for foundation phase pupils in the morning and key stage 2 pupils in the afternoon.  The result of intervention is that pupils gain confidence, develop a positive self-image and develop the skills necessary to allow them to gain full access to the curriculum.  The success of the ‘Clwb Cwtsh’ also derives from the close contact between the school and home.  Parents are invited in regularly to see provision and discuss with staff.

By tracking pupils’ behaviour and effort in lessons, heads of phase develop a robust overview of pupils’ attitudes to learning.  This allows them to respond proactively in order to provide a solution to underperformance.  This is done through an open discussion with the pupil, their parents and the school’s staff in order to identify the way forward and target appropriate intervention. 

Practices for monitoring and tracking attendance across the age range have been embedded firmly.  Pupils who are causing concern are discussed weekly with the deputy headteacher, heads and assistant heads of phase, the local authority’s inclusion officer and the school’s attendance officer.  This leads to effective communication with parents and carers in order to respond immediately to concerns about low attendance.  This means that most pupils and parents see the value of attending school regularly which, in turn, leads to positive attitudes towards the school and learning.

The work of heads of phase and the additional learning needs co-ordinator across the school is core to the school’s robust identification of its pupils’ needs.  From the rigorous information that the school has about them, a comprehensive programme of effective interventions is targeted, which includes:

  • Referring to various agencies, including the team around the family, the school counsellor, the prevention and youth justice service and social workers
  • Adapting the curriculum to meet pupils’ individual needs
  • Scheduling purposeful sessions in the ‘Hafan’, which is a centre within the school that provides emotional care for vulnerable pupils, while also providing qualification programmes and a programme of the social use of language

Emphasis is placed on activities within the phases as pupils move from the foundation phase to Year 3, Year 6 to Year 7, Year 9 to Year 10 and from Year 11 to the sixth form.  By ensuring a continuum of staff and resources, there is no break in the academic and pastoral provision that most pupils experience as they move from one key point in the education to the next.

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

As a result of rigorous progress-tracking systems, the school provides additional support in order to give pupils every opportunity to reach their potential.  Provision for additional learning needs ensures appropriate levels of intervention, which enables pupils to have rich curricular experiences.  The school’s caring nature means that nearly all pupils behave exceptionally well, treat others with respect and care and show very positive attitudes to learning.

Provision within ‘Hafan’, in addition to support from the school counsellor, are effective in ensuring that pupils have full access to the curriculum, in addition to ensuring appropriate qualifications.

How have you shared your good practice?

Effective practices are shared across the school in order to develop consistent practice from one phase to the next.  The school also shares the effectiveness of the phase structure and provision for pupils’ care and wellbeing with visitors, in addition to forums such as the Welsh all-age schools forum.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the local authority

Bridgend County Borough Council is a local authority in south Wales with a total population of 144,288.  The county lies at the geographical heart of south Wales, stretches 20km from east to west and occupies the Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore valleys.  The local authority maintains nine secondary schools, 48 primary (including two infant and one junior) schools, two special schools and a pupil referral unit. 

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The local authority places a significant emphasis on the importance of consulting with young people and taking good account of their views and opinions.  This work is underpinned by an effective participation strategy.

In April 2017, the Education and Family Support Directorate appointed a dedicated Children’s Rights and Participation Worker.  The main focus of the role is to develop stronger links between the Bridgend Youth Council and the respective school and college councils.  The success of this role has led the local authority to run a recruitment campaign for an additional Children’s Rights and Participation Worker to expand and build upon the positive work completed to date.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

Across the local authority, children and young people make a very positive contribution to influencing decisions about the services that affect them.  The emphasis extends beyond consultation to genuinely involving them in the decision-making process and giving feedback on how their contribution has made a difference.  Each of the sections below shows examples of the range of activities that help to make this strategy successful.

The local authority wide ‘Participation Network’, which is inclusive of the youth council, elects a youth mayor annually.  Specialist groups are set up to implement children’s rights and participation across young people’s services.  This process includes the inclusion of vulnerable, marginalised and disengaged children and young people across the local authority.  These play an active role in the decision‑making and participation processes through regular meetings and work well with the Bridgend Youth Council.  Young people in each school and college provide feedback to the Youth Council’s representatives on their priorities, for example about increased access to, and more awareness raising of, extra-curricular clubs and activities. 

During the recent review of post-16 education, pupils from all secondary school councils took part in workshops to provide their views on the ‘ambitions for 16 to 18 education across Bridgend County’.  A detailed survey to establish learners’ views of current 16 to 18 provision was also launched and over 1,500 learners aged 16 to 18 responded.  The review board found this level of response extremely helpful in supporting their views about the likely impacts of the concepts under consideration.

The Education and Family Support Directorate hold an annual ‘Festival of Learning’, with the learner voice central to this event.  A ‘Learners’ Day – Learner Voice Forum’ is held as part of the event.  This engages with about 100 primary and secondary school learners in a series of activities that promote participation and stimulate learner-led discussion.  For example, in 2018, representatives from all school councils considered ‘What makes children happy in school?’ in advance of the day and their cluster responses were recorded in a short film.  As part of the focus on wellbeing at the event, the clusters of school councils were asked to consider what will ‘make them happier in their school and community’.  The views of the learners (and teachers) were captured via a number of highly interactive workshop sessions arranged by the Youth Development Team.  These views are helping to inform decision-making within the Education and Family Support Directorate. 

The local authority’s Inclusion Service reflects the importance of an individualised approach in capturing the views of learners.  Teams within the service use varying strategies, including: one page profiles, ‘All About Me’ and ‘My Vision’ documents to facilitate pupil-led reviews and face-to-face interviews, and to discuss confidence scales and pupil questionnaires.  This good practice is shared with schools through training, individual pupil, group and whole-class consultations and role modelling during review meetings. 

Bridgend Youth Council took the lead for the local authority in addressing ‘period poverty’ through its schools.  For the financial year 2017-2018, the local authority used a Welsh Government grant to invest in the provision of free-to-access menstrual products, sanitary equipment and necessary changes to toilet facilities in schools.  Members of the Youth Council gave their views on how the local authority should use the funding to maximise the potential of the allocation.  They developed a short questionnaire to be completed by pupils to identify the current practice in schools, their experiences of these and their preferred method of accessing products. Youth Council members consulted with senior leaders in schools to identify whether any training for staff was needed and the changes that were necessary to meet young people’s needs successfully.

These consultations found that young people prefer to access products from a member of staff.  This enables them to receive information, advice and guidance in addition to a supply of products.  With this information, the Youth Council, together with relevant stakeholders, chose to focus on creating more awareness of the availability of free-to-access products within schools.  Working with a design company, the Youth Council developed a young person-friendly poster that offered pupils a discreet point of information as to how they can access products. They placed posters on the back of each cubicle door in relevant toilets in all secondary and primary schools.  This was an ambitious plan involving over 600 toilets.  The local authority children’s rights and participation worker supported the Youth Council’s work and liaised with the relevant departments in the council to ensure that the idea was realised.  

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

The main driver for the ‘period poverty’ grant was to enable young people that otherwise may have missed school to access products to ensure that their attendance remains unaffected. Engaging with young people through the youth and school councils ensured that the council was in the best position to determine the most appropriate mechanisms to reach affected pupils.

More generally, the learner voice strategy is particularly effective in the delivery of two of the four core purposes in the curriculum for Wales by helping children and young people to develop as:

  • ethical informed citizens of Wales and the world
  • healthy, confident individuals, ready to live as valued members of society

Active involvement helps the children and young people involved understand how their contributions can be heard through the democratic processes.  This work makes valuable contributions to young people’s health and wellbeing, and provides purposeful opportunities to develop literacy skills. 

How have you shared your good practice?

The ‘period poverty’ posters and associated material have been adopted in the local authority’s residential settings and wider communities.  These are distributed through partnerships with local food banks, community hubs and other local groups.

Good practice has been shared with all schools in the local authority through the school councils and with other local authorities by inviting officers to these events.

The Festival of Learning has also been shared with higher education practitioners through the Conference of Action Research Network (CARN) in Manchester (October 2018).

Other learner voice good practice examples have been shared with schools, Central South Consortium and other stakeholders.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Maes Hyfryd is a special school situated in Flint and maintained by Flintshire local authority.  It serves all of Flintshire and also provides for several out of county placements.  The school is co-located with Flint High School and shares a few of its facilities.

The school provides education for pupils aged 11 to 19 years who have a statement of special educational needs.  These needs include support for autistic spectrum disorders, speech, language and communication, and moderate, severe and profound learning difficulties.  There are currently 110 pupils on roll, of whom 44% are eligible for free school meals.  Nearly all pupils are from homes where English is the main spoken language.

The school is an inclusive community that focuses on the wellbeing and progress of every child and where all members of the community are valued equally.  Maes Hyfyrd promotes respect for difference and diversity through the school’s vision, ethos and values, which underpin all that the school does on a day-to-day basis.  The school aims to ensure that every pupil reaches their full potential in the four aspects of its vision: wellbeing, attitude, knowledge and skills.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school’s staff and governors are committed to providing an education of the highest possible quality whilst meeting the varied individual needs of pupils so that they build on the skills needed for their future place in society.  In order to provide our pupils with these opportunities,the school invests a great deal of time and commitment into work with parents, carers and families and the community to support pupils’ wellbeing and independence directly.  The school places a priority on the independence of pupils in their curriculum and sees the work with the community as an imperative part of this.

The Vision:

The vision of providing valuable work related experiences became a key priority for Maes Hyfryd to expand pupils’ opportunities and plan for their futures.  As a result, a work experience co-ordinator was appointed to provide many pupils with successful and meaningful work placements.  The extensive wider community support in providing work-related learning experiences has been key to this success.

Following the success of the work placements, we identified a priority need for a ‘Travel Trainer’ role to build on the independence skills the work experience aspect of the curriculum provided our pupils.  This role provided for a dedicated member of staff to support pupils in developing their ability to access independent travel plans to increase their potential of playing a full role in their community.  This fuller role includes pupils accessing recreational facilities such as the local cinema, shops and retail park as well as much needed access to future college and work experience placements.  The success of this role has been evident across many aspects of the school, particularly in the 14-19 programme where majority of pupils access this support.  Many pupils now travel independently to and from their work placement, their college provider and local amenities, which they did not do prior to the ‘Travel Trainer’ role starting. 

The school also identified the need to introduce a family engagement worker to further develop the work with parents, families and a range of multi-agency providers.  This role provides external agencies and families with an impartial member of staff who can provide information, support and training and be a key link between school, agencies and families.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

As a result of Maes Hyfryd’s passion continually to improve learning opportunities and the wellbeing of pupils, the school has been innovative in its approach to the curriculum and the decision to create non-class based roles to support the growth of community and independence work and links with families. 

Initially, a work experience co-ordinator was employed to plan and organise suitable work experience placements to meet the aspirations of the pupils, and staff support networks were put in place as required to ensure positive experiences for the pupils.  A few years ago, the school introduced the role of a ‘Family Engagement Worker’ (FEW) with the purpose of liaising with both families and multi-agencies as the key point of contact.  A travel trainer co-ordinator was also employed to enable pupils to develop much needed road safety and travel skills to access community facilities independently and safely.  The travel trainer works closely with the work experience co-ordinator, enabling placements and independent travel to take place to and from work to enhance pupils’ independence, confidence and self-esteem. 

The family engagement worker – FEW:  has developed a programme of family support to enable parents to support their child in their learning effectively.  This support has built positive relationships with families and further developed the link between home and school.  It has encouraged parents, carers and families to become an active part within the school community.  The role includes supporting with the transition programme, meeting the families before the pupils join Ysgol Maes Hyfryd via home visits, school open evenings and visits to the school.

The ‘FEW’ successfully networks with a wide range of outside agencies such as health, social services, team around the family and respite organisations, developing and maintaining good working relationships.  Working alongside social workers and health professionals, the FEW attends core group, case conferences and care and support planning meetings, ensuring that there is support in place for the families.  The role also supports families in recruiting personal assistants and respite care for the pupils and families, and support with prospective colleges and residential visits, as required.

To enhance and support pupils’ confidence and place in the community beyond school, the FEW also links with outside agencies such as Action for Children, Barnardo’s, Keyring, Communities for work and several others.  In addition, following consultation with parents, parental workshops have been delivered on a rolling programme focusing on key aspects of school development and insights into areas such as accredited courses.  The FEW also provides support for families in a wider areas such as completing forms for grants, home visits and transition support.

Transport training and work experience

The travel trainer has trained pupils to a level of competency that has resulted in them being able to travel independently for work placements, college and accessing their local community.

Currently, Ysgol Maes Hyfryd has links with over 20 local work providers.  This provision has enabled pupils to attend work experience placements and has also resulted in a number achieving part-time jobs at these placements.  All placements are in the local area and many support community initiatives such as Buzz community cafe, Sidewalk independence project and Age connects cafe.  Pupils enjoy working alongside the community and they are involved in many meaningful initiatives and projects.  For example, when completing work programme evaluations, staff from the placements have stated: ‘We would not be able to facilitate the group without their support.’ ‘We thoroughly enjoy having the students for work experience and we learn from them as well as them learning about the work environment’. ‘Everyone who comes to Share Mold, and is lucky enough to meet these students has been very impressed by the hard work and dedication they have shown in every task they take on.’

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

These combined roles have had a very positive impact on pupils’ performance, wellbeing and independence, as well as strengthening work with parents, the community and outside agencies.  For example, the FEW has provided early intervention for pupils with emerging attendance concerns and helped pupils who have had long periods of absence from school with settling back in, often by providing one-to-one mentoring support.  Through the effectiveness of the family engagement worker, Ysgol Maes Hyfryd is the first special school in North Wales to achieve a national quality mark that recognises the work it undertakes with families and the community.

The parental workshops developed to support the families with their children have also had a positive impact.  This includes workshops in different areas such as behaviour management and ‘Sleep Tight’ for parents with children who have difficulty with bedtime routines and sleeping patterns.  These workshops have provided helpful guidance for parents managing their child’s behaviour in the home and out in the community, and contributed to a shared understanding about behaviour expectations.

Overall, the transport training and work experience placement roles have made an immensely valuable contribution to the motivation, attainment and progression of pupils in the 14-19 programme.  For example, over the last three years, the number and range of qualifications that pupils gain have increased and all pupils leaving the school have progressed to further education and/or specialist college provision.  Importantly, pupils have developed valuable life skills and independence as part of these successful partnership initiatives to improve the quality of provision that helps to bring about these improvements.

How have you shared your good practice?

This initiative has been received positively by college providers and local mainstream schools through the work and effective practice that the school shares with them on a regular basis.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The young people in the youth offending unit at Parc Prison range in age from 15 to 17. The unit accommodates up to 60 young people and it is the only one in Wales. The young people come mainly from Wales, the South East and South West of England. The length of sentence varies but a significant number of young people in the unit have long sentences, in a few cases, longer than their current age. There are also young people on remand in the unit, who are awaiting sentence. Many have been in and out of care or juvenile offender settings for much of their lives. Nearly all young people have not attended school regularly, if at all, since a very young age, or they have had a very poor experience of formal education.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The vision for the learning and skills centre, is ‘to improve every young person’s future and to change lives’. Leaders and staff promote equal opportunities and value diversity. They place a strong emphasis on helping the young people to improve their self-esteem and respect for others, as well as developing their confidence. Their aim is that young people leave prison with skills that will allow them to put their offending behaviour behind them and undertake useful roles in society.

The centre provides full time education (25 hours a week) for learners in an inclusive and supportive environment.  Strict prison discipline is practised throughout the communal areas of the unit and there are clear sanctions for those breaking the rules. Security staff, education leaders and teachers work together well to ensure a safe environment.  Teachers and young people work together in locked classrooms and they are searched on entry and on leaving the classroom. Despite the prison safety requirement teachers maintain a pleasant, supportive and purposeful atmosphere within the classrooms. Walls and sometimes the ceilings and floors are decorated with useful, subject specific, information and posters.

Learners have access to a regular supply of water, fruit and healthy snacks during the day. The centre has a well-stocked library with a resident librarian. There is a well-equipped music room with up to date electronic technology. There is also a training kitchen and a canteen. Learners move to other areas of the prison to use craft workshops where they learn practical employment skills. Learners also have access to a gym and fitness suite where they improve their fitness and learn about healthy lifestyles.

Young people are assessed within three days of arrival at the unit for their basic skills levels and they are assigned to a learning ‘pathway’ which most suits their needs and interests, for example, catering with maths, English and ICT. Staff identify those young people with additional learning needs and they put appropriate support and learning programmes in place. Staff give learners with ALN extra support.

The current curriculum reflects the new Curriculum for Wales and the Welsh Government’s policy for young people, Extending Entitlement. Learners can access useful extra programmes outside the normal timetable, to further support their re-integration into society on release.

Many of the young people have complex and diverse needs. Teachers use a multidisciplinary learner-centred approach to work with them. They have a strong commitment to supporting learners and maximising their potential through the course of their sentence and towards resettlement. Teachers promote respect and demonstrate endless patience. The young people in the unit can be challenging and sometimes display erratic and volatile behaviour. However, most young people have a genuine respect for the teaching staff and appreciate the teaching and support that they are given. Staff model respectful behaviour by shaking hands and greeting each learner by name at the start and the end of each lesson, whatever has taken place during the session. This promotes a sense of dignity and self-worth in the learners and emphasises that each session can be a new start. Despite the circumstances, staff do all that they can to make the learning environment pleasant and supportive. 

Learners’ abilities can range from entry level 3 to GCSE. Teachers know the levels of new learners and they use differentiated activities well to ensure that everyone can benefit from the learning. Teaching is planned to cater as much as possible for the individual needs of learners. This is often challenging when lengths of sentences vary and learners are sometimes moved around the prison system at short notice. However, teachers prepare well planned lessons using materials that stimulate and interest the learners. The young people are not allowed access to the internet and so much of the material is designed and produced by the teachers, based on their knowledge of the needs and learning styles of the learners. Teaching is of a very high standard and often inspirational.

Leaders and staff work as a close team and support one another well. They hold weekly meetings where they monitor learners’ progress through individual learning plans. They provide individual work for learners confined to their cells. Refusal to attend education is rare.

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

Most learners gain useful skills and knowledge that will help them in their future lives and relationships and which will help them to gain employment and avoid future offending behaviour. During their stay in the unit, most improve by two levels of achievement or more. Many young people are successful in gaining qualifications that help them progress to further learning or into formal education beyond the prison gates. Many produce practical work, such as bookcases or chairs for their families and siblings, of a very high quality. This gives them a sense of accomplishment and makes their families proud. Many young people arrive in prison with very low levels of literacy and numeracy. Many improve their literacy and numeracy during their time in prison which increases young people’s employability. However, the most important impact of the teaching is the improvement in young people’s self-esteem, promoting a sense of dignity and hope for improved life chances beyond the prison gates.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Trinity Fields School and Resource Centre is the only special school serving the county borough of Caerphilly.  Currently there are 170 pupils on roll aged from 3 to 19 years.  Nearly all pupils have a statement of special educational needs (SEN) for severe learning difficulties, physical and medical difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) or autistic spectrum disorders (ASD).

Nearly all pupils come from within the county borough of Caerphilly; a very few come from neighbouring local authorities.  All of the pupils are from English speaking backgrounds.  Around 40% of pupils receive free school meals.  A very few pupils are looked after by the local authority.  

In addition to the provision on the Trinity Fields site, the school operates two satellite classes at Cwm Ifor Primary School and St Cenydd Community School.  The resource centre based at the school works in partnership with the local authority to provide a range of bespoke services to support pupils with additional learning needs in mainstream schools across the local authority.  These services include: Caerphilly Autistic Spectrum Service (CASS), health-based clinics, an outreach and inclusion service, youth and leisure activities, and respite and home support services. 

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Staff and governors work in close partnership with the school council to embed pupil participation at every level across all aspects of its work.  The school is a Rights Respecting School (RRS), an award that recognises its achievements in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) at the heart of planning, policies, practice and ethos.  The school’s journey towards achieving this important award has helped it continue to improve its provision and develop pupils’ talents and abilities, enabling them to make strong progress.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

In September 2012 the school began its journey towards becoming a RRS, achieving full RRS status in January 2017.  The school took the key steps outlined in each section below as part of implementing the RRS agenda.

Initially the school identified four key rights from the UNCRC that it thought were most relevant to its children.  These were:

  • Article 19: Governments must do all they can to ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad treatment by their parents or anyone else who looks after them.
  • Article 28: Every child has the right to an education.  Primary education must be free and different forms of secondary education must be available to every child.  Discipline in schools must respect children’s dignity and their rights.  Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this.
  • Article 29: Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full.  It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment.
  • Article 42: Governments must actively work to make sure children and adults know about the Convention

The school then raised pupils’ and staff awareness of these articles through a long-term, co‑ordinated approach that included assemblies, displays, personal and social education, opportunities to achieve accredited units for older pupils and staff training sessions. 

To ensure planning for pupil voice is central to what happens at whole-school and class levels, the school implemented awareness training for staff on pupils’ rights, with a particular focus on developing the skills of staff who work primarily with pupils with PMLD.  This approach was to enable these staff to apply their understanding in relation to individual pupils’ needs.  It added key UNCRC articles to school paperwork and mounted large displays around the school of “rights in action”.  Pupils from the school worked with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales to develop a more accessible format for the UNCRC articles.  These are now available on the Children’s Commissioner’s website.

School leaders worked in partnership with the school council and pupil leadership team to develop an extensive range of pupil-friendly policies and documents.  These include pupil‑friendly policies such as safeguarding, health and wellbeing, food and fitness, e-safety, assessment, attendance, teaching, and learning and curriculum.  It also ensured that documents such as the school development plan, school vision and aims, and IEPs are available in formats accessible to all pupils. 

The school strengthened opportunities for pupil leadership and learner voice through the pupil leadership team and school council.  Within this structure, the roles of head, and deputy head, girl and boy have provided purposeful opportunities for individuals to fulfil specific high-profile responsibilities.  For example, members of the pupil leadership team have successfully helped lead visits with Assembly Members, Member of Parliament, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, senior local authority officers and consortium personnel.  Leading these visits shows clearly how much pupils are engaged in school life and their knowledge of how the school works.

The school embedded robust approaches to arrangements for listening to pupils to ensure that these support their work as a RRS.  For example, the school council plays a pivotal role in the appointment of all new staff.  Pupils are keen to be involved and know that their views are taken into consideration by governors when making new appointments.  Candidates usually comment that their interview with the school council is one of the most challenging aspects of the selection process!

All pupils contribute effectively to the school’s self-evaluation processes.  For example, an “Ideas Tree” outside the headteacher’s room enables pupils to place their suggestions, which in turn feed into self-evaluation and school development planning.  Pupils routinely lead school assemblies and end of day reflections; this again develops their communication skills, confidence and promotes pupils as leaders.

Up until spring 2019, the views of pupils were communicated to the governing body by the headteacher through his termly report.  However, to further strengthen pupil voice the head girl and boy now present their own written report to the governing body that includes information about what is working well and what requires further development.  Each year the head girl and boy also write to all stakeholders such as governors, health and social services staff, schools with our satellite classes to seek their views about what is “great” at Trinity Fields and what would make the school even better.

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

All staff, governors, parents/carers and other key partners are fully committed to placing pupils at the heart of everything we do.  Pupils know that their opinions matter; they are not afraid to express their views to staff and governors; they have become increasingly confident, independent and more fully engaged in all aspects of school life.

Pupil-friendly documents and policies enable pupils wherever possible to develop their understanding of a range of key information about their school and where necessary help them make informed choices.

Our commitment to the RRS agenda and pupil voice is reflected in the school’s achievement of a range of national awards and is well-documented in those bodies’ supporting reports (all available on the school website). 

How have you shared your good practice?

Pupil engagement practices have been widely shared with colleagues within the local authority, consortium and across Wales. 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

Open Door Family Centre is registered to care for 19 children aged from two to four years old at any one time.  Flying Start sessions for two-year-old children run from 9.00 am to11.30am five mornings a week during the term time and for two weeks during the summer holidays.  Foundation phase sessions for three-year-old children run from 12.30pm to 3.00pm from Monday to Thursday each week.

The setting is based on the Oldford site of Welshpool Church in Wales School in Powys.  The area has significant levels of deprivation.  A minority of children have English as an Additional Language. A group of volunteers established Open Door Family Centre as a parent and toddler group in 1993 and it has developed from this.  It has a loving and nurturing ethos and aims to provide effective opportunities for children to play and learn in a happy and secure environment.   

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Children at Open Door Family Centre develop their independent learning skills extremely well.  They learn to make their own decisions, to try out different experiences and to take risks increasingly confidently.  Practitioners understand when to intervene and when to stand back and give children time to consider their risk taking decisions.  This supports them extremely effectively.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

All practitioners understand how important it is to encourage children to become independent learners, and to develop their resilience and confidence through making their own decisions and taking risks.  This ensures a highly consistent approach that develops children’s skills effectively.  Leaders carry out careful risk assessment that identifies potential hazards and how to overcome them.  This creates a safe environment and gives practitioners confidence to allow children to try things out independently.  Practitioners talk to children about the equipment in the setting and explore how to use it safely with them.  This helps children learn to take responsibility for their own actions and to take measured risks.  Leaders consider what resources to provide carefully in order to challenge children effectively.  Examples in the outdoor area include stepping logs that increase in height, large blocks, ramps, tyres and balancing equipment.  Practitioners support children skilfully as they encourage them to use these.  They are careful to give children plenty of time and space to have a go, and not to intervene unless it is important to do so.  When it is appropriate, they use encouraging language to build children’s confidence.  As a result, children learn to overcome their fears and experience a strong sense of achievement.  This develops their confidence and sense of self-worth extremely effectively, as well as developing important physical skills such as their sense of balance.

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

Nearly all children move around the setting freely and make strong choices about what they want to do.  Their confidence grows when they take risks and succeed.  They develop their self-esteem, ability to solve problems and resilience effectively and, as a result, they learn to persevere when they find tasks difficult.

How have you shared your good practice?

Open Doors Family Centre uses social media to share its good practice. The local authority shares this information with others through networking events.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the setting

Open Door Family Centre is registered to care for 19 children aged from two to four years old at any one time.  Flying Start sessions for two-year-old children run from 9.00 am to 11.30 am five mornings a week during the term time and for two weeks during the summer holidays.   Foundation phase sessions for three-year-old children run from 12.30pm to 3.00pm from Monday to Thursday each week.

The setting is on the Oldford site of Welshpool Church in Wales School in Powys.  The area has significant levels of deprivation.  A minority of children are learning English as an additional language.  Open Door Family Centre was established originally as a parent and toddler group in 1993 by a group of volunteers and has developed from this.  It has a loving and nurturing ethos and aims to provide effective opportunities for children to play and learn in a happy and secure environment.  

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Open Door Family Centre required monitoring by Estyn after its inspection in 2013.  Following a change of management, new leaders were eager for good advice and support to help them move forward.  They made the most of opportunities and suggestions offered by Early Years Wales, childcare business support, foundation phase and flying start advisory teachers.  Leaders worked together successfully to establish clear managerial roles and strategies.  They shared a strong vision effectively with all practitioners, and this created a positive ethos in the setting.  As a result, all staff understand their roles and responsibilities, and work together well with the trustees to achieve the setting’s goals and bring about sustained improvements.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

Managers and trustees have established exemplary processes and procedures to ensure that the setting is safe, runs efficiently, meets all national minimum standards and often exceeds these.  They have established simple, efficient and effective processes that maintain their focus on important procedures consistently and successfully.  These include simple checklists to ensure that they review policies and renew certificates in a timely manner.  There is a well-established timetable for supervision and appraisal meetings.  Leaders use these meetings successfully to identify practitioners’ strengths, and to support them in their professional development effectively.  They set useful development targets that help motivate practitioners, support their wellbeing and lead to improvements in the setting’s work.  Leaders keep a useful overview of training in a simple format that includes an evaluation of the impact on standards in the setting.  They cascade the main messages from training to all practitioners, so that it has maximum impact on the setting’s work.  Trustees play a vital and active role in the setting.  For example, they ensure that there is an effective focus on maintaining high standards of safeguarding in the setting.  Good communication is highly valued.  There are monthly team meetings that involve all practitioners in bringing about improvements successfully.  Leaders use a simple but highly effective format to record actions from the meetings that allows them to monitor progress regularly.  

Leaders use resources highly effectively to meet children’s needs and promote high standards of learning and wellbeing.  They use their professional understanding and the skills they develop in training highly effectively to choose new resources wisely.  For example, recently, they invested in ‘real’ objects for the home corner to provide a meaningful context for children’s play.

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

Establishing simple and highly effective processes and procedures, and following these consistently, ensures that the setting is safe and secure, that practitioners develop well professionally and enjoy being part of a strong team, and that children benefit form high quality provision that is regularly evaluated and refined.  This leads to high standards of learning and wellbeing in the setting.  

How have you shared your good practice?

Open Doors Family Centre uses social media to share its good practice and the local authority disseminates good practice information to other settings such as through networking events.