Effective Practice Archives - Page 46 of 66 - Estyn

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about setting

Cylch Meithrin Hermon is a Welsh-medium setting that meets in Canolfan Hermon in the village of Hermon near Crymych, in Pembrokeshire local authority.

The setting provides education and care for children aged between two and four years old from Monday to Thursday, from 9am until 12pm during term time.  It is registered to take up to 17 children in a session.  There are currently 13 children receiving funded early education at the setting.  Most of the children come from homes where English is the spoken language.  There are no children with identified additional learning needs attending the setting at this time.  The setting is run by three members of staff.

Context and background

Cylch Meithrin Hermon is a fun and vibrant Welsh-medium setting, which has a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.  To make the setting sustainable, registration was altered to include two-year-old children.  As the size and make-up of the group changed, it was found that the setting became noisier and children did not always listen to each other or to the practitioners well enough.  They needed to find a strategy to help manage children’s behaviour successfully and help them develop effective listening and strong social skills so that they could relate well to one another in the setting.  To begin with, practitioners decided to use puppets to engage children’s attention at circle time.  Then, the setting leader went on a training course to learn about different behaviour management approaches.  The course included training in how to use puppets to develop children’s personal and social skills and to support their wellbeing.  This helped in understanding the full potential of using puppets and practitioners were inspired to do more.  They introduced a turtle puppet at circle time, who hides in his shell if there is too much noise or boisterous behaviour in the group.  He tells the children how he is feeling and encourages them to tell him how they are feeling too.  This helps them begin to understand their emotions and how to relate to others in the group.  He proved a great success and is used throughout the session now, not just at circle time.

Description and nature of strategy and activity identified as sector leading practice

Practitioners have made the puppets a central part of the daily routine.  Children are encouraged to interact with them regularly, and they have become so familiar with the puppets that most are happy to talk to them about how they are feeling.  When Colin hides in his shell, the children know that something has upset him.  This encourages them to think about how other children are feeling and about the impact of their actions on others.  Then, they are encouraged to think about what they can do to improve the situation.  If children start becoming too noisy or upset one another, practitioners bring Colin out and show the children that he is hiding in his shell.  Often, children respond immediately because they want Colin to be happy.  Practitioners use Colin to help promote positive behaviour by asking him to say when a child deserves a sticker to celebrate how well they are doing and to suggest who should be the helper for the day. 

The puppets come on trips with the setting and are used to help less confident children cope with new situations.  They help to introduce new topics and ideas to the children, such as to begin to learn about different cultures and traditions.  Different children take Colin home with them each week.  This helps to develop strong links with parents and to know how they can support their children to develop specific social and communication skills.  Children choose an activity to do with Colin at home, or are guided towards an activity felt to be particularly useful for the child.  When they bring Colin back, children are encouraged to talk about what they did together.

What impact has this had on provision and learners’ standards

Using the puppets has helped create a warm and welcoming family ethos in the setting.  Children’s behaviour is managed in a positive and constructive way and strategies are used consistently.  As a result, nearly all children understand how they are expected to behave, and that they should treat each other with respect and consideration.  For example, they understand that they need to moderate their behaviour if Colin retreats into his shell because there is too much noise.  Nearly all children are becoming aware of different feelings and emotions and are beginning to understand how to express these appropriately. 

How have you shared your good practice?

The setting works closely with other Welsh-medium settings in the area, and they meet together to share ideas and practice.  Strategies have been shared with other settings that offer funded education across the county during a regular network meeting.  The local authority link teachers encourage other practitioners to visit the setting to view good practice.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the setting 

Aberporth Bilingual Early Years Playgroup is a voluntary run playgroup for children between two and four years, located within the coastal village of Aberporth, Ceredigion, and is within a Flying Start area.  There are four full-time and two part-time members of staff.  Two members of staff share the leadership role.  One leader has been in role since September 1985 and the other since September 2017.  The setting is registered for 21 children and, at the time of the inspection, there were nine children in receipt of funded early education.  Sessions are held every morning, during school term for five days each week.  Very few of the children speak Welsh at home and very few have English as an additional language.  

Context and background to sector-leading practice 

Early Years Playgroup Aberporth plans strategically for the successful development of Welsh language provision.  Consequently, most children make very strong progress from their starting points, in developing their understanding of Welsh and Welsh language speaking skills.  Most children transfer from the setting to the local Welsh medium primary school.  During the past year, the setting has appointed a first language Welsh speaking member of staff and currently one member of staff is attending Welsh language learning classes in the local primary school.  Practitioners work well as a team to support each other and leaders empower staff to develop their leadership roles and expertise, for example by leading Welsh language focus tasks ‘amser cofrestru’ and storytelling.  Practitioners attend Welsh medium training with other bilingual and Welsh medium settings, which further develops their Welsh language skills and understanding.   

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

Initially practitioners mapped opportunities within the daily routine activities to introduce Welsh language vocabulary and phrases.  Practitioners reflected upon and amended these to help children develop their understanding and responses progressively.  They recorded these for all daily routine activities, for example daily registration or ‘amser cylch’, and recording daily weather, number or shape of the day and colour of the week.  This ensured accuracy and consistency, and developed confidence regarding vocabulary and phrases introduced by different members of staff. In addition, they noted the correct Welsh language responses expected from children to aid accuracy. 

Children take responsibility for leading the daily routine ‘amser cofrestru’ in their role as ‘Helpwr y Dydd’.  They take great pride in this responsibility and, due to the daily repetition of vocabulary and phrases, their understanding and confidence in speaking Welsh develop quickly.  As children’s Welsh language develops, practitioners increase the vocabulary and language phrases introduced.   During the Reception class teacher’s transition visits from the local primary school to the setting, practitioners discuss vocabulary and phrases used in the Reception class daily routines and amend their own provision to support children’s progression and aid smooth transition to school.  During ‘amser cylch’, children are divided into two differentiated groups according to age, and this provides an opportunity for staff to introduce very simple phrases to children at an early age before progressing to longer or additional phrases within the older group.

On entering the setting daily, practitioners use Welsh language action songs for children to move.  This provides a Welsh ethos and encourages greater understanding and familiarity of vocabulary introduced.  They regularly read stories to the children in Welsh, including stories about Welsh culture and folk tales. 

Following the success of Welsh language provision in daily routine activities, leaders reflected and identified a need to improve Welsh language provision in continuous provision areas.  Practitioners wanted children to use the Welsh language confidently beyond daily routine activities.  The local authority Welsh Language Officer and Advisory teacher provided them with language patterns and vocabulary for different areas of continuous provision, such as visual posters and examples of phrases.  Practitioners use these as a reference and reminders when children are playing in the different areas, such as creative, role-play, movement and performing areas, to model correct phrases and support their responses.

Practitioners make very good use of resources provided by the local authority Welsh Language Officer, Advisory Teacher and Setting Development Officer.  These provide continuous challenge and further support practitioners’ understanding and aid consistency and accuracy in responses.  Another key example is a bank of nursery rhymes and songs for the song sack, with illustrated posters and props.

Practitioners work well as a team to support each other with understanding and introducing new Welsh vocabulary, and take advantage of the fluent Welsh speaking member of staff.  All are very good language models and develop the children’s understanding and use of Welsh exceptionally well.  During the past year, practitioners have made better use of their observations of children’s Welsh language skills development when planning activities and amending daily routine activities to ensure progression.  As a result, practitioners introduce Welsh language vocabulary in a variety of focus tasks across different areas of learning, for example mathematical language such as naming shapes, language of measures, and craft activities such as colours and names of materials.

Leaders evaluate their progress using ‘The Active Offer’ document and the outcome of this process supports their continuous focus on developing Welsh language provision.  Another strength of Welsh language provision is the activities within the transition programme that has been set up collaboratively with the local primary school and nearby Cylch Meithrin in the village, such as World Book Day, St David’s Day, Harvest Festival and Christmas concerts. 

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

The sustained work on developing Welsh language provision has ensured that staff are confident in their Welsh language skills and offer high quality provision to children.  As a result, most children make excellent progress in understanding and using the Welsh language on a daily basis in their play.  Practitioners have higher expectations of themselves and of children’s responses and are increasingly confident in correcting responses and language patterns. 

How have you shared your good practice?

Practice is shared with other staff and settings through network meetings and training events. The LA Advisory Teacher and Welsh Language Officer share practice during support visits to other settings and during training events.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the setting

Little Stars Day Nursery is a privately owned English-medium nursery in Pontypool, in Torfaen local authority.  It offers early education sessions from Monday to Friday from 9.15 am until 11.45 am during school term time and full day care from 7:45 am until 18:00 pm.  At the time of the inspection, 20 children were in receipt of funded early education and there were a very few children identified as having additional learning needs.  No children have Welsh as their home language.

There are seven members of staff including the management team.  Five members of staff work with the three and four-year-old children.  The two senior nursery managers have been in post since 2003 and the pre-school room leader since May 2018.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

Leaders prioritise improving standards of wellbeing for children, staff and stakeholders.  They achieve this by role modelling the values that are important for growing an ethos of ‘Respect for all’ and share their vision with all practitioners and parents exceptionally well.

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

As the setting has grown and blossomed, leaders support staff to develop the skills required to meet the changing needs of the business.  They use a skills matrix to identify individual and group training needs, and support staff through a blend of coaching and mentoring.  This ranges from improving staff understanding of child development and attachment theory to developing their leadership skills.    

Leaders prioritise developing the whole team.  This builds a culture of shared ownership that inspires practitioners and motivates them exceptionally well.

Room leaders book monthly one to one meetings with each team member.  This provides an opportunity for staff to reflect on the impact of training, receive constructive feedback on their practice and celebrate their achievements.  It involves staff very effectively in the self-evaluation process by providing a regular opportunity to share their views.  The meetings ensure that staff are confident that their voice is heard, and this helps them feel valued and respected.

All practitioners understand their roles and responsibilities and know that they need a good balance of knowledge, skills and behaviours to run the room effectively.  Leaders invest heavily in professional development for practitioners.  Staff progress through the skills matrix and can achieve ‘internal coach’ status, which recognises their potential to mentor other team members.  New members of the team develop quickly and all practitioners strive to improve the performance of others.  This ensures a seamless transference of skills, and a consistent approach across the whole setting.  The skills matrix is constantly evolving to support emerging local and national priorities successfully.

Every room has its own objectives and each team member works towards specific targets linked to carefully identified priorities.  This means that staff are highly motivated to improve their skills and knowledge.

Leaders review staff performance and job progress effectively and regularly.  This allows staff to prioritise areas for improvement and keep a record of progress in personal development and career plans.  This leads to highly effective team work and job satisfaction, as well as ensuring that staff training meets the setting’s and practitioners’ needs successfully.  The monthly meetings link closely with appraisals, supporting staff development extremely well.

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

As a result of the inclusive approach, practitioners know that the quality of teaching and learning from all staff in all rooms is very good.  External validation from Estyn, CIW, the LA and consortium Foundation Phase team confirms that leadership is strong and is delegated appropriately to ensure that all staff continually improve their practice.  This has a very positive impact on children’s outcomes.

How have you shared your good practice?

The setting works closely with the consortium as a Lead Non-Maintained Setting.  This role involves offering bespoke coaching and mentoring to support leaders and owners in other settings.  They frequently hold ‘practice worth sharing’ events and involve the whole team in supporting other settings to improve their self-evaluation procedures.  A video is available to download from the HWB FPEN site, which settings across Wales can access and use for professional development.

https://dysgu.hwb.gov.wales/playlists/view/35a3094a-69f8-4acb-8c02-6f73e9e098e7/en#page3

The setting is working with the consortium to produce materials to support developing speaking and listening skills using digital technology.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the school

Ysgol Bae Baglan is an English-medium 3 to 16 all-age school, maintained by Neath Port Talbot local authority.  The school opened in 2016 after the amalgamation of Cwrt Sart, Glan Afan and Sandfields comprehensive schools and Traethmelyn Primary school.  There are currently 1512 pupils on roll with 1226 of secondary school age and 286 of primary age. The school hosts a resource base for over 120 pupils of secondary age with additional learning needs.

The school serves communities in and around the town of Port Talbot. Over 30% of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than the national average of 16.4% for secondary and 18% for primary schools.  Over two-thirds of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales.  Very few pupils receive support to learn English as an additional language or come from a minority ethnic background.  Very few pupils speak Welsh fluently.  The percentage of pupils with additional learning needs is around 26%, which is higher than the national average of 22.9%.  Currently, about 9.2% of pupils have statements of special educational needs, which is well above the national average of 2.2%.

The headteacher was appointed in January 2015 to prepare for the opening of the school in September 2016.  The senior leadership team consists of three deputy headteachers, three heads of school, a business manager and an additional learning needs coordinator.  They have been in post since September 2016.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Bringing four very diverse schools together into a brand new all-age setting was challenging.  It was recognised that high quality, seamless support and wellbeing for all pupils was required, but especially for those with additional learning needs.  Prior to amalgamation, the schools contributed to over 40% of all exclusions within the authority.  The school creates a learning environment where every pupil feels valued for their contribution; whether that be gaining an A* at GCSE or an entry-level qualification, leading the pupil leadership team or paying for their own purchases in a shop. The philosophy and work practice stems from the fundamental belief that every pupil can make a valued contribution, in all aspects of their lives, be it their social, civil and educational development.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school appreciates that not all pupils work in the same way.  Pupils may need small classes, may need support to help with their anger issues, or need the practical resources necessary to access the curriculum. The wide-ranging pupil support network includes developing bespoke programmes and flexible curriculum pathways through to targeted study support, behavioural scaffolding and emotional literacy support.

The staff know their pupils well through the collaborative use of pastoral notes across electronic devices that hold all information regarding interventions, support and bespoke programmes.  The school are updates information regularly to ensure a full and detailed picture of pupil progress.

A weekly pupil panel discusses the needs of vulnerable pupils to signpost the most appropriate interventions.  The school offers a ‘Bae’ inclusion unit supporting pupils with attendance, engagement and self-esteem as well as life skills, ELSA support and a specific study skills base.  The tailor made support plans for each pupil with a capability to adapt, review and modify support on a daily and even hourly basis is a strength of this provision.  This whole school approach involves specialised staff, the wider school community, governors and outside agencies in each pupil’s journey of support.

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

The quality of care, support and guidance is a strong feature of the school.  Pupils receive a comprehensive programme of support.  The tailored interventions address the needs of individual pupils very successfully and with great sensitivity.  This helps them to engage positively in their learning and most make strong progress.  Across the school, many pupils with additional learning needs make strong progress against their targets and by the end of key stage 4, many of these pupils make exceptional progress.

Attendance has increased and now compares well with that of similar schools. There has been a 70% reduction in persistent absence.  The proportion of pupils not entering education, employment or training has reduced significantly.

Fixed term exclusions have reduced since amalgamation as pupils become better known and support processes are evaluated and reviewed.  Most pupils, when questioned, feel safe and supported in school and feel that the school has a clear understanding of individuals’ needs.

How have you shared your good practice?

Practice has been shared in various forums including:

  • Presentations at the All Wales All Age Forum
  • Discussions with family of school group members
  • Hosting visits from schools across Wales

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the school

Ewloe Green Primary School is in the village of Ewloe near Queensferry in Flintshire.  There are 389 pupils on roll, aged from 3 to 11, including 49 part-time nursery pupils.  There are 15 single age classes.

English is the predominant language for nearly all pupils.  A very few pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and learn English as an additional language.  A very few pupils speak Welsh at home.  The three-year average of pupils eligible for free school meals is around 5%, which is much lower than the Wales average of 18%.  The school identifies that around 10% of pupils have additional learning needs, which is much lower than the Wales average of 21%.  A very few pupils have a statement of special education needs.

The school motto is, ‘Always Aiming High’, which is embedded into its context and vision.  The school is forward thinking and open to change and innovation, making it a vibrant and exciting place to learn.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school has historically undertaken a thematic approach to planning and delivery of the curriculum, meaning that pupils learnt through different themes or topics.  In their planning, teachers clearly provide opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum.  Therefore, the introduction of the new curriculum for Wales was almost a natural rebranding of what was already a feature of the school’s provision for pupils.

As six subject or thematic focus weeks already took place annually, these were rebranded to embrace the six areas of learning, which are the cornerstones of the new curriculum for Wales.  This facilitated the possibility for further innovation, and an exciting opportunity to think broadly, to try extravagant projects and run with ideas that the previous curriculum traditionally restricted.

Knowing that, ‘if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got,’ this was an opportunity to dare to do something different, to ‘have a go’, to develop creative ideas making learning experiential, experimental and, most of all, fun for pupils.  It was also a window of opportunity to develop pupil voice further, their choices in what and how they learn, and to present possibilities for making learning real, current and relevant.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

One such activity was a whole school venture into the world of William Shakespeare.  It began with a conversation about a small piece of disused land and the possibilities of how it could be developed into a creative space to inspire pupils to perform and develop their oracy skills.  Pupils concluded that a multipurpose structure for performing and for outdoor learning was what they would like.

The staff met to share ideas, and the governors contributed to the debate.  The ideas presented ranged from the more conservative to ‘out of the box’.  What became clear was a need for a space where pupils could perform, and develop their creativity through oracy, dance, music and the visual arts.  Considering sustainability and long term usage, it needed to be a space that could be utilised by other schools to promote the performing arts and outdoor learning and further develop the school’s established collaborative work.

The decision therefore was to work towards raising funds for an amphitheatre.  The school council wrote letters to local business and embarked upon fundraising activities and promotion in order to realise their plans.  Like many schools, they had a history of performing musicals, nativities and class assembly presentations and therefore wanted something that would be a further challenge for the pupils, staff and community.  The new curriculum for Wales had opened the possibility for a fusion of traditional ‘stand-alone’ subjects and thematic provision with the new areas of learning.  As a result, this provided an enriching experiential opportunity where languages, literature, communication, humanities, digital competency and performing arts would culminate into exciting learning for pupils.

Pupils, in conjunction with staff, decided to create a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’.  The school organised a two-week whole-school focus to blend the teaching and learning of language, literacy and communication with the performing arts.  Each year group planned an exciting programme of poetry, art and music.  Each year group took an aspect of the work and developed it according to the age and stage of the pupils.  For example, the younger pupils focused on boats and water, making models, floating and sinking, and undertook drama activities.  Pupils in the upper foundation phase researched William Shakespeare, drew portraits using a range of media, produced shape poems, made puppets and wrote magic recipes.  Key stage 2 pupils wrote descriptive poems, sonnets and Haiku using iambic pentameters to include similes and metaphors.  Other activities included producing story boards, making animated movies, and learning about medieval life including art and music of the period.  Pupils were excited to contribute to the performance, where using this rich learning environment was a sound foundation upon which to develop their oracy.

Having successfully gained some funding and utilising some of the school’s grant funding, the school engaged the help of a professional artist.  As a result, pupils made giant puppets and props for the performance to be performed at Theatre Clwyd.  It was the aspiration of the school that future performances would be as part of a Consortium Shakespeare Festival and be performed in the amphitheatre.  The school utilised the skills and talents of staff and governors to support the production.  These included a professional actor (a governor) who worked with the pupils on the performance, and the teachers who were musicians, artists and dancers.

In order to make the Shakespearian language accessible for young learners, the school decided to perform it using rhyming couplets.  They also decided to add creative dance, compose and perform their own music and utilise the talents of pupils who were learning to play instruments to accompany the performance.

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

Developing innovative learning approaches is a key feature of the school’s practice.  The school believes that ‘making learning come alive’, engaging all pupils through practical means, has impacted well on standards and also engaged pupils who may have been reluctant to participate.  This has had particularly good results for pupils with additional learning needs, who have benefited from having opportunities to perform.  The boost to their confidence and enthusiasm for learning and reading is particularly effective.  Pupils who had been identified as struggling with anxieties overcame them by participating and performing through dance and composition.

The result of the school’s holistic approach means that learning has an experiential purpose.  It centres upon pupil voice so that pupils own and steer their learning.  

How have you shared your good practice?

Forward thinking and engagement with other schools through the sharing of practice ensure that other schools can utilise the amphitheatre and can develop an annual Shakespeare festival within the consortium.  The process and outcomes of the practice have been shared within the local community and with schools within the school’s consortium (GwE).

GwE responded:

‘I enjoyed the performance so much – the pupils were a credit to you and the school.  Such an enriching experience for them!  Thank you for the wealth of evidence you have sent.  This is really useful as an example of how schools can prepare for the Expressive Arts area of the new curriculum.’

Our local newspaper read:

‘It’s a prime example of the successful futures agenda and a sterling example of the excellent standards of pupils’ achievements’.

It has also been shared beyond local schools, encouraging others to become more innovative with their approaches to learning.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the school

St Joseph’s Voluntary Aided Roman Catholic Primary School is in the Archdiocese of Cardiff, and is situated on the eastern outskirts of Newport.  There are 215 pupils on roll, aged between 4 and 11 years.

The average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals over the last three years is about 11%.  This is below the average for Wales, which is 18%.  The school identifies around 18% of its pupils as having additional learning needs, which is below the national average of 21%.  Around 31% of the pupils are from varied ethnic backgrounds with 19% of them learning English as an additional language.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

Pupils at St. Joseph’s RC Primary School from Year 2 to Year 6 are members of nine ministries that make up the School Parliament.  These ministries are instrumental in contributing to school improvement, identifying school priorities, making links with the community and developing an awareness of global issues.  Pupils are encouraged to take on a wide range of responsibilities, resulting in a whole-school approach to distributed leadership whilst developing and enhancing their leadership skills.

The school has a strong family ethos and a clear vision focusing on developing the whole child.  The staff act as good role models in developing a caring environment where all are valued, respected and encouraged to celebrate their individuality.  The school has great links with all stakeholders and the local community, contributing to a nurturing and caring all-inclusive environment with wellbeing at the heart of all they do.

An outstanding feature of the school is the effect the School Parliament has on pupils’ independence, collaboration and attitudes to learning.  Pupils from Year 2 to Year 6 belong to one of nine ministries that comprise the School Parliament and each group leads on their area by developing actions that will impact on the school, the community and, where possible, the wider world.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The ministries include: Digital Leaders, Guardian Angels, Criw Cymraeg, Communication and Enterprise, Chaplaincy Group, Mission Team, Curriculum Team, Healthy Schools Leaders and the Eco Committee.  In each of the groups the chair and secretary are elected and they comprise the Cabinet who, along with the whole school, elect a Prime Minister and Deputy, who meet fortnightly with the headteacher.  Each ministry devises action plans at the beginning of the school year and each week they meet to distribute roles and put their plans into action.

The secretary and chair take minutes and the group delegate roles.  The staff’s role is mainly to facilitate.  The impact on developing pupils’ independent learning is highly effective and all pupils have a valued role within their ministry.  The pupils have a sense of purpose and a dedication to their groups and the associated activities.  For example, Digital Leaders prepare timetables and support and train other pupils and staff, and the Guardian Angels visit the local nursing home to play board games with the residents.

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

The pupils work purposefully and collaboratively.  They access relevant IT independently to research, email, and write letters, minutes and newsletters.  The seamless use of key skills to carry out their roles is a successful feature of the approach.  Pupils are more aware of the four core purposes of the new curriculum for Wales through the work of the curriculum team, who drive this work and unite them with a common purpose.

There are worthwhile opportunities for the groups to present to the rest of the school and pupils work collaboratively, with limited staff input, to deliver their messages in a comprehensive and confident way.

Pupils are developing into confident individuals who are an integral part of their ministry.  The pupils feel valued, and know that their voice will be heard and that they are impacting on many areas of school life.  The cross-phase and cross-year group approach provides opportunities for positive role modelling without any requirements for older pupils necessarily to have the lead roles in their groups.  The pupils vote for the best person for the job.  Pupils have a well-developed attitude to their learning, and are developing into lifelong-learners that are constantly acquiring further leadership skills.

A sense of ownership ensures that pupils are motivated and have an active role to play at the school.  Pupils become evaluative and reflective, and appreciate that not all ideas are feasible.  They are developing resilience and problem solving skills effectively.  They understand that with thorough planning, determination and team work great things can be achieved.  The pupils are proud to represent their ministries and know that they can impact positively on school improvement, the local community, and the wider world.

 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 

Information about the school

Rhos Street Community Primary School is on the edge of Ruthin in Denbighshire.  The school moved into a new building in April 2018 on the site that it shares with a Welsh-medium primary school, Ysgol Pen Barras.

The headteacher has been in post since April 2009. 

The school has 198 pupils aged from 3 to 11, including 29 who attend the nursery class part-time.  There are eight single-age classes. 

Most pupils are of White British heritage.  A very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  A very few pupils speak Welsh at home. 

The three-year average for pupils eligible for free school meals is around 9%.  This is well below the Welsh average of 18%.  The school has identified approximately 13% of pupils as having additional learning needs, which is well below the Welsh average of 21%.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

When the school was inspected by Estyn in 2013, Rhos Street School’s performance was judged to be good, while its prospects for improvement were judged to be excellent.  In order to improve further, senior leaders worked to develop and strengthen the link between the strategic systems of self-evaluation, performance management and target setting and monitoring, in order to maximise the impact of the school’s work on pupil outcomes and achieve excellent standards.

Leaders identified that further aligning all of these areas would facilitate strong and sustained excellence in pupil progress, outcomes and standards.  Leaders involved and integrated key stakeholders in the process.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The ‘Rhos Street School Strategic Golden Thread’ is a framework that ensures the school’s vision and that priorities are implemented effectively.  This framework enables the school to achieve maximum impact by directly linking all of the strategic processes and systems together.  These include the process of holistic self-evaluation, which leads to the formulation of school development plan (SDP) targets, performance targets for governors, senior leaders, teaching staff, support staff and targets for the pupils themselves.  At all levels, each of these targets aligns directly to identified priorities in the SDP. 

To support staff at all levels in meeting their targets, training is focused on professional development in relation to those priorities.  The targets are visible in classes and corridor displays, including captions that summarise the SDP targets in child friendly language to further enhance the focus.  The displays include evaluations of the previous year’s targets.  Parents are also provided with an abridged version of the SDP, outlining how they can contribute towards supporting their child’s progress in relation to each target. 

Governors with specific SDP action-plan responsibilities visit the school to focus on monitoring standards and provision.  Governors feed back their findings to the rest of the governing body through a written report.  The monitoring by senior leaders is specifically targeted to evaluate the impact of the actions in the SDP priorities.  Additionally, scheduled staff peer observations provide opportunities for staff to share, discuss and evaluate their work in relation to the priorities on a more informal basis.

Leaders use social media to share progress with all stakeholders, using individual hashtags in relation to the different priorities.  This initiative has been a successful and worthwhile way to update the school community and beyond, as well as providing a useful evidence base of the progress the school has made.

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

Strategic targets with the specific aim of developing standards and provision in literacy and numeracy have had a very positive impact on pupils’ progress as they move through the school. 

For instance, in the recent inspection in 2018, Estyn identified that progress in writing the foundation phase is rapid and that pupils develop a very strong understanding of number, shape, measures and data.  In key stage 2, Estyn identified that, by Year 6, more able pupils in particular write extended pieces of well-constructed, engaging fiction, using powerful vocabulary to build suspense and to develop twists to the plot.  Also, by the end of Year 6, a minority of pupils have excellent mathematical skills.

As a result of the strategic approach outlined above, nearly all pupils leave the school with skills at least in line with those expected for their age and a majority leave with skills above those expected.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has shared the ongoing development of this model on a county, consortium and national basis, through presentations, consultations and workshops.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 

Information about the school

Alltwen Primary School is in a small village near Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley, in Neath Port Talbot local authority.

The school provides education for 228 pupils from three to eleven years old, including 22 who attend the nursery class part-time.  There are seven single-age classes, including the nursery, and one mixed-age class in the foundation phase.  Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage.  A very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  A very few pupils speak Welsh at home.

The three year average for pupils eligible for free school meals is around 17%.  This figure has reduced over time and is now just below the Welsh average of 18%.  The school has identified approximately 37% of pupils as having additional learning needs, which is well above the Welsh average of 21%.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school has a strategic ambition to focus on improvements and raising standards whilst engaging and maximising the community’s strengths.  Improving pupils’ reading capabilities was a whole school priority in 2015-2016.  Initially the school improved its provision, frequency of reading opportunities and teaching through:

  • audit of current provision in terms of resources, such as individual and guided reading schemes and staff capability, understanding and pedagogy
  • purchasing additional and supplementary reading books
  • implementing a whole school agreed consistent approach to the teaching of reading, including whole school timetabled guided reading sessions
  • triad (group of three teachers) conducting lesson observations with a clear focus on improving the teaching of reading skills
  • staff performance management targets linked to reading and individual pupils and lesson observations linked to reading
  • staff meetings with a clear focus on reading, provision and impact
  • all pupils reading progress tracked and monitored and the data shared with parents
  • listening to learners – what and why do you like reading?
  • listening to parents– what support would you like to help you read with your child at home?
  • A whole school open-evening about support and strategies to develop ‘reading at home’

However, through robust and extensive self-evaluation it became evident that most pupils did not read at home and were generally disengaged with reading.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school responded both to listening to learners and to parents’ questionnaires by purchasing an on-line eBook reading scheme.  As a result, each child has access to an appropriate reading book through their individual password and username.  To ensure that all pupils have access to the reading materials, pupils and families were invited to the weekly ‘internet reading café’ hosted by the school in the community room ‘the Cwtsh’.  Within the ‘Cwtsh’, the families utilised the school’s ICT infrastructure to access their child’s individual reading book.  This pilot project lasted for six consecutive weeks.  Initially the school supported:

  • families without internet connection (data gathered from an ICT focused questionnaire)
  • families and pupils who had disengaged with reading (names put forward by class teachers)
  • pupils who had been highlighted with needing additional reading support (using a reading data tracking)

On entry to the Cwtsh, the pupils and families were greeted by an experienced and skilled teaching assistant who provides helpful intervention and a range of reading support strategies.  If needed, the teaching assistant would also support the families in logging on to the pupils’ reading books and offer a range of refreshments and snacks. 

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

The school measured the impact of the pilot on completion of the ‘internet reading café’ by reassessing the pupils’ reading ages and encouraging the pupils and families to complete a questionnaire.  When retested, nearly all pupils who attended the pilot made progress and increased their reading ages, with a few making significant progress.  Within the questionnaire, all parents and pupils confirmed that they would recommend the ‘internet reading café’ with a majority of pupils reading more at home.  When questioned on what three things went well, the parents responded with a range of statements including “the atmosphere of the Cwtsh”, “the support provided by the TA”, “the range and quality of reading materials” and “having quality undisturbed time with my child”.  The pupils also responded with a range of positive comments such as “having quality quiet time with mamgu”, “it’s great as I get to learn more and Nan can help”, “my mother was proud of what I read” and of course “the snacks and drinks”.

With both strong quantitative and qualitative self-evaluation evidencing the success of the pilot, the school also began receiving requests from parents who wanted to attend the ‘internet reading café’.  The community appreciated the time allocated, and the quality of support and engagement in assisting in enhancing the pupils’ good reading habits.  With this is mind, the senior leadership team and the school’s governing body agreed to invite all parents from Year 2 to Year 6 within the academic year.

The ‘internet reading café’ project has improved both the reading standards and reading habits of pupils as well as further developing positive relationships and the school’s community engagement.  Families are now familiar with being invited to share positive earning experiences within the school and the ‘Cwtsh’, which has improved relationships, mutual respect and trust.   

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has shared its good practice with local authority staff and neighbouring schools, and through many school-to-school visits.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 

Information about the school

St. Julian’s Primary School is a large primary school in Newport local authority.  There are 687 pupils at the school aged 3 to 11, including 75 pupils who attend the nursery part-time.  The school has 23 single-aged classes.  Eighteen per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals.  Most pupils come from homes where English is the main language spoken.  Twenty per cent of pupils have additional learning needs, including 18 pupils who have statements of educational needs.  A few pupils are looked after by the local authority.  The school is a Digital and Professional Learning Pioneer School.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school identified the need to improve parental engagement, in order for parents to support their own children’s learning.  As a result, the school established a FaCE (Family and Community Engagement) Committee, made up of staff from across the school, with the aim of improving parental engagement through different events. 

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The FaCE Committee looked at what the school was already doing to promote parental engagement and how this could be further developed.  Initially this took the form of a parent questionnaire, and then by encouraging parents to complete a comment slip during existing parental engagement events to see how they could be improved.  The impact of each event on pupils’ standards and wellbeing is evaluated and events are adapted accordingly.

St Julian’s Primary has a cycle of successful workshops and events being run with families, and believes that these opportunities support learning and wellbeing both at home and at school.  The aim is to make parents feel relaxed in school and help them to enjoy the events alongside their child.  Below are some examples of events run at school to promote learning and wellbeing:

St Julian’s Bake Off: This event, which involves a parent working with their child, gives opportunities for developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.  Pupils read recipes and follow instructions.  They communicate and explain to the camera what they are doing, which helps build confidence.  Pupils weigh the ingredients, calculate ratios, and time how long the cake stays in the oven.  Applying their numeracy skills in a real-life context helps to consolidate and develop their understanding.  This also encourages parents to carry out similar activities at home.

Workshops in Literacy and Numeracy: The school believes that it is important to engage with families as early as possible in order to establish strong partnerships.  Parents are invited to a 45 minute workshop, which takes place in their child’s classroom.  The class teacher demonstrates an activity to the parents and pupils, for example how they teach addition, letter formation, and spelling strategies.  Tables are set up around the classroom with strategies on how literacy and numeracy skills can be developed at home, such as with educational websites accessed by pupils, letter formation cards, and mathematics games.  This gives an opportunity for parents to see what is being taught in school and to continue this at home in a consistent way.  Everyone who attends the workshops receives a bag of resources to continue supporting learning at home, such as a whiteboard, cardboard clock, dice and counters, pencil, pencil grip, website addresses, and plastic money.

‘Lads and Dads’: The school devised a six-week programme of activities running after school, aiming to help fathers build and grow positive relationships with their sons.  Each week, the teams take part in a different challenge, including sports, cooking, and survival and computing challenges.  The sessions are filmed and shared with the ‘Lads and Dads’ and their families.  ‘Lads and their Dads’ evaluate the impact of the programme following the last session.  As well as building relationships with their sons, the programme also helps fathers to build relationships with the school staff and other parents, thus developing positive attitudes towards learning. http://www.stjuliansprimary.com/lads-and-dads-programme/. 

‘Help at Home’ Videos: The school has produced and published a number of videos on the school website, which demonstrate strategies for supporting pupils with their learning at home, such as how to solve various maths problems, letter formation, phonics songs and basic Welsh and ICT skills.  Parents can watch these videos with their children and ensure that they are using a common approach with the school.

Mobile phone app: The school publishes information such as current attendance and assessment information through a parent mobile phone app.  Parents are able to log into an associated website to view certain assessment tracking information for their child.  For example, parents can view their child’s progress in learning and applying multiplication tables.  They are then aware of which tables to practise with their child at home.

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

  • Attendance at parental engagement events has significantly increased.  The engagement with hard to reach parents, such as parents who are not able come to the classroom door or attend parent consultations, has also improved after building trust with staff.  Parents know the teachers and feel confident to approach them.
  • Relationships between staff and pupils improve, when relationships with parents are stronger.
  • Parents’ confidence in helping their children learn at home has improved, for example giving an opportunity for parents to look at the teaching strategies the school uses and to continue these at home.
  • The process has a positive impact on pupil wellbeing, leading to greater progress in learning, and providing lifelong experiences to children who may not get these at home.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school is sharing its good practice with parents, governors and the local community through its website and Twitter account.  Other schools across the consortium have visited the school and the good practice is shared with the EAS FaCE Network.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Share this page
 
 
 

Information about the school

Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwynderw is located in the west of the city of Swansea.  The school’s catchment area extends from Rhossili on the Gower peninsula to Derwen Fawr in Sketty.

There are 355 pupils between 3 and 11 years old on roll, including 51 part-time nursery age pupils.  Pupils are divided into 13 classes, including nine mixed-age classes, two reception classes and two nursery classes.

Over a three-year period, approximately 3% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals.  This is significantly lower than the national percentage (18%).  Approximately 28% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes.  Very few are from ethnic minority backgrounds.  Welsh is the main medium of teaching and learning in the foundation phase, and the aim is to ensure that all pupils are bilingual by the end of key stage 2.  The school has identified 12% of its pupils as having additional learning needs, which is lower than the national percentage of 21%.

Context and background to the effective or innovative practice

The school has been giving priority to the development of children’s rights since 2013.  This has been done in response to a strong sense of injustice, unfairness and favouring certain groups of children among pupils, and there were a number of complaints from parents who were concerned about standards, pupils’ wellbeing and a lack of support for children with additional learning needs.  Parent and child questionnaires showed that fewer than 50% felt safe at school.  The situation required an immediate response.

The headteacher, staff, governors, parents and pupils worked together to create an agreed vision that made pupils’ wellbeing central to all decisions.  Through further research and discussions, it was decided that we could achieve our goal through the promotion and implementation of the principles of ‘children’s rights’.  The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child identifies a list of 42 rights to which all children and young people are entitled, wherever they are in the world, regardless of who they are, or what they believe.  The rights on this list are things that children and young people need in order to ensure that they are safe, that they have the things that they need to survive and develop, and that they have their say on decisions affecting their lives.  Training was arranged for staff and Year 6 pupils, along with information-sharing sessions with parents.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

Representatives from Year 2 to Year 6 were elected as Children’s Rights Ambassadors with a voice on the school council committee.  Ambassadors worked with the leader to choose 10 main rights from among the 42 which are most relevant to them in order to create an annual calendar of rights with a particular right associated with each month, to be used in weekly plans and daily assemblies.  The headteacher worked with the ambassadors to re-write the behaviour policy, including a ‘no shouting’ policy for pupils and staff.  As a result, staff use creative ways to attract pupils’ attention, for example by singing or tapping a rhythm rather than raising their voice.

At the beginning of each academic year, pupils work with their teachers to create a class charter covering some of the main children’s rights.  The implementation of this charter ensures that children’s rights are a real and meaningful part of daily life for each pupil.  Daily assessments of pupils’ emotional wellbeing are conducted through morning ‘registration’, enabling staff to monitor vulnerable children and to offer nurturing sessions on a daily basis.

‘Voice from the floor’ discussions, learning walks, questionnaires and school council committees enable pupils to have regular opportunities to voice their opinions on school life, for example from designing the ‘Llwynderw Curriculum’, the provision of extra-curricular clubs and supporting charities to appointing staff.  Pupils have regular input into their learning during the year and their progress is recorded in their end-of-year reports.

One of the most effective strategies in dealing with the right to be treated fairly is the use of ‘restorative practice’ as a whole-school approach to resolving any conflicts.  Restorative approaches enable those who have been harmed to convey the effect of that harm to those responsible, and for those responsible to acknowledge this effect and to take conciliatory action.

Outside the school, ambassadors take part in ‘The Big Democracy Conversation’ within the County, and they work with the authority to help review policies and express opinions on decisions that affect them personally.  The school has developed a partnership with a school in Siavonga in Zambia so that pupils learn about life in a contrasting country. Three staff members from that school have visited Ysgol Llwynderw over the past 3 years, and pupils keep in touch by writing letters to each other each year.  This experience has enabled pupils to learn that all children have rights, regardless of the country in which they live.

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

This work has contributed extensively to raising pupils’ standards of wellbeing.  The attendance percentage has increased over the past 5 years and children’s rights are now embedded in the school’s caring and inclusive ethos.  The pupil’s voice provides input into the school’s regular self-evaluation procedures and contributes to the school improvement plan.  As a result, pupils have a sense of ownership of their school and contribute to its improvement.

The ‘no shouting’ policy supports the relationship of respect between staff and pupils.  The use of ‘restorative practice’ has improved pupils’ behaviour and diligence across the school.  Behaviour is excellent and the level of pupils’ commitment to their learning has improved.

To date, 100% of parents feel that their children are safe in school.  Parents praise the caring ethos within the school among both staff and pupils.

The class charter and ‘daily’ registration are very effective ways of expressing opinions and listening to others in a positive environment.  They enable pupils to learn about respect, fairness, diligence, safety and empathy.  This raises pupils’ confidence and makes them feel happy and safe, and as a result, their standards of wellbeing are improved.  This work has gained a gold award (Level 2) in Children’s Rights, and this is the first Welsh-medium school in Wales to receive this award.

How have you shared your good practice?

The school shares good practice by organising open evenings for parents and presentations for governors.  The local and global community can access information via the website and a Twitter account.  After receiving a Gold award for Children’s Rights, a number of schools within the ERW region have visited the school to learn about its practices.  The Children’s Rights leader has invited the school to work as an assessor for UNICEF in its assessment of Welsh-medium schools working at Levels 1 and 2.