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Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

When discussing the amalgamation of the two schools, stakeholders had a vision for a seamless transition and minimal changes.  This seamless joining included merging the mission statements, school values, logos, signage, uniform, policies, procedures and schemes of work.  It was imperative to establish a whole school ethos as soon as possible – One School, One Vision.  Further priorities included extending the governing body, the merging of the budgets, the leadership teams, the parents’ association, assessment, and ICT systems.  The headteacher communicated a clear action plan effectively to all staff, parents, pupils and governors, and ensured that the schools amalgamated seamlessly and maintained high standards.

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

An outstanding feature of the amalgamation was the attention to detail given by the headteacher, in terms of all aspects of school life.  This ensured equality of opportunity and parity of provision for all.

Leaders united the entire staff effectively, ensuring that it had a clear sense of purpose and a consistent approach on both sites.  The school ‘Dinas Duos’ consisted of representatives from both schools in terms of the deputy headteachers, leadership team, subject leaders, administrative staff, learning support assistants and the caretakers.  This also enabled leaders to establish a very effective professional learning culture to share robust information and expertise, which included teacher observations and subsequent pedagogical developments.  Leaders further extended and developed the forensic analysis of pupil data, evaluating the school’s performance accurately.  

This clear strategic direction ensured that the school maintained and developed the quality of teaching and learning.  The focus was to ensure a unified learning provision, such as quality books and resources and an improved learning environment in key stage 2, which included fitting new carpets and window blinds, and making general repairs and maintenance.  The new school undertook a relentless programme of improvement, giving it a strong sense of identity.

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

The amalgamation has ensured a seamless transition from Foundation Phase to key stage 2.  The school states that it has maintained its high standards, with pupils making very good progress from their individual starting points.  It maintains that many pupils who are more able make excellent progress and attain standards well above those expected for their age.  

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has embraced all opportunities to work collaboratively with other schools, through hosting visits from other schools, taking part in a school improvement group, cluster work and talking to other professionals, including leaders from schools due to amalgamate.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

Pembroke Dock Community School took on this approach in light of Professor Graham Donaldson’s Successful Futures document and the development of the new curriculum for Wales.  This approach supports the development of numerous aspects of one of the four purposes of the curriculum – all children and young people will be ambitious, capable learners.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school bases its teaching and learning strategy on research carried out by Professor John Hattie on a visible learning approach.  In order to encourage pupils to be responsible for their own learning and to become more capable to assess their own work, the school introduced the following strategies:

  • A process of gathering, analysing, interpreting and using information about pupils’ progress and achievement to improve teaching and learning.

  • Allowing pupils to take ownership of their own learning and skills development.They know where they are on the skills continuum and what their next steps are.Using their ‘Learning Ladders’ booklets, many can track and assess their own progress effectively.

  • Enabling pupils to recognise what they need to do when they come across something they don’t know and to have appropriate strategies to progress with their learning.

  • Encouraging pupils to seek feedback from their teachers and respond to it effectively, and, more importantly, encourage them to give feedback to staff about their teaching.

  • Enabling pupils to become active in their learning.They can ask and find the answer to the following questions. Where am I going? How am I going there?Where to next?These questions correspond to notions of feed up, feedback, and feed forward.

  • Enabling pupils to employ a range of meta-cognitive strategies developed through a shared language of learning.

  • Encouraging pupils to see learning as hard work, with a growth mind-set and a desire to succeed.

  • Encouraging pupils to understand what the learning intentions are and the importance of being challenged by the success criteria.

  • Enabling pupils to use effective tools for self-assessment and challenge themselves well to improve.

  • Using effective assessment for and of learning. The school has a highly successful marking policy so that teachers provide consistent and effective written feedback to pupils.

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

Through this approach, pupils can learn more independently and can articulate what they are learning and why.  They can talk about their learning and the strategies they are using to learn.  Pupils can articulate their next learning steps and can use self-regulation strategies effectively.  Pupils can also set their own goals and aspire to challenge.  They also see errors as opportunities to learn.  Teachers use pupils’ feedback to adapt their planning and teaching to take pupils’ learning further.  Pupils want to succeed in their learning and recognise effective ways to move this forward.  Pupils know their learning needs very well. 

How have you shared your good practice?

Pembroke Dock Community School has shared its good practice across Wales through holding open days for colleagues to visit and to take part in learning walks to see the strategies in action. 

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context and background to sector-leading practice

The school co-operates with the Welsh Government and other schools to proceed with developments relating to the curriculum and innovative professional learning.  An experimental environment is promoted in which staff and learners do not fear failure.  The proportion of vulnerable families associated with the school has increased recently.  The school has identified them and responded to their needs effectively by co-operating with a number of strategic partnerships, including parents, other schools and a number of other professional agencies.

As a result of research, the school had considered “what does a child need in order to thrive?”  Five areas were identified (literacy and numeracy skills, general knowledge, a wide circle of friends, participation in school life and attitude towards school) and simple assessments were held which demonstrated strengths and the way forward.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

As a result of the assessments, a notable difference was highlighted between the contribution of learners eligible to receive free school meals and their peers.  The school decided that it needed to make the best use of its strategic partnerships’ expertise, and organised various imaginative interventions to reduce the gap.  Some good examples of these include: 

  • adopting robust principles which were tested during a visit to the Early Years Centre of Excellence in England in the induction of nursery children, placing them with families in the care of a regular practitioner

  • changing the physical learning environment in the nursery class to reflect the caring nature of the home

  • holding a cluster sports festival for key stage 2 children who had not represented their schools with a focus on fair play and developing literacy and numeracy skills

  • responding to the learners’ voice, including a variety of extra-curricular clubs during the lunch hour, for example, a table tennis club, sticker swapping, crochet and sewing

  • changing the school’s awards system to celebrate effort as well as attainment

  • organising a university visit for families in order to raise aspirations

  • running a Youth Club for families in co-operation with external professional agencies

  • specific transition activities for vulnerable learners to foster wider life skills

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

The project has contributed towards pupils’ wellbeing, and has had a positive impact on most pupils’ confidence and achievement, particularly learners that are eligible to receive free school meals.  According to the school, the gap in the expected outcome and level between these pupils and their peers has reduced very recently.  Most pupils’ behaviour is very good throughout the school and they respond very positively to activities to enrich their experiences.  By getting to know the learners and their families at a very early stage, the school ensures a high quality of care and nurture.  As a result, the young learners settle confidently at the beginning of their educational journey.  Sharing experiences with others has strengthened the provision for pupils on entry to the school to a very high standard and has contributed towards ensuring that the Foundation Phase ethos continues robustly up to the end of Year 2.  By sharing the above activities through the ‘Aiming for Excellence’ project, the school succeeds in disseminating good practice in pedagogy and partnership working across the regional consortium and beyond.  This has a positive impact on the standards of teaching and learning within the school. 

How have you shared your good practice?

  • Leading the ‘Aiming for Excellence’ project across south-east Wales – an opportunity for teachers of various schools to share good practice through observing lessons, talking to pupils and learning journeys.The school’s focus during the programme was to engage and motivate pupils.

  • Co-operating with the cluster schools to organise a variety of activities with the intention of increasing participation in school life and enriching the experiences of vulnerable children.

  • Celebrating the work of pupils and their families by displaying the work on the school’s social websites.

  • Introducing the practice in a Headteachers’ Conference in south east Wales.

  • Disseminating the caring practice across the child care setting of Menter Iaith Caerffili.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Llandrillo Yn Rhos is in the seaside town of Rhos on Sea, in the county of Conwy.  There are currently 414 full-time and 60 part-time pupils on roll between the ages of three and eleven.  Most pupils come from the immediate area.  Nearly all of its pupils come from English speaking backgrounds.  Currently, 16% pupils have additional learning needs and approximately 16% are eligible for free school meals. 

There are 15 full time and five part-time teachers at the school, with 16 full-time and nine part-time support staff.  The school also has a full time Family Liaison Officer, a social, emotional and behavioural (SEB) manager and a Forest School Leader.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

The school’s motto is ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’ and it endeavours to promote this successfully within all aspects of school life.

The school has developed an ethos of care, inclusiveness and mutual respect.  The environment is warm and inviting and includes an art studio, a community-learning hub and a Forest School outdoor classroom.  The school financed the Forest School outdoor classroom through a grant from the Wind Farm.  It includes a fire-pit, seating area, bug hotel and pond area.  By using it effectively, pupils benefit from learning about their environment and important life skills in the outdoors.  The area accommodates both Foundation Phase and key stage 2 pupils.  Pupils’ work is on display around the school and is of a high quality.  The school has a designated art shed and specialist art teacher who plans and delivers lessons linked to the class topic as an integral part of the curriculum.  This teacher currently leads on the ‘lead creative school’ initiative.  Many pupils at key stage 2 thoroughly enjoy weekly art sessions.  The school considers that the quality of the art produced by the pupils is of a very high standard.  The school states that it promotes and supports the use of information and communication technology (ICT) effectively at both Foundation Phase and key stage 2 both within the school and across the local authority.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

During the last three years, the school has aimed to improve pupils’ wellbeing and standards of attainment.  It has done this by endeavouring to improve parents’ involvement with the school.  It has developed a range of initiatives in collaboration with pupils, parents, feeder high schools and the community.  Members of staff lead initiatives to develop pupils’ wellbeing, by working at various levels within the school.  Staff use the school learning environment as part of a rolling programme and timetable it to enable all pupils to develop problem solving, thinking and social skills outdoors.  The school’s higher level teaching assistants plan and deliver its forest school and social skills provision, and the class teacher supports the development of pupils’ problem solving skills.

The school has a community hub with a full time family liaison officer who provides a wide range of support programmes.  These enhance the wellbeing of all pupils significantly.  These programmes include:

• Fast Forward (transition programme)
• Boost (confidence building)
• Together Time (parent and child sessions in the Foundation Phase)
• Animate Learning (parent and child sessions at key stage 2)
• Learning Together Weeks’
• Nurture groups
• Areas of responsibility for pupils
• Debating groups
• Target setting meetings for every individual (assertive mentoring for pupils in Years 1 to 6)
• Developing the outside areas

Many pupils have significant responsibilities, which they undertake in a mature manner.  These include green rangers, art ninjas, Digi-wizards and members of the school council.  All of these groups make a valuable contribution to the school and school life.  Members of the school council are highly effective and consistently promote the wellbeing of the pupils within the school.  Digi-wizards support the development of ICT across the school and during training sessions for teachers and staff from other schools.  The school states that pupils’ standards in using ICT are exemplary. 

Each pupil from Year 1 to Year 6 has the opportunity to meet every term on a 1:1 basis with their class teacher, to set and review their targets in numeracy and literacy.  Pupils know their next steps of learning and are highly motivated to achieve their own goals. 

The outside learning environment and development of social skills actively promote the development of many skills, including numeracy and literacy, and impact positively on children’s attainment and achievement.  The environment is stimulating and inviting, and one in which pupils feel happy and safe to learn.

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

The school states that:

• Pupils and parents have reported increased confidence during transition from pre-school to Nursery, Year 2 to Year 3, and Year 6 to Year 7 
• The school feels that the way parents engage with it is excellent, with 96% of parents attending the school’s Learning Together Weeks, when parents and pupils work together in class
• All pupils accessing the nurture provision have made very good improvements in their social and emotional skills 
• All pupils at key stage 2 also make progress in national assessments, while 80% of pupils achieved Personal and Social Development Outcome 6 at the end of the Foundation Phase 
• Parents of pupils receiving nurture provision are more effectively involved in their child’s learning and are more positive about their own parenting capacity
• Teachers across key stage 2 and the Foundation Phase report that pupils’ behaviour has improved and they engage better during all lessons

How have you shared your good practice?

The school has supported many schools in all aspects of wellbeing.  It has shared its success through headteachers’ meetings, consortia meetings, ICT training and training events. 

The school welcomes visits from other schools looking to develop their own settings and supports the implementation of initiatives through its role as a Pioneer/Co-leading school.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Information about the school

Ysgol Cynwyd Sant is situated in Maesteg in the Borough of Bridgend.  There are 306 pupils between 3 and 11 years old on roll, including 40 nursery-age children.  Welsh is the main medium of the school’s life and work.  A few pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes.  Approximately 13% of pupils are eligible for free school meals.  Sixteen per cent (16%) of pupils have additional learning needs.

Context and background to sector-leading practice

The school provides excellent art experiences for pupils.  This was recognised by Estyn in a Good Practice report on the Creative Arts in 2015.  Ysgol Cynwyd Sant was the first school in Bridgend to be recognised with the Creative School status by the Arts Council in 2015, and as a pioneer in the field in 2016.  This leads to exceptional creative work in the classroom, sharing best practice with other schools, and professional development of a very high standard for staff.  The school has also established a studio to provide multimedia artistic experiences of a very high standard for pupils.

Description of nature of strategy or activity

The school co-operates very effectively with the Arts Council to plan exciting activities in order to develop the literacy skills of pupils in key stage 2 who had underperformed in the Foundation Phase.  Particular attention is given to developing the oracy skills of this cohort of pupils, in addition to their self-confidence and creativity. Teaching strategies place a clear focus on developing members of staff as creative practitioners.  Schemes of work pay beneficial attention to developing pupils’ thinking skills by encouraging them to be creative.  In order to inspire the creative nature of staff and pupils, the school believes strongly that the fear of being wrong needs to be removed first.  This is at the heart of the school’s pedagogy in order to develop a creative learning community that is willing to try.  A good example of this is the series of short films that were created by pupils under the title ‘Come and learn how to…’.  The culmination of this work was the film night in the school hall, with parents as the audience, to celebrate the pupils’ work and to present a DVD to each pupil. 

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

Each child had made very good progress in their oral skills following the project.  Notable progress was seen in the achievement of boys and vulnerable pupils.  Following the project, 82% of pupils attained their targets for the term earlier than expected, and 100% make very good progress in the performance element.  Subsequently, the school set more challenging targets in order to improve pupils’ oral skills further by providing creative activities of a very high standard.

Pupils’ views were considered following each session, and staff adapted plans to ensure a high level of commitment and extensive motivation.  As a result, notable progress was seen in pupils’ self-confidence.  In addition, more able pupils made very good progress in their information and communication technology skills, as they developed new skills relating to the use of green screen.

How have you shared your good practice?

• Participating in national events in co-operation with the Arts Council
• Preparing case studies on behalf of the Arts Council
• Internally, by providing very effective opportunities to develop nearly all pupils’ creative skills across the curriculum
• Celebrating pupils’ work by displaying it on the school website
• Showing the films on a screen in the school foyer for visitors
• Film nights for parents
• Facilitating sessions to share good practice across the county
• Giving presentations and leading workshops in ‘Closing the Gap’ conferences

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context

Heronsbridge is a local authority residential special school, maintained by Bridgend local authority.  The school provides education for pupils aged 3 to 19 years.  Currently there are 237 pupils on roll.  Nearly all attend on a day basis. 

Many of the pupils have statements of special educational needs.  Pupils at the school have a range of difficulties, including profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorders. 

A very few pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds.  Very few pupils speak Welsh as their first language at home.  Currently, just over 5% pupils are looked after by the local authority.  Around 40% of pupils receive free school meals.  This is slightly lower than the all Wales average of 43% for maintained special schools.

Culture and ethos

The headteacher and senior leaders have a clear vision for the school that is fully understood and shared by all staff and governors.  They articulate their high expectations and sustain a positive culture within the school.  The school’s motto is ‘Together we can’ and its values are independence, wellbeing, opportunity and sustainability.  These inform and guide the activities of the school.

There is a supportive and positive ethos throughout the school with a strong focus on equality and diversity.  The school ensures that there is equality of access to the curriculum.

Action

Pupil participation is co-ordinated by a senior member of staff responsible for wellbeing across the school.  The co-ordination role means that there are effective lines of communication between the senior leadership team, governing body and the pupils.  Pupils receive timely and sensitive feedback by the nominated member of staff on their suggestions and recommendations.

The school has prioritised training and support for pupils to make sure that participation opportunities are relevant for the needs and abilities of the school community.  For example, a local drama company has been working with the pupils to develop their skills and understanding of participation in a sensitive and needs appropriate manner.  This has developed pupils’ personal and social skills and contributed to making participation more meaningful for many pupils.

Nearly all pupils evaluate their learning experiences at the end of the unit of work.  The school has developed a range of effective strategies to overcome barriers to communication and make sure that all pupils have an opportunity to evaluate their own learning.  These include the use of:

  • gestures where pupils give a preference

  • pictures or photographs that pupils can communicate through drawing their responses or pointing to the pictures

  • communication systems such as the picture exchange communication systems

  • written accounts

Pupils rate the work unit with support from staff using a well-understood traffic light system.  A few pupils complete questionnaires tailored to their needs and many contribute by picture responses and oral questioning.  Younger pupils evaluate their work and topics effectively using ‘smiley faces’.  Teachers collate the pupils’ evaluations of their personal learning experiences at the end of term.  They are analysed carefully and used to inform teachers’ planning.  Senior leaders refine the curriculum offer appropriately in response to the views of pupils.

Outcomes

Skilfully-organised pupil participation opportunities contribute to developing pupils’ self‑confidence and social skills.  Over time, many pupils develop their independence and take increasing responsibility for themselves and their learning in line with their needs and ability. 

Nearly all pupils are confident in communicating their needs clearly, either verbally, by signing or using a picture exchange communication system. 

The curriculum plans, which pupils influence regularly, build systematically on pupils’ knowledge, understanding, skills and interest.  Nearly all pupils engage well in their lessons, and their behaviour in class and during unstructured times of the day is excellent. 

As a result, nearly all older pupils gain a range of appropriate qualifications in accredited courses that are matched well to their abilities, needs and interests.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context

Ysgol Gynradd Llanllechid is situated on the outskirts of the village of Rachub near the town of Bethesda.  It is maintained by Gwynedd local authority.  There are 261 pupils aged between 3 and 11 years on roll, including 31 part-time nursery age pupils.

Welsh is the main medium of the life and work of the school.  Many pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes.  About 11% are eligible for free school meals.  The school has identified 19% of pupils as having additional learning needs, including a very few who have a statement of special educational needs.  Very few pupils come from an ethnic minority background.

Culture and ethos

There is an inclusive, supportive and friendly ethos at Ysgol Llanllechid, in which pupils receive equal opportunities to take part in all its activities.  Emphasis is placed on showing respect and courtesy to all, which leads to a safe environment that fosters care for others and tolerance.  The pupils’ voice is central to all learning experiences across the school.

Action

Pupil participation and the school council are co-ordinated by a member of the senior leadership team.  The school council meets weekly to share ideas and discuss areas for improvement in the school. 

The school actively involves pupils in all areas of school improvement and engages them regularly in evaluating the quality of provision across the school.  For example, pupils have been involved in working with the physical education co-ordinator to evaluate the quality of physical education lessons.  They held discussions with the co‑ordinator, observed lessons and fed back to the co-ordinator, teachers and pupils.  Pupils identified excellent practice in physical education lessons and a few areas for improvement.  As a result of the recommendations made by pupils, the school reviewed its policy and expectations on uniform during physical education lessons. 

Members of the council have undertaken a successful campaign to improve their fellow pupils’ reading routines across the school.  The school council developed a questionnaire to find out more about pupils’ reading habits.  It analysed the outcomes carefully and identified strengths and areas to improve in pupils’ reading.  It fed back its findings to pupils in a whole‑school assembly.  It also fed back and made recommendations for improvements to the senior leadership team and the governors during a termly meeting.  Senior leaders acted upon the findings, for example to develop closer links with the local library to support the reading of a few pupils across the school. 

The school council also fed back its findings to parents and carers by letter to engage parents in supporting the campaign to improve reading routines across the school.  Nearly all pupils understand the importance of reading regularly and many have joined the local library with support from their parents. 

At Ysgol Gynradd Llanllechid, pupils contribute to the self-evaluation process by evaluating lessons and curricular areas, and helping to create policies.

Outcomes

Nearly all pupils feel that the school listens to them.  Pupils respond confidently to the opportunities that they have to influence and make decisions.

Members of the school council also co-operate with staff, parents, their peers and the local community.  As members of the school council, they gain personal, social and organisational skills.  They also develop their personal and social skills by discussing issues of importance to them with a range of stakeholders. 

Wellbeing at the school is judged as excellent and most pupils make good progress in their learning during their time at the school.  They develop their independent thinking and learning skills successfully.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context

Ysgol Penmaes is a day special school that provides education for 110 pupils aged from 2 to 19 years.  The school is situated in Brecon and maintained by Powys local authority. 

The school caters for pupils with a wide range of learning difficulties.  These include severe learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder and profound and multiple learning difficulties.  All pupils have a statement of special educational needs.  No pupil has been disapplied from the National Curriculum. 

Very few pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds and very few pupils speak Welsh as their first language at home.  Approximately 31% of pupils receive free school meals and 10% are looked after by the local authority. 

Culture and ethos

The school’s mission statement is ‘Together Everyone Achieves More’.  It promotes the mission well and this sets the standards for inclusivity at Ysgol Penmaes.  There is a highly supportive and positive ethos throughout the school with a strong focus on equality and diversity.  The school is effective in removing barriers to learning and participation. 

Action

Ysgol Penmaes focuses on developing varied participation opportunities for the whole‑school community and recognises that this has a positive impact on relationships throughout the school.  They have developed structures and support to allow all pupils to contribute to the school improvement journey.

At Ysgol Penmaes, there are many different ways for pupils to communicate their views and participate in decision-making.  Where communication is an identified difficulty for individuals or groups of pupils, the school develops strategies to make sure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to participate and influence decisions.  As a result, staff develop a better understanding of their pupils’ needs and interests.  Pupils feel confident that staff listen to them and their views are valued.

There is an effective school council.  Members of the school council are elected by their peers and undertake their roles enthusiastically.  The school council has a budget to buy resources during the year.  This develops pupils’ understanding of the need to prioritise and budget as part of their role as council members.  The school council discusses a wide range of issues such as the school environment, the quality of the school canteen, learning experiences and self‑evaluation.  As part of its work, it has produced a very useful and accessible prospectus for prospective pupils.

The senior leaders introduced a self-evaluation day for pupils, staff and governors to make sure that all pupils contribute to the school’s strategic direction.  During the self‑evaluation day, staff and school leaders work with pupils to gain their views on all aspects of the school such as learning and teaching, the quality of care, school buildings and quality of the outdoor learning environment.  The school has introduced a range of strategies to make sure that all pupils contribute actively to the process.  Pupils who are more able evaluate the quality of provision at the school confidently by using symbols and signs.  Others work alongside staff to share their views. 

Members of the governing body attend the self-evaluation day and gain an extensive understanding of the pupils’ views on provision and areas for development.  The headteacher collates the information and it informs the school development plan.  For example, pupils identified that they enjoyed the opportunity to learn in the outdoors and wanted more opportunities to do so on a regular basis.  As a result, the school invested in a selection of outdoor equipment and improved the outdoor learning environment for pupils to enjoy their lessons there, where appropriate.

The self-evaluation day makes sure that all pupils, staff and governors have an opportunity to work together to identify the school’s strengths, areas that require improvement and priorities for the school development plan.  

Outcomes

At Ysgol Penmaes, relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils and pupils are strong.  There is a clear sense of mutual trust and empathy for every member of the school community.  Most pupils develop a thorough understanding of their peers’ needs and choices.  This is reflected in the decisions that pupils make as part of the school council and participation groups. 

Nearly all pupils feel that the school listens to them and that their views and opinions are valued.  They have a positive attitude towards their learning and the school.  As a result, it has a positive impact on standards across the school.  The behaviour of nearly all pupils, in lessons and during the school day, is exemplary.  There have been no permanent exclusions from the school for a number of years and the number of fixed term exclusions is extremely low.  As a result, with very few exceptions, pupils, over time, make good progress. 

Pupils gain a wide range of recognised accreditation at the end of key stage 4.  All pupils enrolled on the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme achieved the bronze and silver level and nearly all achieved the gold award.  This is a significant achievement. 

The number of leavers not engaged in education, employment or training has been consistently low for a number of years.

The school engages pupils regularly in debate about their own learning.  This develops pupils’ listening and communication skills successfully.  Pupils also improve their understanding of the impact of their decisions on others in the school community.  For example, members of the school council identified the need to improve communication further between themselves and the wider pupil population and put an action plan in place to address this issue.  School leaders, governors and members of the school council monitor the plan regularly.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Context

Cefn Hengoed Community School is an 11 to 16 secondary school on the eastside of Swansea with 644 pupils on roll.  Around 40% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of 17.1%. 

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is around 39%, higher than the national average of 25%.  About 5% of pupils have a statement of special educational needs, double the national average for Wales as a whole.  The school has a local authority specialist teaching facility for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and these pupils are included on the school roll.

Culture and ethos

The headteacher demonstrates a powerful commitment to developing the school as an outstanding learning community and her leadership drives its success.  Their strong committed leadership has resulted in sustained improvements in pupils’ performance and wellbeing. 

The school has an exceptionally caring and inclusive ethos based on mutual respect and strong relationships between pupils, staff and the community.  The school motto, ‘If you believe it you can achieve’, is woven into all aspects of the school’s work, and is reflected in the high expectations and caring attitude demonstrated by staff.  The high level of trust and respect between staff and pupils promotes pupils’ learning and their social development, and is a positive feature of school life.  The role of pupils in influencing decision-making is well embedded across the school and is a priority shared by leaders, staff and pupils.

Action

The school has developed a wide range of strategies to involve pupils in decision‑making that directly impacts their learning experiences and wellbeing.

The school has appointed a member of staff responsible for co-ordinating pupil voice across the school.  The member of staff is responsible for making sure that there is effective communication between the participation groups, the senior leadership team and the governing body.

A strong feature at the school is the introduction of ‘pupil curriculum leaders’.  Pupil curriculum leaders meet with teachers to evaluate programmes of study, and make decisions about their learning and the choice of strategies and enrichment activities that underpin success.  

Pupil voice is central to the work of the humanities faculty at the school.  The faculty has pupil curriculum leaders who have been successfully appointed following a thorough interview process.  The pupil curriculum leaders meet with faculty staff every half term to feed back on issues relating to curriculum, teaching and learning.  They also contribute to developing schemes of work and influence topics of study within the faculty.  For example, the faculty introduced an independent project unit following feedback from the pupil curriculum leaders.

The faculty has shared this practice across the school and with other local schools through whole-school in-service training.  The faculty also offers training for faculty staff and pupils before they undertake their role as curriculum leaders.

In the physical education department, pupil curriculum leaders are appointed from team captains, individuals appointed by the pupils and ‘endeavour pupils’ (those showing exceptional commitment in the subject).  Curriculum leaders influence curriculum options and extra-curricular opportunities in the subject.  For example, the department has extended its dance provision following feedback from pupils. 

Pupils from Cefn Hengoed Community School regularly contribute to local authority consultation forums to inform budget priorities and curriculum options for 14 to 19‑year‑olds.

Outcomes

Nearly all pupils feel that the school listens to them.  Almost all pupils have an exceptional sense of belonging to the school community and a high level of awareness of their own wellbeing and the impact of their behaviour on others.  Pupils value the opportunities to influence choice and provision and actively engage in the wide range of participation opportunities on offer at the school. 

As a result, there has been a very positive impact on standards across the school.  Over the last three years, there has been a strong trend of improvement in attendance and a general reduction in the rate of fixed-term exclusions. 

Improved attendance, behaviour and engagement in learning have contributed significantly to the strong trend of improvement in all performance indicators at key stage 3 and key stage 4 over the last three years.

Since introducing the pupil curriculum leaders, many faculties, for example in humanities and physical education, have experienced an increase in the number of pupils opting for GCSE courses at the end of key stage 3. 

For the last three years, no pupil left the school without a recognised qualification.  At the end of Year 11, most pupils remain in full-time education.

Improvement Resource Type: Effective Practice

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Brief contextual information about provider/partnership:

Bridgend College is a further education college with approximately 2,600 full-time learners.  It employs around 600 staff.  In terms of full-time learners, the college is one of the smaller further education colleges in Wales.

Context and background to excellent/sector-leading practice:

The college serves a region with pockets of high social deprivation.  Eleven 11 of the 85 areas in Bridgend are in the 10% most deprived areas in Wales and the percentage of the county’s population over 16 years of age with a reported mental illness is higher than the average for Wales.  Economic inactivity rates are high and above the Welsh average.

Many learners have poor basic skills on entry, with 92% at Level 1 or below for numeracy and 71% at Level 1 or below for literacy.  In 2015-2016, over half of full time learners declared an additional learning need on enrolment at the college.

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

To meet the needs of the challenges facing many learners, the college has invested in a number of roles to support learners in a more holistic way, including wellbeing officers, learning coaches and skills coaches.  These key staff form a wellbeing and support team that is linked to curriculum areas and support learners in all aspects of their learning and wellbeing.  They provide or signpost learners to appropriate advice and guidance, on a range of issues such as counselling, community clinics and safeguarding issues, as well as supporting the progress of the learners.  In addition, they monitor and support student attendance, in partnership with curriculum teams.  The wellbeing and support team ensure that support is offered to learners at the earliest opportunity. 

In addition to staff support, the college has a comprehensive range of resources to help learners.   Specialist services available to all learners include dyslexia screening, irlen screening, sign language interpreters, visual impairment and sight loss services, as well as a disabled student allowance and assessment service.  A wide range of assistive technology is also available, such as magnification devices, dictaphones, spelling aids, communication aids, specialist input devices and literacy support software.  These services are offered to ensure that all students make suitable progress and have the opportunity to realise their full learning potential.  

The college has also established beneficial links with many external agencies to ensure the increasing proportion of students with mental health issues receive the best support.  For example, ARC (Assisting Recovery in the Community) hold regular support clinics at the college while other support is provided by groups such as the Samaritans, Young Adult Carers and Llamau housing support agency.  The college also has excellent links with organisations to help victims of domestic violence.

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

Over the last three years, results have consistently improved despite the relatively low starting points of many of the college’s learners.  During this time, the overall rate at which learners successfully complete their qualifications has risen from 77% to 85%.  This upward trend is consistent across nearly all learning areas.