A caring school
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Information about the school
Ysgol Cybi opened in September 2017, following the closure of three schools, as a Voluntary Controlled Church in Wales school. The school is organised into two classes for each school year, except Years 2 and 6 which are organised into three classes. Nurture classes were established for 3 to 7-year-old pupils and 7 to 11-year-old pupils, which focused specifically on developing interpersonal, emotional and behavioural skills, in addition to a post-progress class targeting the basic skills of pupils in key stage 2. The percentage of pupils who are eligible for free school meals (27.5%) and the percentage of pupils with additional learning needs (35%) are significantly higher than the national average. Very few pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and very few also come from Welsh-speaking homes.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
There is a thorough knowledge and recognition of the challenges that prevent and/or disrupt the educational progress of the school’s pupils. In particular:
- Low attendance and/or punctuality.
- Measures of deprivation that are significantly above the national average.
- A significant number of looked after pupils.
- A significant number of young carers.
- A significant number of the school’s families are subject to social services and/or receive support from external welfare agencies.
- A high percentage of pupils are on the additional learning needs register and there is a significant cohort with needs that are considered to be profound.
There is also recognition of the importance of protecting, supporting and prioritising the well-being of each pupil, ensuring the development of their personal, social and emotional skills so that all pupils are ready to make sound progress in their learning.
Description of the nature of the strategy or activity
There is careful co-operation with the school’s key stakeholders to (i) develop and present a vision that prioritises well-being effectively (ii) establish a robust, reliable infrastructure that supports the well-being of all pupils (iii) encourage and support the aspiration to develop and improve continuously.
(i) A school vision that prioritises well-being
Opportunities are provided annually to consult with children, staff, parents and governors on the content of the school’s vision and the practical steps necessary to realise it.
Ysgol Cybi as …..
A caring school that prioritises health, well-being and safety.
- A school infrastructure and arrangements that prioritise the health, well-being and safety of pupils successfully and ensure that they are ready to learn.
- A school curriculum that integrates the pupils’ voice effectively with statutory expectations and requirements (e.g., ‘Health and Well-being’, ‘Relationship and Sexuality Education’).
- Rich school provision which successfully takes advantage of outdoor opportunities, local resources and expertise and opportunities beyond the traditional school timetable.
- A school infrastructure and arrangements that support and maintain the well-being of school staff successfully.
- A culture of investigation and inquiry resulting in continuous improvements to provision for pupils and staff.
(ii) A robust, reliable infrastructure that supports the well-being of all pupils
Detailed job descriptions with specific assigned responsibilities, including –
- A Deputy Headteacher responsible for aspects of well-being e.g., pupils, staff, families.
- A Nurture Group teacher who is mainly responsible for two nurture classes and the whole school ethos of nurturing.
- An Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator.
Effective continuity and consistency in the experiences of all pupils on arrival at school ensures that teaching staff have a good grasp of the well-being of individuals and appropriate opportunities to respond to any concerns. In particular –
- Welcoming pupils on a daily basis as they set foot on the school grounds.
- Good opportunities to share feelings at the beginning and end of the school day.
- Effective use of quiet areas in each class to promote self-regulation, reflection, sharing feelings. or holding specific interventions.
- Characteristics of effective nurturing in each class contribute successfully to a whole-school ethos e.g., the use of a visual timetable, strategies to promote positive behaviour, successful use of calming corners and resources.
Nurture classes for pupils aged 3-7 (Y Nyth) and pupils aged 7-11 (Yr Hafan) provide specialist and specific support for the needs of individuals and groups. The structure of provision ensures good opportunities for pupils to develop skills in a smaller group for up to half a day, with further opportunities for pupils to apply and reinforce back in their mainstream classes.
All members of staff have been trained effectively to use a calm, gentle and supportive approach when dealing with all pupils. The school’s staffing structure ensures that everyone is aware of whom to approach for support should the need arise. Specific members of staff have been upskilled to respond effectively to the specific needs of individuals and/or groups of pupils.
Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to contribute to the direction of their learning by supporting and promoting their voice in the thematic plans of classes and frequent opportunities to reflect, review and refine. Every reasonable opportunity is taken to promote children’s ownership of their experiences at school and to emphasise the value of enjoyment as children engage in their learning.
The well-being group for the school’s teaching staff is an important recent development that contributes successfully to spreading the caring ethos and the emphasis on well-being across the school. The group includes representation from the various functions of the school’s staffing structure and consults effectively with the senior management team on staff well-being issues.
(iii) An aspiration to develop and improve continuously
The senior management team makes effective use of the information available and has effective systems in place to access further information. Any significant new knowledge and understanding are used to drive developments in the nature of quality of provision, while still ensuring that it aligns with the school’s context and needs. In summary –
Step 1: Self-evaluation and reflection – including on any new developing areas.
Step 2: Training and research.
Step 3: Provision and monitoring – with the emphasis on the school’s context and needs.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
Pupil questionnaires and discussions with pupil groups support the view that…
- most are happy and in a good place to make sound progress in their learning.
- most feel that teaching staff listen to them and that they have a strong voice in driving the direction of their learning.
Most pupils who attend nurture groups make sound progress against the appropriate yardstick of Boxall assessments and many are able to apply the skills they have developed well in the context of mainstream classes.
The procedures that are in place to support pupils’ attendance and punctuality are inclusive and supportive. The procedures are used to target support for families alongside external agencies and this has fostered a close and productive relationship between the school and families who need support.
Nearly all teaching staff are trained to an appropriate level and fulfil their duties successfully. There is a reasonable balance in the style of most teaching staff between maintaining a sense of progression and consistency on the one hand and the need to respond to the specific needs of pupils and groups on the other.
The school’s staffing structure and the forums provided for teaching staff to participate in discussions about the well-being provision for pupils and themselves are effective. The recent development of the well-being group for teaching staff has grown into a successful advisory body, providing assurance that everyone’s voices are given good attention and has led to important changes.
There is a strong caring, nurturing ethos throughout the school which contributes very successfully to the willingness of nearly all pupils to engage in their learning and make good progress in line with their potential
How have you shared your good practice?
- Other schools in the county have been welcomed to visit the school.
- Close co-operation in the catchment area, including members of the county’s Additional Learning Needs Joint Committee.
- The Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator has delivered specific training sessions, including a variety of behavioural, emotional and social interventions both inside and outside the county.