How the school uses the wider outdoor environment and community (Cynefin) to enhance pupils’ learning experience
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Information about the school
Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi VA opened in September 2018. Located across three campuses, the school serves a predominantly rural community. The school has a strongly inclusive ethos reflected in its motto “do the little things”. There are currently 622 pupils on roll, 191 in the primary phase and 431 in the secondary phase. Around 11% of pupils are eligible for free school meals and 24% are identified as having an additional learning need.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park serves the school with a unique natural learning environment with each campus having its own environment and community. Prior to opening, the interim governing body held a series of community stakeholder meetings establishing a working party to develop the outdoor learning environments. It has established strong community links where pupils regularly interact with local artists, community groups, farm businesses, and public services to extend their learning experiences. As members of the All Age Schools Forum, staff travelled to Sweden and Iceland to research outdoor learning initiatives. The post-14 curriculum offer includes courses in Hospitality and Catering, Agriculture, Engineering and Childcare in order to respond to local employment needs. The Cathedral provides a unique resource for learning about history, culture, religion and community with clergy contributing to the development of music and Christian values.
Description of the nature of the strategy or activity
Cynefin is used as a vehicle to drive learning. For example, funding from ‘Learning through Landscapes’, facilitated professional learning and acquisition of key resources for den building, fire lighting equipment and an orienteering course. Staff research resulted in learning strategies having authentic commissions. Pupils’ development of skills is associated with real life contexts linked to the four purposes. Learning has focused on local and national themes with pupils:
- Being commissioned as content creators to research and create Olympic websites, for example when interviewing and writing about ex-pupil Jasmine Joyce, an Olympic and Welsh International rugby player.
- Becoming event managers for an Olympic event at Whitesands Beach. Pupils were trained by the Royal Signals regiment based at Brawdy.
- Creating theatre production teams to launch, market, cost, produce and perform the Lion King and raising £3000 for Ukrainian pupils at the school.
- Staging numerous exhibitions at Oriel y Parc, (tourist information centre), including art exhibitions and ‘What makes Wales Wonderful’ 2022.
- Working on sustainability, biodiversity and zero input farming which involved workshops with Car Y Môr, (the first commercial seaweed and shellfish farm in Wales) and visits to Ramsey Island with RSPB.
- Completing projects with Pembrokeshire Coastal forum, Darwin Science and Dŵr Cymru on Climate Change and coastal pollution.
Pupils regularly visit Erw Dewi (a local sustainable community garden) and Lower Treginnis, Farms for City Children, to help grow, weigh and bag produce which is sold in aid of the local food bank. Learning has involved design of a natural playground, ‘bio blitzes’ and learning about life processes.
Pupils utilise community resources during ‘Thrilling Thursday’. This includes setting up pop-up shops to sell items made in school. There are ‘litter free zones’ in association with Caru Cymru (Keep Wales Tidy) and pupils participate in regular community litter picks as ethically informed citizens.
The school community has strong global links. A ‘virtual walk’ to Lesotho in July 2022 and a ‘North Peninsula Big Switch Off’ preceded a visit to a partner school in Lesotho, to collaborate and drive learning on sustainable development goals and pupil wellbeing. Pupils from the school participated in an exchange with pupils from Wexford to learn about the shared heritage, pilgrimage and culture.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
These learning experiences are generally cost neutral and therefore inclusive. Cynefin has acted as a vehicle to inspire and improve attitudes to learning. These activities have provided an engaging platform for developing the four purposes and pupils’ skills. Where ‘Cynefin’ or outdoor learning is embedded, planning for learning is sound and facilitates strong progress, the quality of teaching is consistently high and over time, most pupils make strong progress in their learning. Imaginative use of the ‘Cynefin’ enables pupils to learn in authentic contexts. Leaders plan the curriculum strategically for older pupils to study a wide range of suitable qualifications that makes worthwhile use of the local area, its resources and employers.