How Ysgol Pont y Gof, in response to the community’s aspirations, plans learning experiences to reflect the nature, context and economy of the local area to encourage pupils to become full members of their community and succeed locally.
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Information about the school
Ysgol Pont y Gof is situated on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd local authority. It is a rural area where the community is important to all the school’s stakeholders.
There are 83 pupils on roll, with 12 nursery children. Seventy-seven point five per cent (77.5%) of the school’s pupils speak Welsh at home, 1.5% speak Welsh and English and 21% speak English.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
The work began in response to the challenge of creating, delivering and designing our new curriculum for the school, which responds to the principles and requirements of Curriculum for Wales. When creating the school’s vision, all the school’s stakeholders were given an opportunity to be part of it.
While delivering at Ysgol Pont y Gof, it became clear that providing a rich range of experiences based on the features of the local area is of the utmost importance to develop each child fully and give them the skills to be a valuable part of their community and to succeed locally.
Description of the nature of the strategy or activity
Seeking the views of stakeholders
In order to design our curriculum and devise our principles, we needed the input and views of all stakeholders who know the school, the community and the area well e.g. parents, pupils, governors, former governors, staff and members of the community. They were asked:
‘What do they believe is important for the children of Ysgol Pont y Gof to know, learn and experience?’
Analysing and using the views of stakeholders purposefully
A small group of governors was formed to analyse the questionnaires and summarise the responses that were identified as being important to us as a school.
- That the school is part of the community and that they are taught to appreciate their local area.
- That pupils are taught to be valuable members of their communities wherever they live.
- That pupils show pride in the local area.
- Raise awareness of farming and agriculture among pupils and being part of the rural community and continuing to keep old rural traditions going e.g. young farmers and that pupils are involved in local stories.
- That pupils are an integral part of the Welsh-speaking community and show pride in the Welsh language and culture.
- Enterprise and giving pupils experiences of working with local businesses and showing them a route at a young age on how to succeed locally.
Planning our curriculum
Incorporating the important principles and aspects raised by stakeholders who are an integral part of the school’s curriculum is essential. To achieve this successfully, staff were asked to work together closely to plan activities by using the principles that are important to the school. Incorporating this to meet the requirements of the four purposes and the six areas of learning and experience was also important and doing so in an interesting and contemporary manner to develop a wellrounded child.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
As this work has been embedded successfully within the school, the school’s curriculum ensures that…
- High quality, deep experiences are delivered, which will guide pupils to make their own way in the future and give them an opportunity to succeed locally.
- Pupils develop the knowledge and skills they will need to move through life and to succeed in being happy, proud, confidence and independent individuals whatever their path in life, including locally.
- Teachers are passionate about encouraging pupils to be part of the community and learn about the economy of the rural community to develop the skills needed to succeed locally.
- Pupils acquire secure skills to be creative and willing to take risks, identifying opportunities to succeed locally through enterprise activities and creative projects. Pupils are given opportunities in the ‘Cwt Seiri’r Gof’ to develop the woodworking skills they need to use craft to succeed locally.
- Through the ‘Gorau Glas’ project, which teaches essential skills to succeed and improve e.g. co-operation, trying new things, perseverance, concentration, curiosity, improving their work, enjoying learning, creativity etc, pupils are given an opportunity to meet people from the community who have been successful to raise pupils’ awareness of the skills they need to succeed locally.
The valuable opportunities that pupils are given to work closely with members of the community to raise pupils’ awareness of the ability and opportunities available locally are vital. Hopefully, this will take root in them and attract them to want to stay locally within our community and to do so successfully. Through this, we can ensure the future of our community and the Welsh language.
How have you shared your good practice?
- The practice was shared with the governing body through presentations.
- The school has shared the model and strategy with the regional consortium.
- By sharing the work pupils have been doing with the community and on social media.
- By sharing the practice with schools that visit the school.