The effect of leadership methods on the design of a masterful and innovative curriculum at Ysgol Gymraeg Bryn y Môr
Quick links:
Information about the school
Ysgol Bryn y Môr is a Welsh-medium primary school in Swansea city centre. The school was established in 1976. There are 293 pupils on roll from 3 to 11 years old. Five point five per cent (5.5%) of pupils are eligible for free school meals and 3.4% of pupils are on the additional learning needs register.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
As a result of the Covid emergency and a change in leadership, very little engagement and preparation for moving towards Curriculum for Wales had taken place at the school. The headteacher, through her dedication and engagement, and her skilful and collaborative leadership methods, has now set a purposeful direction and a strategic scaffold for all of the school’s stakeholders. She has supported the teachers to gain a comprehensive understanding of all elements of the curriculum, to overcome challenges and has driven innovative changes to the design of the curriculum in a short period of time.
Description of the nature of the strategy or activity
Developing leadership across the school as part of the curriculum design process.
When starting the process of moving to a new curriculum, it was necessary to ensure that the ethos and attitudes of all of the school’s staff were ready to embrace change. This part of the process was extremely important. Training was given to all members of staff to understand and develop positive attitudes to change. Different change management models were used, such as the Kulber Ross change curve.
A strong focus was placed on developing the skills and knowledge of the senior leadership team. Their understanding of what is meant by ‘leadership’ was developed, in addition to their knowledge of Curriculum for Wales. Resources/training from different sources were used, along with guest speakers to present the attributes and responsibilities of an effective leader.
As part of performance management and in setting the school’s strategic priorities, the responsibilities of senior and middle leaders were re-structured to focus on the requirements of national priorities and the curriculum. Teams of middle leaders were formed within the school, including the well-being team, additional learning needs and curriculum.
Time was invested in ensuring that staff at all levels understand the requirements of Curriculum for Wales through professional reading work, research and working with experts. There was no rush to, nor an attempt to put curriculum structures in place to soon but, instead, there was a focus on developing the staff’s understanding of the curriculum design process and the importance of asking questions such as ‘What?’, ‘Why?’, ‘What learning?’ and ‘How?’ as an integral part of the process.
Now, when starting to plan a new unit of learning, the school’s staff set a clear rationale for the ‘purpose’ and the ‘why’. When evaluating units of learning, staff often speak confidently about what worked or what they could improve and are willing to learn from mistakes, re-visit and re-draft plans and are even willing to start afresh. Staff were trusted and given time to experiment following research.
Knowledge from this research was used to set statements and learning pathways for our units of learning. Staff have established an ethos of a school that learns consistently over time.
Networks were formed across the cluster for leaders of areas of learning and experience to encourage middle leaders to take responsibility, to upskill and develop ownership of the content of the curriculum. For example, leaders identified the essence of the learning from the statements of what matters and then created a continuum for this learning from 3 to 16 based on the principles of progression.
Current arrangements for the school’s curriculum design
Through the work of the school’s leaders, curriculum design includes:
- units of learning (or medium-term plans) that reflect the requirements of Curriculum for Wales in full in a completely new format that is unique to the school. They include a rationale for the unit of learning that reflects clearly the expectations of the four purposes, an overview of core learning, learning that develops holistic skills and progress in learning for the areas of learning and experience.
- the design of a long-term plan which ensures that the concept of schema is part of it. This plan ensures progress by linking units of learning with each and opportunities for pupils to build on previous learning and experiences. Long-term planning also ensures a balance between the areas of learning and experience.
- visual symbols for the holistic skills for pupils to identify and understand the skills and their relationship with the four purposes.
- the pupil’s voice is part of all units of learning so that pupils also feel that they have ownership of their learning.
- the process of choosing assessment methods that will ‘capture the learning’ before planning experiences and activities.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
- The curriculum has engaged pupils’ curiosity, pride and enjoyment and they engage fully with their learning.
- Pupils also express their opinion about what they would like to learn and how they would like to present their work. They are proud of their input into the units of learning and speak with a strong understanding of what they have achieved and the progress they have made.
- As a result, the standards of most of the school’s pupils are very good in most areas of the curriculum.