The way in which the school ignites a sense of belonging to the school and how this influences the high levels of well-being and attendance.
Quick links:
Background
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd is a Welsh-medium school in Bridgend local authority. There are around 683 pupils on roll, of which around 118 are in the sixth form. Almost 16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is lower than the national average of 20.2%. Around 30% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes.
Strategy
In responding to pupils’ pastoral needs and lower levels of attendance following COVID, the school set out to expand its well-being and inclusion provision to reduce the possible barriers to pupils having full access to their education. A dedicated Inclusion and Well-being team was created under the care of members of the senior leadership team. There were discussions with various stakeholders to strengthen the vision of the school and the cluster. In these discussions, the ethos of ‘Tîm Llan’ (‘Team Llan’) and ‘Teulu Llan’ (‘The Llan Family’) was built upon to ensure that all members of the Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd community felt comfortable attending. The aspiration was to ensure that everyone understood their roles and responsibilities to confirm the sense of belonging to the school by focusing on well-being.
What the school did
An Inclusion and Well-being Team was established with specific responsibilities, working together at all levels, such as additional learning needs (ALN), teaching and learning, safeguarding and well-being. Regular meetings and appropriate training were organised for each members of the team to be able to support the specific needs of pupils/groups of pupils and, to ensure consistency, guidelines for a graduated response were agreed.
The school invested in software to create compatible systems to share relevant information. Rigorous training was organised so that all members of staff have access to a comprehensive overview of each pupil and have up-to-date strategies to respond to their needs.
When planning, creating and providing pastoral morning sessions (assemblies, ‘Lles Llun’ and ‘Codi Llais’) with their tutors, all pupils were encouraged to reflect on their sense of belonging and discuss their experiences and feelings at the school and within the local community. To respond to the feedback and the growing needs of pupils, it was agreed, with the support of the governors, to create ‘Llannerch’, namely an area that ensures a safe place for pupils to discuss any concerns they have either inside or outside the school with specific members of staff. ‘Llannerch’ allows pupils to receive various interventions (e.g., mentoring, ELSA, an emotional well-being and mental health support programme, literacy and numeracy, and emotional support). The area is also used effectively when re-introducing anxious pupils to the school, providing an adapted curriculum temporarily to settle them back into the full life of the school.
In response to a national problem of low attendance as a result of COVID, the role of the Assistant Headteacher, Inclusion and Well-being was developed and a Senior Specialist Support Officer was appointed to work with the county’s Education Welfare Officer on a weekly basis. They implement a rigorous tracking system across the school so that any concerns can be identified at an early stage and responded to immediately (for example through face-to-face contact/phone calls with parents; referrals to social services; implementing a temporary alternative curriculum; mentoring and counselling referrals; discussions in services and a long-term alternative curriculum – EOTAS/apprenticeships).
All members of ‘Team Llan’ are aware of the systems and confident in their use and role in contributing to supporting everyone across the school. This also means that suitable support in lessons and interventions supports each individual to attend school so that they have full access to their education.
The tracking and regular communication, through individual progress plans and attendance data, ensure that the school is aware immediately of any obstacles or needs, including some pupils from the cluster’s primary schools. As a result of the strategies and with the willingness of pupils and parents to work with the school and the county’s Education Welfare Officer, attendance levels have increased by ensuring that everyone follows the right curriculum for their needs across all key stages.
Effect
The various strategies for pupils and the focus on supporting the well-being of staff (SLT contact and the input of an incentive company) means that all individuals at the school feels like their voice is heard. This has fostered a sense of belonging to ‘Team Llan’ among pupils, staff, parents, governors, the cluster and external agencies. As a result of all of these strategies, attendance levels have increased significantly, although, in line with many schools in Wales, they are not yet as good as they were before the pandemic.