Professional dialogue and enquiry are crucial in helping to develop our understanding of pedagogy in the context of Curriculum for Wales. Across Wales, collaborative networks and professional learning programmes have been developed by education partners to give all school leaders and teachers opportunities to develop in this important area. See what each area is offering below, and if you haven’t seen it yet, please take a look at the reflecting on the 12 pedagogical principles resource as a useful start point.
EAS
Pedagogy is a golden thread across all EAS networks. Practitioners can click on the relevant TEAM link to find opportunities to join in: Teaching assistants, NQT, Teachers, Deputy Heads, Head Teachers.
In spring and summer 2024 we will be piloting a new programme ‘Supporting learner Progress’. Over three days teachers will observe live practice (in two different schools), engage with research and identify an area for development that will support learner progression. They will then be supported to turn research into action in the classroom. Click here for more information and to book a place.
What else is on offer and where can you find it? Contact Daniel Davies, Pedagogy Lead at EAS (daniel.davies@sewaleseas.org.uk ), or visit our ‘Supporting our school’ website where you will find our Professional Learning Offer.
CSC
Support for subject specific and signature pedagogies is integrated into a cohesive and comprehensive offer at CSC. Cathryn Billington-Richards (Cathryn.Billington-Richards@cscjes.org.uk ) and Kathryn Lewis (Kathryn.A.Lewis@cscjes.org.uk ) have embedded professional learning for pedagogy and teaching within all aspects of their work. See their overview of all professional learning opportunities here .
Professional learning opportunities related to specific aspects of teaching and learning are available here:
- leading learning and improving teaching for those with leadership responsibilities;
- exploring approaches to ensuring high challenge for all ;
- exploring effective formative assessment ;
- exploring learner effectiveness and learner independence
The following supportive materials are also available:
- CSC Enabling Equity and Excellence document
- An introduction to cognitive science and how it is applied to teaching
- Resources to develop mathematics pedagogy (teaching)
- Pedagogy to enhance curriculum design in International Languages
Our bespoke support for all areas of teaching and assessment, can be reached through your Improvement Partner or email support@cscjes.org.uk.
GWE
GWE, through Tracey Jones, are strengthening existing years 3 through to 8 networks and secondary teaching and learning networks by developing an 8-11 network. This will be focused on exploring pedagogy within a process orientated curriculum and the principles of progression. To date, 20 new schools from across the region have engaged with the 8-11 network and we will be looking to grow this over the next year. The main focus of the network is to develop understanding of research-informed strategies to use at the appropriate stage in learning.
Some of the feedback has included comments such as:
‘Learnt more on how to apply pedagogical principles to progression of pupils’
‘Really clear info on pedagogical principles and research-based improvement ideas. Practical ideas to take back to school for management and class teachers’
‘Sut mae’r 12 egwyddor addysgegol yn llywio’r cynllunio. Sut i adnabod y dysgu blaenorol’
Our networking event is in Venue Cymru, Llandudno on June 6th 2024.
Contact Tracy Jones, Pedagogy Lead at GWE if you have queries (tracyjones@gwegogledd.cymru).
Partneriaeth
At Partneriaeth, Pedagogy Leads Jenna Gravelle (Jenna.Gravelle@partneriaeth.cymru ) and Anthony Jones place pedagogy and excellent teaching and learning at the centre of a successful curriculum and have developed their ‘Teach for Purpose’ programme. The programme has been designed with input from practitioners and leaders from across the region to give teachers a high-level understanding of what effective teaching can achieve. In short it has been designed by teachers for teachers.
The programme aims to address some of the key areas in teaching that prohibit our learners from making rapid progress. As a result ‘Teach for Purpose’ is structured into five sessions:
1. Challenge and Pace for all
2. Questioning
3. Retrieval Practice
4. Independent and Collaborative Learning
5. Effective Feedback
The sessions facilitate professional conversation and enable teachers to discuss and develop their thinking by critically reflecting on their practices. Teachers attending the sessions have found the renewed and dedicated pedagogical focus of the sessions to be very worthwhile, with many teachers subsequently leading their own ‘Teach for Purpose’ sessions within their schools and settings.
More information can be found here.
Mid Wales Education Partners
We hold termly AoLE Networks for practitioners across the 3-16 continuum. They are a professional learning community for all staff, providing a hybrid approach to collaboration. Practitioners share thinking and practice, discussing approaches to pedagogy, progression and assessment. The networks facilitate professional dialogue, strengthen thinking and help develop a shared understanding built upon research-informed practices. This year, pedagogy is a ‘golden thread’ and focus for all network meetings.
These face-to-face events have been a great success with a range of schools across the partnership, sharing their approaches to pedagogy, stimulating rich and enthusiastic discussions amongst practitioners. Comments include:
“Will use the great resources shared today as tools to develop teaching and learning across my school and support teachers with their planning”
“Will feed back to colleagues and improving my own teaching… Lots of interesting ideas!!”
“Solidifying the progression of skills/experiences from 3-11. Not being afraid to do tasks again, but increasing the level of challenge/independence/understanding as the pupils progress through the Primary Sector”
Find out more about our networks and other professional learning opportunities to support and develop pedagogy. Contact Chris Davies (christopher.davies2@powys.gov.uk) or Rhianydd James (rhianydd.james@ceredigion.gov.uk).
National Academy for Education Leadership Wales (NAEL)
Working closely with Welsh Government, Regional Consortia and Partnerships, Ceri Richmond (RichmondC8@Hwbcymru.net ) from the NAEL has been developing a pedagogy resource to engage leaders in critical conversations. Professional dialogue is at the heart of being a learning organisation as it supports the process of thinking together. The resource challenges deeper thinking in relation to vision, the four purposes, pedagogy and progression and professional learning. It builds on these reflective and evaluative conversations and challenges leaders to consider next steps such as stimulating professional enquiry or developing professional learning opportunities as part of improvement activity.
The resource itself comprises an accessible and mobile-friendly website, and currently a series of leadership events are taking place to explore it. You can still sign up here : Talk Pedagogy: Think Leadership: A Critical Conversation – National Leadership Wales (nael.cymru)
Following these events the resource will be made available to all through Hwb and the Leadership Academy.
Arts Council for Wales
Colleagues at the Arts Council for Wales are working with ‘Talk Pedagogy’ to develop opportunities to Talk Pedagogy in relation to creative, authentic learning experiences and actively support creative leadership.
Professional learning opportunities have been made available through the Creative Leadership Programme and the fully-funded Lead Creative Schools scheme.
The Creative Leadership Programme brings leaders together to reflect and explore new, innovative ways of working whilst also developing an understanding of the importance of creativity in Curriculum for Wales and the implications for pedagogy. Leaders can find out more here and apply to be part of the programme (Closing date February 20th, 2024).
The Lead Creative School scheme – now closed for applications – takes an enquiry-led approach to co-construct learning experiences that are founded in the 12 pedagogical principles and are framed by the Creative Habits of Mind. This involves the exciting opportunity to work with a Creative Agent who will challenge thinking and promote creative approaches.
In a future Talk Pedagogy update we will explain how to access resources from these programmes in the Hwb repository. In the meantime, find out more from our pedagogy colleagues at the Arts Council – karen.dellarmi@arts.wales or sian.james@arts.wales
Stay in Touch…
As a team of Middle Tier Pedagogy Leads we are keen to support the continued work of Talk Pedagogy collaboratively. Each region has a comprehensive range of opportunities and you can find out more from the links in this blog or by contacting your regional Pedagogy Lead. If you are interested in activity outside of your region then please contact the relevant Pedagogy Lead and they will be willing to support you if they can. Programme and event priority will be given to schools from within region in the first instance, but remaining places may be allocated to practitioners from other regions on a first come first served basis in some circumstances.