Author Archives: derekeditor

Updated: 15 October 2024

Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

For the first time, Professional Learning resources have been centralised in one place on Hwb. The freshly categorised and classified resources are now readily searchable and accessible to all education practitioners across Wales via the professional learning area.

The professional learning area has been organised to help practitioners find the right resources to meet their professional learning needs, whatever those needs may be.

Within the area, practitioners will find a wide breadth of training, self-guided learning, case studies, guidance, and research on all aspects of professional learning.

These videos demonstrate how easy it now is to access Professional Learning resources on Hwb.

The resources cover 4 broad areas: curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; leadership and governance; well-being, equity and inclusion; and developing as a professional.

Practitioners can filter the resources within these categories or search for resources using keywords.

A practitioner working party was convened to assure quality during the process, and several other groups are still providing feedback. The PL area is a work in progress and feedback can be left by anyone accessing the page. Your feedback will help us improve it.

See this post in Welsh

Introducing Curriculum for Wales is a journey, not just for schools but for the wider education system as it adapts to support curriculum reform. Estyn’s evolving approach to inspection is an important example.

Ceri Richmond, Deputy Headteacher at Morriston Comprehensive School, is a Peer Inspector. She has recently had a week’s refresher training and is the perfect person to tell us more about how the approach to inspection is changing.

Firstly Ceri, why did you become a Peer Inspector?

I started in 2017 because as a senior leader with responsibility for self-evaluation and teaching and learning, I wanted to ensure that I could identify good practice. I wanted to be confident when observing lessons and mentoring departments in self-evaluation procedures. For me it’s about better teaching and learning, although I started by focussing on school self-evaluation.

What’s the essence of the role?

It’s important for Estyn to have practicing professionals in the team for balance and to bring that current perspective.  There are usually at least two peer inspectors in each team.  I appreciate the fact that we are full members of the inspection team with the same range of responsibilities.  On the other side, I have also appreciated that current perspective from the peer inspectors when my own school is under inspection.

Can you describe your recent training?

I really enjoyed it. We were a room of Peer Inspectors, mainly looking at teaching and learning, pastoral (e.g. skills and attendance) and team development. We looked at lots of examples of pupil work and were asked what we could glean.  Evidence gathering is always about triangulating and analysing how those work scrutinies would tie in with observations and pupil voice, for example. During an inspection we would share all our observations and notes from different inspection activities in a live document.  This means that all inspectors can collate and see the information pertinent to the area they have been allocated to report on.  It’s really good as refresher training if you’ve had a gap in inspections, and I can take a lot back to my own school.

As we move firmly into schools delivering the new Curriculum for Wales, I will be very interested to see how these activities and the focus of these activities will develop to take into account differences, for example in the way we use the principles of progression to measure progress and what we are now measuring in terms of progress, as we move to a purposes-driven curriculum, with a new but more equal emphasis on learner effectiveness as well as knowledge and skills.

How different are inspections under Curriculum for Wales?

The biggest improvement in the current framework is the removal of summative judgements. It means we look at both strengths and weaknesses. You can see the needs of a school, and they do come out in that final report, but the feedback is more balanced and far more constructive.

Leaner inspection arrangements are more focused on the most important areas that drive improvement. It’s also more based on the school’s own self-evaluation activity. In that way, we’re also assessing the strength of the school’s own ability to identify improvement.

Interestingly, in a recent House of Lords evidence session, it was said that the Inspectorate needs to respect the decisions taken at local level on curriculum, otherwise there is a risk that schools will try to please inspectors rather than serve the needs of the learners, which makes absolute sense in Wales!

So what style can schools expect from you?

The style has changed. It’s not big brother anymore, it’s working with the schools and it’s more supportive, although I do believe it will be some time before it feels this way by the school being inspected. The report is far more balanced and constructive.  Also, there is more regular contact and more frequent visits – engagement visits and thematic visits.  These are designed to focus on improvement processes to support stronger evaluations.

On balance it feels better, especially in a time when the curriculum is being introduced year by year in secondaries. We need to acknowledge the amount of change that’s involved and ensure that all tiers and departments within the sector talk to and communicate openly with each other.

Read this post in Welsh

A new research project, and a new resource, have been designed to support Talk Pedagogy.

Talk Pedagogy enables teachers to reflect on their professional identity in a safe pedagogical space. It enhances teacher agency and supports their capacities to navigate the uncertainty around curriculum design and delivery.

To understand how schools are changing their thinking around pedagogy and learning within Curriculum for Wales, a new research project is underway. Led by The Universities of Bangor, Wrexham and South Wales, supported by GwE, it will explore the extent to which thinking and practice is changing at a national level. Changes in values, beliefs and practices will be in focus.

Read this post in Welsh

Curriculum for Wales is a once in a generation opportunity to raise standards for all, close the attainment gap, and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride. Learner effectiveness is crucial in this and the Welsh Government now needs practitioners to help develop a programme for learners aged 14 to 16.

The work complements the 14 to 16 Learning guidance, currently out for consultation, which is focused on realising the ambition of Curriculum for Wales in years 10 and 11 by enabling all learners to raise their aspirations and achieve their full potential.

Schools face a number of significant barriers to achieving this vision; some young people struggle to attend school full-time; some are disengaged from their learning; and many lack the knowledge and skills they need to learn effectively.

As one of the mandatory Principles of Progression, increasing learner effectiveness is critical to unlocking learner progress within Curriculum for Wales and plays a central role in the proposed 14 to 16 guidance. When we teach young people how to learn more effectively, we can unleash their ability to learn, progress and achieve their full potential.

Read this post in Welsh

A consultation on how and what schools across Wales will teach 14 to 16 year olds from 2025 opens today, 28 February. It runs until 8 May 2024.

The consultation on ‘the 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement’ represents the next step in Curriculum for Wales implementation. As roll-out reaches year 10 from 2025, it looks at the wider learning and preparation learners need – alongside qualifications – as they look to take their next steps into education or employment.

Read this post in Welsh

The Curriculum for Wales framework guidance has been updated.

The January 2024 updates include:

• a new ‘Continuing the journey’ section to replace the ‘Journey to roll-out’ now that implementation is underway in all schools. It provides more concise and focussed expectations to support schools (including PRUs and those responsible for EOTAS in other settings) with the practical steps of designing, implementing and ongoing review of their curriculum. It has been developed by practitioners, informed by public consultation, and represents one of the first outputs from practitioners in the new National Network Policy Group
• corrections to issues with definitions and hyperlinks
• minor updates throughout following feedback to ensure correct and consistent terminology

The ‘last updated’ date at the bottom of each page will reveal whether a change has been made.

There will be a further addition to the Curriculum for Wales framework guidance in the summer to provide further support to schools developing their curriculum and qualifications offer for learners in years 10 and 11. The draft 14-16 Learning guidance section will be out for consultation shortly, so watch this space.

Read this post in Welsh

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. 

Read this post in Welsh

A consultation opened on 21 November, exploring options for changing the school calendar. Changes are aimed at enhancing learner and staff well-being and supporting teaching and learning, with breaks being spread out more evenly. The first change would create a two-week half term autumn break, reducing the summer break by one week. The amount of teaching days and holidays will not change.

In this podcast, Headteachers from primary, secondary and 3-19 schools discuss the potential impacts and implications for teaching staff, learners and parents. The discussion is chaired by Tegwen Ellis, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Education Leadership Wales (NAEL).

Listen on our channel through your chosen platform below:

Apple podcasts 

Spotify

Spreaker

Or for any mobile phone, use this ‘magic link’

The consultation ends on 12 February. It can be found here.

Read this post in Welsh

The new Curriculum for Wales Policy Group works to overcome challenges faced by practitioners like you as you implement Curriculum for Wales. It includes practitioners from different types of schools and settings all over Wales.

The group will meet about once a month and workshops will focus on:

• Co-development of policy
• Steering and promoting the National Network
• Review and update of Curriculum for Wales Framework guidance

Over time other colleagues will be able to join the group. If you are working in a school or setting that’s using Curriculum for Wales and have a passion for working with others to co-construct solutions, please complete the Expression of interest form for the reserve list.

Read this post in Welsh

The UK Government has recently published draft trans guidance for schools in England. It will not apply to schools in Wales.

Wales will have its own guidance, and Welsh Government is working closely with school leaders, practitioners and a wide range of stakeholders on its development. Draft guidance will be ready later in the Spring and there will be a full public consultation on its contents.

Providing appropriate national guidance to support trans children and young people in education was a commitment in the LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales, published in February 2023. The plan set out Welsh Government’s commitment to defend and promote the rights and dignity of trans and non-binary people.

Education leaders and practitioners have been clear that they need national guidance to support trans and non-binary children and young people to feel valued, included and safe in their education.