Curriculum for Wales Plasyfelin

  Summary of the New Curriculum- Adopted by Plasyfelin Governors Reviewed September  2023

  This sets out what the New Curriculum will look like at Plasyfelin.

  Simple overview of what it all means!

Key elements

The new curriculum will include:

• 6 Areas of Learning and Experience from 3 to 16
• 3 cross curriculum responsibilities: literacy, numeracy and digital competence
• progression reference points at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16
• achievement outcomes which describe expected achievements at each progression reference point.

The curriculum will be organised into 6 Areas of Learning and Experience:

• Expressive arts
• Health and well-being
• Humanities (including RE which should remain compulsory to age 16)
• Languages, literacy and communication (including Welsh, which should remain compulsory to age 16, and modern foreign languages)
• Mathematics and numeracy
• Science and technology (including computer science).

At the heart of Plasyfelins Curriculum is the 4 core purposes -below this is explained:

This enables Plasyfelin learners to develop in the way described in the four purposes.

So what are they?

The Curriculum for Wales has been in progress of development over the last 4 years. Plasyfelin has involved all stakeholders in the development and readiness of the new curriculum. In both school halls have the ‘what matters statements’ displayed.

Each class area has the four core purposes displayed for all to see and use.

Parents have had leaflets explaining, explanation evenings and guidance to keep parents informed about the new curriculum.

Plasyfelin Curriculum design and the four purposes

The four purposes are the starting point and aspiration for Plasyfelin curriculum design. These can be seen in both school halls and pupils are regularly reminded of them and where they sit within them.

Ultimately, the aim of a school’s curriculum is to support its learners to become:

1. ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
2. enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
3. ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
4. healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society

All our children and young people will be supported to develop as:

Ambitious, Capable Learners who:

• set themselves high standards and seek and enjoy challenge
• are building up a body of knowledge and have the skills to connect and apply that knowledge in different contexts
• are questioning and enjoy solving problems
• can communicate effectively in different forms and settings, using both Welsh and English
• can explain the ideas and concepts they are learning about
• can use number effectively in different contexts
• understand how to interpret data and apply mathematical concepts
• use digital technologies creatively to communicate, find and analyse information
• undertake research and evaluate critically what they find

and are ready to learn throughout their lives

Enterprising, Creative Contributors who:

• connect and apply their knowledge and skills to create ideas and products
• think creatively to reframe and solve problems
• identify and grasp opportunities
• take measured risks
• lead and play different roles in teams effectively and responsibly
• express ideas and emotions through different media
• give of their energy and skills so that other people will benefit

and are ready to play a full part in life and work

Ethical, Informed Citizens who:

• find, evaluate and use evidence in forming views
• engage with contemporary issues based upon their knowledge and values
• understand and exercise their human and democratic responsibilities and rights
• understand and consider the impact of their actions when making choices and acting
• are knowledgeable about their culture, community, society and the world, now and in the past
• respect the needs and rights of others, as a member of a diverse society
• show their commitment to the sustainability of the planet

and are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world

Healthy, Confident Individuals who:

• have secure values and are establishing their spiritual and ethical beliefs
• are building their mental and emotional well-being by developing confidence, resilience and empathy
• apply knowledge about the impact of diet and exercise on physical and mental health in their daily lives
• know how to find the information and support to keep safe and well
• take part in physical activity
• take measured decisions about lifestyle and manage risk
• have the confidence to participate in performance
• form positive relationships based upon trust and mutual respect
• face and overcome challenge
• have the skills and knowledge to manage everyday life as independently as they can

and are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

There are requirements around assessments set out in the Education (Arrangements for Assessing in the Curriculum for Wales) Regulations 2022 and include:

Enables each learner to develop in the ways described in the four purposes as outlined above

• secures learning and teaching that offers appropriate progression for each learner

• is suitable for each learner’s age, ability and aptitude

• takes account of each learner’s additional learning needs (if any)

• secures broad and balanced learning and teaching for each learner

• for each learner encompasses the Areas, the mandatory curriculum elements of English and Welsh, the cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and digital competence, RSE (which must be suitable for a learner’s stage of development), and RVE

Assessment and Planning

Plasyfelin have uses INCERTs to track pupil’s progress and assessment. Staff from Spring 2022 use the Welsh version called Taith 360 which tracks progress of individual learners and allows teachers to plan through the system. INCERTs discontinues in September 2022 and we fully transition across at this point.

Assessment arrangements are through the National Tests which include Reading , Procedural Maths and Reasoning Maths, which are all electronic. These are reported to parents each year.

Base line assessment in Nursery/Reception classes.

In addition we use Salford Reading Scores and RWI to show progression of pupils. We also use White Rose and Abacus to assess Maths.

Pupils also have access to THRIVE and ELSA to track individual progress.

We track the journey of individual pupils through progression steps.

Progression Code – What does this mean for pupils at Plasyfelin

• provide for appropriate progression and accord with the principles of progression set out in the ‘Progression Code’ – which applies to all learning across all AoLEs.

• be suitable for learners of differing ages, abilities and aptitudes – is our curriculum appropriate for all our learners?

• be broad and balanced – does our curriculum cover a breadth of learning?

• encompass the concepts set out in the statements of what matters in the ‘Statements of What Matters Code’ – the detail of the statements of what matters must be included in schools’ curriculum

• provide for learning and teaching that encompasses each of the Areas of Learning and Experience

• include –

• Welsh

• Relationships and Sexuality Education (including the detail of the Relationships and Sexuality Code)

• Religion Values and Ethics (RVE) – schools must also consider the agreed syllabus adopted by their local authority – more detail on RVE can be found on Hwb

• The cross-curricular skills (literacy, numeracy and digital competence)

There are requirements around assessments set out in the Education (Arrangements for Assessing in the Curriculum for Wales) Regulations 2022 and include:

Longer term- Plasyfelin and governing body will keep the curriculum under review and revise it to make sure it continues to meet the legal requirements. The curriculum is individual to our school

There are other legislative requirements about learner choice and disapplication which you can find out more about on the Curriculum for Wales page on Hwb.

During the design of Plasyfelins Curriculum.

Well being is at the heart

We have consider the impact on learners’ mental health and emotional well-being. All areas of learning has built in mental health and emotional well being aspects relevant to that year group.

We have at Plasyfelin look to promote knowledge and understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) to those people who provide learning and teaching, so that they understand these conventions. This is evident across the school and comes into areas of teaching as the pupils progresses through Plasyfelin

Plasyfelin co-operates with St Martins cluster and Plasyfelin is often the base for workshops/Networking groups and cluster meets to promote the New Curriculum, settings, local authorities and institutions, if that helps them fulfil their duties under the Act.

As parents you can find more details -see the Curriculum for Wales page on Hwb.

As a school we have all been allocated lead roles and shadow roles within the school to become experts in that area as we approach September2022 and beyond.

The following grid show the leads in the areas and Governors are assigned an area to follow and be a part of.

Even though we have established Taith 360 as a tracking and planning tool and use the information from HWB and WG we still needed to establish how this would work for us.- Cornerstones is used as a resource and local curriculum enriches our pupils in the culture of Wales

Curriculum For Wales areas and

leaders/groups 2022 onwards Plasyfelin

Curriculum leads– Mrs Morgan and  Mrs Whelan ( Mr Jones overseeing)

Below are the Half Term overviews for2022/23- with one AoLE as a focus

Enrichment Experiences. At PlasyfelinPrimary School Primary we enhance the children’s learning experiences through a range of enrichment activities intended to engage all learners:

· Enterprise Weeks

 · Eco Day

 · Health & Fitness Week

 · Creative Week

 · Learning Detectives

 · Educational Visits including residential visits

 · A range of visitors

· Extra- curricular activities

· Opportunities to perform in front of an audience and with professionals

 · Specialist music/arts tuition

· Specialist sports/physical activities tuition

Not forgetting  all our groups of pupils who help shape and run Plasyfelin

School Council      Eco Council      New School Team     Sports Ambasadors   Team Captains     House Leaders    Criw Cymraeg   Digital Leaders 

 Well being Buddies

As a parent I would like to see how it looks in practice.

How an area will look for one part of the areas of learning and for part of  one term year 2

Firstly child centred learning- what would they like to find out? Blast the ideas-guide and direct the imagination.

Humanities – Topic Theme Houses and House Hold- local curriculum Caerphilly/Caerphilly Castle

History

The history of houses – what were the first houses like? When? How did people live – change over time.

Look at how houses changed with time – rooms, lighting, cooking, living conditions, sanitation,

Household inventions – electricity

Focus on :-Cave dwellings Where were the first homes?

Celtic Roundhouses– look at pictures of a roundhouse. Visit to Saint Ffagans roundhouse How did people see in the homes? How were they heated?

Medieval cottages– compare with early homes. How did people light their homes. What was it like to live in a medieval cottage?

Castle life  - Caerphilly Castle Visit to Caerphilly Castle. Look at the different parts of the castle. Who lived there and why? What different rooms did they have? What was it like to live there?

Tudor Houses—how did these compare to medieval homes? How were they the same ? How were they different?

 Victorian houses. How did  inventions make life easier for people? Common appliances etc like kettles, washing machines What did they use before?

Visit to St Ffagans to see change over time in the different houses.Rhyd Y Car etc comparing over the two hundred years.

Geography

How and why did settlements grow where they did? Why was the castle built where it was? Investigate physical features of the locality for answers. Rivers, mountains etc

How did people change their society as settlements developed? Shops, business factories. Look at old maps to see how things have changed. Talk about why?

Local Geography to Caerphilly-Why the Castle is there?

R.E.

In our locality look at the number of different churches and chapels. How beliefs have changed through the ages – cave man and Celtic worship. The role of the church in Tudor times – tithes and fines for non attendance

• • Visit to St Martins Church and local chaple- visitors in 707 club/Mount Carmel

Health and Well-Being

Read stories from other cultures and discuss the moral issues of right and wrong within the stories

How can we keep clean link to sanitation development over time in homes. Inventions and developments through time—toilets, flowing water? How did this change over time. The importance of keeping clean—handwashing routines etc, link to Covid personal hygiene

Keeping healthy—what do we need to do?

                                   Literacy

Oracy

Acting out different traditional tales.

Assuming roles in a variety of situations role play and hot seating

Speaking to an audience about their research

Giving opinions

Reading

Traditional tales—Three little pigs and different versions of other tales

Fairy Tales

RWI

Comprehensions

Writing

Alternative endings to traditional tales

Characterisation—write character descriptions, aspects of different characters, comparing characters

Story settings—writing the first paragraph to set the scene. Hook the reader Write different versions of traditional tales

Write diary accounts of living in the different types of homes—as a servant, a stone age hunter etc

Writing guidebooks of Caerphilly Castle

Factual accounts of life in different houses

Welsh—Asking and answering questions—role play

Pupil ideas

Expressive Arts

Art- Paintings and collages in the style of Martyn Evans Valleys Art  Local artist Second half term. Paint and draw in his style showing the terraced houses in the valleys.

Cave Paintings look at evidence found in Spain. How did caveman paint on the walls. Where did he get the paint and tools?

Celtic patterns – link to St Dwynwens day. Look at the symmetry of Celtic patterns. Design your own

Make replica Celtic Jewellery

Observational drawing of replica medieval artefacts—what are they made of?  what are they used for? Who might have used it?

Observational drawings of the castle  Paint in the style of Susie Grindey

Music: Medieval  music. Listen to and learn simple dance Horse brawl

Samba Music Upbeat

Science/Technology

ICT:

Purple Mash—design guidebooks for a historic building ie Caerphilly Castle. Estate agents—adverts. Design and make adverts .Paint packages—design and draw a house of the future. Book Creator—traditional tales in their own words. Green screen— life as a servant etc in one of the households

DT

Build models of different houses or historic buildings  - castles, Tudor housesDesign, make and evaluate a piece of Celtic or Roman jewellery using different materials including clay, fabric, bead

Science Modern household inventions

Development of electricity— make simple circuits

How houses have changed– building materials and their properties

Properties of different materials in the home

Maths

Using census returns, analysing data . Patterns- numeracy running through.

From the over view and pupil voice, how this will start to look from and within TAITH 360 as a teachers plan. Example below