Creating a strategic direction for school improvement By Rachel Morris Section A Develop an ‘Area of Learning’ (AoLE) from the New Curriculum (Donaldson, 2015). In order to complete this element of the assignment, the researcher will outline the need for education reform in Wales, define the new curriculum as identified in review completed by Professor Graham Donaldson ‘Successful Futures’ (Donaldson, 2015), and analyse the ‘Health and Well-being Area of Learning and Experience’ (AoLE) using the Draft Curriculum for Wales 2022 (April 2019). Following the curriculum discussion, the researcher will introduce and explain the five year Strategic Plan. Historically, Wales’ curriculum along with others in the United Kingdom followed the thinking of the time including, the subject centred ‘National Curriculum’ in 1988. Children were ‘exposed to nationally specified knowledge and skills, establishing common educational aims from across Wales, which facilitated mobility between stages and schools; delivering a broad and balanced education for all and allowed the performance of schools to be assessed and compared’ Donaldson (2015). However the 1988 National Curriculum did not reflect the changing world that we live in, including the development and expansion of the World Wide Web and the rapid advances in technology which have altered the way the world lives, learns and works. In 2008 the Welsh Government introduced a revised ‘National Curriculum for Wales’. This new curriculum would include provision for the Foundation Phase for 3-7 year olds in the form of a ‘Framework for Children’s Learning’ which would consist of areas of learning and desirable outcomes. In order to address the ever changing technological world and develop excellent literacy, numeracy and thinking skills a ‘Non-statutory Skills framework for 3-19 year olds (Welsh Assembly Government, 2008) was implemented alongside the 2008 curriculum in order to weave these skills through the different subjects. However following a review in 2011 and 2012 of Key Stages 2 and 3 the ‘Non- statutory Skills framework was not deemed effective and would be replaced by the ‘National Literacy and Numeracy Framework’ (Welsh Assembly Government 2013). Despite these reforms Wales was showing lower than average performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) surveys, resulting in the Welsh Government inviting the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) to review the current school system. As a result of the subsequent report ‘Improving Schools in Wales; An OECD Perspective (2014) Donaldson was asked by the Welsh Government to conduct a review of the Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales throughout the education system from Foundation Phase through to Key Stage 4.The Welsh Government wanted to create a new curriculum that would fit the needs of children and young people in Wales, building on the good practice already taken place. Donaldson and his review team held meetings with teachers, headteachers, school managers, staff and professionals. They visited around 60 schools across Wales including: nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools and other settings such as pupil referral units. The team talked to all stakeholders such as the children, parents and carers, local businesses and community groups. In addition they looked at Estyn Reports, Welsh Government policies and other reports. During this review Donaldson was informed of many positive things happening within the current Welsh education system such as: the introduction of the Foundation phase, The LNF, Routes for learning, the Welsh Baccalaureate and commitment to the Welsh language and bilingualism. However dialogue from teachers, informed the review that they would like more power to make decisions about how and what to teach within the curriculum. In addition the current assessments did little to support children’s learning. Children informed Donaldson and his review team that the current curriculum was already technogically and digitally out-of-date. In addition children wanted increased focus on a variety of skills such as those required in life, at work, a curriculum that developed personal confidence and supported health and well-being whereby lessons were fun, interesting and not just to ensure that they passed assessments or gained qualifications. In conclusion to the review, Donaldson wrote the Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales by Professor Graham Donaldson CB (2015) which outlines the new curriculum for Wales 2022. Donaldson suggests that the curriculum should have ‘four purposes’ and that these should be central to all teaching and learning in Wales. The ‘four purposes’ would mean all children and young people will be: • Ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives. • Ethical informed citizens who are ready to citizens of Wales and the World. • Enterprising, creative contributors who are ready to play a full part in life and work. • Healthy, confident individuals who are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society. In the report Donaldson suggests there should be six ‘Areas of Learning and Experience’ (AoLE) and each of these (AoLE) will contribute to the ‘four purposes’ in many different ways from the age of 3 through to 16. The six ‘Areas of Learning and Experience will be; • Expressive Arts • Health and Well-being • Humanities • Languages, Literacy and Communication • Mathematics and Numeracy • Science and Technology The development of the six AoLE ensure a broad educational experience and will include opportunities to develop ‘wider skills’ such as; critical thinking, planning and organising, creativity and innovation and personal effectiveness. The report also suggests that ‘literacy, numeracy and digital competence should be the responsibility of all teachers and they should be developed and strengthened across the whole curriculum.’ (Donaldson) 2015 The 2022 Curriculum would be divided into phases rather than key stages so that it will be a continuous learning experience, building on learning and experiences progressively as children mature and grow. These stages will be ‘Progression Steps’ which include a range of ‘Achievement Outcomes.’ The Progression Steps would be set out at 5 points through the curriculum at the ages of 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16. Children will progress through these steps on a personal route and different rates. These ‘Progression Steps’ will be identified in each of the ‘Areas of Learning and Experience’ and will be worded from the child’s view point using ‘I have …and I can …’ for experiences and outcomes respectively. Welsh in the curriculum will have greater focus on children’s ability to speak the language confidently and with understanding in everyday situations with everyone learning Welsh up to the age of 16 in order to increase its role in the workplace. The new curriculum will require teachers’ professional skill and judgement to select an appropriate teaching method. Donaldson suggests teaching and learning that focuses on; • The purposes of the curriculum • Challenging children and young people to be the best they can be • Giving opportunities for problem solving, creativity and critical thinking • Setting tasks and resources that build on knowledge and skills • Creating real-life opportunities for learning • Encouraging children to responsibility for their learning. Assessment within the new curriculum should be a simpler procedure with emphasis being placed on assessment to support learning and children being involved in assessment in order to encourage them to take responsibility for their own learning. The assessments taking place should reflect the curriculum and Donaldson recommends the Welsh Government develop an assessment and evaluation framework. This framework for assessment will be available from January 2020 when the ‘New Curriculum’ is finalised. The 2022 ‘New Curriculum’ will have implications for all the stakeholders especially teachers and school leaders. Schools will be heavily involved in shaping the curriculum to suit the needs of their school and community which is also interesting and challenging, as well as those goals and aspirations on a national level. Professional development and training will be vital to ensure the curriculum can be implemented and delivered. Training will be required in such areas as Welsh, health and well-being and digital competency. Schools will need to ensure opportunities are given to parents and carers to engage in their child’s learning. The Health and Well-being AoLE is described in the Draft Curriculum for Wales 2022 (Welsh Government) 2019 as being ‘about the physical, psychological, emotional and social aspects of our lives.’ Health and well-being is recognised as being an enabler of successful learning. The AoLE aims to develop children’s ability to maintain their physical health and well-being, mental health and emotional well-being and develop positive relationships with others. In addition learners will develop the ability to make decisions about their health and have an awareness of social influences which may impact on values and behaviours. This AoLE will support the ‘four purposes’ Donaldson (2015). In terms of the ‘four purposes’ children will: • Become ‘ambitious, capable learners’ through the development of social and team-working skills provided through physical activity opportunities, as well as supporting their decision-making and development of values and identity. • Develop as ‘enterprising, creative contributors’ with the opportunities challenging emotions and relationships. • Become ‘’ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the World’ having been given opportunities to make positive choices and how these choices affect their own and others’ health and well-being and engaging with others different social situations. • Develop the skills to become ‘healthy, confident individuals’ by learning about healthy diet, physical activity and substance misuse, as well as learning resilience, self-regulation and how to seek support in order to develop safe and healthy relationships. The Health and Well-being AoLE is divided into five ‘What Matters’ statements; 1. Developing physical health and well-being has lifelong benefits. 2. How we process and respond to our experiences affects our mental health and emotional well-being. 3. Healthy relationships are fundamental to our sense of belonging and well-being. 4. Our decision-making impacts on the quality of our lives and the lives of others. 5. How we engage with different social influences shapes who we are and our health and well-being. These five ‘What Matters’ statements are to be used in collaboration to ensure a holistic approach when planning learning and teaching in health and well-being. Learning about an issue should draw from as many of the ‘What matters’ statements as possible. The ‘What Matters’ statements will now be now be defined in the following paragraphs below. Developing physical health and well-being has lifelong benefits helps children to understand the factors that affect our physical health and well-being and enable them to care for and respect themselves and others. The statement contributes towards the development of self-worth and an attitude to lead a physical and healthy lifestyle, as well as recognising the link between physical development and cognitive development. How we process and respond to our experiences affects our mental health and emotional well-being focuses on how mental health and emotional well-being influences our thoughts, feelings and behaviour, as well as how they are feeling during different experiences. Such experiences will enable children to develop self-awareness, empathy and the ability to adapt behaviour and actions according to the situation they find themselves in. Our decision-making impacts on the quality of our lives and the lives of others helps children to understand that their decisions and actions have an impact on the health and well-being of others and society. Children will be supported to consider the choices they make and develop an understanding that their decisions can have consequences for them as well as others. This statement also develops an awareness of the importance of contributing to a collective decision, as well as being able to set goals and plan the actions needed to achieve them. How we engage with different social influences shapes who we are and our health and well-being helps with the understanding of the importance of social influences on behaviour. It enables children to understand how their decisions, relationships and experiences are shapes by social influences and enable them to make positive choices. Healthy relationships are fundamental to our sense of belonging and well-being deals with the need to develop healthy relationships in order to maintain a healthy body and mind. Healthy relationships enable sense of belonging, inclusion and maintain good mental health. It covers the development of skills and attitudes that allow the creation of a healthy relationship and when to seek guidance in order to maintain health and well-being. The progression steps in the Health and well-being AoLE are not meant to be linear, children can move both backwards and forwards through the steps. Each of the ‘What Matters’ statements have a series of progression steps which are divided into the five steps. Within the ‘Draft Curriculum for Wales 2022 Welsh Government (2019), four different models of progression are identified across the ‘What Matters’ statements. These include: progression from requiring support to independence, moving from a personal level to thinking about the wider impact, knowledge gained is more in depth over a period of time and developmental growth which can be constrained by the child’s natural development. The Health and well-being AoLE should be planned with the school needs and vision at its core however, local community, wider and global issues which influence and affect health and well-being should also be incorporated. This AoLE also permeates many of the other five AoLE’s and should therefore be planned in conjunction wherever possible. All of the elements taught through the Health and Well-being AoLE must be reflected in the practices occurring within the school community or children’s learning may be compromised, such as an over-abundance of cakes being offered in party directly after lunch or sugary cereal being offered in breakfast club. Having outlined the New Curriculum as described in the ‘Successful Futures’ Donaldson(2015) document and explained the Health and well-being AoLE using the Draft Curriculum for Wales 2022 (2019), the researcher will explain the five year strategic plan for the implementation of the afore mentioned AoLE, which has been devised for their current setting. Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Health and Well-being AoLE Sept 2018-Jul 2022 Year Target Who Time & Cost What will success look like 2018/2019 Familiarisation of the Successful Futures Document. Familiarisation of the Draft Curriculum 2022 Complete initial work on playground areas using grant funding to improve health and well-being. All Teaching Staff All Teaching Staff Designated Teacher Nil April 2019 Nil Apr-Jul 2019 Jul 2019 £11 000 Staff will be able to discuss the proposals in allocated Federated staff meeting. Staff to share initial thoughts and concerns in allocated staff meeting. Complete online feedback by 19 Jul 2019 Agility Trail, Pirate Bay and Quiet Area are fully operational and being used appropriately. 2019/2020 Establish Curriculum Teams for each AoLE. Each team will consist of: 1 teacher per school (4 min) 1 TA per school (4) 1 Governor 1 Lead Learner/TLR Holder Curriculum Teams to link current Cornerstones Topics from 2 Year Cycle to the Health and well-being AoLE Establish a Curriculum Pupil Group in each School consisting of members from School Council, Eco Committee & Rights Committee. Introduction to the Four Purposes & associated language in every class. All Staff All Staff Teacher in charge of relevant Committee All Teaching Staff INSET Sept 2019 Jan –Jul 2020 INSET & Staff Meetings Oct - Jul Oct 2019 Jan – Jul 2020 Health and well-being AoLE will have a Curriculum Team. Staff will have chosen their preferred Curriculum Team where possible. Health and well-being AoLE Curriculum Team to be familiar with the finalised Curriculum and Assessment documents. Time has been given for discussion and evaluation to be made. Current Curriculum map will be linked to the Draft Curriculum showing coverage of the progression steps of the Health and well-being AoLE Curriculum Map to be amended/updated to accommodate full coverage of the Health and well-being AoLE & progression steps. Each School will have a Curriculum Group to enable pupils to become familiar with the proposals and help shape the new curriculum. UNCRC Rights Targets and articles are covered in Health and well-being AoLE Healthy Schools Targets are covered in the Health and well-being AoLE. Eco Targets are covered in the Health and well-being AoLE Every Class will be familiar with the 4 purposes and associated language will be displayed appropriately in the room. 2020/2021 Embed the four purposes in each class. Competition to design a mascot for each of the four purposes. Establish teaching of the Health and well-being AoLE using the updated curriculum map – Cycle 1 Monitoring of Health and well-being AoLE by the Health and Well-being Curriculum Team. Rights Respecting Schools Award Silver Level to be completed. Healthy Schools NQA award to be completed. All Staff All pupils All Teaching Staff Pupil Committee Curriculum Team Rights Committee School Council Sept – Jul Oct 2020 INSET Day Sept Staff Meeting at end of every term. Monthly Sept-Jul Jul 2021 Jul 2021 Children are familiar with the terms and use them correctly at the appropriate level. Classrooms have evidence inc photographs of the four purposes. Mascots are chosen and displayed appropriately around the school. Children can name the Mascots and describe their purpose. The Curriculum map covers the Health and well-being AoLE effectively and enables staff to cover relevant progression steps in cycle 1. Cycle 1 is amended at the end of every term on completion of each topic in the cycle. These amendments will include comments from the Curriculum Pupil Group. Learning Walks by members of the Health and well-being Curriculum Team provide evidence of Health and well-being AoLE being taught. Children’s Rights are evident in the topics covered in the Health and well-being AoLE and Silver Award gained. Evidence from the topics covered in the Health and well-being AoLE are included in the Healthy Schools Portfolio and NQA gained. 2021/2022 Establish teaching of the Health and well-being AoLE using the updated curriculum map – Cycle 2 Monitoring of Health and well-being AoLE by the Health and Well-being Curriculum Team. Platinum Eco Flag to be reapplied for. All Teaching Staff Pupil Committee Curriculum Team Eco Committee Monthly Jan 2022 The Curriculum map covers the Health and well-being AoLE effectively and enables staff to cover relevant progression steps in cycle 2. Cycle 2 is amended at the end of every term on completion of each topic in the cycle. These amendments will include comments from the Curriculum Pupil Group. Learning Walks by members of the Health and well-being Curriculum Team provide evidence of Health and well-being AoLE being taught. Platinum Flag maintained 2022/2023 Health and well-being AoLE 2 Planning Cycle is updated and new curriculum fully implemented including assessments. Teachers have a clearly planned curriculum which meets the needs of all stakeholders and enables the delivery of the New Curriculum. This five year Strategic Plan for the implementation of the Health and well-being Area of Learning and Experience has been devised for a Federation of four Primary Schools. Each school follows the same curriculum and have a shared Federation Improvement Plan which is completed by the Headteacher and the Lead Learner from each of the schools. Due to the nature of the Federation, with members of staff being located on different sites and the financial costs associated with the training of such a large staff all training will take place during INSET days and in shared staff meetings. If non-teaching staff are required to attend after school meetings such as those when the curriculum is being reviewed they will not have to attend INSET days for the duration. Therefore no monetary costs have been attributed to the Strategic Plan. If a member of staff is required to attend LEA or ERW training, then classes will be covered by Higher Level TAs or if the timetable allows the Cover Supervisor employed within the Federation. The continued use of the Cornerstones Topics will enable an overarching theme to be covered in the class every term. However the direction the theme takes will be down to the pupils, with the teacher facilitating skill development and the acquisition of knowledge through the routes chosen. This overarching theme will enable the four schools to continue to go on educational visits together, as well as share resources and expertise. The rationale for this Strategic Plan is that of the inclusion of all the stakeholders within the Federation including the pupils. Curriculum Teams will be set up for each particular Area of Learning Experience which will include a senior member of staff, 2 class teachers, a TA including those from the Learning Support Classes, and a Governor. The pupils will be involved in the curriculum development and evaluation through the establishment of a Curriculum Pupil Group in each school which includes members from the School Council, Right’s Committee and Eco Committee. Throughout the year, this pupil group will be given opportunities to feedback to the different Area of Learning and Experience Committees the views and wishes of their peers to ensure that the curriculum and its content is pupil centred. With the inclusion of all stakeholders the devised curriculum using the draft curriculum and final document once it has been issued will provide the Federation with a Curriculum that reflects the school ethos, needs of the pupils and wider community as well as the national vision for Wales. Section B Discuss and analyse one target from the Strategic Plan The target to be analysed in this section of the assignment will be ‘To establish a Curriculum Pupil Group which will consist of members from the School Council, Eco Committee and Rights Committee to assist the development of the Health and Well-being AoLE.’ The School Council and Eco Committee are elected annually from every class, with 2 members being elected form years 2 to 6 for both committees. The Rights Committee are elected by their year group and remain in post for the duration of their school life. The rationale for this is to fully embed the articles contained in ‘UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’ and equip these pupils with the knowledge to ensure that their rights are delivered in the school setting fully. The election of a Curriculum Pupil Group is key to the delivery of a pupil led curriculum, which takes into account and reflects their interests and issues they face within the local community. The largest of the four schools within the Federation currently has 63% of children eligible for ‘Free School Meals,’ 35% of children are currently identified as having additional learning needs and 25% of the children are either known currently or historically to social services. The last figure of 25% being known to social services means that a quarter of the children have experienced ‘Adverse Child Experiences or ACE’s’ at one or more times in their lives emphasises the need to have Health and Well-being placed at the heart of the curriculum and reflecting their needs and experiences. Supporting these children who have experienced ‘ACE’s’ has been identified within the five principles found in the ‘Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. This Act from 2015 is supported in the ‘Education in Wales: Our national mission, Action Plan 2017-2021’ which sets out the education vision for wales using the ‘Successful Futures’ Donaldson (2015) report and the 2014 Welsh Government publication ‘Qualified for Life: An education improvement plan for 3-19 year olds in Wales.’ Two points from this action plan (p40) in regards to health and well-being are to; • promote good health and well-being for everyone. • Build healthier communities and better environments. Therefore without pupil voice being involved in the planning and development of the Health and well-being AoLE we cannot deliver the deliver the curriculum fully and meets their needs. In addition, ‘The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018’ which has a new ALN code being issued in December 2019 and a new ALN system going live in September 2020 ‘places learners’ needs, views and feelings at the heart of the process, highlights the need to have pupils engaged in the implementation of this AoLE. The inclusion of pupils from the ‘School Council’ and ‘Eco Committee’ also ensures that LEA and National initiatives are also included, as these children are involved in the implementation of the ‘Healthy Schools Programme’ and ‘Green Flag Award.’ Both of these programmes have health and well-being at their core and as part of these awards the pupils have actively been involved in the development of different areas within the school vicinity. These areas which have included a designated quiet area has enabled all children to enjoy play times ensuring inclusion and not isolation. This Action Plan below although references the Health and well-being Area of Learning and Experience will be relevant to all of the other AoLEs as pupils will be part of the Committee for each of the six areas identified in the curriculum. Target Action Plan - To establish a Curriculum Pupil Group to assist the development of the Health and Well-being AoLE. Actions Time Scale What will success look like, Hold class elections for School Council and Eco Committee. Training for members of the School Council, Eco Committee and Rights Committee. Introduce the new draft curriculum to the School Council, Eco Committee and Rights Committee and discuss the different AoLEs Lead teacher in Health and well-being AoLE and Curriculum Pupil Group meetings to develop Curriculum linked to Cornerstones. Introduction of the Four Purposes to each classroom and discussed in Pupil Voice Committee’s and Curriculum Pupil Group Sept 2019 1st Meeting in Autumn Term Oct 2019 Oct – Jul 2020 Monthly Meeting with AoLE lead. Weekly Class Council Meetings Jan- Jul 2020 Monthly Committee Meetings, School Assemblies Each class from year 2 -6 including the Learning Support Class will elect class representatives for the School Council and Eco Committee. KS 2 pupils will write a manifesto prior to election. Members of the relevant committee will be able to hold meetings without naming individual children and understand their Committee’s role within the school. Pupils will decide which AoLE/s they would like to be a part of in relation to their interests. Pupils will form a Curriculum Pupil Group. Pupils can explain the Health and well-being AoLE in child friendly terms. Pupils ideas from class meetings are shared with Health and well-being Curriculum Team and incorporated into new plans which incorporate existing Cornerstones Topics. Curriculum Plans contain the UNCRC Rights covered in School. Curriculum Plans facilitate the targets from Healthy Schools and Eco Action Plan enabling awards to be achieved. Pupils can identify in child friendly speak the four purposes. Four Purposes are displayed in every class with appropriate work. In subsequent years, the Curriculum Pupil Group with newly elected members will continue to work with staff on the Health and well-being AoLE Curriculum Team to monitor and evaluate this area as each topic is taught over a two year period. Pupils will be involved ensuring that their views and issues are included and more importantly being delivered in the topics that are mapped out in the two year cycle. As the pupils involved change and mature, the curriculum plan in this particular area will continue to evolve under their influence and the influences of the wider community. The challenges faced during the development and implementation of the ‘New Curriculum’ are varied, but primarily revolve around the teachers. The main challenge faced by teachers in regards to the Health and well-being AoLE is fully understanding the language used in the progression steps. Without some additional guidance or training for many, these statements will be ambiguous and lack clarity. An example of this is an Achievement Outcome in Progression Step 4 ‘I can to self-regulate my emotions in a range of experiences.’ Teachers are expected to teach the skills in order for a child to achieve these outcomes using documents that are often simply a framework and very different to the type of curriculum and documentation previously seen, namely the ‘National Curriculum’ introduced in 1988 and adapted in later years. Another challenge faced by teachers is delivering a skills based curriculum rather than knowledge based and allowing pupils to guide the learning rather than adults leading the way. For many this will require moving away from traditional teaching styles. However for many it will allow them to shape their teaching styles and curriculum content to better reflect their pupils’ needs and development. School Leaders will need to be mindful of the changes that teachers are facing and support them as the ‘New Curriculum’ is embedded. Support could include the use of ‘triads’ with groups of teachers working in groups of 3 observing and supporting each other in a common goal or target. In conclusion, the Strategic Plan and more detailed Action Plan have been created by the researcher to demonstrate hoe the Health and well-being Area of Learning and Experience would be introduced in their setting using the current reports and draft documentation available. The main emphasis permeating both plans is that of the importance of developing a skills based learning environment which is not only pupil focused but reflects the school ethos and needs of the wider community and prepares them for life in an ever changing technological world. This assignment has enabled the researcher to develop their professional learning using the following Leadership Standards: • Leadership takes account of the experience of other colleagues, the challenges they face and encourages them to flourish. • Leadership engages with the local community and business to enable impact and continuous improvement in all aspects of schooling. • The rights and needs of learners are paramount in all the school does, ensuring every learner benefits from an entitlement to the best possible experience of schooling in Wales. • Leadership supports colleagues in building links between subjects and areas of learning to develop coherent experiences for learners. • A school –wide ethos is established which expects learners to offer their views to inform all stages of learning which are taken seriously, considered and acted upon where practicable. • Leadership ensures that learners experience highly effective teaching in all contexts. Bibliography Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales by Professor Graham Donaldson CB (2015) ‘National Literacy and Numeracy Framework’ (Welsh Government 2013) Crown Copyright Non-statutory Skills framework for 3-19 year olds (Welsh Government, 2008) Digital Competence Framework – Your questions answered (Welsh Government, 2018) Education in Wales is changing (Welsh Government, 2019) Qualified for life (Welsh Government, 2014) ‘Education in Wales: Our national mission, Action Plan 2017-2021’ (Welsh Government, 2017)