Agenda and minutes

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In accordance with the code of conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve and sign the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) as a correct record.

Resolved that the minutes of the Education & Skills Policy development Committee held on 11 September 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

The Chair welcomed the staff from both Llanrhidian and Trallwn primaries to the meeting.

 

Trallwn

Rebecca Barker and Debbie Bond outlined the progress and initiative’s the school had introduced since being chosen as a pioneer school.

 

They had been chosen as a pioneer school with specific focus on LLC – languages, literacy & communication.

 

They indicated they had embraced the potential for change and developed a whole school approach.

 

They gave a detailed and informative powerpoint presentation which included the following topic areas:

·       Whole school approach – fun fair event – excellent feedback from children, parents and community, positive press coverage;

·       Pupil pioneers – development of a pupil voice;

·       Recruitment initiative – liaison with ERW to develop and appoint a LLC curriculum pioneer position;

·       New leadership structure – all school involved from senior leadership to pupils with AoLE (Areas of Learning & Experiences)

·       Revised staffing structure layout;

·       Highlighting the four purposes – whole school assembly with focus on ACCE, weekly purpose celebrated, weekly newsletter to parents, certificates to highlight achievement and purpose, development of bespoke four purpose posters which are displayed throughout the school;

·       Examples of achievement posters and posters detailing the links between the subjects;

·       Parental engagement – weekly newsletter, parent evening engagement initiative’s, parental workshops, regular contact between teachers and parents;

·       Development of curriculum by teachers using co-construction;

·       Staff development – regular feedback from Welsh Government sessions which keeps staff updated and involved, 4 purposes is key issue going forward, good examples of primary cluster work with Cefn Hengoed which is closely linked to the 12 pedagogical principles, sharing good practice amongst staff;

·       Quality improvement (QI) role – when new curriculum was published the pioneer schools initiative officially ended but they were able to apply for the next stage which is the QI role, various ERW events for Heads and Teachers;

·       Curriculum designers – pupil development and support through pupil voice scheme, pupils given roles and awarded badges to maintain engagement;

·       Whole school inset – 6^th day taken for next 2 years – will be used for new curriculum planning with staff;

·       Pupil influenced planning within AoLE;

·       Collaboration – excellent cluster links with joint topic (planet bwyd) developed across 7 primaries and comprehensive school;

·       New pupil books developed to better reflect the new curriculum through AoLE, 4 purposes and rights respecting schools, involvement of children and raising their awareness why and what they should learn;

·       Steps to a successful future book – contains information on how  the 6 AoLE all link together;

·       LLC books – designed to support sharing of experiences, practising skills and applying knowledge;

·       School improvement programme – linked to Estyn framework and LLC basis of the new curriculum;

·       Super learning day – once a term activities involving all children in mixed age/ability groups;

·       Cymreictod/Welshness – promoting and encouraging children to embrace fully both Welsh language and culture, making usage of welsh in schools more focused and relevant;

·       Amser iaith – every day usage and encouragement to speak Welsh though daily activities;

·       Next steps – teachers as researchers, pupil feedback, progression in and of learning:

 

Llanrhidian

 

Donna Caswell and Rebecca Jones also referred to the progress and initiative’s that their school had introduced since being chosen as a pioneer school, they too had progressed to a QI school since the publication of the draft new curriculum.

 

They indicated that the initial role of the pioneer schools was not to innovate but to research good practice and develop ideas for progress.

 

They also gave a detailed and informative powerpoint presentation which included the following topic areas:

·       Our curriculum – built on vision for learning, on firm foundations and high aspirations for learners, learning through activity, flexibility of teaching and use of school buildings, established staffing structure, new topics each year for children to engage with;

·       Curriculum for Wales – descriptions of learning/designing the curriculum/activities & tasks, high level ideas backed up with low level delivery;

·       4 main purposes – ambitious/ethical/health/enterprising – all link to school, leisure, work etc;

·       North Gower partnership of schools (NGP);

·       Wellbeing – mentally health schools model – different tiers and levels of support for all/some/few;

·       Providing opportunities for the developing of wider skills such as critical thinking & problem solving, promotion of creativity, innovation & personal effectiveness;

·       Strand 1 – enrichment & experience approach to actively engage and develop children;

·       Research into what makes a good or bad school – high/low achievement and flexibility of teaching;

·       Diagram showing characteristics of a high functioning classroom;

·       New curriculum – what/how/why is the basis of the proposals;

·       Pedagogy – explanation of what it is – more than just teaching, underpinning of knowledge, promotion of learning;

·       12 pedagogical principles;

·       How we plan our school curriculum – whole school/termly topics, launch day, aligning knowledge & skills, fine planning;

·       Striving for autonomous learners – teacher directed but child & learning centred;

·       How children learn at Llanrhidian – 2 main ways “Spotlight” focused activities and experiences to develop skills, “IQ” authentic & relevant activities and experiences promoting collaboration and enabling children to apply skills at the appropriate level;

·       Maturity continuum – based on good research & development;

·       Developing a forward looking system of assessment – EDSM (emerging/developing/secured/mastered);

·       HABER (helpful, accurate, balanced, empathetic & respectful) approach to critical and creative thinking;

·       Local & global contexts for sustainable development and its links to all subject/topic areas;

·       September 2019 onwards – move away from key stages, classrooms to become workshops, review of school day and timings;

·       High staff expectations going forward;

·       Robust self-evaluation process;

·       Impact on standards and behaviour to date and improvements made across the board;

·       Next steps – designing, finalising and streamlining a curriculum in line with the new principles, improve reporting to parents:

 

Members and Officers asked various questions of the school representatives around the topics outlined above and lengthy and detailed discussions took place in the meeting, the representatives responded accordingly.

 

These discussions covered various topics including issues around future staff training and professional development, engagement and upskilling of current and future teachers, new assessment procedures for new curriculum, sharing best practices and knowledge between schools, role of school senior leadership team being key, avaibility of good IT resources, schools have to develop themselves and use experiences and knowledge from pioneer/IQ schools.

 

The Chair and Members thanked the Headteachers and their colleagues for their input and attendance.

 

 

The workplan for the remainder of the Municipal year was noted.