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Rob Lightfoot, NACE Associate and R&D Hub Lead

How can you engage colleagues across your school to develop a whole-school approach for more able learners? This is a common question, and a critical issue to address: for provision to be effective, it needs to be embedded as part of whole-school policy and culture. 

1. Make time, even during challenging times

There is no doubt we are living in unprecedented times, and time is in especially short supply for colleagues in schools. In normal circumstances, you would spend time finding your advocates and working with them to display the benefits of enhancing provision for your more able students. There is no doubt that when your provision is strong for more able students, then the achievement of all students improves too. In the end this is not creating additional work for staff; it will just mean doing things differently. Though it may be hard to make time to review what could be improved for the more able, ultimately this will be worthwhile and have a positive impact for a much wider group – as set out in the NACE core principles. 

2. Involve your school leadership team

Lead teachers for more able students must understand they cannot make the necessary changes on their own. The SLT has to be a central part of the process. Some lead teachers will already be part of the SLT, others will not. It is critical that the provision for more able students is discussed at a senior level so necessary procedures can be put in place across all departments or year groups. Consistency is the key if you are to create the biggest impact for students in your school.

3. Start work behind the scenes

Every school is in a different place. If you have been given the role of lead teacher for more able students but the staff around you cannot consider any changes at present, then there is plenty you can do behind the scenes, starting with an audit of your school’s current provision. If you do have advocates in your school already, then you can give them the same access to the NACE resources that are available to you (read more here). As I said previously, an advocate within the SLT is crucial.

4. Share the benefits of your NACE membership

Finally, consider how you can share the benefits of NACE membership with colleagues. Engagement in the NACE R&D Hubs would be a great opportunity for other teachers in the school with a passion for providing the best possible outcomes for your more able learners. The webinars are also a great source for whole-school CPD. Please be aware that all these resources and opportunities are available for every member of staff in your school, not just the lead teacher or the SLT.

For additional guidance and ideas, take a look at our “getting started” guide.

Useful links:

• Why focus on more able learners?
• Common myths and misconceptions about more able learners
• Getting started with your NACE membership

Click here to read in English.

Nid yw mynd i’r afael â materion sy’n effeithio ar blant a phobl ifanc, fel bwlio, gordewdra a thlodi, yn hawdd i athrawon. Yn yr ysgol, profiadau bob dydd disgyblion sy’n cael yr effaith fwyaf – p’un a ydynt yn gadarnhaol neu’n negyddol – ar eu hiechyd a’u llesiant. Mewn adroddiad newydd, mae Estyn yn amlygu pwysigrwydd rhoi negeseuon cadarnhaol yn gyson ar draws pob agwedd ar fywyd ysgol.

Mae llesiant disgyblion bob amser wedi bod yn faes sy’n ganolog i’n harolygiadau. Ac, wrth i ysgolion ddatblygu’u meysydd dysgu a phrofiad yn barod ar gyfer y cwricwlwm newydd, bydd y ffocws ar lesiant yn gryfach fyth. Mae’r cwricwlwm newydd yn cydnabod bod iechyd a llesiant corfforol, meddyliol ac emosiynol da yn sylfaen i ddysgu llwyddiannus.

Mae ein hadroddiad yn dwyn ynghyd wybodaeth o amrywiaeth o ffynonellau gwahanol, gan olygu bod ambell ran enbyd ynghylch profiadau disgyblion eu hunain, gan gynnwys ysmygu, yfed ac iechyd rhyw.

Darganfuom fod negeseuon am iechyd a llesiant mewn gwersi, gwasanaethau ac mewn polisïau yn yr ysgolion gorau yn gyson â phrofiad bob dydd disgyblion.

Lle i gymdeithasu, diwylliant anogol, cyfleoedd pleserus i fod yn weithgar yn gorfforol, gofal bugeiliol amserol a gwaith cadarnhaol gyda rhieni, dyma rai o’r dulliau sydd, o’u cyfuno, yn cynorthwyo disgyblion i fod yn unigolion iach a hyderus, yn barod i fyw bywyd boddhaus.

Mae diwylliant anogol, lle y mae perthnasoedd cadarnhaol yn galluogi disgyblion i ffynnu, yn hanfodol i gryfhau iechyd a llesiant pobl ifanc. Ni ddylid tanamcangyfrif y pethau bach y mae athrawon da yn eu gwneud, fel gwenu a chyfarch disgyblion yn ôl enw ar ddechrau’r diwrnod neu wers unigol. Maent yn helpu disgyblion i deimlo’u bod yn cael eu gwerthfawrogi ac yn annog meddylfryd cadarnhaol.

Ystyriwch p’un a yw dull eich ysgol yn gyson ar draws bob agwedd ar ei gwaith. A oes gan yr ysgol:

• Bolisïau ac arferion sy’n sicrhau bod disgyblion yn gwneud cynnydd da yn eu dysgu?
• Arweinwyr sy’n ‘gwneud y dweud’ ynghylch cefnogi iechyd a llesiant disgyblion?
• Diwylliant anogol, lle y mae perthnasoedd cadarnhaol yn galluogi disgyblion i ffynnu?
• Cymuned ac ethos cynhwysol?
• Gwybodaeth fanwl am iechyd a llesiant disgyblion sy’n dylanwadu ar bolisïau a chamau gweithredu?
• Amgylchedd a chyfleusterau sy’n hybu iechyd a llesiant da, fel lle i chwarae, cymdeithasu ac ymlacio amser egwyl?
• Cwricwlwm eang a chytbwys, sy’n cynnwys profiadau dysgu unigol, yn seiliedig ar dystiolaeth, sy’n hybu iechyd a llesiant?
• Gofal bugeiliol cefnogol ac ymyriadau targedig i ddisgyblion sydd angen cymorth ychwanegol?
• Cysylltiadau effeithiol ag asiantaethau allanol?
• Partneriaethau agos â rhieni a gofalwyr?
• Dysgu proffesiynol parhaus i’r holl staff, sy’n eu galluogi i gefnogi iechyd a llesiant disgyblion?

Mae arfer dda’n cael ei hamlygu drwy astudiaethau achos yn yr adroddiad. Mewn ysgolion uwchradd, yn benodol, nid yw profiad bob dydd disgyblion o iechyd a llesiant bob amser yn cyfateb i nodau sy’n cael eu datgan gan arweinwyr ysgol. Ond, fe wnaeth Ysgol Uwchradd y Dwyrain yng Nghaerdydd wella arweinyddiaeth yr ysgol yn llwyddiannus a chafodd hyn effaith gadarnhaol amlwg ar y diwylliant a’r gefnogaeth ar gyfer llesiant disgyblion. Mae ei diwylliant yn cydnabod bod pobl ifanc o hyd yn datblygu’n gorfforol, yn feddyliol ac yn emosiynol a bod gan athrawon gyfrifoldeb i fynd i’r afael ag anghenion datblygiadol y plentyn cyfan. Hefyd, mae’r ysgol yn nodi mai o ddealltwriaeth athro o’r ffordd y mae pobl ifanc yn dysgu y mae arbenigedd yr athro yn deillio, yn hytrach na dim ond ei wybodaeth bynciol.

Yn Ysgol Gynradd Gilwern, Sir Fynwy, mae ei hymagwedd at gefnogi disgyblion agored i niwed wedi helpu staff i ddeall yn well y rhesymau sydd wrth wraidd diffyg hunan-barch neu ymddygiad annymunol.

Mae iechyd a lles yn nodwedd bwysig o gyflawni pedwar diben y cwricwlwm newydd mewn ysgolion. Mae gan ysgolion gyfle nawr, yn fwy nag erioed, i gynnig buddion gydol oes i blant a phobl ifanc yng Nghymru.

Mae’r adroddiad llawn ar gael ar estyn.llyw.cymru ac mae’n argymell ffyrdd y gall ysgolion, awdurdodau lleol, consortia rhanbarthol, darparwyr addysg gychwynnol athrawon a’r llywodraeth wella iechyd a llesiant disgyblion. Gall athrawon ac arweinwyr ddefnyddio astudiaethau achos yr adroddiad i ysbrydoli newidiadau yn eu hysgolion eu hunain.

Jon Murphy, Executive Headteacher of Llanfoist Fawr and Llanvihangel Crucorney Primary Schools, explains why he’s optimistic about the new freedoms presented by the draft Curriculum for Wales 2022.

While observing an inspiring Year 5 lesson as part of an assessment for the NACE Challenge Award, my eye was drawn to a statement above the whiteboard: “Who says the sky’s the limit when there are footsteps on the moon?” Push beyond our thin and fragile atmosphere, escape the boundaries created by gravity and a whole new exciting world of exploration, discovery and possibility emerges. Those words have remained with me and have become a guiding principle in my work with more able and talented (MAT) children.  

The national curriculum defines parameters within which to operate, bringing both benefits and limitations. Key phases create their own “gravity” which can hold teachers and learners within fixed boundaries. Over-prescribed curriculum content stifles creativity, exploration and discovery, particularly for those with an independent spirit and capability. Boundaries create barriers to learning.

However, with the new Curriculum for Wales, we are being provided with the wonderful opportunity to change the way we teach our young people. We are on the verge of the introduction of a totally different approach, which promises the removal of boundaries, resulting in the creation of exciting educational discoveries that will challenge the way we think, the way we teach and the way we prepare our young people for the future. The significant change needed for curriculum reform will challenge us as professionals and by the same token will allow us the freedom to transform the way we challenge our more able learners.

The story so far…

30 April 2019 saw the publication of the draft Curriculum for Wales 2022. Within the Federation of Llanfoist Fawr and Llanvihangel Primary Schools, preparation for curriculum reform started long before the publication of the draft orders. Professor Graham Donald’s Successful Futures report, the catalyst which led to curriculum reform, provided the starting point for our own journey of curriculum transformation. We followed its progression through to the white paper, Our National Mission: A Transformational Curriculum, which gave us sight of the legislative proposals for Curriculum Wales 2022. 

Although the details of the new Curriculum for Wales have only recently become available to all schools in draft form, carefully considered strategic planning has provided us with a head start in our preparations for implementation. Fundamental to the new curriculum are the Four Purposes which guide educational priorities and underpin teaching and learning to ensure learners become:

• Ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives;
• Enterprising, creative contributors who are ready to play a full part in life and work;
• Ethical, informed citizens who are ready to be citizens of Wales and the world;
• Healthy, confident individuals who are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Already the Four Purposes are a regular and natural part of the everyday new curriculum vocabulary used by pupils and staff. The purposes chime so well with the aspirations we have always held for our more able learners. We have created a vision and aims that are aligned to the purposes of the new curriculum, and although early days, we are already striving to ensure our vision ultimately comes to fruition through the introduction of new pedagogical approaches. We have moved away from the traditional subject coordinator role and allocated staff to the six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLE) – expressive arts; health and wellbeing; humanities; literacy, languages and communication; mathematics and numeracy; science and technology – creating curriculum teams which bring together colleagues’ existing skills, knowledge and expertise.

Preparing for change: the role of the PLL

Although not a Pioneer School involved in the initial shaping of the curriculum, we have worked closely with our Pioneer colleagues to keep abreast of innovation and change. Pivotal to our work with Pioneer Schools has been the internal appointment of a Professional Learning Lead (PLL) – an initiative introduced by the South East Wales Consortium (EAS). Due to the significant changes in pedagogical approach needed to deliver the new Curriculum for Wales, it is essential to appoint a PLL with extensive skills, knowledge and experience in child development to ensure the curriculum is designed to meet the needs of every individual pupil, regardless of ability.

In addition to success as a subject leader across a number of areas, our own PLL has extensive experience as an Additional Learning Needs Coordinator and is also our More Able and Talented Coordinator. A key role for the PLL is to oversee the development of the 12 Pedagogical Principles across the six AoLEs, which are at the heart of curriculum reform. Currently our PLL is developing staff knowledge and understanding of the “what matters” concepts in each AoLE – headline statements that outline and organise learning. The “what matters” statements make connections to the Four Purposes to ensure learners acquire the appropriate knowledge, skills and experiences in each AoLE.

An operational starting point for staff has been involvement in the redesign of our planning templates to address the elements of the new curriculum framework. We are now making our first attempts to pilot planning and curriculum design for delivery of the new AoLEs.

Ensuring consistency and coherence

Successful implementation of the new national curriculum will be dependent on the quality of professional development provided for staff, upskilling them in the pedagogical approaches needed for effective delivery. Our PLL attends curriculum reform professional development opportunities facilitated by Pioneer colleagues, the EAS and other providers. She acts as a conduit bringing back into school new developments and good practice to be shared in senior leadership, staff and governors’ meetings and through facilitating school professional development days.

As a school we are already finding that professional development gained through participation in the NACE Challenge Development Programme is complementing and enhancing our curriculum reform work. We are looking at change holistically, and as a result we are carefully aligning curriculum reform with other work streams, including our transition to the six elements of the revised NACE Challenge Framework and amendment of our self-evaluation processes to address Estyn’s five inspection areas. This strategic alignment of the different systems and processes we use in school is ensuring that they work together as a coherent whole.

The freedom to let learners fly

Within the draft orders for the new curriculum are details of the principles for progression. These guide the progression of learning within each of the six AoLEs; the outlined progression steps contain achievement outcomes which can be used to identify progression of what a pupil can do as they progress in their learning. Unlike the current curriculum, which almost ties learning into key phases demarked by outcomes and levels, the progression steps are a true continuum and allow children to progress more in line with their ability – without the boundaries which can suppress progress. For more able learners there are no false ceilings; they can fly. 

Teachers will need to teach differently, developing new pedagogy, assessment processes and the confidence to “let go of the reins”. Young people will have a greater say in what and how they learn. Enrichment and experiences which are an integral part of the new curriculum will allow learners to have a greater voice in how they design, guide, investigate and lead their own learning: a tantalising thought for more able learners, who will be provided with even greater opportunities to spread their wings. Through the freedom intended in the new curriculum, Welsh Government is handing us the scissors with which to cut the apron strings.

Grounds for optimism

The new Curriculum for Wales will provide a continuum of learning; the restrictive key phases present in the current curriculum will no longer exist. Transition will become smoother but at the same time will require even greater partnership and tighter transition plans to ensure a successful and seamless move for pupils from primary to secondary schools. With a learning continuum, it follows that work, which has traditionally been seen as the domain of the secondary sector, will permeate its way more readily into primary practice, an exciting prospect for more able learners who will access increasingly challenging concepts earlier in their primary career.

There is a great deal of optimism in Wales surrounding the introduction of a new curriculum. Naturally, there are concerns about resourcing and the pace and extent of change. Overall, educational professionals realise that we are on the verge of a new educational system that is non-prescriptive, boundary-free and which offers the freedom to develop learning opportunities that are genuinely bespoke to meet the needs of all learners, preparing them for work and life. We all have a lot to gain from current educational reform, and none more so than more able and talented learners.

Six steps to implement in your school

1. Put in place an action plan in response to self-evaluation and research evidence, which includes performance measures.
2. Set whole-school end of key stage targets, using national benchmarks, which can be measured.
3. Use the same or higher targets for interim school years.
4. Set quantitative performance data targets, with attention to closing gaps in achievement between different year groups and subjects.
5. Include targets for defined groups of learners including: gender; ethnicity; EAL; SEND and disadvantage.
6. Identify other schools where performance is better in target areas and seek to work in collaboration or acquire support, dependent on needs.

Reviewing outcomes for more able learners

• Are historic attainment outcomes in line with or better than average for similar schools or family of schools? 
• What actions will lead to higher attainment and what quality assurance milestones can be put in place?
• Do more able learners make the same or better progress than other learners, relative to their starting points, and is this true regardless of learner groups?
• Have targets been put in place for all year groups and for all subjects?
• Are there any subjects or year groups where progress and attainment measures lie below whole-school targets and what specific action is in place to monitor and measure improvement?
• Have the targets been communicated effectively to middle leaders and have they acted to make changes which will lead to further improvements?
• When reflecting on the school’s position in relation to more able learners, there is a balance between where the school has been historically and what might be achieved if all barriers were removed.