'Living, learning and growing together to be the be the best'

'Gyda'n gilydd - I gyrraedd y brig'

Developing our Perthcelyn 'Perthyn' Curriculum

Our school vision has been and continues to be developed in consultation with staff, governors, pupils, parents and the wider community. Our school vision was launched in June 2022 and underpins all areas of school life.

Our curriculum enables us to realise our vision.

As part of curriculum design:

• Our school leaders and teachers undertook reading and research and attended professional learning on curriculum.
• Our whole staff team agreed key features of our school context, pupils and community to inform the approaches and experiences best suited for the needs of all learners at our school and considering the four purposes.
• Through surveys, all governors, staff, parents and pupils were asked to consider what all pupils should know and be able to do, and which values they should develop during their time at the school.
• All staff worked together to identify the required changes to our current cultures, provision and practices.
• Teachers have worked with staff from the Mountain Ash Cluster to support one another in planning our curriculum, ensuring progression along the 3-16 continuum.
• All learners engage in discussions at the beginning and end of learning themes, giving learners a voice in what and how they learn.
• The school regularly shares information with parents/careers on the curriculum and ways they can support their child within and outside of the school environment.
• The school collaborates and consults with a range of providers from the local and wider community on providing learners with distinct and enriching experiences including related to religion, values and ethics (RVE) and careers and work related experiences (CWRE). 

Areas of Learning and Experience - Vision Statements

Our school curriculum is suitable for all learners and will enable them to realise the four purposes. It takes account of, and responds to, the unique opportunities and challenges that present themselves to individuals and groups of learners in our school. Our school curriculum is broad and balanced and includes learning opportunities within and across all of the Areas of learning and experience. It encompasses the concepts in all of the statements of what matters and provides appropriate progression in accord with the principles of progression. It also aligns to the mandatory requirements of teaching Welsh, English and Religion, Values and Ethics

Our staff worked collaboratively within and across AoLE (Area of Learning and Experience) Teams to further develop individual visions for the 6 areas of learning and experience. These further enhance the whole school curriculum vision and articulate the intent and direction of our curriculum. 

How will I know my child is making progress?

One of the most significant changes with the curriculum is the move away from an "expected level" or outcome to individual progress. This change blends perfectly with our vision and ethos of learning which reflects the individual needs, challenges and achievements of our learners. We believe progression and assessment is fundamental to ensuring we achieve our school vision. Our school curriculum is underpinned by the mandatory principles of progression which describe what it means for learners to progress and the capacities and behaviours our staff will seek to support, regardless of a learners’ stage of development. Our assessment arrangements are informed by these principles of progression. We use a variety of evidence informed assessment strategies to enable each individual learner to make progress at an appropriate pace. We ensure our processes identify learners who require further support or challenge and provide rich qualitative intelligence for us to inform next steps in learning for individuals and groups of learners. Our assessment arrangements ensure active engagement between learners and teachers and is based on ongoing reflection on where a learner is, what their next steps are and what is required to support them in achieving these. 
 

Will the Curriculum be reviewed and updated?

Curriculum at Perthcelyn Community Primary School will be under constant review as we seek to remain relevant and provide authentic learning experiences to every learner from 3 to 11. Through our self evaluation processes, we will ensure that our learning offer meets the requirements of our vision and the needs of every learner and the wider community. We will work within our school, across the cluster and in partnership with governors, the regional consortia, the local authority, and our external partnerships to further develop a shared understanding of progression and to ensure a high-quality 3-16 continuum of learning for all.