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How have practitioners, learners, parents, carers and the wider community been engaged to inform the curriculum’s development?

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How have practitioners, learners, parents, carers and the wider community been engaged to inform the curriculum’s development?

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·       We view our staff as the experts, designing and sequencing a rigorous, coherent and engaging curriculum.

·       Sharing collaboratively across the cluster to ensure learning is planned across the 3-16 continuum including a shared understanding of our respective curriculum visions to aid transition between phases.

·       A curriculum developed to build upon what students already know whilst widening their horizons and responding to their emerging learning needs.

·       An open and supportive curriculum, where parental consultation has helped shape the vision for curriculum and drive ways to support students with their learning. For example, knowledge organisers & homework policy.

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How does the WMS curriculum meet the required elements of the Curriculum for Wales?

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How does the WMS curriculum meet the required elements of the Curriculum for Wales?

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The Curriculum for Wales is the lever with which the Welsh Government aims to improve the life chances of learners in Wales. Each school has been tasked with developing its own curriculum enabling learners to develop towards the four purposes of the curriculum - the starting point and aspiration for every child and young person in Wales:

·       Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives

·       Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work

·       Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world

·       Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Developing a new curriculum is a monumental task. As such, West Monmouth School (WMS) ascribes to four principles which will guide the construction of the new curriculum.

1.      Knowledge is important

2.      The curriculum is interdisciplinary

3.      A blended approach to pedagogy

4.      Great teaching at the heart

·       Each of these principles are explored in further detail in our vision for curriculum. Click here.

·       Departments are encouraged to work backwards from the statements of what matter and consider the big ideas that underpin their subjects.

·       Through discussions with curriculum leaders, we identified the big ideas that we want pupils to understand through the study of our curriculum.

·       These conversations allowed us to develop the WMS values and competencies:

1.      We understand our environment, and we consider our impact upon it.

2.      We understand the nature of power and how we can influence society.

3.      We understand the nature of peace and conflict and how we influence them.

4.      We understand the importance of keeping ourselves and others mentally and physically healthy.

5.      We understand that society is diverse, and we embrace it.

6.      We understand how innovation and creativity reflects and shapes society and how we can contribute.

7.      We understand the power of individuals and are confident we can achieve.

8.      We understand that information can be misrepresented, and we question what we see and hear.

9.      We understand our rights and responsibilities, and we will exercise them.

10.  We understand our heritage and culture, and we appreciate our place in the world

·       The WMS values and competencies set out the substantive detail that we feel will support our pupils to fulfil the four purposes.

·       The WMS values and competencies support staff to develop rich interdisciplinary links between subject areas. For example, abstract concepts such as diversity will be best understood by pupils when looked at through the lenses of the English, history and science curricula.

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How will WMS approach progression and what are the arrangements for assessment?

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How will WMS approach progression and what are the arrangements for assessment?

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“When it comes to progress the burden of proof is on the curriculum” Christine Counsell

-          Our well-sequenced, rigorous, coherent and engaging curriculum will support learners to know more, do more and be more, across units, topics and themes. Learning will build upon existing knowledge and skills, and foreshadow future learning.

-          The ‘biggest impact’ from assessment happens with short cycle formative assessment which takes place ‘every six to ten minutes, or even every six to ten seconds’ (Wiliam & Leahy, 2015)”. Therefore, the pedagogy used to deliver our curriculum places a much greater emphasis on formative assessment strategies such as:

-          No hands questioning

-          Whole class responses using mini whiteboards & multiple-choice questions

-          Monitoring pupil written work in lesson and ‘live marking’

-          Mini quizzes

-          Exit tickets

-          ‘Thinking like the teacher’(where pupils correct mistakes before handing work in)

-          Kind, specific and helpful comments on work

-          Modelling how to use feedback

-          Moderation will be used to create a developed and shared understanding of what standards look like at each step along the way from novice to expert.

-          Summative assessments will take place annually using robust tests. Results will be reported to parents as a % in addition to a mean average.

-          Termly reports to parents will indicate pupils' attitudes to learning and progress towards target grades.

-          Use of externally validated standardised tests will help inform aspirational target-setting, and keep parents and learners informed of progress.

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How will our curriculum be kept under review, including the process for feedback and ongoing revision?

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How will our curriculum be kept under review, including the process for feedback and ongoing revision?

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-          Externally validated assessments, including NNRT and CATs, will help to quality assure the curriculum, pedagogy and assessment practices.

-          Robust QA processes (including our faculty reviews) will monitor the curriculum and its implementation in the school.

-          Pupil feedback through work sampling, pupil panels and surveys will help inform refinements and tweaks.

-          An evidence-informed approach to practice, reflecting on current research and the best available evidence to identify potential opportunities for development.

-          Engaging the whole school community and wider stakeholders through a range of opportunities to offer feedback and input including the pupil council, parent voice questionnaires & information evenings.