Ysgol Gynradd Milton
Milton Primary School
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Curriculum for Wales - A Curriculum for Life
Education is changing:
Here at Milton Primary, we have been busy preparing for the implementation of the new Curriculum for Wales, which will come into effect from September 2022. The curriculum has been reformed at a national level in order to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap between students and equip young people with the skills they need to live in today's ever changing world. It aims to prepare children to thrive in a future where digital skills, adaptability and creativity are crucial, and that is rooted in Welsh values and culture. It has been made in Wales, but shaped from the best ideas and experts from around the world.
Changes have also been made to improve how we assess children and young people in education, to support children with additional learning needs as well as teacher training. These improvements will complement the new curriculum.
There will no longer be separate curriculums for primary and secondary schools, instead the new Curriculum will be a continuum that will be followed by children from the ages of 3 to 16. The curriculum will be statutory for all maintained schools in Wales.
The Curriculum for Wales will have two levels:
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The national level curriculum - defined by the Welsh government.
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The school level curriculum - will follow the national level curriculum, but will be developed, planned and personalised by teachers in schools and clusters.
Key Elements of Curriculum for Wales:
Four Purposes:
The four purposes of the curriculum are the shared vision and aspiration for every child and young person. At the heart of our curriculum, they guide and direct everything we do at Milton. They are the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of our curriculum to support our children and young people to become:
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Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives.
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Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work.
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Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.
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Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
In order to understand what learning experiences and opportunities the children in our community need, unpicking the four purposes has been really important. We believe that the four purposes should be part of the culture and ethos of a setting, in addition to being an integral part of the curriculum design process. To support this approach and to ensure a shared understanding, staff, parents / carers and pupils all had the opportunity to contribute to the development of placemats for each of the four purposes. The placemats are used as prompt sheets and are displayed around the school highlighting the language and behaviours you would expect to see and hear.
12 Pedagogical Principles:
The 12 Pedagogical Principles are designed to underpin approaches to teaching and learning within the Curriculum for Wales.
What will the new Curriculum include?
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6 Areas of Learning Experiences from age 3 to 16.
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Statements of What Matter within each AoLE.
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3 Cross Curricular Responsibilities: literacy, numeracy and digital competence.
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Integral Skills that underpin the four purposes: creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem-solving, personal effectiveness, planning and organising.
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Cross-cutting themes: RSE, human rights, diversity, careers and work-related experiences, local, national and international contexts.
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Progression Steps at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16.
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5 Principles of Progression that underpin progression across all areas.
Areas of Learning Experience:
As well as literacy, numeracy and digital skills, there are six areas of learning experiences. Everything will be connected to these:
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Expressive Arts
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Health and Well-being
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Humanities (including RE, which will remain compulsory until the age of 16)
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Languages, Literacy and Communication, including Welsh, which will remain compulsory until the age of 16, and modern foreign languages)
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Mathematics and Numeracy
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Science and Technology (including computer science)
Curriculum Design at Milton:
Visual Representation of our MEITHRIN Design Model:
It begins with our why. This is central to everything we do! Starting with our aims as a school, to why we plan the learning experiences that we do, in order to enable our children to lead happy, healthy and successful futures. Alongside the four purposes, analysing the contextual information of our school community has been vital in ensuring that our curriculum design represents and serves their needs.
The stars represent our six transdisciplinary themes, which are used as our overarching whole school themes. In between the stars, you will notice six highlighted words. These are our lead concepts, the big ideas that we want our children to develop a better conceptual understanding of as they progress throughout the school. Our curriculum can be delivered through an inquiry or a thematic approach.
Information Leaflet for Parents and Carers (Nov 21):
Welsh Government Curriculum for Wales information:
Welsh Government Guidance for parents and carers on the new Curriculum for Wales:
https://hwb.gov.wales/api/storage/4e66c555-73aa-44ee-93e5-1e612906f1d2/220208-parents-carers.pdf
Welsh Government Guidance for children on the new Curriculum for Wales:
Welsh Government Curriculum Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U0fsT0gH7U
Curriculum for Wales website:
https://hwb.gov.wales/curriculum-for-wales/
What do schools have to do for September?