Using professional learning to raise standards of Welsh for pupils across the school
The provision of Welsh language has been improved through a sabbatical course that provides staff with new methods and enhanced to teach Welsh.
Information about the school
St Mary’s RC Primary School is an English-medium 4-11 school in Monmouthshire local authority. It serves the areas of the south of Monmouthshire. There are currently 149 pupils on roll.
Around 14% of pupils are eligible for free school meals. Around 20% of pupils have English as an additional language.
The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is around 23%, with 2% having a statement of special educational needs.
Context and background to the effective or innovative practice
St Mary’s is situated on the Welsh border in an area where the Welsh language is not spoken widely and, in some cases, is not necessarily viewed as a valuable skill to acquire. The school has always sought to promote the Welsh language and encourage the development of pupils’ skills. However, leaders realised that a key factor in pupils making good progress was the level of confidence and skill possessed by members of staff. For the school to have significant impact, it had to address the fact that many staff had the desire to teach Welsh well, but did not have the confidence to do so. Their journey began by encouraging teachers to think about taking the opportunity to apply for the Welsh sabbatical course – Cymraeg mewn Blwyddyn. This led to two members of staff completing the course and consequently, disseminating good practice and utilising their enhanced skills to develop the language skills of all staff.
Description of nature of strategy or activity
Welsh sabbatical
The opportunity to apply for the ‘Welsh in a Year’ sabbatical was instrumental in the school’s ability to positively develop use of the Welsh language at the school. Two staff were successful in obtaining a place on the course and have been keen to ensure that the skills and experience they gained are employed, not just in their own classes, but across the entire school. One teacher, who completed the course in 2021, is placed in Year 6, while the other, who is in the final stages of completing the course, has since March, been in school for one day per week to support learning in younger classes. Staff found the sabbatical course highly intense, but thoroughly enjoyed the experience and recommended it to others. The school feels that language teaching of any kind is best done by a specialist. one who can provide an excellent language model to others, and the Welsh Sabbatical course gives teachers the skills to do this. The fact that the school now has two members of staff who have completed the course and teach in different phases means that it can continue to build on the strong language progress it has already made as a school.
Assessment
The school wanted to gather evidence to develop a clear, honest picture of what pupils could and could not do, in terms of spoken Welsh. Staff developed an online tracking tool, which helped them to see easily where the areas of weakness were in each class. They carried out a baseline assessment during the autumn term and noticed that many of the easier language patterns, for example saying your name and where you live, were strong across the school. However, it was clear that, as language patterns got more difficult or demanded the extension of sentences, far fewer pupils were able speak with confidence. It was also noticeable that there was a clear weakness in pupils’ ability to ask questions. Gathering this data enabled the school to clearly see the areas of need within particular cohorts meaning that a plan of bespoke support could be put into place.
Bespoke support within lessons
Through post-sabbatical funding, the school allocated time on a weekly basis to enable staff to assist colleagues within their classrooms and model best practice in a supportive manner. During these sessions, short burst activities are planned, with a focus on speaking. The emphasis is on gaining high level pupil engagement, primarily through language games. The response to these sessions has been positive from both pupils and staff. The pupils engage very well and are keen to work on their class target in time for the following session. Teachers and teaching assistants who attend on a rota basis fully involve themselves in the lessons and use them as an opportunity to practise their own Welsh and to ask questions relating to teaching methods. Resources used within the lessons are readily shared with staff so that they can use them within daily Welsh practice time.
TA Training
Support within classrooms has been supplemented by training sessions for teaching assistants which has been invaluable in ensuring a whole-school approach to the school’s vision. During sessions, teaching assistants are introduced to key phrases and vocabulary which will be useful within the classroom. Training packs are provided and include links to videos and recordings, which aid pronunciation. Teaching assistants are encouraged to view training sessions as opportunities to practise in a ‘safe space’ without judgement, in order to foster confidence. They are asked to set a personal language target and then to evaluate their own progress after a set amount of time. This approach is firmly rooted in the understanding that all learners have different starting points and require targets which are both measurable and achievable. The response to training has been highly positive and staff have embraced the opportunity to develop. With future post-sabbatical funding the school intends to continue this training, recognising that it is important to keep language skills ‘on the boil’, so that it can build on progress.
Fostering an appreciation of Welsh culture and tradition
Alongside the development of spoken Welsh, the school has worked towards ensuring that Welsh language, culture and tradition are embedded in every area of its life. It feels that it is important that Welsh is not viewed as a subject which is simply ‘in a box’, but one that is reflected in all that they do. There is an expectation that Welsh is used within all lessons as well as outside the classroom, for instance when greeting families at the school gates, on the yard, during assemblies and incorporated into all displays. The school also places a high value on events that promote Welsh culture such as ‘Shwmae Day’ and the annual Eisteddfod. A holistic approach to Welsh is something the school feels is strongly upheld in the new curriculum. With this in mind, it held whole school training to plan a Welsh themed topic for the spring term, driven by different areas of learning and what matters statements in each class. For example, in Dosbarth 6, expressive arts and literacy were taught using the text ‘The Quilt’, resulting in high quality artwork. In Dosbarth 5, science was the driver, with pupils investigating erosion of the Welsh coastline. All classes presented a showcase of their work to the whole school community on St. David’s Day, allowing the school to test out a fresh approach to the traditional eisteddfodau of previous years.
What impact has this work had on provision and learners’ standards?
The work carried out has had a significant favourable impact on the provision of Welsh at St. Mary’s and has resulted in a marked increase in learners’ standards. The profile of the Welsh language and culture has been raised in every aspect of school life and there is a palpable sense of positivity towards Welsh as well as pride in what has been achieved,and can continue to be achieved. The difference to attitudes and confidence is marked and is borne out in the evidence from staff and pupil voice activities, as well as language assessment tracking.
How have you shared your good practice?
Post-sabbatical funding has allowed staff to cascade their training effectively and model best practice across the entire school. St. Mary’s has been approached by other schools within the Chepstow cluster to work alongside colleagues in order to share practice more broadly. The school is also working with the the local regional consortia and Welsh Government to develop its provision further and seek ways in which to become a fully bilingual school.