Wales is in the midst of radical education reform. Here, Nerys Defis reflects on recent pronouncements from two key players in our system’s development and questions the role of assessment as Wales’ exciting new curriculum develops… Exams and tests are nothing new and, across the UK, the beginning of summer marks the beginning of exam…
Gareth Evans considers the ongoing debate around Wales’ new national curriculum – and what lessons we can learn from others in a similar situation… Curriculum reform has dominated debate among educators in Wales for the past three years. And with good reason, given the major implications for each and every state school across the country. The…
Sarah Stewart is taking part in a new collaborative project focussing on equity in education. Drawing on expertise from across Europe, it seeks to tackle some of the biggest obstacles to pupil success. Here, she explains her involvement in the project… As Wales embarks on curriculum reform, the focus on the quality of children’s life…
When does responsibility for education begin and end? And whose job is it to educate our youngest children? Here, Natalie MacDonald looks to answer the questions that are often swept under the carpet… One of the questions that has been forefront in my mind recently is where education should begin. Current and proposed policy and…
Mererid Hopwood and Siân Brooks put their best foot forward during a new project linking language, music and dance… It all started with a ‘balanceo’, the rhythmic swaying to check your partner’s position, and then we were off for an Argentine Tango lesson – this was a training event like none we had ever experienced. The two-day…
Pupils across Wales are set to benefit from a new £2.5m grant to support small and rural schools. But will it make a difference? Nanna Ryder investigates… Once more this week, one of the main headlines in the weekly local newspaper, the ‘Cambrian News’, refers to the closure of small schools in Ceredigion. During the last…
Helen Lewis explores how the bond between a child and a dog may have benefits that impact on learning… Dispositions are ‘relatively enduring habits of mind and action’, linked to our attitudes and feelings. Dispositions affect how we view ourselves as learners and how confidently we tackle new learning situations. Whether we refer to these dispositions…
Successful Futures has garnered plenty of attention since its inception in 2015. But its focus on entrepreneurial skills has been less well-documented. Alison Evans explains… One of the key purposes of the curriculum outlined in ‘Successful Futures’ is to ensure all learners will be ‘enterprising, creative contributors’ who are skilled in creative thinking, able to…
Curriculum reform is as daunting as it is exciting. But we must not lose sight of the bigger picture, explains Natalie Williams… I’ve been delighted to read time and again the positive reception that the Donaldson report and its recommendations have received. Having spent more than 10 years publishing resources and support for curriculum change within…
Gareth Evans looks at the development of Successful Futures and a new approach to implementation… There is a tendency in education to whirl around in circles. New policy comes in with a bang and goes out with a whimper. Then the cycle starts all over again. Wales’ education system has, it is fair to say,…