Staff and pupils alike at Llanmartin Primary School are really getting to grips with the Welsh Curriculum to bring in fresh ways of teaching and learning. DAN BARNES visited to find out more.
DYNAMIC learning is becoming an increasingly important part of school life.
Nowhere is that more apparent than at Llanmartin Primary School in Newport, where the pupils have a big hand in deciding what they are taught.
The school is getting on board with the Welsh Curriculum and staff are experimenting with different ways of teaching - most being pupil-led.
IT lessons for Dosbarth Swansea at Llanmartin Primary. All pictures: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk
Headteacher Vicky Curtis explained how, when choosing every lesson theme, they school hold what they call a 'DIP day'.
"That is a ‘develop and inspire planning day’," she said.
"The parents are told about this and the children are encouraged to dress up and to complete home tasks so that they come in with some knowledge about the theme they’re about to do.
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"That whole day is then spent as a hook day, getting them involved in the theme."
She gave the example of Dosbarth Harlech, who have been researching the theme of extreme earth.
"Because of the volcano which erupted, the flooding and the bushfires in Australia, their theme went a totally different way to where they thought they were going," said Ms Curtis.
"The children have all had an impact into what they wanted to learn."
Heddlu Bach (mini police) at Llanmartin Primary.
The school also helps to develop pupil voices through what they refer to as nurture. This is the idea of tailoring the school experience to benefit as many pupils as possible in as many different ways as possible.
"Children are able to access this on a rolling programme," said Ms Curtis.
"We have noticed that our children are more engaged when they’re coming to school because of the new curriculum and they want to learn. With the nurture provision they feel secure within the school, which is really important to me.
"Nurture is such a pivotal part of wellbeing. We have music playing in the halls - just to calm children down as they walk through.
"In every classroom there is a greetings mat so that the children can decide how they would like to be greeted every morning.
"There are emotion plates within each class as well. There are five different emotions and the children put a peg on where they feel they are after a lunchtime, a play time or even after a lesson.
"Teachers are then able to touch base with those children and check their wellbeing."
Dosbarth Caldicot reception learning to sort at Llanmartin Primary.
Physical wellbeing is just as important as the mental side, and the school also has schemes set up to make sure that pupils make the most of every opportunity in that respect.
"In June last year we did a healthy eating week where the children took part in a walking bus each day," said Ms Curtis.
"We’d go around the estate, there were five points on the estate where we could ‘collect’ children - our numbers were huge.
"We decided if it was so successful that week, we could do it every week. So, from then on, we’ve done a walking Wednesday. Our Heddlu Bach lead on that.
Making cheese scones with Jake and Brooke at Llanmartin Primary.
"The children who come directly to school do their daily mile at the beginning of the day."
As well as promoting pupil wellbeing, Llanmartin Primary are also keen to highlight the Welsh language and make use of it at every opportunity.
"We’ve got a Welsh ethos coming through the school," said Ms Curtis.
"We’re working on Cymraeg Campus at the moment. Our Criw Cymraeg are working incredibly hard to ensure that we’re all speaking Welsh through the school.
Music in Dosbarth Chepstow at Llanmartin Primary.
"We now have Welsh spoken at our tuck shop; we have Welsh spoken at our canteen."
This week, for example, each class were asked to research a Welsh artist. They then had to write a biography about that artist and recreate their work on a big canvas with the aim of creating a gallery.
"It was quite daunting for them when they saw the metre square of canvas," said Ms Curtis.
"But I have to say, they’re fabulous and I can’t wait to see them finished.
Playing shop in Dosbarth Cardiff at Llanmartin Primary.
The school also has an array of pupil voice groups.
The wellbeing group organised a pancake sale day for Shrove Tuesday. They raised £80 and are hoping to buy some plants for every classroom to bring a soothing feel to the classes.
The digital leaders have delivered an assembly this term on e-safety. They also support other classes with their ICT.
"Our school council is very active too," said Ms Curtis.
Art lessons in Dosbarth Cardiff at Llanmartin Primary.
"They’ve just organised their first film night which was a real success. It raised £365.
"There are a lot of fundraising events throughout the year, all organised by the children."
She added that the school as a whole now has much happier children arriving for lessons every day because they’re involved in the curriculum.
Dosbarth Conwy celebrating Welsh artist Catrin Williams at Llanmartin Primary.
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"Our curriculum will be very different from other parts of Newport," she said.
"It’s about ensuring that children from the Llanmartin/Underwood estate get the curriculum that is suitable and relevant to them.
"We’re preparing children for jobs we don’t know are out there yet.
"It’s about giving them the transferable skills to be able to apply themselves to any situation."
Llanmartin Primary.
FACT FILE:
- Staff – 25
- Pupils – 184
- Head – Vicky Curtis (above)
- Chair of governors – Cllr Martyn Kelloway
- School motto – Together we can achieve
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