Whole school vision

Curriculum for Wales underpins all the current reforms to enable us to realise the national mission of improving education in Wales. As such, it affords all schools and settings the unique opportunity to create a new curriculum for the future of our children and young people.

Creating a vision for your school will be the starting point for designing this new curriculum. The question to ask yourselves is not ‘How will it be if we do things better?’, but ‘How could it be if we did things differently?’

What do we mean by vision?

Creating this vision will entail imagining a different future for your school.

Response and Reflection

It is useful to have a shared understanding of the meaning of ‘vision’.

Select key words which you associate with vision, and then use them as a starting point to create your own definition.

Here are some words you could use:

  • Imagination

  • Hope

  • Transformation

  • Wisdom

  • Value

  • Discovery

It is also useful to agree on key principles on which to base your vision.

Response and Reflection

  • Which messages could be drawn from the pictures below?

  • Could they inspire the principles for your vision?

Suggestions:

  • We need to care for and nurture our learners

  • We need to look out for new opportunities

  • We need to look outwards

Suggestions:

  • We need to aim high

  • We need to fly in the same direction

  • We all start from different places

Suggestions:

  • We need to see the whole picture

  • We need to be brave and take risks

  • We need support in place to help us

Response and Reflection

Most organisations from both the public and private sectors share their vision on their websites.

Follow the links on the right to take a look at examples of ways in which these organisations in Wales present their vision.

Consider the following questions:

  • Is their vision clearly communicated?

  • What does their vision statement focus on?

  • How would the organisation make it happen?

  • Are there any ideas which could be useful for your school vision?

How might you go about creating a vision for your school?

The research undertaken in the previous activity will have provided you with an opportunity to reflect on the importance of a clear vision statement which will enable you to make decisions as you prepare to create your own vision.

Response and Reflection

Consider the four questions below, and list possible answers. There are some suggestions which may be useful in the drop-down bars. You may also wish to consider at this stage how this vision will be communicated and reviewed, so that it is embedded in the daily life of your school.

What do we need to know before creating a vision?

  • What is the national context?

  • What is our local context?

  • How has the world changed?

Which questions do we need to ask?

  • What is our future as a school?

  • How will our school look in 5 years?

  • What do our learners need?

What should be included?

  • Aims

  • Values

  • Mission

  • Commitment

Who should be a part of the process?

  • All staff

  • Learners

  • Parents

  • Governors

  • The community

How can you ensure that the vision of Curriculum for Wales is reflected in the vision for your school?

The vision of Curriculum for Wales

The vision of Curriculum for Wales is set out in the Curriculum for Wales guidance. It is embodied by the four purposes which represent the aspirations and ambitions for all learners in Wales.

“The four purposes are the shared vision and aspiration for every child and young person. In fulfilling these, we set high expectations for all, promote individual and national well-being, tackle ignorance and misinformation, and encourage critical and civic engagement.”

Curriculum for Wales

A vision for your school

Curriculum for Wales must be regarded as framework which allows for interpretation in the context of your school. Your vision will therefore be unique to be meet the needs of your learners.

Starting with the national vision of the four purposes, schools will need to develop:

“a vision for curriculum in a school”
and
“a curriculum to make that vision a reality.”

Curriculum for Wales

“A school’s curriculum is everything a learner experiences in pursuit of the four purposes."

Curriculum for Wales

Reflecting on both the headings and the characteristics of the four purposes will enable schools to develop an in-depth understanding of the vision of Curriculum for Wales.

Response and Reflection

Using these resources, consider the following questions.

  1. What do the four purposes mean for our learners?

  2. How can we support our learners to realise them?

This opportunity to reflect in greater detail on the four purposes will provide a foundation from which to create your school vision.

Click on the image to download the document.