Curriculum for Wales

"Gordon Ramsey, Heston Blumenthal and all the other world-famous chefs have it much easier than teachers. They have the luxury of choosing a single recipe to make a perfect dish. No matter how much teachers (and policy-makers) would like it to be true, in education there is no such thing as a recipe that works in all circumstances."

Dr. Pedro De Bruyckere (Educational Scientist and Author)

Response and Reflection

What is pedagogy?
If you were to write a statement explaining pedagogy - what would you write?

Pedagogy encompasses more than the ‘teaching' that takes place in the classroom.

It is about the thoughtful selection of those methods in the context of curriculum purposes and the needs and developmental stage of children and young people.

It requires combining theoretical and practical knowledge and skills with a detailed view of what is needed to promote effective learning in specific contexts.

In short, pedagogy is at the very heart of what makes an excellent teacher.

Pedagogy at the heart of curriculum.

In designing your curriculum, schools should consider the pedagogical approaches they will need to employ to support learners in realising the four purposes.

Schools should seek to develop a strong vision of learning and teaching which considers the ‘why’ and ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’.

This means that you are searching for the essence of learning in your classrooms - this is partly about content essentials (knowledge you have to teach) but mostly it is about the process and application of learning (how you teach and why learners need to understand this knowledge), all the time reflecting and progressing learners towards the four purposes.

Response and Reflection

What is your vision of learning and teaching?
What are the differences in a curriculum based on developing the purposes in your learners rather than outcomes?

The pedagogical principles

Schools will need to ensure that practitioners have a deep and thorough understanding of the pedagogical principles and the research on which they are based. Curriculum design for all learners is underpinned by twelve pedagogical principles, which state that good learning and teaching…

maintains a consistent focus on the overall purposes of the curriculum
challenges all learners by encouraging them to recognise the importance of sustained effort in meeting expectations that are high but achievable for them
means employing a blend of approaches including direct teaching
means employing a blend of approaches including those that promote problem-solving, creative and critical thinking
sets tasks and selects resources that build on previous knowledge and experience and engage interest
creates authentic contexts for learning
means employing assessment for learning principles
ranges within and across Areas
regularly reinforces the cross-curricular skills of literacy, numeracy and digital competence, and provides opportunities to practise them
encourages learners to take increasing responsibility for their own learning
supports social and emotional development and positive relationships
encourages collaboration.

Response and Reflection

What are you doing / could you do could you do to promote and embed the 12 principles?
Which of the 12 pedagogical principle(s) is (are) most effective in your school?

Do pedagogical approaches differ from area of learning to area of learning?
How will your vision for learning reflect the twelve pedagogical principles?
What learning environment do you need to create to fully support your vision for learning?

Partneriaeth's Principles for Excellence (PfE) is an online professional learning programme, based on the 12 pedagogical principles. The programme has been designed by teachers for teachers, with the aim of providing teachers and leaders with:

The skills to demonstrate higher level understanding of the 12 pedagogical principles included in the Curriculum for Wales guidance documentation.
The understanding to collaborate effectively with colleagues in their own school and in other schools to raise standards.
The capacity to create a proactive school ethos, where a deeper understanding of the underlying values and principles of pedagogy inform classroom practice and influence all their teaching approaches for their learners.

The PfE provides teachers with the tools to explore a principle of pedagogy in detail, reflect on research and consider how the knowledge and supplied resources could be used within classrooms to positively impact on learners.

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