Ysgol Pont y Gof

Seiliau Cadarn Sy'n Codi Pontydd

(Bridges are built on strong foundations)

School background

Ysgol Pont y Gof is located on the Lleyn Peninsula in the local authority of Gwynedd.

The school serves the areas of Llaniestyn, Garn Fadryn, Bryncroes, Sarn Mellteyrn, Botwnnog and Nanhoron and is situated in an agricultural and Welsh-speaking area.

There are 87 pupils on roll with 10 nursery-age children.

The school is split into four classes, as follows:

Nursery and Reception, Year 1 & 2, Year 3 & 4 and Year 5 & 6.

72% of the school's pupils speak Welsh at home, 9% speak both Welsh and English and 19% speak English at home. 

10% of pupils receive free school meals (FSM).

1% of pupils are from an ethnic minority or Mixed background.

0% speak English as an additional language.

13% of pupils are on the Additional Learning Needs register.

Our Values 

These are the values that are evidently important to us, after asking all school stakeholders including children, parents, governors, staff and the community. The voice of our stakeholders is equally as important as that of our children in our attempt to form a close-knit family, one that collaborates effectively to deliver broad and balanced education and experiences. High-quality and meaningful experiences that will allow pupils to pave their own way in future.

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Ambitious children

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Helpful, kind and respectful children

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Community-oriented children

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Children who have enjoyment

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Children who are willing to take risks

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Children who are proud of their Welsh identity

Our Vision

Ysgol Pont y Gof is a rural school where a countryside community is important to all stakeholders of the school.

Here,  we help and support our learners to be as successful as they can by providing broad and balanced experiences that will develop the knowledge and skills they will need in life, and to become happy, proud, confident and independent children, wherever their life journey may take them. 

We are passionate about encouraging pupils to be involved in and proud of their community, wherever that may be in future. We do our utmost to help and collaborate with our communities by sharing ideas, experiences and old Welsh traditions with children and residents. We give our children opportunities to go out and about in the community by organising regular visits.  

Our aim is that every child will feel a sense of pride towards their rural area, community and Welsh traditions. 

We equip our children with the skills to be creative, show initiative and identify opportunities to succeed locally or wherever their chosen path will take them in life. We will continue to develop these skills through our enterprise activities and creative projects.

Here at Ysgol Pont y Gof, we take pride in our language and its future.

The school is a happy environment, where everybody is respectful and caring of one another. We hope that every child will feel safe and happy here, and make friends for life. We teach our children social skills to make them well-rounded children. We deliver high-quality education and experiences that provide a firm foundation upon which children can get on in life and embrace any challenge.



Values, Church Status and Religion, Values and Ethics

Ysgol Pont y Gof is a Voluntary Controlled Church in Wales School. Our link with the Church in Wales is important to us in order to deliver unique learning experiences based on Christian Values. These values are the building blocks of all our work.

The Four Purposes

Here at Ysgol Pont y Gof,  all learning experiences and pedagogy are underpinned by our values. These will enable us to achieve the principles of the Four Purposes, thereby developing pupils to become rounded individuals.

Areas of Learning and Experience


These Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs) will ensure coverage of all the statements of 'what matters',  develop the skills within the 4 purposes, and provide broad experiences that integrate the cross-curricular skills (literacy, numeracy and Digital Competence) through whole-school themes.


Cross-curricular skills

It is through these broad experiences within the six areas of learning and experience that we develop the skills of Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence.

Curriculum Design


At Ysgol Pont y Gof, we study themes right across the school in order to provide experiences that encompass the four purposes and all of the statements of 'what matters'. These are developed across the age-range in order to give depth and breadth to learners' skills, knowledge and progression.

Ysgol Pont y Gof is an inclusive school and advocate for the pupil's voice, regardless of age, background, needs or ability. We plan broad and balanced experiences to challenge and engage all children in our care. 

Our planning is theme-driven - we seek ideas from parents, governors, pupils and teachers alike in order to ensure high-quality, rich, broad and balanced learning experiences. These experiences also reflect the school's principles and vision. 

We then select our big questions for our themes in order for pupils to take the lead on planning and learning in their investigations.


Teachers look at the statements of what matters when planning and integrate these with the cross-curricular and integral skills and the four purposes. When revisiting these, we will broaden and deepen these skills and concepts in order to ensure developmentally appropriate progression in learning.

Teaching 

We must ensure robust and high-quality teaching and learning so that our vision filters through in our implementation of the 4 purposes and development of pupils' skills within the Curriculum Framework. 

We must create a learning environment whereby children are invigorated in response to the requirements of the Curriculum framework.  At Ysgol Pont y Gof, we follow our 'Gorau Glas' (Doing our best) teaching programme, where all learners develop a positive learning mindset by being challenged within their ability in order to reach their full potential. 

Gorau Glas 



Ysgol Pont y Gof is a learning organisation and a strong believer in sharing good teaching practices, continuous development and improvement in order to implement the 12 pedagogical principles of the Curriculum.

So as to ensure that pupils receive the best education, we will adapt our teaching approaches to focus on teaching new skills and practice, develop and deepen those skills.

Teaching will follow a disciplinary approach in the morning , where pupils will be taught subjects in detail and depth. Teaching will then take an interdisciplinary approach in the afternoon, where pupils practice their skills, learn to become independent learners and apply their skills across areas of learning and experience.

Progression in Learning and Assessment  

Developing our learners along the progression steps and learning continuum from age 3 to 6 enables them to progress at their own pace. The progression steps cover the 27 statements of what matters in order to view progression within the skills for every individual. 

Assessment methods are crucial in order to ensure that all learners receive the appropriate support to allow them to be challenged.

Baseline Assessment

The routes to learning to progression step 1 are used for pre-school and nursery assessment in order to find a baseline and starting point for the journey. 

Formative Assessment (to progress learning)

Classroom floor assessment and teachers' response to work is instrumental in order for learners to progress in their learning.  We use success criteria at the beginning of work and, as teachers, respond using pink for 'perfect' and green for 'improvement'.  There are opportunities for peer and self assessment and for redrafting work. Pupils have their individual targets on which they work at their own level.


Summative Assessment (to track pupil progress) 

We use the Taith 360 tool for assessment and tracking on a termly basis throughout pupils' time here.

Reception to Year 6 pupils complete NFER mathematics assessments every year and Year 1-6 complete the All-Wales reading tests in order to measure progress and identify the need for intervention. 

Transition along the learning continuum 

As a school, we support every learner in their transition to different groups within the progression steps, between classes and when moving up to Ysgol Botwnnog. 

Stage 1 - Nursery and Reception

Stage 2 - Years 1, 2 and 3

Stage 3 - Years 4, 5 and 6/7

Assessment of pupil wellbeing

Pupil Health and Wellbeing is now becoming more prominent within our Curriculum at Ysgol Pont y Gof where bespoke interventions are offered to meet pupils' wellbeing needs. 

Over the course of the year, we grasp opportunities to raise awareness of special events that promote Health and Wellbeing e.g. mental health week, Children in Need, supporting other current charities e.g. Ukraine. 

We run a Health and Wellbeing week early on in September looking at specific aspects e.g. balanced diet, healthy eating, emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing.

We assess pupils using PASS tests that provide an analysis of the aspects that individuals find difficult in order to target appropriate intervention. 

Reporting to parents on progress

Involving and sustaining a good relationship with parents is vital in order to help and support learners to make progress. We ask for the views and ideas of parents when planning our themes and share our intention for the term before embarking on work. We expect parents to support pupils with their homework, reading and times tables in the Junior Department. Parents have access to Seesaw during progression steps 1 and 2 which gives them an insight into pupils' practical work over the year. We have parent evenings twice a year where parents come to school to see their children's work and progress.

Relationships and Sexuality Education

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code leads us to plan aspects within our curriculum in order to meet mandatory requirements. 

RSE will empower learners to: 


There are three general strands within the RSE Curriculum and activities, knowledge and skills will be delivered across the six AoLEs, namely...


Language

Welsh and English

Ysgol Pont y Gof is a Welsh-speaking school where everybody is happy and confident to talk Welsh. We are very proud of the language and are passionate about keeping the language strong within our school and community.

We admit non-Welsh speaking pupils who soon settle into the school community, learning the language and becoming proud speakers.  

All pupils leave here with solid skills in both languages. 

We start to teach English in Year 2 where pupils read and write a few sentences. 

This is in preparation for using the language across the six areas of learning in year 3.