Opportunities for learning within the Curriculum for Wales are organised in six Areas of Learning and Experience to provide broad and interconnected educational experiences for the learners as they progress towards the four purposes. Whilst the distinct nature of each discipline is important, collaboration within and across the AoLEs is fundamental to build a holistic curriculum for each learner.

Key principles

• Before engaging with the AoLE, an understanding of the ‘Introduction to Curriculum for Wales guidance’ is required to appreciate the vision of an integrated approach to learning, teaching and progression. If schools only engage with the AoLE guidance, the key principles of Curriculum for Wales and the wider context for learning will be missed.

• Learning within Areas of Learning and Experience enables deep learning through recurrence and transference to different contexts. Meaningful connections within and between the six AoLEs should be explored and planned for when selecting contexts, content and pedagogy.

• Schools should place the learner at the centre of all planning and use a collaborative approach within and across the AoLEs to enable all learners to realise the characteristics of the four purposes.

• The What Matters statements encapsulate the vision for each AoLE and the Descriptions of Learning embody the essential learning required for progression towards the four purposes.

Activity 1

Read the ‘Introduction to Curriculum for Wales guidance’ and create a visual representation of the Curriculum for Wales model to which summarises its content. Here are links to the guidance and two examples.

Activity 2

Discuss why the characteristics of the four purposes are important to your AoLE and how you can collaborate to plan opportunities to develop them. The documents on the right may be useful for your discussions.

Activity 3

Read the rationale for each statement of what matters in your AoLE and create a diagram which summarises your understanding of the essential learning it encompasses.

Activity 4

Discuss what really matters for your learners in your context within this AoLE.

Ask yourselves what do you want your learners to remember about this AoLE in their future lives, and start brainstorming ideas together ready to use as a starting point when you create a vision for your AoLE in your school.