Teaching and Learning at Ysgol y Graig
At Ysgol y Graig, our approach to teaching and learning is built around six key areas:
Well-being and Relationships • Curriculum Design • Learning Environment • Assessment & Feedback • Independence • Challenge.
These are the foundations of our whole-school Teaching and Learning Strategy.
We believe that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and emotionally ready to learn. Positive relationships, consistent expectations and a strong sense of belonging create the conditions in which pupils can take risks, persevere and achieve their best.
Our curriculum is designed to develop confident, independent learners who are curious, resilient and able to take increasing ownership of their learning. Learning is rooted in authentic and meaningful contexts, with opportunities for enquiry, pupil voice, choice and application of skills across the curriculum.
Our Learning Environment
We see the learning environment as an important part of teaching. Classrooms are organised to support independence, inclusion and purposeful learning rather than simply look attractive.
Across the school, pupils are supported by consistent features such as working walls, help desks, clearly labelled resources, Welsh labels, reading areas, visual timetables, literacy and numeracy resources, Time to Shine displays and spaces that support wellbeing and self-regulation.
Assessment and Feedback
Assessment is used to move learning forward.
Teachers use assessment to identify what pupils know, understand and can do, and then use this information to plan appropriate next steps. Feedback is purposeful, timely and linked to learning intentions and skills, helping pupils understand how to improve and make progress.
Our approaches include
Time to Shine, learner journals, formative assessment, progress walls and our Assessment for Learning toolkit.
Developing Independence
Independence is a central part of learning at Ysgol y Graig.
We want pupils to have the confidence and self-belief to take the lead in their own learning and to recognise the role they can play in developing their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Pupils are encouraged to make decisions, solve problems, work independently and collaboratively, explain their thinking and use resources before relying immediately on an adult.
Our strategies include:
I Wonder missions • independent provision • help desks • 3Bs/5Bs • QR codes • Google Classroom • Seesaw • Time to Shine.
Challenge for Every Learner
We have high expectations for all pupils.
Challenge helps children build resilience, confidence and independence and gives them opportunities to apply their learning in new and varied contexts. Teaching is adapted so that every pupil can access learning while still being appropriately challenged.
We use:
adaptive teaching • effective questioning • I Wonder enquiry tasks • self and peer assessment • Time to Shine • targeted provision and experiences to ensure all learners are supported and challenged.
Five Questions We Want Our Learners to Be Able to Answer
A strong feature of our Teaching and Learning Strategy is that pupils are encouraged to understand their own learning.
We want children to be able to answer:
These questions help pupils become more reflective, independent and confident learners.
Professional Learning
We believe that strong teaching develops through continuous professional learning.
Staff regularly take part in INSET, coaching, professional learning sessions, research, peer learning and opportunities to observe and share effective practice. Your strategy specifically links professional learning to behaviour and relationships, curriculum, assessment, learning environments and independent learning.
Ultimately, our aim is simple:
to create learning where children feel safe, are appropriately challenged, understand their learning, become increasingly independent and are supported to make strong progress.
Every child belongs, believes and thrives.
At Ysgol y Graig, our approach to teaching and learning is built around six key areas:
Well-being and Relationships • Curriculum Design • Learning Environment • Assessment & Feedback • Independence • Challenge.
These are the foundations of our whole-school Teaching and Learning Strategy.
We believe that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and emotionally ready to learn. Positive relationships, consistent expectations and a strong sense of belonging create the conditions in which pupils can take risks, persevere and achieve their best.
Our curriculum is designed to develop confident, independent learners who are curious, resilient and able to take increasing ownership of their learning. Learning is rooted in authentic and meaningful contexts, with opportunities for enquiry, pupil voice, choice and application of skills across the curriculum.
Our Learning Environment
We see the learning environment as an important part of teaching. Classrooms are organised to support independence, inclusion and purposeful learning rather than simply look attractive.
Across the school, pupils are supported by consistent features such as working walls, help desks, clearly labelled resources, Welsh labels, reading areas, visual timetables, literacy and numeracy resources, Time to Shine displays and spaces that support wellbeing and self-regulation.
Assessment and Feedback
Assessment is used to move learning forward.
Teachers use assessment to identify what pupils know, understand and can do, and then use this information to plan appropriate next steps. Feedback is purposeful, timely and linked to learning intentions and skills, helping pupils understand how to improve and make progress.
Our approaches include
Time to Shine, learner journals, formative assessment, progress walls and our Assessment for Learning toolkit.
Developing Independence
Independence is a central part of learning at Ysgol y Graig.
We want pupils to have the confidence and self-belief to take the lead in their own learning and to recognise the role they can play in developing their knowledge, skills and understanding.
Pupils are encouraged to make decisions, solve problems, work independently and collaboratively, explain their thinking and use resources before relying immediately on an adult.
Our strategies include:
I Wonder missions • independent provision • help desks • 3Bs/5Bs • QR codes • Google Classroom • Seesaw • Time to Shine.
Challenge for Every Learner
We have high expectations for all pupils.
Challenge helps children build resilience, confidence and independence and gives them opportunities to apply their learning in new and varied contexts. Teaching is adapted so that every pupil can access learning while still being appropriately challenged.
We use:
adaptive teaching • effective questioning • I Wonder enquiry tasks • self and peer assessment • Time to Shine • targeted provision and experiences to ensure all learners are supported and challenged.
Five Questions We Want Our Learners to Be Able to Answer
A strong feature of our Teaching and Learning Strategy is that pupils are encouraged to understand their own learning.
We want children to be able to answer:
- What are you learning and why?
- How can you be successful?
- How do you know?
- How can you improve?
- Where do you go for help?
These questions help pupils become more reflective, independent and confident learners.
Professional Learning
We believe that strong teaching develops through continuous professional learning.
Staff regularly take part in INSET, coaching, professional learning sessions, research, peer learning and opportunities to observe and share effective practice. Your strategy specifically links professional learning to behaviour and relationships, curriculum, assessment, learning environments and independent learning.
Ultimately, our aim is simple:
to create learning where children feel safe, are appropriately challenged, understand their learning, become increasingly independent and are supported to make strong progress.
Every child belongs, believes and thrives.