Our curriculum offer

Vision

“Believe, Achieve, Succeed.”

At Ysgol Nant y Groes, we have high aspirations for all of our children. We are committed to providing an education and environment that enables every child to believe in their ability to succeed and excel in all that they do.

We are proud to be a respectful and inclusive school at the heart of our community, where every child is valued, supported and enabled to achieve their highest potential across all areas of the curriculum and beyond. Our vision is rooted in developing confident learners who are prepared for the opportunities and challenges of life in Wales and the wider world.

Mission

Our mission at Ysgol Nant y Groes is to inspire and educate children by providing a nurturing, safe and inclusive environment where learning is at the heart of all that we do.

As a values‑based school, we nurture curiosity, creativity and a love of learning through an inspiring, authentic and engaging curriculum. We encourage our children to become resilient and independent learners, confident to take risks, learn from mistakes and strive for excellence.

Everyone is challenged and supported to thrive and achieve as individuals, preparing our learners for their future role as caring, responsible and active citizens of Wales.

Ethos and Values

Ysgol Nant y Groes is a safe, inclusive and nurturing school community where the wellbeing of every child is paramount.

We strive to:

Create a happy, caring and supportive environment where safeguarding is robust, effective and everyone’s responsibility
Adapt provision to meet the needs of all learners, ensuring equity, inclusion and high expectations
Provide high‑quality learning experiences that allow every learner to achieve their full potential
Promote positive relationships built on respect, kindness and responsibility
Work collaboratively as a staff team, drawing on shared expertise to strengthen teaching and learning

Safeguarding underpins everything we do, and pupils know that Ysgol Nant y Groes is a place where they feel safe, listened to and valued.

Expectations

Our clear expectations support effective learning, wellbeing and positive behaviour:

Ready – learners arrive prepared, on time and ready to learn
Respect – learners show respect for themselves, others and the school environment
Safe and Responsible – learners take responsibility for their actions and contribute to a safe community

Our Curriculum at Ysgol Nant y Groes

The curriculum at Ysgol Nant y Groes is everything a learner experiences during their time with us.

When designing our curriculum, we carefully consider:

What should we teach?
How should we teach it?
Why do we teach it?

Our curriculum is firmly rooted in the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales and ensures clear progression in skills, knowledge and experiences for all learners.

Reading at Ysgol Nant y Groes

Reading is a key priority at Ysgol Nant y Groes and underpins learning across the curriculum.

We dedicate a whole day each week to reading activities, known as Go Read
Go Read provides a calm, purposeful and positive start to the week
Pupils engage in a wide range of reading experiences that develop fluency, comprehension and enjoyment
School evidence shows that pupils make good progress in reading throughout their time at the school

Reading is celebrated, valued and embedded across all areas of learning.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching and learning at Ysgol Nant y Groes is guided by the 12 pedagogical principles of the Curriculum for Wales, adapted to meet the needs of our learners.

Our approach:

Maintains a clear focus on purpose (what, how and why we teach)
Builds on prior knowledge and experience
Promotes deep thinking, creativity and problem‑solving
Encourages positive relationships and collaboration
Makes strong cross‑curricular connections
Uses assessment for learning to move learning forward

Planning and Topics

Half‑Termly Topic Planning

Topics are taught on a half‑termly basis
Teachers plan collaboratively to ensure progression and consistency across the school
Staff draw on shared expertise to strengthen planning and teaching
Topics are evaluated in the following half term to identify strengths and areas for development, particularly in literacy and numeracy
This evaluative approach is being extended to ICT and Welsh

Pupil Voice

Pupil voice is central to our curriculum design
In some classes, learners directly influence the direction of topics and activities within the mission areas
This approach increases ownership, engagement and motivation

Structure of the Learning Day

Core skills are taught explicitly in the morning
Skills are then applied and developed in the afternoon through topic‑based learning
This ensures learning is meaningful, purposeful and well‑contextualised

Engaging Outcomes

Topics typically work towards a clear end result or outcome, particularly during shorter half terms
These outcomes are highly engaging and valued by pupils
Learners demonstrate enthusiasm, pride and strong engagement in their topic work

Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs)

Planning is driven by the What Matters statements across the six Areas of Learning and Experience to ensure breadth, depth and progression.

Across all AoLEs we develop:

Literacy, numeracy and digital competence
Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)
Human Rights and the UNCRC
Diversity and inclusion
Careers and the world of work
Local, national and global contexts

Universal Provision and Inclusion

At Ysgol Nant y Groes, we are committed to meeting the needs of all learners.

Provision is adaptive, inclusive and responsive
Targeted interventions support literacy, numeracy, speech and language, wellbeing, motor skills and transition
Y Bont provides younger learners who need a bespoke approach with a nurturing environment where they can develop at their own pace

Assessment and Progression

Assessment supports learning and progression through:

Strong assessment for learning practices
Pupil voice and learner involvement
Professional judgement and regular dialogue
Ongoing tracking of individual progress
Moderation within school and across the cluster

Progression is reviewed regularly through planning meetings, pupil progress discussions and transition arrangements.

Extra‑Curricular Opportunities

We provide a range of extra‑curricular opportunities to enrich learning, develop skills and promote wellbeing, including:

Sports and physical activities
Creative and expressive opportunities
Clubs that support social, practical and real‑life skills

Ysgol Nant y Groes is a school where learners feel safe, valued and inspired — where reading is celebrated, learning is purposeful, and everyone works together to Believe, Achieve and Succeed