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        • Minafon Curriculum

        Understanding the Curriculum for Wales

        The Curriculum for Wales has been designed to prepare children and young people for a rapidly changing world by developing not only what they know, but also what they can do and who they become as individuals. It places learners at the heart of education, ensuring they develop the knowledge, skills, experiences and values needed to thrive throughout their lives.

        The Four Purposes

        Everything within the Curriculum for Wales is designed to help learners become:

        • Ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives.
        • Enterprising, creative contributors who can play a full part in life and work.
        • Ethical, informed citizens who understand Wales and the wider world.
        • Healthy, confident individuals who are ready to lead fulfilling lives.

        These Four Purposes underpin all learning at Ysgol Minafon.

        Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs)

        Learning is organised into six interconnected Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs):

        • Language, Literacy and Communication
        • Mathematics and Numeracy
        • Science and Technology
        • Humanities
        • Health and Well-being
        • Expressive Arts

        Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, learners make meaningful connections across these areas through engaging enquiries, real-life experiences and authentic contexts.

        What Matters Statements

        Each AOLE is built around a series of 'What Matters' Statements. These identify the most important concepts, knowledge and understanding that learners should revisit and deepen throughout their education.

        The What Matters Statements ensure that learning is:

        • coherent and connected
        • meaningful and relevant
        • progressive from age 3 to 16
        • focused on developing deep understanding rather than simply covering content.

        At Ysgol Minafon, our curriculum planning is carefully designed around these statements to ensure children revisit key ideas in increasingly sophisticated ways.

        Progression Steps

        The Curriculum for Wales replaces traditional year-by-year attainment levels with Progression Steps. These describe the broad stages of learning that most learners are expected to reach as they develop.

        The five Progression Steps are:

        Progression Step Typical Age
        Progression Step 1 5 years
        Progression Step 2 8 years
        Progression Step 3 11 years
        Progression Step 4 14 years
        Progression Step 5 16 years

        Children progress at different rates, so teachers use ongoing assessment to identify each learner's next steps rather than expecting everyone to reach the same point at the same time.

        At Ysgol Minafon, our mixed-age classes are planned around these Progression Steps, ensuring learning is appropriately challenging and supports every child to make continuous progress.

        Cross-Curricular Responsibilities

        The Curriculum for Wales places particular importance on developing three mandatory cross-curricular responsibilities across all learning:

        • Literacy
        • Numeracy
        • Digital Competence

        These skills are taught daily across all Areas of Learning and Experience, enabling pupils to apply their learning in meaningful contexts.

        Assessment and Progression

        Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. It is used to support pupils in understanding:

        • what they have achieved
        • what they need to improve
        • what their next steps in learning are.

        Teachers use a wide range of evidence, including observations, discussions, independent work and pupil reflections, to monitor progress and plan future learning.

        Children in Years 2–9 also complete Personalised Assessments in Reading and Numeracy, which provide additional information to support teaching and learning.

        Our Curriculum at Ysgol Minafon

        At Ysgol Minafon, our curriculum has been developed to reflect the needs of our learners and community. Through engaging enquiries, educational visits, outdoor learning, local partnerships and rich first-hand experiences, we aim to nurture curious minds, resilient learners and responsible citizens.

        Our curriculum celebrates Welsh language, culture and heritage while preparing learners with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to flourish in modern Wales and the wider world.

        Together, we are committed to helping every child grow with grace, soar with strength, and become lifelong learners who are ready for the future.