Cross-curricla in Wales - inspired by Sir Donaldson

  Cross-curricula is gradually becoming popular within education in Wales. Basic cross-curriculum of literacy and numeracy had to be developed and adaptable to our modern period where technologies play a vital role within today’s generation. Technologies like tablets and interactive whiteboards caused the Welsh’s education system to undertake the concept of ‘digital competence’ and add it to the cross-curriculum system, focusing on developing self’s digital skills that can be applied to wide range of scenarios.

  Developed by Pioneer Schools with the support of external experts, they have designed a ‘framework’, which enables educators within schools to acknowledge the ‘4 strands of equal importance,’ which includes:

·      Citizenship –

This is where health and well-being, identity and reputation, ownership, and online behaviour are considered to be important aspects for our community.

·      Interaction and collaborating –

Communication is key to life, it’s what helps you to collaborate and become a good team member of our society, linking to good citizenship.

·      Producing –

This is part of our everyday action where planning, evaluation and improvement are completed without acknowledging it.

·      Data and computational thinking –

Nowadays, early years education encourages children to think critically and to be able to problem-solve from a young age as they are more inclined to absorb skills and knowledge from the age of 5.

  Gathered from my readings and research, schools in Wales are now familiarising themselves with this framework structure provided by the Welsh Government of ‘Learning Wales’ and has found various processes of how to implement it into practice. As for most of us, we wonder why it’s changing now and not when we were still in primary schools?

There’s always been a slow and gradual change from when I was in school, however it wasn’t emphasised as it was in today’s generation. I remembered that there was a few interactive whiteboards, where we wasn’t allowed to use unless the teacher chose us to click on an answer once, then we would sit back down. The reason for this is that they had concerns that we would damage the board which was expensive back in 2007, and funding of the school by the government wasn’t as reluctant and financially developed as now. Nevertheless, compared to today’s elementary school life, young people are capable to adapt and learn new skills throughout life in order to deal with new life scenarios. According to Donaldson’s report, the purpose of change in the Welsh curriculum should mould children and young people to be:

·      Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives.

·      Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work.

·      Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

·      Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

  Although the milestone of this development is well underway, the process will not be rushed as Pioneer schools are still in the stage of trial and error. Yet, the journey for 2017 to 2022 is expected the Welsh government to launch practical supports to schools to prepare for the new curriculum. Not only digital competence is being introduced to the cross-curriculum system, it’s considered that there will be six areas of learning and experience, consisting:

·      Expressive arts

·      Health and well-being

·      Humanities (RE should remained compulsory until the age of 16)

·      Mathematics and numeracy

·      Science and Technology

Not only the main focus is on primary school ages, but we feel that the focus should also be on secondary ages, overall ranging from 5 to 16 years old.

References:

-       Welsh Government (2017): New School Curriculum

-       Donaldson, G (2015): Successful futures