Ysgol Garth Olwg is an inclusive school that strives to prepare all learners for the challenges of the future. The school aims to provide a happy and safe school for them to develop, form and hone their skills to the full. Their values coincide harmoniously with The Six Principles of Nurture.
Ysgol Garth Olwg, an all-through school in South-East Wales
Ysgol Garth Olwg is a Welsh all-through school, serving pupils from age 3-19-years-old. The school opened in 2019 and is a trailblazer for inclusive, nurturing education.
After embracing nurture as a whole-school approach, the school saw improved stakeholder engagement and more success in strategies supporting pupils. Pupil exclusions reduced from 815 sessions to 185 sessions in two years. School attendance has gone from 88% to 91.6% in the same time period.
School context: Ysgol Garth Olwg
Leaders at Ysgol Garth Olwg saw a deterioration in behaviour, attendance and family engagement following the pandemic, and were passionate about making changes to improve these areas.
The school accommodates 1,200 pupils. 6.8% of those pupils have a Pupil Development Grant - a funding initiative in Wales for low-income households. Furthermore, many pupils attending the school come from the more deprived areas of the county.
The impact of nurture
Ysgol Garth Olwg began their journey with nurtureuk in 2021, following their conviction that happy pupils make more successful learners.
Reflective practice
As part of this approach, staff adopted the motto ‘through the eyes of the pupil’. This reminds staff to view each element of school life from each unique child’s perspective, constantly reflecting on their practices. The curriculum, classrooms, outside environment, transitions, the delivery and most importantly the relationships and interactions are all viewed in this way.
“The aim of our caring community is to ensure that school is a happy place for all. As part of working as one community, we are committed to developing a positive relationship between school and home to ensure the best possible school experience for all pupils.” - teacher
Inclusive school environment
The Six Principles of Nurture have been embedded throughout the school to ensure a seamlessly nurturing approach.
The school environment has a mixture of bright vibrant spaces which celebrate children’s work and quiet calm reflective areas where pupils can recharge and reset. Lots of areas have been established for quiet time, including three sensory rooms and tents for younger pupils. Older pupils have cards that enable them to leave lessons and go somewhere quiet where a member of staff is available. Classrooms are adapted where possible to support pupils who require opportunities to move or sensory activities.
Wellbeing and mental health
Emotional check-ins are carried out regularly and adults follow up on this consistently. Weekly wellbeing clubs are available to encourage both the physical and emotional wellbeing of pupils. The Boxall Profile® is utilised to create plans, find strategies and resources, and track progress of pupils in need of extra support.
Staff wellbeing is also a priority at Ysgol Garth Olwg. Wellbeing activities are planned for staff meetings and INSET days, and there is a staff wellbeing website. Staff reported a sense of autonomy, whilst also feeling listened to and supported.
“The head messages to say switch off and have a holiday – I like the little things.” - staff voice
Community and parental engagement
Parental engagement was a key priority for Ysgol Garth Olwg to improve.
Now, a range of communication methods are employed by the school and parent surveys consistently inform changes. Termly coffee sessions are held for parents and carers to connect more with the school and staff, as well as guest speakers who deliver talks on topics such as ADHD and autism. Parents of pupils with specific nurture interventions also get one-on-one time with the teacher assistant leading on that intervention to discuss its success and make suggestions for home life.
“There is a continuous line of communication which creates a community and keeps it strong.” – parent
Pupil journeys
The school's behaviour support class uses The Boxall Profile® to assess students’ needs and put strategies into place.
Nurture interventions in this group have included music therapy, creating a school garden, working with the community, learning real life skills and emotional literacy support. The Boxall Profile® assessment following the nurture provision found that most pupils' self-worth and self-esteem improved, and any dysregulation incidents are extremely rare.
Following the success of The Boxall Profile® on this group of pupils, a session was held where all staff were trained to use it on children who had difficulty in their classes. The wellbeing team now use it regularly as an initial tool to help set realistic behaviour targets for their pupils.