Summary
This report evaluates how well secondary schools in Wales use the Skills framework at key stage 3 to plan and deliver improvements in pupils’ development of generic skills.
Recommendations
Secondary schools should:
- ensure appropriate and progressive coverage in key stage 3 to develop pupils’ skills in thinking, communication, information and communication technology and numeracy skills;
- work with their feeder primary schools to ensure suitable continuity and progression in the development of generic skills;
- co-ordinate the approach to teaching, communication, thinking, information and communication technology and numeracy skills in key stage 3; and
- develop effective systems for tracking pupils’ progress in developing generic skills to inform future planning.
Local authorities should:
- support to schools in:
• planning a curriculum that develops pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills progressively across all subjects in key stage 3; and
• assessing and tracking pupils’ generic skills development between key stage 2 and key stage 3, and throughout key stage 3.
The Welsh Government should:
- review the Skills framework so that it:
• provides clear progression in developing pupils’ generic skills throughout key stage 3;
• provides a simpler structure that schools can easily use to plan, assess and track pupils’ progress in developing generic skills; and
• provide schools with examples of pupils’ standards in generic skills across the curriculum; and
- review the value to schools of the Skills framework and consider including the development of pupils’ generic skills within the National Curriculum Subject Orders themselves.
Best practice case studies
You can read the following examples of best practice in Appendix 2 of the full report:
- Eirias High School - Planning for skills development
- Monmouth Comprehensive School - Tracking of progress in skills
- Pen-Y-Dre High School - Involving pupils in their own progress in skills
- Mary Immaculate R.C. High School - Monitoring provision for skills
- Cynffig Comprehensive School - Using accreditation opportunities to plan progress in skills
