At Ysgol Dinas Brân, we strive to grow ready, resourceful, respectful and resilient lifelong learners inspired by our location, culture and heritage, enabling them to become happy and successful for life.
September 2023 marks the beginning of the introduction of the Curriculum in Wales for secondary schools starting with year 7 and 8. The process began a year earlier in primary schools.
The Curriculum for Wales is driven by the shared vision and aspiration that all learners develop towards the realisation of the four purposes, enabling each school to create a unique curriculum which meets the needs of its learners, supporting our young people to become:
1. Ambitious, capable learners, who are ready to learn throughout their lives.
2. Enterprising, creative contributors, who are ready to play a full part in life and work.
3. Ethical, informed citizens who are ready to become citizens of Wales and the world.
4. Healthy, confident individuals, who are ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
The four purposes underpin all aspects of the curriculum at all levels. At Ysgol Dinas Brân, our vision represents each of these four purposes by a word which we feel encompasses their spirit within our learning community: Ready, Resourceful, Responsible, Resilient, essential skills and values which will ensure our students are prepared for life beyond school.
Watch the following brief introductory video:
Please find below a link for parents and carers with some further information:
A guide to the curriculum for Wales - for parents and carersPlease find below further detail about the four purposes of the curriculum for Wales.
The Welsh Government sets out the following aspects to be covered by each school within the Curriculum in Wales:
At Ysgol Dinas Brân we provide a broad, balanced curriculum to enable all learners to gain skills, knowledge, experiences and qualifications which will enable them to progress to the next phase in life, whether that be further education or employment.
The curriculum is organized into six Areas of Learning Experience (AoLEs) with subject disciplines studied in lower school (years 7 – 9). Aspects of those in brackets are included within learning experiences delivered in lower school and offered as full courses from year 10.
There are 27 'Statements of What Matters' across the six Areas of Learning Experience. These will enable us to create a broad and balanced curriculum to allow learners to develop towards realising the four purposes.
All learners follow a broad, balanced curriculum with subject disciplines from within each of the six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs). We aim to strike a balance between developing the knowledge and skills within each subject while also deepening learning by making authentic connections within and between each AoLE to encourage curiosity and a love of learning, as well as to support the development of cross-curricular and integral skills needed to support learning as learners progress into the upper years.
At Key Stage 4, students follow a common core of English, Maths, Science, Welsh, RE, PE and Skills Challenge which provides all with a strong foundation for future success. Students also choose three options from a broad range of more than twenty subjects. Students (and parents) receive individualised support in making these choices and we ensure – through the broadest provision – that option choices are appropriate for the individual. All students follow Welsh to GCSE level. RE is taught to all students in key stage 3 and 4. Parents can exercise their right not to participate in religious education and must do so in writing to the Headteacher. All students study careers education through PSE and students have individual interviews in key stage 4 and the Sixth Form to support their progression beyond school. At key stage 4, some students follow work – related courses and undertake, where appropriate, placements in employment. Ysgol Dinas Brân is committed to promoting the health, well-being and safety of all of its learners. The school delivers a wellstructured personal, social and health education programme to support their emotional and physical well – being
The Sex and Relationships Education Programme, within PSE, helps learners to understand the emotional and physical development at puberty (Year 7) and the lessons progress to discuss topics such as relationships based on respect and love (Year 7 & Year 8), sexuality (Year 8 & Year 9), consent and the law (Year 8 & Year 9), sexting (Year 9 & 10), conception and contraception (Year 8 & Year 9), abusive relationships (Year 10), the dangers of binge drinking (Year 10 & Year 11) and sexually transmitted diseases (Year 10 & Year 11). Parents may exempt their children from the Sex Education programme by making a formal request in writing to the Headteacher. The school’s efforts in promoting healthy living have been recognised by the awarding of Phase 5 of the Healthy Schools Scheme
