The pupils at Dewstow Primary School in Caldicot benefit from a varied, action-packed teaching programme aimed at making them confident, responsible members of the community. NICHOLAS THOMAS visited the school to fins out more.

THE motto of Dewstow Primary School is “living, learning, laughing together” and a walk through the school building makes it clear the children and staff have taken this to heart.

The pupils are absorbed in their work but are clearly happy to be doing it – be it a woodland-themed crafts project, a poetry recital, or reading books with their favourite stuffed animals.

The school building, too, is a breath of fresh air – the plaza approach to teaching allows for bright, expansive learning areas rather than traditional classrooms.

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Early-years pupils study together, as do pupils from Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6.

Headteacher Gill Bray said this allowed for greater flexibility of learning.

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The Foundation Phase Plaza at Dewstow Primary. All pictures: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

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Year 5 and 6 with their fantastic forests and wonderful woods project

“It gives the opportunity to provide children with activities based on their stage, rather than their age,” she said.

“They can do an activity all together, or do something in small groups. We work to the children’s strengths.”

This approach also benefited staff, deputy headteacher Mrs Mineur said.

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The Foundation Phase Plaza at Dewstow Primary

South Wales Argus:

The Foundation Phase Plaza at Dewstow Primary

“Teachers plan together, so it’s very good in terms of professional learning,” she said.

Mrs Bray said the school was looking forward to the Welsh Government’s new curriculum, to be introduced in 2022.

“It’s about skills-based authentic learning, which we really want out children to be taking part in,” she said.

The school has already committed to this approach, engaging pupils with topics that allows them to be as creative as they are academic.

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On the obstacle course at Dewstow Primary

South Wales Argus:

Oscar Carmichael crawling through a tunnel at Dewstow Primary

Currently, pupils in Year 5 and 6 are working on the theme of ‘wonderful woodlands’ and are preparing to open a woodland café for their families to visit.

Half the group is busy creating decorations out of wood they had gathered from the school’s grounds. These ornaments include hanging decorations, little buildings, photo frames, and necklaces with acorn pendants - all of which will be on display in the café.

The rest of the group is focusing on apples – making tarts and juice for the café, but also some rather unusual creations such as ‘shrunken head’ Hallowe’en decorations.

“The children have the freedom to be creative,” Mrs Mineur said. “They’re in charge of where they take the projects, and they’ve been independent and innovative with their ideas.”

Younger children in the school have been working on a teddy bear theme, and in a cosy corner of one plaza, a group of pupils sitting on a picnic rug, eating sandwiches they had made, and reading stories aloud to their teddies.

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Reception playtime for Edward Barrell at Dewstow Primary

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Harvest Festival rehearsals

Mrs Mineur said one of the highlights of project work like this was when children invited their relatives in to view their work.

“It’s a lovely way to share what they’ve been doing,” she said. “And it’s not just mum or dad who come – we’ve had grandparents and aunties in. It’s about seeing that they can learn in a fun way.”

Parents are kept connected to school life, too, through the Class Dojo app, which teachers use daily to share activities from each plaza.

Each child’s avatar reflects their behaviour and performance in school, so parents can keep informed about their progress - and children who do well are rewarded with tokens which can be spent once a week on real rewards in an in-school shop.

“It’s a positive behaviour rewards system – the children love it,” Mrs Mineur said.

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Using the fitness equipment supplied by the PTA at Dewstow Primary

South Wales Argus:

Using the fitness equipment supplied by the PTA at Dewstow

Further rewards come at special assemblies where students are recognised as Citizen of the Week or given Star Certificates. Their parents are notified in advance and sometimes surprise their children by turning up at the assemblies.

The staff at Dewstow Primary are also keen to get their children out of the classroom.

“We’ve tried to develop outside learning over the years, and focused on the nursery first,” Mrs Bray said. “We built an area just for outside learning, where children can go out and build, sit in huts and read or do maths, or go in the writing shed.

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“It gives children the opportunity to do the activities that they might prefer to do outside. It stimulates them, and in terms of their wellbeing, it’s good to be out there with the trees.”

The school’s pupils are spoilt for choice when it comes to outdoor activities. Dewstow Primary is located within a residential neighbourhood, but the school’s grounds are spacious and full of things to do. There’s a bark-covered obstacle course area with old tree stumps and duckboards, a sand pit for younger pupils, plenty of space for more traditional ball and playground games, and a recently-added exercise area, presented to the school by the PTA, where pupils can keep fit.

Dewstow’s pupils are very active, both indoors and outside, but their work doesn’t stop at the school gates. There is plenty of focus on engaging with the community, and the school’s Heddlu Bach (little police) scheme is one example of how staff want to develop the children into good citizens, as well as good students.

The young Heddlu Bach officers have raised awareness about anti-social behaviour and littering, educating their classmates on their responsibilities.

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Heddu Bach at Dewstow Primary

“They’ve done an assembly on fireworks and Hallowe’en, teaching things like how a sticker on the door means that person doesn’t want any callers,” Mrs Mineur said. “They’re educating the children and it’s a stronger message coming from them – there’s more credibility.”

Becoming a member of the Heddlu Bach isn’t easy, though. Applicants have to sit interviews with a local police constable, as well as local councillors and the school’s governors - giving those successful a sense of pride and achievement, as well as preparing them for later life.

The school also prides itself on its work supporting its pupils, and there is a strong belief in the Thrive Approach to students’ wellbeing and personal development.

The approach is grounded in developments in neuroscience and provides a way to look at each child’s behaviour and the developmental needs being signalled.

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Using the fitness equipment supplied by the PTA at Dewstow Primary

South Wales Argus:

Using the fitness equipment supplied by the PTA at Dewstow Primary

Mrs Mineur said: “We assess every child in the school, looking at their social and emotional wellbeing. Once we know where they are, we put things in place to support their development. Some are seen individually, some in groups.”

Other Thrive sessions are taught to entire classes at a time.

“It’s about making them confident socially and developing their emotional resilience,” Mrs Mineur added. “Life isn’t easy but Thrive gives them confidence and helps them understand how it all works.”

FACT FILE

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  • Motto: Living, learning, laughing together
  • Pupils: 209, plus nursery
  • Established: 2012
  • Head teacher: Mrs Gill Bray (pictured)