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Curriculum for Wales

I, Me, and Curriculum: Reflecting on Self and Educational Reform in Wales

Posted on 11 April 2024 by Dr Kevin Smith

What does curriculum mean to me? Drawing on Mead’s theory of self and Pinar’s reconceptualist method of Currere, this post explores how Welsh educators can reclaim their professional voice and rethink curriculum as a living, reflective practice.

Currere Cymru: The Future of Educational Research in Wales

Posted on 27 February 2024 by Dr Kevin Smith

How can teachers in Wales reimagine curriculum as something lived, felt and continually made? In this post, I introduce Currere Cymru—a new research collaboration exploring how curriculum theorising can support transformative educational practice across Wales.

Cymraeg in the Classroom: Rethinking How We Teach Welsh

Posted on 12 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

If most pupils believe Welsh is vital to Wales’s identity, why do so many dislike learning it? This post examines what pupils and teachers say about Welsh lessons today and explores how schools might rebuild enthusiasm and fluency by aligning classroom aims with the living language beyond the school gates.

Learning Welsh: What Pupils Really Think

Posted on 1 May 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Why do so many pupils say they dislike Welsh lessons? In this post, Dr Mirain Rhys examines what learners themselves think about studying Cymraeg—and what needs to change. From calls for more authentic speaking opportunities to concerns about exam-focused teaching, the findings offer powerful insights for anyone committed to the future of Wales’s living language.

Curriculum Theory and Theorising: Why Wales Needs Both

Posted on 17 April 2020 by Dr Kevin Smith

Curriculum reform demands more than compliance—it requires thought. This post explores what curriculum theory and theorising mean, why they matter for teachers in Wales, and how engaging with them can deepen both practice and understanding. It’s an invitation to think critically, question confidently, and join the broader conversation shaping education’s future.

From Global Citizens to Cosmopolitans: Rethinking Citizenship in the Curriculum for Wales

From Global Citizens to Cosmopolitans: Rethinking Citizenship in the Curriculum for Wales

Posted on 23 December 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What if “global citizenship” isn’t enough? This post invites educators to imagine a more ethical, reflective form of worldliness—cosmopolitanism—that values human connection over market efficiency. It challenges Wales’s curriculum reform to move beyond the language of economics toward a vision of education rooted in shared humanity, moral reasoning and care for others.

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Wales, Welshness, and the Curriculum: Rethinking the Welsh Dimension

Posted on 16 December 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What does it really mean to “be Welsh” in today’s curriculum? This post explores how official discourses shape our understanding of Wales and Welshness, revealing the tensions between tradition, diversity and identity. It calls for a critical pedagogy of place—one that helps pupils think deeply about culture, belonging and the world beyond their doorstep.

Philosophy in Schools: Teachers’ Views from Wales

Posted on 19 August 2019 by Dr Kevin Smith

What role should philosophy play in the classroom? Darius Klibavicius’ research with teachers in Wales explores how philosophy is understood—as a subject, a method or a way of life. Linking Philosophy for Children with contemporary curriculum reform, this post examines why many teachers see philosophy as vital for well-being, reasoning and communication in modern education.