Dyffryn Taf’s
Hwb+ Journey
Rosemary Davies
Dyffryn Taf’s Hwb+ Champion,
Teacher of History and WBQ Co-Ordinator
Welcome
• Rosemary (Rosie) Davies, Dyffryn Taf School –
Whitland, Carmarthenshire
• Working with Hwb+ for around 15 months
• Old to new ‘shell’
• All experience is school based – not here to
‘market a product’.
What is ‘Hwb’ and ‘Hwb+’ ?
• Hwb – Resource repository – old ‘NGfL Cymru’
• Many new resources.
• Hwb+ - School Website AND Virtual Learning
Environment (VLE).
• More than a filing cabinet for resources.
• Documents, pictures, videos, surveys, wikis,
discussions, blogs.
• Staff-only areas. Learner-centred content.
How did we implement Hwb+
across the school?
• Who would lead it? Where was the enthusiasm?
Where was the engagement? Where was the
expertise?
• Clear Action Plans with reviews
• WG Digital Leader support
• Sharing ‘good’ and ‘emerging’ practice within and
across departments
• NOT a panacea, NOT the only way
• Develop a team – back to the 3Es
Innovative & Collaborative uses:
• Very easy to be innovative on a ‘blank sheet of
paper’.
• Hwb+ makes collaboration within / across /
outside easy.
• ‘Can do’ attitude by DLs – eg new tabs.
• Student engagement was easy.
• Social media invaluable sharing tool – twitter
especially- #addcym #hwbdysgu .
How can Hwb+ Help?
Welsh Government’s ten
‘Improvement areas’
Literacy &
Numeracy
Curriculum
Poverty
Behaviour &
Attendance
Assessment &
Target setting
ALN &
Inclusion
Child &
Adolescent
Development
Reflective
Practice &
Active Enquiry
Leadership
Literacy and Numeracy
• Tab
• Staff supportive
resource sharing
• Blogging
• Wikis
• Discussions
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Curriculum
• Limited timetable
space
• ‘Flipped Classroom’
approach
• Supporting students
on alternative
pathways
• Collaborative coursesharing with other
schools
Poverty
• Microsoft Office 365 embedded WITHIN the site,
regardless of device or software on it.
• Support materials for all students, word lists, revision
materials, past paper collections
• SLK – assignment lists and messages
• Self regulation with metacognition support
• Support for TA / Teacher collaborative work.
Behaviour
and
Attendance
• Whole school shared pages to show of ‘rewards’
systems
• Photos, announcements, direct messaging via email
• Planned absences: snow days, trips, exclusions –
learning can be caught up.
• Even when absence is forced through illness, learning
can still be supported at a distance in this way.
Assessment
and Target
Setting
• Opportunities for shared reporting within
teaching teams
• Secure Staff Area for sharing class
assessment data with others.
• SLK – offers assignment feedback with
comments and targets
ALN and Inclusion
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Storing, sharing and updating of IEPs in staff area
Resources to support both staff and students
Video area for instructions (repeat)
Differentiated assignment / task allocation via SLK
Extension activities without photocopying
Subject specific support
ALN team areas
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Child and Adolescent
Development : 0-19 years
• Parent’s page with access to school policies
on Sex Education, Religious Education,
compulsory Physical Education, Internet
Safety etc
• Links to ‘help’ pages and support groups for
both children and parents
• ‘Worry Box’ feature
• Support whole-school
PSE / WBQ delivery
• Student Voice Surveys
with data collected and
displayed for analysis
Reflective Practice and
Active Enquiry
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Surveys
PLC sections in Staff Area
Useful links
Staff Discussions
Shared documents
Set-up separate ‘pilot’ groups for trials
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Leadership
• Place to keep records of CPD attended and discuss
the impact in the classroom
• Easily do announcements
• Whole-School policies and initiatives
• Devolved Leadership / Delegation – managed or led
from a distance
• Separate area could be created for PLCs / Middle
Leaders with useful links and shared docs
• Accessible from home / out of school if necessary
eg during external training
• Student leadership can be managed through Hwb+
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