Realising the Curriculum for Wales in Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) provision including Pupil Referral Units (PRU): a qualitative study (summary)

This report forms is part of the formative evaluation of the Curriculum for Wales. 

It presents the findings of qualitative research into the realisation of Curriculum for Wales in pupil referral units (PRUs) and other education other than at school (EOTAS) provision, led by the University of Bangor in partnership with Cardiff Metropolitan University. 

The research sought to address 2 central aims in relation to EOTAS provision. These were: 

1. to understand how Curriculum for Wales guidance is being implemented in practice
2. to explore how providers of EOTAS are supported to enact Curriculum for Wales

The methodology included:

• Recruitment of individuals in a range of roles related to EOTAS provision across Wales to take part in the study. These included practitioners who design the curriculum and teach in PRUs and non-PRU EOTAS and representatives from local authorities such as inclusion officers and those involved with referral, commissioning, and securing the curriculum.
• A total of 36 individuals participated in the study including representatives from 9PRUs, 9 local authorities and 10 non-PRU EOTAS providers from across Wales. All regions of were represented in the sample, including settings in urban and rural locations.
• A desk-based review, including a review of policy and guidance documentation relating to EOTAS provision, and a workshop with Welsh Government policy officials to identify lines of enquiry that were used as part of qualitative discussions.
• Analysis was undertaken in stages and involved: a review of discussion transcripts; the production of written summaries of each discussion; open coding of transcripts to identify recurring themes.

The report highlights limitations associated with this study, notably:

• the small and self-selecting nature of the sample, meaning that findings are not generalisable
• the discussions carried out provided a snapshot of a moment in time limiting the ability to explore PRUs’ and non-PRU EOTAS’ Curriculum for Wales ‘journey’ and progress over a longer period
• due to the limitations on time available during discussions, it was not always possible to get a full sense of what planning had been undertaken and the level of detail that was involved
• all PRUs and local authority representatives in the sample were asked to share a copy of their curriculum summary, where one was available (due to having access to only 3 summaries a decision was taken not to analyse these)
• it was not possible to represent all types of EOTAS provision within this study, due to the wide range of provision across Wales
• beyond the participant groups recruited, there are other stakeholders that play an important role in the development of EOTAS curriculum such as parents or carers, learners and practitioners in mainstream schools, who were not included in the sample
• participants may have been inclined to provide responses they felt were expected or aligned with policy norms; to mitigate this risk of social desirability bias, researchers emphasised how honest feedback could positively influence improvements to policy and practice, while assuring complete anonymity in the final report
• there is also a risk of researchers’ own bias; researchers kept a reflexivity journal to reflect on their personal experiences, thoughts and interactions throughout to reduce risk of bias or reflect on its potential impact

The research team developed a list of research questions that guided the data collection for this study and provide the structure for this report. 

Research question 1: in what ways are EOTAS providers supporting learners to develop knowledge, skills, and experiences in line with the Curriculum for Wales Framework? 

It was a common view amongst EOTAS practitioners that some of the benefits of implementing Curriculum for Wales included increased learner engagement, improved motivation, and greater focus on learner needs, aspirations and progression. Some practitioners also highlighted improved behaviour from learners through a more holistic approach to learning that valued wellbeing and personal development.

Most EOTAS practitioners highlighted the benefits of Curriculum for Wales’ flexibility and felt its ethos aligned well with the provision and supportive learning environment they already provided. For these practitioners, Curriculum for Wales allowed further opportunities to design bespoke curricula to cater to the diverse needs, abilities and interests of individual learners, whilst reflecting the nurturing environment and learner-centred approaches of their existing EOTAS provision.

The flexibility of Curriculum for Wales was perceived by most local authority representatives to support practitioner agency and ownership to develop the curriculum in line with their local context and learner needs. These representatives felt this was a beneficial way to provide a wide range of authentic learning opportunities to learners as well as develop links to local community groups. 

Health and wellbeing were emphasised as a priority for learners across all EOTAS provision and were highlighted by the majority of participants as a core aspect of their curriculum provision. Activities included working collaboratively with external agencies such as CAMHS and social services to deliver holistic and individualised support to learners. Curriculum for Wales realisation had encouraged practitioners to consider how health and wellbeing could be integrated in a more cross-curricular context. 

Most EOTAS practitioners and local authority representatives highlighted that this integration alongside more flexible approaches to learning environments was particularly beneficial for learners, for example, through outdoor learning and pursuits, community engagement, music therapy, and mindfulness.

Within EOTAS provision, most practitioners used learner voice to incorporate learner interests and preferences into curriculum design. This included hosting feedback sessions and debates and incorporating learner voice into IDP development. They believed that this approach was creating more engaging learning experiences.

Nearly half of non-PRU EOTAS practitioners perceived Curriculum for Wales to have little relevance to their own provision. Reasons for this included having different non-academic learning priorities and a focus on vocational and employability needs. This related to learners who were dual-registered and therefore also attending mainstream schools. As such, these practitioners did not feel that the introduction of Curriculum for Wales had led to changes in their own provision or practice.

Research question 2: to what extent and in what ways have Curriculum for Wales curriculum and assessment arrangements enabled EOTAS providers to support their learners? (Where arrangements encapsulate planning and designing; teaching and learning; reviewing curriculum; and assessment) 

Almost all practitioners reported focusing on the individual progress of learners, rather than fixed attainment targets. The introduction of Curriculum for Wales was considered by the majority to support a positive shift towards the acceptance of more holistic and qualitative approaches to assessment in EOTAS provision. 

Some EOTAS practitioners reported positive developments in how Curriculum for Wales assessment arrangements had helped learners understand their own progress. They outlined a shift towards more formative approaches that supported learner self-awareness and engagement with their educational journey. Some practitioners highlighted the celebration of learners’ development in areas that mainstream schools may overlook (for example attendance, behaviour, and attitudes towards learning), which helped change learners' perspectives about what success can look like.

More than half of EOTAS practitioners commented that wellbeing and personal development was as important as academic progress. This has resulted in the Health and Wellbeing Area being at the centre of their EOTAS provision, with assessments in place to monitor this development. However, a few reported challenges in quantifying progress in the areas of wellbeing and engagement in learning. 

Around half of the practitioners reported that short-term stays or interventions for learners within EOTAS provision made it difficult to complete meaningful assessments that provided insights into learner progress in relation to the progression steps. Most practitioners considered that, as there was no prescribed way of measuring progress, it made it difficult to align and compare learner progress during transitions to and from mainstream schools. 

It was a common view amongst practitioners that the removal of attainment targets introduced challenges relating to how and when to conduct assessments. This - along with the use of different reporting strategies, varied expectations about which metrics indicate progress, and inconsistent methods of sharing data between education providers – was reported to have made it difficult to align and compare learner progress during transitions.

Due to learners often only attending EOTAS provision for short periods of time, practitioners highlighted that this made it difficult to complete meaningful assessments relating to progression steps. This meant that the progress learners did make in other areas (for example, wellbeing and behaviour) was not easily visible or quantifiable through the Curriculum for Wales lens. 

Some concerns were raised around the lack of guidance available to underpin the new GCSE and VSCE qualifications by a few practitioners.^{[footnote 1]} This had caused concern over whether they were meeting the requirements of Curriculum for Wales and effectively preparing their learners for examinations. 

Research question 3: how are stakeholders collaborating (or engaging in professional dialogue) to support EOTAS learners?

It was common practice for EOTAS providers to collaborate with various stakeholders such as parents or carers, local authorities, health practitioners and educational psychologists to support learner engagement and progress, health and wellbeing, and CWRE. CWRE emerged as a particular area of emphasis in providers’ collaboration with others; with over half of practitioners highlighting how work-related learning created meaningful pathways for learners who had previously disengaged from more traditional academic approaches. 

All PRUs reported working with mainstream schools. Where collaboration worked well, communication and regular meetings to share information about a learner’s progress, needs, and experiences were facilitated by designated liaison staff or the local authorities.

However, over half of non-PRU EOTAS providers reported little or no contact with mainstream schools. This resulted in perceived challenges such as inconsistent communication and data sharing processes to determine what learners had previously learnt and in agreeing what progression should look like for different learners. 

Research question 4: do practitioners in PRUs have access to professional learning and support to assist with curriculum and assessment design? 

Almost all practitioners working in PRUs reported accessing professional learning opportunities in areas including curriculum design, leadership and assessment. These practitioners noted that engaging in professional learning was beneficial to them and improved their knowledge of main aspects of Curriculum for Wales, such as the 4 purposes and cross-cutting themes. 

However, a few practitioners felt that professional learning offered by education consortia and local authorities failed to address the specific challenges faced by EOTAS providers such as the need for smaller classes, limited staffing, and higher proportions of learners with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and behavioural support needs. 

Some EOTAS practitioners reported using in-house training instead of external professional learning. Examples included sharing internal expertise and commissioning or developing bespoke training in response to need, such as supporting a specific ALN, behaviour support, or teaching and learning strategies.

Research question 5: are non-PRU EOTAS provided with local authority designed curriculum, as per the legislation?

Despite local authorities having a duty to secure appropriate curricula for learners referred to non-PRU EOTAS, more than half of these of these providers reported developing their own approach, sometimes due to having minimal direction. This was considered by a few providers to have created challenges for them in understanding and realising mandatory aspects of the Framework. This raises questions about whether learners across EOTAS provision have equitable access to learning that reflects the requirements of the Framework. 

Research question 6: how does the local authority decide what EOTAS provision should be provided to learners? 

All local authority representatives noted that learner needs were central to determining the type of EOTAS provision allocated, along with factors such as mental health, physical health, academic progress, and engagement in mainstream education. Decisions regarding EOTAS placements involved multiple stakeholders and sometimes formal processes such as Fair Access or specialist provision were used.

More than half of the local authority representatives reported they had quality assurance mechanisms in place to monitor the EOTAS provision offered within their jurisdiction and ensure equity for learners who were moving across different educational settings. These included assessing the suitability of the curriculum and its relevance to learners’ needs; reviewing safeguarding measures in place; and the overall quality of the learning experience.

The fieldwork found limited evidence to indicate whether the curricula provided by local authorities were sufficient to meet non-PRU EOTAS learner needs. More support may therefore be needed from local authorities to strengthen this area. The following areas of consideration should be explored to facilitate this: 

• local authorities should ensure that non-PRU EOTAS provision is meeting the mandatory requirements of Curriculum for Wales for all EOTAS learners
• clear communication channels between local authorities, mainstream schools, and non-PRU EOTAS providers regarding curriculum implementation should be established
• where none exist, defined quality assurance processes should be established by local authorities to monitor and review non-PRU EOTAS provision, with the responsibilities of stakeholders clearly assigned
• local authorities should maintain regular contact with non-PRU EOTAS providers through designated liaison officers or nominated member of staff, so there is a consistent line of support for curriculum queries
• opportunities for professional learning should be provided to non-PRU EOTAS providers operating within, or commissioned by, the local authority so they are aware of Curriculum for Wales requirements and are supported to meet them effectively

This study highlighted several areas where professional learning opportunities for both PRUs and non-PRU EOTAS providers could be enhanced:

• opportunities for increased collaboration between EOTAS providers should be supported; this would enable practitioners to share expertise regarding how best to support learners’ needs in the context of common challenges
• a more coherent professional learning offer across local authorities is important for ensuring a consistent understanding of the requirements of the Curriculum for Wales and the support needed by EOTAS learners who transition across provision.; the professional learning offered should take into account the diversity of EOTAS contexts and learners to make the professional learning offer more relevant for EOTAS providers
• good practice examples of assessment practices for Curriculum for Wales for PRUs should be provided.

The research identified the need for stronger methods of facilitating effective data sharing between schools, local authorities, and EOTAS providers to support progression and assessment arrangements as learners transition. 

Welsh Government should consider options to create a secure shared digital platform for mainstream schools, local authorities, and EOTAS providers that enables:

• real-time updates on learner progression
• seamless transfer of assessment data
• documentation of successful support strategies and areas of personal interest
• recording of learners’ specific needs (e.g., SEMH, ALN, physical health) and current interventions

Designated transition coordinators within each provision (mainstream and EOTAS) could be identified to facilitate smooth transitions for learners. These roles would have responsibility for ensuring there is timely and complete information sharing between providers. 

Establishing regular cross-sector practitioner forums to support the sharing of effective practices and improving transition experiences for learners could be explored. 

Obtaining PRU curriculum summaries for this study was challenging. Further research should consider whether there are challenges for PRUs in developing their summaries and if so, what support might be provided to overcome this. 

Further research should consider what improvements could be made to the visibility and availability of PRU curriculum summaries, and consideration should also be given to how an assessment of these summaries can be integrated into existing processes, such as Estyn inspections.

[1] It should be noted that since the fieldwork's completion, WJEC has released their draft Made-for-Wales GCSE specifications for teaching from September 2025. The VCSE will be available to 14 to 16-year-olds from September 2027 with specifications released in 2025 (Welsh Government, 2024a).

Authors: Dr Kaydee Owen (Bangor University), Dr Margiad Williams (Bangor University), Dr Anne Hodgson (Cardiff Metropolitan University), Martin Jones (Arad Research), Sam McAlister-Wilson (Arad Research)

Views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and not necessarily those of the Welsh Government

For further information please contact:

Curriculum Research Branch
Social Research and Information Division 
Knowledge and Analytical Services 
Welsh Government
Cathays Park
Cardiff
CF10 3NQ

Email: curriculum.research@gov.wales

Social research number: 72/2025
Digital ISBN: 978-1-80633-107-9