“My Picture is Not in Wales”: Building a Sense of Cynefin (Belonging)

Within the Humanities Area of Learning and Experience (AoLE) in the new curriculum in Wales, primary pupils are encouraged to ‘discover their heritage and develop a sense of place and cynefin’ (Welsh Government, 2022). This ASPE Ignite session explores the perceptions of primary school pupils in Wales, using ‘photo-voice’ elicitation research techniques to gain unique pupil perspectives of their lived experiences. The analysis identifies four key themes, that outline what shapes pupils’ sense of cynefin: people; places; activities; and emotions. These themes interact across the micro, meso and macro levels highlighting the importance of recognising that cynefin goes beyond Wales. It will end by exploring and sharing a template linked to these findings which can be used in primary schools across the UK to allow primary children to explore their sense of belonging and sense of place within their own locality.

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Host or Publisher Association for the Study of Primary Education - ASPE