Cwmfelin Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Cwmfelin Primary School is a nurturing and inclusive environment where pupils feel safe, happy and valued.

The effective acting headteacher, senior leaders and skilled staff create an ethos where pupils know that they matter and can develop as confident learners. Most pupils develop very positive attitudes to learning and show high levels of interest and enthusiasm in their lessons. They thoroughly enjoy the many clubs and additional activities they attend, such as craft club and violin lessons.

Nearly all pupils behave very well in lessons and at break times. Staff across the school develop strong working relationships with pupils. They show consistent care and kindness and, as a result, almost all pupils are comfortable ...to seek help and ask for support when needed.

Teaching meets the needs of pupils well. Staff regularly offer individuals bespoke experiences that support their learning successfully. Most pupils, including those with additional learning needs (ALN) and those eligible for free school meals, make strong progress.

They develop effective numeracy and digital skills and make particularly good progress in their speaking, listening and reading skills. However, older pupils' progress in developing writing skills and Welsh oracy skills is not as strong. The school's curriculum enables pupils to follow specific interests and develop their independent thinking well.

For example, pupils explore a range of questions within an overarching topic called an 'inquiry'. Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to learn within authentic contexts. The 'Big Bocs Bwyd' project, where affordable food is provided to the local community, is an excellent example of this.

The school's approach to this provision is highly effective in supporting pupils' life skills such as cooking and using money. Additionally, it supports older pupils to take on useful leadership roles as they undertake specific responsibilities such as stocking the shelves. All pupils across the school benefit from regular, beneficial outdoor learning sessions.

For example, they deepen their knowledge of wildlife living in the school grounds and develop their fitness by running the 'daily mile'. Recommendations R1 Improve the teaching of extended writing to ensure that older pupils develop and organise their ideas effectively R2 Ensure that Welsh language teaching builds progressively on pupils' oracy skills across the school R3 Evaluate the effectiveness of provision funded by the pupil development grant, to ensure that leaders know the impact it has on outcomes for vulnerable pupils What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection. Estyn will invite the school to prepare a case study on its work in relation to providing authentic learning experience through their highly beneficial Big Bocs Bwyd provision.