Gabalfa Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Gabalfa Primary School provides an inclusive, nurturing learning environment for pupils. Staff know their pupils well, and they work hard to ensure that pupils feel safe and valued at school. Most pupils behave appropriately and try to live up to the school's aim to always do their best.

Staff developed their curriculum in liaison with partner schools. It reflects the lived experience of pupils, by focussing on the local community, its history and people who live and work there. From this, learning moves on to the wider world, where older pupils study important events and matters of global concern, including sustainability and conflict.

Teachers bring the curriculum to life by arranging a wide range of visits to places of ...interest and regular visitors to support pupils' understanding. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to learn outdoors, to use practical work and to use their creative skills in lessons. The comprehensive arrangements for personal and social education help pupils to learn about keeping themselves safe and healthy.

Staff and pupils celebrate the different cultures, languages and faiths represented in the school community well. They encourage pupils to respect their Welsh culture and language. Pupils speak positively about learning Welsh but, overall, most pupils lack confidence when using basic Welsh language patterns.

The school monitors the progress of individual pupils carefully and senior leaders regularly discuss this with teaching staff. Teaching assistants provide beneficial support for pupils' learning and well-being. The school supports families where needed and their counselling service impacts positively on the whole school community.

Pupils' literacy skills develop well. Most pupils develop an enjoyment of reading and become capable readers. There are frequent opportunities for pupils to develop a range of digital skills to support their learning.

Most pupils employ different strategies in lessons to solve mathematical problems with support. However, a minority of pupils do not use mental calculation skills well enough, and they lack confidence in solving mathematical problems independently. The headteacher and leadership team are firmly focused on continuing school improvement.

Leaders have effective support from governors to monitor the school's progress. They keep the school's priorities under review and act quickly to remedy anything that needs attention. They ask learners what they think about aspects of school life, and they encourage the active pupil leadership groups to contribute to school improvement wherever they can.

Staff work well as a team and have regular opportunities for professional development. They have high expectations of themselves and their pupils. As a result, pupils make good progress overall within a calm, purposeful and happy environment.

Recommendations R1 Improve pupils' Welsh language skills R2 Improve pupils' retention of number facts to support their problem-solving skills

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