Hengoed Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Pupils enjoy learning and are enthusiastic during lessons and in activities around the school. This is mainly due to the positive working relationships that they have with their teachers and other staff.

There is a very caring and inclusive atmosphere at the school and staff ensure that pupils are the integral element of daily school life. The school environment promotes successful learning opportunities. Learning is promoted well in classrooms and in the outdoors and this provision is equitable across the school.

Learning is particularly successful where the teaching is purposeful and consistent, and challenges pupils to perform at their best. Where teaching is most effective, it helps pupils to make strong progress in de...veloping their literacy, numeracy and digital skills, and they achieve well from their starting points. However, staff do not always allow pupils to use their independent skills often enough.

All staff promote a positive ethos of support and care for pupils in all areas of the school. This encourages pupils to take responsibility for their own well-being and behaviour extremely well. The school helps pupils to build confidence in themselves as individuals, while also developing strong respect for the feelings of others.

As a result, pupils support each other, develop resilience and persevere with challenging tasks. Leaders evaluate the school's work to plan for improvements thoroughly and the strategic leadership of the governing body is satisfactory. The executive headteacher provides strong and effective leadership, with a determination to succeed for the benefit of pupils and the community.

The senior leadership team and the staff share his purposeful vision, and they work together well to ensure that the school is successful. The executive headteacher shares responsibilities effectively among staff and provides strong opportunities for professional learning, such as improving inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. This contributes to a thriving whole-school ethos, where staff and pupils feel valued for their contributions to school life.

Recommendations R1 Ensure that the new leadership practices improve the consistency and effectiveness of teaching across the school R2 Provide better opportunities to promote pupils' independent skills R3 Improve the strategic leadership of the governing body