Llanybydder C.P. School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Ysgol Llanybydder is a happy, safe and hard-working community. The respect between all members of the school is evident in all aspects of its work, for example as the oldest pupils take tender care of the younger ones. Pupils are extremely polite and very proud of their school and their community.

They have a say in school life and work effectively with each other and adults when planning rich learning experiences. Most pupils make sound progress during lessons and activities that inspire them to do their best. On the whole, pupils do not develop their extended writing skills as they move through the school.

Staff provide rich experiences for pupils to develop their skills in real-life contexts as they learn with increasin...g independence. Learning areas are stimulating and interesting and, in the best practice, they are highly creative places that engage and hold pupils' interest successfully. Pupils across the school talk knowledgeably about what is good about their work and what they need to improve to make progress.

A minority of pupils present their work appropriately and use handwriting of a suitable standard. The school's staff are a conscientious team who work diligently to support the wellbeing and progress of all pupils. They know the school well and contribute knowledgeably to the rigorous and effective self-evaluation activities.

Leaders identify priorities for improvement sensibly and monitor and evaluate progress skilfully. Governors are active in all of the school's activities and support and challenge the headteacher effectively. The school has a beneficial relationship with parents, which supports their children's wellbeing and education effectively.

Recommendations A1 Provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their extended writing skills A2 Improve the standard of pupils' handwriting and presentation of work What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection. Main findings Learning During pupils' time at the school, most make strong progress in their skills from their starting points. They acquire knowledge, deepen their understanding and develop their skills successfully in an interesting variety of learning contexts.

Across the school, nearly all pupils listen attentively to each other and adults. Most pupils' speaking skills are developing soundly. By Year 2, most converse confidently in Welsh, for example while role-playing as pirates.

As pupils move through the school, most develop their oral skills effectively in Welsh and English. At the top of the school, most discuss their work intelligently and maturely by using rich vocabulary, for example when expressing different opinions about animal welfare in a zoo. Most pupils' reading skills are developing well.

The youngest pupils recognise letters and sounds correctly and are beginning to recognise words with increasing confidence. As pupils develop their skills further, most read meaningfully in line with their age and ability, for example by interpreting text and drawing a picture of the content. As the reading skills of the school's older pupils develop, many read intelligently in both languages.

They practise their higher-order reading skills regularly to gather information from different sources, for example by scanning factual text to gather information about the effect of the world wars in Wales. Most pupils' early writing skills are developing consistently. The youngest pupils develop their early mark-making skills effectively by drawing pictures and emulating writing letters.

As they develop, many write independently for different purposes and begin to use suitable vocabulary and patterns. Most succeed in writing an imaginative story about 'the magic brush' by using suitable adjectives. During their time at the school, most pupils develop their writing skills successfully.

At the top of the school, they draft their work effectively and make purposeful use of similes and idioms to enrich their work. Most write purposefully and show a sound awareness of the features of a range of different genres in Welsh and English, for example when writing a monologue about Ahmet's first day in his new school. Overall, a majority of pupils do not develop their handwriting skills effectively enough.

The standard of work is often untidy as pupils do not take enough care to present work of a good standard. Most pupils' mathematics and numeracy skills are sound. The youngest pupils use simple mathematical equipment well to recognise numbers.

As they develop their skills further, they have a sound grasp of number facts and measurement and handle data correctly. Most pupils solve numeracy problems successfully across the areas of learning, for example by using scales to weigh ingredients correctly to make dough. As pupils move through the school, most build well on their previous learning.

They have a sound understanding of methods to apply their number skills in an interesting variety of contexts, for example as the oldest pupils analyse data and create a graph on which birds can be seen on the school grounds. Most pupils' information and communication technology (ICT) skills are developing successfully. By the end of Year 2, they use their skills purposefully, for example when using software to share facts about the first moon landing.

As they move through the school, most pupils' skills build consistently by using a wide range of software and digital equipment skilfully. For example, the oldest pupils use a program to edit pictures and add their images to pictures successfully. Nearly all pupils' physical skills are developing well.

The youngest pupils practise their skills regularly by making good use of the climbing equipment or using the balance bikes skilfully. At the top of the school, pupils develop their skills effectively, for example as they develop their balancing skills by canoeing and paddleboarding during a recent residential visit. Well-being and attitudes to learning One of the school's strongest features is its homely environment and the kind and gentle way that many of the oldest pupils care for their younger peers.

This contributes soundly to the school's inclusive nature and homely ethos. Pupils greet each other and adults respectfully and extend a warm welcome to visitors. They are very proud of their school and enjoy being a part of its community.

Nearly all pupils show positive attitudes to learning. Most engage enthusiastically in class tasks and work effectively in pairs, groups or by offering support to each other when necessary. They show an interest in their work and are willing to persevere in order to succeed.

By doing so, they concentrate successfully for extended periods and discuss their work confidently. The youngest pupils engage in activities in the learning and play areas independently, for example by building dinosaurs in the creative garden. Nearly all pupils feel safe at school and know who to approach for advice if anything is worrying them.

They have a sound awareness of how to stay safe online. As a result of the school council's healthy eating campaign, nearly all pupils have a sound understanding of the importance of eating and drinking healthily and regular physical exercise. They take pride in the opportunities they are given to improve their fitness in physical education lessons and fitness activities by the sports ambassadors.

Members of the various school councils are proud of their roles and take their duties seriously. They plan diligently to improve the school. For example, the eco council is very active in encouraging pupils to respect the school environment and the wider environment.

They monitor classroom electricity use, pick up litter and plant plants to improve the outdoor area. Across the school, a majority of pupils value and respond consistently to feedback from adults and their peers. Pupils discuss each other's work effectively and refer appropriately to the success criteria.

Across the school, nearly all pupils have a sound understanding of what they need to do to improve their work. Due to the pandemic, inspectors will not be reporting on pupil attendance rates during the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. However, inspectors will consider the school's provision for monitoring and improving attendance as part of inspection area 4 (care, support and guidance).

Teaching and learning experiences All members of staff work hard to forge an inclusive and hard-working relationship with pupils. As a result, the learning environment is supportive and stimulating and develops pupils' enthusiasm towards their learning. All staff work together effectively and motivate and manage pupils' behaviour skilfully.

Across the school, the positive environment encourages all pupils to do their best without fear of failure. This, in turn, has a positive effect on pupils' progress. Teachers have good subject knowledge and prepare, organise and structure lessons effectively.

Teachers link their lessons clearly with previous learning and use a range of strategies skilfully. Teachers provide learning experiences that engage nearly all pupils' interest and prepare activities that motivate them to learn. For example, pupils plan a party and choose to order food from supermarket websites to ensure value for money within a budget of £20.

As a result, they develop their ICT and numeracy skills effectively while working well in groups to select healthy foods. Teachers plan valuable and well-organised opportunities to develop pupils' literacy, numeracy and ICT skills constructively across the curriculum. As a result, pupils' standards of oracy and the way in which they apply their numeracy skills in different contexts across the curriculum are developing soundly.

However, teachers do not provide regular enough opportunities for pupils to develop their extended writing skills. The school is planning purposefully to plan and introduce the Curriculum for Wales that incorporates its vision, 'Inspiring children, Inspiring success', effectively. It prepares and experiments with interesting approaches that are planned purposefully in line with the six areas of learning and experience.

The curriculum's wider principles are developing appropriately while nurturing pupils to become ambitious and adventurous learners. The principles of the foundation phase have been embedded fully. The learning areas engage pupils' interest and capture their imagination skilfully.

Nearly all activities support pupils to learn with increasing independence, gain confidence and foster perseverance while experimenting with different resources. For example, staff provide visual and stimulating resources that promote pupils' literacy and numeracy skills effectively in all areas. Teachers are supported highly effectively by a skilled team of assistants who encourage pupils to learn effectively, particularly in the outdoor area.

In the school's oldest years, staff create a stimulating and purposeful learning environment. Quiet areas have been developed in which there are opportunities for pupils to work independently and purposefully in a comfortable environment. They provide suitable activities and resources that suit nearly all pupils' interests and abilities well.

All staff enrich pupils' language skilfully, which contributes successfully to improving the standards of their spoken language. Staff provide purposeful opportunities for pupils to work together, for example as pupils discuss vocabulary and idioms maturely when describing photographs of the Senghennydd disaster. Staff provide pupils with valuable oral feedback during activities to support and extend their learning.

They provide simple but effective written feedback and pupils respond to it regularly, which gives them clear guidance on the next steps in their learning. As a result, pupils across the school respond confidently about what is good in their work and the progress they make. Care, support and guidance The school promotes pupils' respect, courtesy and behaviour highly successfully.

Staff work together effectively to create a happy and inclusive community in a safe learning environment. The school has a strong culture of safeguarding and the caring ethos towards all pupils is a notable feature of the school. The school's arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements and are not a cause for concern.

Pupils' physical and emotional health and wellbeing are given a prominent place in school life and there is a variety of opportunities for them to keep fit. For example, sports ambassadors hold regular activities during lunchtimes and promote their peers' health and attitude towards keeping fit successfully. The school has relevant arrangements to promote eating and drinking healthily and pupils understand what they need to do to stay healthy.

For example, during healthy eating day, pupils provide their peers with healthy snacks, such as vegetable chips and fruit smoothies, to enjoy on the playground. The school has effective arrangements to check pupils' emotional wellbeing on a daily basis. Pupils are confident that staff are willing to listen and take their concerns seriously.

The school ensures that there is a variety of opportunities for pupils to apply to be members of the various councils. They meet regularly and contribute skilfully to the school's activities. For example, the school council reminds parents regularly about the importance of eating healthily and providing healthy lunchboxes for their children and to avoid sending crisps and chocolate to school.

As a result, nearly all pupils who bring a lunchbox to school eat healthily. The school's arrangements for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) are sound. Individual development plans and one-page profiles include clear targets, which are implemented effectively by teachers and assistants to ensure that pupils make sound progress against their targets.

Staff monitor targets regularly and organise beneficial additional support to meet pupils' needs. Staff track the progress of pupils with ALN successfully. They work effectively with a number of specialist agencies, such as language therapists and educational psychologists, who provide pupils with valuable support and guidance.

The school's ethos and acts of collective worship promote pupils' spiritual and moral development successfully. Staff encourage pupils to consider the views of others sensitively, to acknowledge and respect diversity and the importance of values such as tolerance. These values are reinforced skilfully through the older classes' study of class novels, for example by reading a novel about a refugee joining a primary school having escaped from a country that is experiencing war.

Staff support pupils to deepen their understanding of multicultural communities and diverse relationships through tailored activities and purposeful visitors to the school. They plan regular opportunities for pupils to celebrate their Welshness and develop their understanding of their identity, culture and heritage through specific lessons. Leadership and management The headteacher has established a robust vision that is based on respect, good behaviour and courtesy.

This permeates the school and is completely evident in pupils' learning and social attitudes. This firm foundation supports staff to create a happy and supportive community that motivates pupils to do their best. This, in turn, supports pupils to face the future confidently and with a positive attitude.

The staff are a strong and effective team who understand their roles and responsibilities well. The headteacher's strong leadership sets high expectations that are recognised by pupils, staff, governors and parents. Staff work together effectively to provide exciting experiences for pupils to support their emotional wellbeing and learning skills.

Members of the governing body are very supportive of the school and know it well. Although the governors' usual arrangements of visiting activities have not been resumed fully since the pandemic, they have scrutinised pupils' work and listened to some reading. They have a sound understanding of the school's current situation by asking probing questions during meetings of the governing body and through visits to the school.

They also listen to the pupils' voice and support them when necessary. For example, governors supported pupils' request to the local authority to improve the condition of the road outside the school. Following a detailed letter from pupils stating the unacceptable condition of the road, the authority arranged for the road to be repaired urgently.

Governors work with leaders and pupils effectively by ensuring that the school has appropriate arrangements to promote eating and drinking healthily. The headteacher ensures that robust self-evaluation arrangements have been established to evaluate learning and provision. Staff use various sources of evidence effectively to gather and collate relevant information about the school's performance.

They consider the views of parents, pupils and governors skilfully and include them skilfully when planning priorities for improvement. They provide detailed monitoring reports that identify strengths and areas for improvement effectively. Information from the self-evaluation processes is used effectively to set sensible priorities for improvement, for example in improving pupils' oracy and numeracy skills following the lockdown periods.

Leaders also provide beneficial professional learning opportunities when responding to national priorities, for example by supporting staff to prepare for the Curriculum for Wales and the additional learning needs transformation programme. The headteacher manages funding carefully and organises the school's resources effectively. He makes good use of different grants that are allocated to the school, for example by using the pupil development grant to provide support programmes for pupils who need further support with their learning.

The school has a sensible expenditure plan, which ensures that it has enough resources to meet pupils' needs purposefully. The youngest pupils' staff make exceptionally good use of the outdoor areas to enrich pupils' learning experiences. The oldest pupils' staff are beginning to make effective use of the outdoor area by planning purposeful activities to improve provision for pupils.

The school has performance management arrangements for teachers and assistants that are based on their individual professional needs and the school's priorities. During the lockdown periods, staff have taken advantage of virtual methods to attend professional training. They choose suitable courses and training or opportunities to complete research to expand their professional skills.

For example, one member of staff has researched methods of challenging pupils to achieve better by promoting their independent learning skills. As a result of sharing this research with the remainder of the staff, staff across the school provide consistent challenges for pupils to make progress in their skills with less support from adults. The school has a strong relationship with parents, for example as staff support their children during the pandemic.

They also value the recent opportunities to be welcomed back into the school to celebrate their children's work and discuss their progress. Evidence base of the report Before an inspection, inspectors: • analyse the outcomes from the parent and pupil questionnaires and consider the views of teachers and the governing body/members of the management committee through their questionnaire responses During an inspection, inspectors normally: • hold a meeting with parents to hear their views on the school and its effectiveness • meet the headteacher, governors, senior, middle leaders, and individual teachers to evaluate the impact of the school's work • meet pupils to discuss their work and to gain their views about various aspects of their school • meet groups of pupils in leadership roles, such as representatives from the school council and eco-committee • visit a broad sample of lessons, including learning support groups and the specialist resource base (where appropriate), and undertake a variety of learning walks to observe pupils learning and to see staff teaching in a range of settings, including classrooms, support groups (where appropriate) and in outdoor areas • visit the specialist resource base within the school to see pupils' learning (where appropriate) • observe and speak to pupils at lunch and break times and at a sample of after-school clubs • attend assemblies and daily acts of collective worship • look closely at the school's self-evaluation processes • consider the school's improvement plan and look at evidence to show how well the school has taken forward planned improvements • scrutinise a range of school documents, including information on pupil assessment and progress, records of meetings of staff and the governing body, information on pupils' well-being, including the safeguarding of pupils, and records of staff training and professional development After the on-site inspection and before the publication of the report, Estyn: • review the findings of the inspection alongside the supporting evidence from the inspection team in order to validate, moderate and ensure the quality of the inspectionCopies of the report Copies of this report are available from the school and from the Estyn website (http://www.estyn.

gov.wales/) The report was produced in accordance with Section 28 of the Education Act 2005. Every possible care has been taken to ensure that the information in this document is accurate at the time of going to press.

Any enquiries or comments regarding this document/publication should be addressed to: Publication Section Estyn Anchor Court, Keen Road Cardiff CF24 5JW or by email to [email protected] This and other Estyn publications are available on our website: http://www.

estyn.gov.wales/ This document has been translated by Trosol (Welsh to English).