The Dell Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

The Dell Primary School is an inclusive school where the well-being of its pupils is a priority.

Support for pupils' emotional well-being is highly effective and is a strength of the school. The acting headteacher and senior leaders collaborate well with all stakeholders and school partners. As a result, relationships at all levels are very strong.

Most pupils make steady overall progress as they move through the school. Nearly all pupils develop effective speaking and listening skills and use these well, for example to explain their ambitions for the future. However, pupils do not always receive the challenge or opportunity to use their literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum as well as they could.

Ove...rall, pupils' Welsh language skills are not strong. Pupils build their musical, physical, and artistic skills well during their time in school. Regular opportunities to sing, dance and perform ensure that pupils' creativity develops well.

The school's curriculum is broad and balanced and provision for pupils' personal and social development is effective. Teachers provide a wide range of activities that engage the interest of nearly all pupils. Good use is made of the local environment such as when pupils study the River Wye and the area around Chepstow.

The school's work in preparation for the implementation of a Curriculum for Wales is at an early stage in development. There are effective arrangements to support vulnerable pupils and almost all make good progress. Governors are highly supportive of the school and help the school to manage and deploy its resources effectively.

The acting headteacher and senior leaders have worked hard and effectively managed change following the pandemic and the absence of the substantive headteacher. Leaders undertake many useful activities to evaluate the quality of the school's work and its progress. Recommendations R1 Ensure that pupils have opportunities to consistently apply their skills in literacy and numeracy at a high enough level across the curriculum R2 Improve pupils' Welsh language skills R3 Improve the quality and consistency of teaching across the school R4 Strengthen leaders' capacity to evaluate and improve the school particularly in relation to teaching, learning and national priorities What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection.