Ysgol Carreg Hirfaen

Highlights from Latest Inspection

The headteacher is experienced and leads the school robustly and effectively. What is important to him is that the school provides a good education for pupils in a modern, friendly and caring environment.

He achieves this successfully and, as a result, the school is a safe and highly caring community where staff and pupils respect each other and give a strong priority to each other's well-being. In addition to focussing on pupils' overall well-being, the school places a specific focus on their emotional needs and mental health. One effective technique that pupils use on a daily basis to share their feelings and concerns is the online well-being register.

Through this, teachers respond to any pupils' concerns sensitively at... the beginning of the school day. Most pupils behave well; they are polite and courteous and are very caring of each other. Many make good use of the wide range of opportunities they are given to develop their leadership skills and influence the school's work.

Most pupils make good progress from their starting points in their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills. However, a minority have a tendency to turn to English too much at times and they are not given enough opportunities to use their numeracy skills in subjects other than mathematics. Most pupils' creative skills are developing very well.

Teachers and support staff know the pupils very well and work together effectively to plan broad and interesting learning experiences for them. They use the school building and outdoor areas efficiently to create a stimulating learning environment for pupils. One very strong feature of provision is the extensive opportunities that are provided for all pupils to take part in valuable outdoor activities.

These rich experiences have had a positive influence on pupils' well-being and their awareness of the importance of being outdoors for extended periods. Teachers assess pupils continuously and use this information effectively to plan the next steps for them. This is particularly effective in the foundation learning classes.

All teachers provide valuable oral feedback to support pupils to improve their work. In many classes, where appropriate, teachers also provide them with effective written feedback. However, this practice is not always consistently effective.

Recommendations R1 Ensure that pupils speak Welsh regularly in learning sessions and at other times, considering their age and ability R2 Share good practice across the school in relation to the effective methods that exist where teachers respond to pupils' work R3 Plan a wide range of opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills in a variety of areas and interesting contexts