Pentrepoeth Primary School has been heaped with praise by official school inspectors as well as national quality mark assessors.
In an outstanding Estyn report, inspectors found a school “where pupils thrive and enjoy a wide range of engaging and exciting learning experiences”.
It follows an overwhelmingly positive appraisal by Healthy School assessors who visited the school before awarding it the National Quality Mark.
The many highlights of the Estyn report included:
- Strong working relationships and deep mutual respect between pupils and staff create a particularly supportive ethos that nurtures exceptionally good behaviour, consideration for others and a culture of high expectations.
- Most pupils develop exceptionally positive attitudes to learning and this helps them to progress well as they move through the school.
- Enthusiastic, skilled teachers ensure that pupils benefit from interesting lessons, learn to challenge themselves, and achieve high standards in nearly all areas of the curriculum.
- The school’s leadership team, staff and governors have established a clear vision for the school, based on securing high levels of well-being, good progress and a strong culture of safeguarding.
- Successful collaboration, a track record of effective school improvement and high expectations enable everyone in the school community to contribute purposefully to achieving that vision.
Estyn is also inviting the school to prepare two good practice case studies in relation to the use of the outdoor environment to apply numeracy, literacy and digital skills learnt in class and how it approached raising pupils’ and parents’ awareness and understanding of personal safety.
Councillor Jane Mudd, leader of Newport City Council, said: “This is an exceptional report. All those involved with the school deserve our congratulations and they should feel very proud that they are providing children with such an excellent learning environment.”
In its report, the Welsh Network of Healthy Schools Schemes found Pentrepoeth Primary met all the criteria to achieve its quality mark.
“Wow, what a school! There can be no doubt that Pentrepoeth Primary School is a healthy school and fully deserving of its National Quality Award,” it said.
“During the achievement visit it became very apparent that the concept of the healthy school and the protection and promotion of the physical and mental wellbeing of everyone connected to the school are fully and completely embedded in the life and culture of the school.”
Head teacher Dean Taylor said: “I would like to thank our outstanding team of teachers and support staff; the parent and carer community and the governing body.
“I’m not surprised that the inspectors and assessors were blown away by our amazing pupils. Their attitudes to learning, their behaviour and the progress they make is outstanding. They demonstrate good manners, respectfulness and kindness every day.
“We will continue to be an ‘aspiring’ school – to seek to improve on previous best to make sure every pupil is given the opportunity to reach their potential before moving on to the next stages of their education.”
Councillor Deborah Davies, Newport City Council, said: “I would like to echo everything that Dean has said but also add my heartful thanks for his inspiring leadership. These are two wonderful, well-deserved reports. Well done to the staff, pupils, governors and families.”
Chair of governors John H Griffiths said: “I’m so proud to be a governor of this amazing school and delighted at the official recognition of the hard work, dedication and commitment that goes into making in such an excellent place for our children to learn and flourish.”
