PUPILS at Monkton Priory CP School are benefiting from an ‘inclusive, caring and welcoming environment’ according to a recent Estyn report.

The report, published following an inspection in April, said the School’s current performance is ‘Good’ and the prospects for improvement are also ‘Good’.

A ‘Good’ judgement by Estyn describes the school as having “much strength and no important areas requiring significant improvement.”

The inspection focused on three key questions:

• How good are the outcomes?
• How good is provision?
• How good are leadership and management?

The school answered ‘Good’ in all of them.

A summary of Estyn’s report found that:

• Most pupils make strong progress, show high levels of motivation and interest in their work and make valuable contributions during lessons
• Most pupils develop their literacy and numeracy skills well during their time at the school, including those on intervention programmes
• There is a wide range of stimulating and engaging learning experiences, including an extensive range of extra-curricular activities of high quality that engage nearly all pupils effectively
• Staff manage pupils’ behaviour skilfully and sensitively and, as a result, the behaviour of nearly all pupils is exemplary in classes and around the school
• There is an extremely inclusive, caring and welcoming environment for pupils, staff, parents and the wider community

However, the report did find that standards in Welsh could be improved along with pupil’s ability to write at length.

The school is drawing up an action plan to show how it will address these recommendations.

The report believes prospects for improvement are good because:

• The headteacher provides clear and dynamic leadership to the school and communicates high expectations to pupils, staff and parents very effectively
• There is a very strong teamwork across the school, which has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and aspirations
• Leaders have a thorough understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement
• There is a clear focus on improving pupil attainment and implementing school improvement targets
• The school has developed an outstanding range of highly effective partnerships that contribute significantly to raising standards of pupil attainment, attendance and wellbeing
• The school’s strategies for using the pupil deprivation grant are highly effective and focus very well on raising standards for vulnerable pupils

One of the key findings of the report highlighted how many pupils enter the school with skills and knowledge at a level below that expected of their age, however they make good progress in their learning as they move through school.

Headteacher Mrs Shelley Morris said she was proud of that assessment:

“We work hard to provide an inclusive and stimulating environment and this ensures the children enjoy their learning.

“We use real life experiences to enhance learning such our teachers in the learning resource class arranging for pupils to meet and adopt an owl. This engaged pupils and they produced some fantastic work because of that.

“We also encourage a wide range of extra-curricular activities such as golf, surfing and horse riding. This has helped with our attendance and this opens their imaginations for learning.

“We aim to provide stimulating lessons that engage with pupils’ interests and the report suggests this is what we do.

“We can be very proud of that.”

Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor David Lloyd says everyone is benefitting from the way the school interacts with the community. “The report states that the ‘school is a beacon for lifelong learning in the community’ and that is definitely the case.

“They have established fantastic links with the Gypsy and Traveller Community trough the Unity Project and offer a range of lifelong courses including degree courses and this has brought the community into the school. There are role models for pupils to look up to

“Estyn has recognised them as being examples of best practice for ‘Creating an engaging learning environment’ and Supporting adult learning and skills acquisition’.

“Because of this, I believe that everyone wants to learn and through strong leadership and the teachers’ innovative and skilful methods of teaching, the school is going from strength to strength.”

Estyn’s report on Monkton Priory School can be found on www.estyn.gov.wales