18/7/2023

Adamsdown Primary School has athoughtful approach to meeting individual pupil's needs which improves their life chances and raises their aspiration, says Estyn.

During a recent inspection the Education Inspectorate for Wales, also found the school to create a warm and welcoming environment where itsdiverse school community thrive.

Inspectors noted that pupils are ambitious, respectful and very happy. They settle into school quickly, love learning and benefit greatly from the school's highly effective approach to language acquisition.

With a significant proportion of pupils coming from countries affected by conflict, the school's School of Sanctuary status is firmly at the heart of its work. Teachers, leaders, support staff and governors are committed to providing the support each pupil needs to access the curriculum, beginning with well-being and emotional support.

In its report, inspectors said that the strong partnership with parents and nurturing ethos of the school ensure that all pupils feel safe and develop a strong sense of belonging. The school's effective partnerships with its community also contribute to its success in supporting pupils' well-being and providing an engaging curriculum.

Reflecting on the report, Headteacher Emma Thomas said:"I am delighted with the report which describes high standards across all areas of our school provision. The whole school community is dedicated to providing our pupils with the education and experiences they so deserve, and it is wonderful that the report reflects this.

"Our unique approaches have been developed over a number of years, combined with our bespoke curriculum offer we are proud that our provision improves our pupil's life chances."

Cardiff Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "Adamsdown Primary School is carrying out some outstanding work and it is pleasing to see that this is recognised by Estyn.

"The inclusive nature of the school and the approach to how the needs of individuals are met was particularly interesting. I also found the work on human rights and relationships which provides pupils with an understanding of equity, justice and empathy is excellent.

"I would like to congratulate the headteacher, staff and Governors and thank them for their hard work and dedication."

Estyn commended the support all staff are provided with by leaders who continuously develop their professional knowledge to improve their practice. This is a strength of the school and, as a result, staff make valuable contributions to the continuous improvement and effective evaluation of the school's work.

Commended for the work the school carries outdistributed leadership and curriculum design, Estyn have invited the school to prepare two cases study for publication on its website.

Overall a positive report, Estyn have made a series of recommendations which the school will address in their improvement action plan.

• Improve standards in Welsh
• Share the school's effective practice more widely

At the time of the inspection, the school had426pupils on roll,69%of whom were eligible for free school meals.72% of pupils speak English as an additional language and 9% of pupils identify as having Additional Learning Needs.

Estyn has adopted anew approach to inspection in schools and Pupil Referral Units across Wales. Inspection reports will no longer include summative gradings (e.g. ‘Excellent', ‘Good' or ‘Adequate') and now focus on how well providers are helping a child to learn.

The new approach aligns with the personalisation of the new curriculum for Wales with inspections involving more in-person discussions, placing less emphasis on achievement data.

Estyn believe that the new inspection approach will make it easier for providers to gain meaningful insights that help them to improve without the spotlight on a judgement.