Cymmer Primary

Overview

Cymmer Primary School is described as a “caring community” where “most pupils progress well” and develop effective literacy and ICT skills. The inspection found that staff provide sensitive support, particularly for vulnerable pupils, while the leadership team maintains a “clear vision” for school improvement. Overall, the school demonstrates strong features in teaching, wellbeing, and management.

Strengths

• Pupils “feel safe at school” and demonstrate “positive attitudes towards their learning,” showing respect for peers and staff.
• Teachers use “a variety of styles and approaches effectively” to engage pupils, with “good opportunities” to apply literacy and ICT skills across the curriculum.
• The school provides “high-quality provision” for pupils with additional learning needs, including detailed individual plans and effective intervention programmes.
• Leadership and governance are supportive, with governors who “challenge leaders effectively” and a focus on professional development that improves pupil outcomes.

Areas to improve

• Ensure that pupils “apply their numeracy skills purposefully across the curriculum,” as planning for this is “less well developed” than for other skills.
• “Improve the level of challenge for more able pupils,” who currently “do not progress as well as they could” and are not always writing to their full ability.
• Ensure that teaching “does not restrict pupils’ independent learning skills,” noting that “over direction by adults” in some classes limits independence.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements and give no cause for concern.”