CYNWYL ELFED

Overview

The report describes Ysgol Gynradd Cynwyl Elfed as a “caring community” that places a “strong emphasis on the Welsh language and Welsh culture.” While most pupils enjoy school and make appropriate progress in oral skills and reading, the inspection judges all areas as “Adequate and needs improvement” because not all staff maintain high enough expectations for pupil achievement.

Strengths

• Pupils’ “oral skills are robustly good,” supported by staff who act as “effective language models.”
• Most pupils read at a level appropriate for their age and ability, with younger children responding “enthusiastically” to stories.
• The school fosters a safe environment where pupils feel secure and treat others with “courtesy and respect.”
• Pupils with additional learning needs make “good progress against their targets” and have full access to the curriculum.
• Strong community links help pupils develop as “moral and knowledgeable citizens.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure all teachers have “high enough expectations” to help all pupils operate to their best ability.
• Teachers need to improve pupils’ writing skills in both languages and provide more opportunities to apply numeracy across the curriculum.
• Planning in key stage 2 must be more detailed to meet the needs of all pupil groups effectively.

Safeguarding

The report states that “arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements and are not a cause for concern.”