Maerdy Primary School

Overview

Maerdy Community Primary School is described as “highly inclusive” and provides a “safe, welcoming and stimulating learning environment.” The report states that “nearly all pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school,” making “good progress” and achieving well across all inspection areas, which are all judged as Good.

Strengths

• The foundation phase offers “extensive opportunities” for pupils to develop literacy and numeracy through a “wide range of activities.”
• Staff foster a “positive climate for learning” with “interesting activities that engage them well,” and pupils’ input into their learning is a “strong aspect.”
• “Standards of behaviour and self-discipline” are high, with pupils being “caring towards each other” and treating others with respect.
• Leaders provide “effective leadership” and have established a “strong teaching community where staff learn from each other successfully.”
• Provision for pupils with additional learning needs is “strong,” with staff identifying needs early and ensuring necessary support.

Areas to improve

• Improve pupils’ Welsh oracy and reading skills, as many have “limited words and phrases” and lack confidence speaking Welsh outside designated lessons.
• Improve attendance, which has been on a “downward trend” and remains lower than in similar schools despite strategies to address it.
• Improve provision to develop pupils’ independent writing skills, as teachers often “over direct pupils” and do not provide enough opportunities for creative independence.

Safeguarding

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