ST BERNADETTES PRIMARY SCHOOL

Overview

Pupils at St Bernadette’s Catholic Primary School “thoroughly enjoy coming to school” and are “very proud to be members of its community.” The inspection highlights a “very happy environment” where staff and pupils share mutual respect, though the whole-school approach to the Curriculum for Wales “lacks clarity.”

Strengths

• Pupils’ “oracy skills in English from the Nursery class to Year 6 are exceptional.”
• Most pupils “make strong progress in developing their literacy, numeracy and digital skills.”
• Pupils’ behaviour is described as “exceptional at all times,” with students being “kind and considerate to each other.”
• The school fosters a strong sense of belonging, with pupils feeling “safe and valued” and actively contributing to school life.
• Leaders “communicate well with parents,” and governors act as a “critical friend” to support school improvement.

Areas to improve

• The curriculum must be made “meaningful for all pupils” and build “systematically and coherently across the school.”
• Leaders need to “develop pupils’ independent skills.”
• Pupils require “regular opportunities to improve their own work.”
• Progress in developing Welsh language skills is inconsistent, despite pupils’ enthusiasm for learning Welsh.

Safeguarding

The report states that “nearly all pupils and staff feel safe and valued,” with pupil well-being placed “at the heart of the school.”