Ysgol Maes Y Felin

Overview

Ysgol Maes Y Felin is a primary school in Holywell, formed in 2016, with 315 pupils including a specialist resource for autism. The report states that most pupils, including those with special educational needs, "make sound progress in their learning and achieve well." Leadership is described as effective, providing a "clear strategic direction" and fostering a "calm learning environment" where staff collaborate well.

Strengths

• Pupils display "high levels of respect and tolerance" and behave well, moving around the school "calmly and responsibly."
• Teachers provide "learning experiences of good quality" that engage pupils’ interests and develop skills successfully.
• The "partnership with the local community is a particular strength," with effective support for parents and pupils.
• Most pupils enjoy school, feel safe, and have a "very positive attitude to learning."
• The school nurtures a supportive environment where relationships between staff and pupils "supports learning effectively."

Areas to improve

• Improve pupils’ oral Welsh skills in key stage 2, as many "lack confidence in speaking Welsh in less formal situations."
• Improve the effectiveness of teachers’ written feedback, which is sometimes "too congratulatory" and does not focus enough on helping pupils improve.
• Improve attendance, which remains "too low relative to that in other similar schools" despite the school’s efforts.

Safeguarding

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