LanLangstone Primary IS a school that strives for excellence in everything they do, as Hannah Wood finds out.

LANGSTONE Primary School in Newport is devoted to providing the highest standard of education for all pupils. Situated on the outskirts of Newport, the school, which has 300 pupils from reception to year six, has a rural community feel.

Every member of staff knows each of the pupil’s names and the whole school works effectively together to create a welcoming environment.

Headteacher Beverley Cole has worked at Langstone for 11 years. She said: “The whole school values relationships. We want our children to learn and achieve in an atmosphere where they are valued and cared for.”

The whole school held a picnic this year to celebrate its 60th birthday after opening in 1954. Back then the school had just 157 pupils and despite their changes and increase in size, Langstone still has the feel of a country school within a rural setting.

The school's mission statement is ‘Learning promotes success’, which underpins its principle aim: “To provide a happy, secure and stimulating learning environment in which all members of the school community can grow in self-esteem and develop their potential as human beings”.

Langstone Primary is committed to offering opportunity to pupils so they can flourish academically, socially, physically and creatively. This is demonstrated through the diverse range of educational and extracurricular activities on offer. From eco club, to sport, to welsh club and drama, there is plenty for pupils at this school to get involved in.

Staff at Langstone are very keen to promote sport as part of the curriculum and through after school clubs. The school is persistently celebrating their sporting successes and are currently holding tennis taster sessions with Newport Tennis Centre. The sessions are aimed to get pupils interested in the sport and hopefully take up classes at the centre.

During the last academic year, the school also celebrated a triumph in rugby as the school rugby team made it to the final of the Welsh Schools (Junior Group) National 10 competition against Pontyclun Primary School at the Millennium Stadium.

Other notable initiatives pupils and staff have been working on include a week long scheme called “Where is the love?”. It helps pupils identify the people in the community who care for them, such as paramedics and fire officers. A paramedic visited reception pupils at the school to talk about the importance of first aid and how paramedics provide care for others. All sessions held within the scheme are age appropriate and tailored for each class group.

As well as a newly introduced breakfast club, which has proved very popular, Langstone Primary is also working towards achieving phase six in the Healthy Schools Scheme, which is the final stage. Mrs Cole said: “We are working towards further encouraging health and well being throughout the school through this.”

All staff at Langstone are constantly committed to the development of the school and identifying areas where improvements can be made. Recently, a new gazebo was installed to encourage outdoor learning. The gazebo, which was officially opened during a whole school assembly, was built using money raised in a fundraiser and has since been enjoyed by staff, pupils and parents. The new development has not only enabled lessons to be held outside, but also has acted as an effective meeting point during lunch hour and after school for parents collecting their pupils.

Langstone Primary School received their last inspection in June 2014 where the current performance was rated as excellent - the same as the school’s prospects for improvement.

The report stated that the teachers develop pupils’ skills for learning exceptionally well and that the school had an excellent record for improvement. The standards of teaching in the school were rated as excellent as well as the leadership and the care, support and guidance.

Mrs Cole aded: “We are very pleased with our inspection report and we want to continue to build on the success of this.”

The school is also involved in Family of Schools, a scheme which allows staff and pupils from Langstone to visit other schools across local authorities in Wales. Mrs Cole said: “The children go off to other schools to see what type of things other pupils are doing. It then enables us to make improvements and the children can then feedback to us the types of things that go on in other areas.”

Langstone Primary School is also a Lead and Emerging Practitioner School, a Welsh Government system providing school to school support as an effective driver to raise school standards. The school also has Thinking Schools accreditation which is “an educational community in which all members share a common understanding and vision of the nature of the high quality learning and teaching for all pupils, and are committed to working together to make this vision a reality”.

This primary school truly is an exceptional learning facility, and the high standards and positive attitude maintained by all members of staff along with the commitment to develop and improve upon these standards ensures every pupil receives the best possible education.