A NEWPORT nursery has been given the second highest rating by education watchdog Estyn but the primary school next door has work to do to meet the same standards – despite having one of the largest budgets in the city.

Babes in the Wood pre-school and Llanmartin Primary School at Waltwood Road were inspected by her majesty's inspectorate for education and training in Wales in June.

Awarded the second highest rating of good, Babes in the Wood was said to have many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement.

With 42 children from the age of two to four on the private nursery’s books, the report highlights how:

• Most children enjoy learning and make good progress

• With few exceptions, children are happy and well behaved

• Practitioners and children have good relationships

• There is evidence of improvement since the last inspection

Among the recommendations for further improvement are the use of assessments to help plan the next steps in learning; a stronger focus on children’s progress and outcomes in self-evaluation; and more formal monitoring.

The strengths of Llanmartin Primary School, located next door on the same site, were said to outweigh the areas of improvement with its adequate rating.

There are 185 pupils on roll between the ages of three and 11, including 26 who attended the nursery on a part-time basis.

About 33 per cent of pupils have additional learning needs and 31 per cent of the children are eligible for free school meals. Both are above the Welsh average.

The school’s budget is £3,938 per pupil, which puts the school sixth out of the 44 primary school in the city.

Highlighting the positives, the report notes that many pupils build upon their skills successfully and make satisfactory progress as they move through the school.

The report also states nearly all pupils behave well in lessons and around the school and show consideration and respect towards others

Pupils with additional learning needs are well supported and many make appropriate progress from their individual starting points.

Teachers also plan an interesting range of learning experiences, which engage most pupils’ interest effectively

However, areas that concerned the inspectors were the performance of pupils at the end of foundation phase and key stage two, especially that of boys and pupils eligible for free school meals.

The standard of pupils’ spelling and handwriting is inconsistent, says the report, and a minority of pupils do not always present their work well enough.

Also teachers’ written feedback rarely provides clear guidance to pupils on how to improve their skills

Recommendations for the school’s action plan include raising the attainment of boys and pupils eligible for free school meals; ensuring tasks in lessons meet the needs of all pupils; and providing effective feedback to pupils to help improve their work.