A PRIMARY school in Caerphilly county has been praised by Estyn for its focus on student wellbeing. 

In their most recent Estyn inspection, Tiryberth Primary School in Henoged were highly commended for their "exceptionally strong focus" on emotionally supporting pupils in an "inclusive and nurturing environment" where students are treated individually and feel their value is recognised. 

The support for those with additional learning needs is "highly effective" with the majority of students making good progress and levels of progress and attendance monitored well. 

Inspectors were notably impressed with the leadership and management of the school, particularly the manner in which school senior leaders "work with compassion and purpose to support pupils to reach their full potential". 

There is also an awareness of the strengths of the school and how improvements can and should be put in place. 

A strong focus on the school's curriculum is on promoting a "sense of belonging, equity, and diversity" for each student to feel included. As a result, the provided learning experiences are "rich and authentic", allowing students to develop clear hopes for the future. 

Exciting opportunities to build on literacy and creative skills are offered, with some younger students making good progress. 

Mathematical skill development is seen as a major strength, with all pupils able to make "strong progress from their starting points", including developing a real sense of "resilience and perseverance" when facing challenges. 

Estyn has offered three key areas for the school to improve on, which are sharpen self-evaluation and improvement processes to focus on teaching quality and learning progress, improve pupil reading skills, particularly with older students, and continue to improve attendance. 

South Wales Schools and Education Awards 2024

Tiryberth Primary School could be up for an honour at the South Wales Schools and Education Awards in June, with nominations still open here if you would like to nominate them. 

South Wales Argus: The South Wales Schools and Education Awards 2024 are open for nominationsThe South Wales Schools and Education Awards 2024 are open for nominations (Image: Newsquest)

This year's categories are:

  • School of the Year
  • Private or Independent School of the Year
  • PTA of the Year
  • Special Education Needs (SENCO) Award
  • Head Teacher of the Year
  • Primary School of the Year
  • Secondary School of the Year (sponsored by the University of South Wales)
  • Above and Beyond Award
  • Teaching Assistant of the Year
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
  • College or University of the Year
  • Primary Teacher of the Year
  • STEM Project of the Year (sponsored by National Grid)
  • Secondary School Teacher of the Year