PONTNEWYNYDD Primary School, Pontypool, ensures its 114 pupils receive the most diverse and forward-thinking education. Staff and pupils at the school pride themselves on their can do attitude and enthusiasm.

One of the main focuses at Pontnewynydd is the use of ICT to transform and develop the pupils’ education. All pupils at the school have regular access to iPads and laptops and have recently installed their own television studio.

Justin West, television studio technician, said the studio had been excellent at not only giving the children a unique opportunity to learn how a studio operated but had also enhanced their confidence and speaking and literacy skills.

“Everything the pupils do involving the television studio helps improve upon their core skills.

“Before coming into the studio, they will usually be writing a script or a piece to present to camera, which helps improve their writing.

“The children have worked on documentaries, class projects and have even recorded a current affairs show which includes topical debates.”

The television studio, which is used most frequently by year five and six pupils, has three cameras, special lighting and a Tricaster area where pupils can control the recording equipment and edit clips.

One of the main projects the pupils have worked on during their time in the studio is to produce a promotional video for their Formula One project which is part of a national competition.

Over the last two years pupils at Pontnewynydd have taken part in the F1 in Schools Jaguar Challenge. The challenge is for the pupils to use 3D software to design a model race car. The race care is then made with the pupils promoting the car, designing merchandise and racing the car along a straight line race track.

The children design the car using 3D CAD engineering computer software testing its aerodynamic ability on an app on the class iPads.

In March 2013, six pupils were chosen to represent their school at the South Wales finals in Swansea. The group came second overall and became the first rookie team to reach the British Finals held in Coventry at the Ricoh Arena in June. In 2014, the team scooped first place in the South Wales finals and were winners of best pit display and portfolio.

Deputy head teacher Andrew Phillips said: “It was great to see the pupils getting involved in the Formula 1 project and it was fantastic that they won first place, they used the television studio to create a really great promotional video and it was a good interactive thing for them to be a part of.”

Another project the pupils and staff are particularly proud of is the South East Wales safeguarding competition they entered and won overall, to promote safety amongst children.

Pupils at the school addressed the issue of safety online and designed posters and a promotional video to make pupils aware of the dangers of using social media and online chat rooms.

Mr Phillips said: “The strap line for the project was “The Thoughts Within” which saw pupils producing a poster pack on online safety and a promotional DVD which used inspiration from the old floating heads programme, where just the thoughts are heard about the impact of using the internet and things like social media.”

The key stage two pupils that participated in the competition won £150 for their efforts and the money will be used as the first part of their sponsorship for the next Formula 1 competition.

The school focuses on something known as Value Added education which encourages the use of ICT throughout all age groups and key stages. Mr Phillips said: “Now with the older pupils being able to use the television studios, it means that pupils in the foundation phase and key stage one can have unlimited access to the iPads and things like Apple TVs.”

“We also have something called digital leaders, which are sort of ambassadors in ICT for the rest of the school. They help children with any ICT problems they may have. They also look and research for any new apps that they children can use and identify areas where improvements in ICT can be made,” he said.

Zaharah Ally, foundation phase leader notes how four to seven year olds are experiencing 21st century learning. Miss Ally said: “The pupils have developed their ICT skills in using apps on the iPad to demonstrate their understanding, for example when learning about Victorian washday the pupils took photographs of pupils using washday artefacts and then typed the processes on the book creator app to record the processes using time ordering words.”

Miss Ally also explains how pupils are also persistently developing their core skills. “Each term the teaching and learning is focused on a pupil-led topic. Pupils share their ideas to develop learning opportunities that are of interest to them. Last term the topic was “ourselves” where the pupils developed their skills through a walk of the local area where they identified human and physical features; they developed their writing skills in writing about real life experiences.”

Pupils in the foundation phase have also had the opportunity to go on school trips to Abersychan Fire Station to learn about jobs in the local area and Stack Square in Blaenavon to learn about homes in the past. In the next couple of weeks the pupils and staff are hoping to visit Greenmeadow Farm to learn about animals.

The school was last inspected in March 2011 under the newly revised Estyn inspection system, where it received a rating of excellent for its current performance and a rating of excellent for the school’s prospects for improvements.

The report said that nearly all pupils have made exceptional progress over time and achieve standards that are well above those of similar schools. Provision for the development of pupils information and communication technology skills are sector leading and pupils’ achievement is very high as a result.

Fact File:

Number of pupils: 114

Age ranges: four to 11 (reception to year six)

Largest class: Year four with 22 pupils

Head teacher: Linda Green

Deputy Head teacher: Andrew Phillips

School Motto: “Only the best is good enough”

Estyn inspection: School was last inspected in March 2011 and was rated excellent for the school’s current performance and excellent for the school’s prospects for improvement.