AS SCHOOLS across Wales prepare to reopen on September 1 following an uncertain five months, we take a look at the Estyn inspection reports for the Gwent region in 2020 so far.

Unlike in England where schools are giving a single rating, Estyn grades schools on five seperate areas – standards; wellbeing and attitudes to learning; teaching and learning experiences; care, support and guidance; and leadership and management.

This is how primary, secondary and special schools in the Newport City Council area have got on so far this year:

The John Frost School (report published in May)

  • Standards: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Good
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Care, support and guidance: Good
  • Leadership and management: Good

Inspectors described the secondary school as "a caring community that provides a calm and purposeful learning environment for pupils and staff alike" after they visited in March this year.

Pupils were praised for being "welcoming and friendly" with good classroom behaviour, while teachers were commended for generally nurturing "positive working relationships" with their students.

"In the majority of lessons, teachers provide helpful activities and clear explanations," the inspectors said in their report.

Meanwhile, "leaders provide a clear sense of direction for the school" and "understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses well".

Ysgol Bryn Derw (report published in May)

  • Standards: Excellent
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Excellent
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Good
  • Care, support and guidance: Excellent
  • Leadership and management: Excellent

Inspectors said the special education school, which supports children aged 3-19 who have autism spectrum disorder, as "a close-knit, nurturing community that provides outstanding care, support and guidance for its pupils".

In the short space of time since joining the school, nearly all pupils exceed their personal targets in social, communication and independence skills and many achieve or do better than expected in their literacy and numeracy skills," the inspectors added.

The school's "inspirational leadership and collaborative approach of the headteacher" were also singled out for praise.

Rogerstone Primary (report published in May)

  • Standards: Good
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Excellent
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Good
  • Care, support and guidance: Excellent
  • Leadership and management: Excellent

The school is a " highly inclusive community with happy pupils and staff", the Estyn inspectors judged, praising the "resilient" pupils who "cooperate well with each other".

Teachers plan "stimulating and relevant learning activities that help pupils develop as responsible global citizens" and the "outstanding leadership" of the school was commended, as was the support for pupils with special needs.

Lliswerry High School (report published in April)

  • Standards: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Good
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Care, support and guidance: Good
  • Leadership and management: Adequate and needs improvement

Inspectors described the school as "an inclusive, caring environment for pupils from a diverse range of backgrounds", with "leaders at all levels committed to supporting all pupils’ wellbeing and progress".

Teachers were mostly praised for using "detailed knowledge of individual pupils to plan engaging, demanding lessons that help pupils to make sound progress".

There is "particularly effective" support for pupils whose first language is not English, the inspectors noted.

Malpas Church in Wales Primary School (report published in January)

  • Standards: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Adequate and needs improvement
  • Care, support and guidance: Unsatisfactory and needs urgent improvement
  • Leadership and management: Unsatisfactory and needs urgent improvement

Inspectors said pupils at the school are "happy", "feel safe" and generally "enjoy their learning".

The "warm, professional relationships" and "mutual respect between pupils and adults" were commended, but inspectors noted some pupils who were more able or had special needs were making "slower progress than they should".

The school was formed in 2017 when the separate junior and infants schools joined together, and the inspectors called for improved communication between leaders and staff.

Glasllwch Community Primary School (report published in January)

  • Standards: Excellent
  • Wellbeing and attitudes to learning: Excellent
  • Teaching and learning experiences: Excellent
  • Care, support and guidance: Excellent
  • Leadership and management: Excellent

The Estyn team praised the school for developing pupils into "ambitious, confident and independent learners" with "very good behaviour".

"Teachers provide a stimulating and rich practical curriculum for pupils," the inspectors said, describing the quality of teaching as "consistently high".

"School leaders provide extremely effective leadership," the inspectors said. "A culture of improvement permeates the school, and continuous review and planning for improvement are at the heart of its ethos."