‘Excellent’ Newport Schools Recognised In Estyn Awards
Maindee Primary School and Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael have been recognised for their excellence at an Estyn awards ceremony.
The awards recognised 28 schools, colleges and other education settings in Wales that were judged to be excellent for one or both of the overall judgements, for current performance and prospects for improvement in the academic year 2015-2016.
Councillor Gail Giles, Newport City Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Young People, said: “We are very proud of our schools that have been awarded an excellent rating, and pleased to see they are being further recognised by Estyn.
“Their ratings are testament to the hard work of teachers, governors, pupils, families and the council’s education team.
“We aim to support our schools to not only maintain good standards, but to push themselves further, always striving to take education to a higher level. My congratulations go to Maindee Primary School and Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael for what they have, and I’m sure will continue, to achieve.”
Representatives from the schools received a certificate and congratulations from Meilyr Rowlands, Estyn’s Chief Inspector, and Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education, at an awards evening held on 9 March.
Meilyr Rowlands said: “Celebrating the excellence achieved by hard work and commitment within Welsh education is important. Recognising and sharing this excellence can help to inspire improvement in the classroom and, in this spirit, Estyn has published a short brochure highlighting some of the successful features of the 28 schools and other education providers that achieved excellence during the 2015-2016 inspections.”
The brochure highlights just some of the praise for the schools given in their inspections:
Maindee Primary
Pupils at Maindee Primary School speak 26 different languages, 85 per cent have English as an additional language, and many enter the school with little or no English. However, most pupils make good progress as they move through the school and, by the end of key stage 2, many pupils are confident, independent learners. The development of pupils’ oracy skills is a particular strength of the school.
The quality of provision for pupils with additional learning needs is outstanding. All members of staff work closely together to celebrate the rich diversity of languages and cultures within the school community. As a result, all pupils feel valued, have high levels of wellbeing and develop their individual talents well in a nurturing atmosphere.
Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Hael
Most pupils make very good progress from their starting points and develop their ability to work independently in an excellent way. The school provides a wide range of rich learning experiences that gain most pupils’ interest successfully.
Nearly all teachers have high expectations of all pupils, which contributes strongly to the exceptional progress that they make. An excellent feature of the school is the way in which it ensures consistency in the high quality of teaching.
The school’s leadership is exceptionally effective and ensures that provision and outcomes are of a very high standard for all pupils. Leaders use performance management arrangements effectively to account for performance in relation to pupil outcomes.
This has led to considerable improvements in standards of teaching and learning across the school.
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