Posted on: Friday 10 February 2023
School inspectors have praised staff and pupils at a Torfaen primary school for creating a "respectful, nurturing and inclusive environment".
Estyn inspectors visited New Inn Primary School in November and recently published its report.
In it they said pupils "thoroughly enjoy attending school" and are keen to talk to visitors and speak confidently about what their learning and wider school life.
They added: "Pupils feel happy and safe and learn from an early age how to take responsibility for their actions and how to look out for others. They know who to turn to when they need help in any situation.
"The school places importance on well-being for its whole community and school staff work well together to create a respectful, nurturing and inclusive environment. This ethos is especially reflected in the warm and positive relationships between staff and pupils."
The report added that staff at the school, on Golf Road, New Inn, which has 598 pupils on its roll, engage pupils through a range of interesting activities and experiences and students with additional learning needs and those affected by social disadvantage make good progress.
Kate Prendergast, headteacher at New Inn Primary School, said: "During my time as headteacher it has been so rewarding to have moved the school out of Estyn monitoring back in 2015 and to take the school from amber to green in school categorisation.
"This report celebrates the school’s many successes and acknowledges the improvements made since the last inspection. We are delighted that Estyn recognised the caring and inclusive environment we have created and the effective systems of support we have put in place, that allow pupils to thrive at New Inn Primary School.
"Being the largest primary school in Torfaen, we have almost 600 pupils on roll and behaviour is exceptional throughout the school; our pupils are respectful of each other and of staff. Estyn noted that pupils are proud to belong to New Inn Primary School and that staff work incredibly hard to make our school the best it can be.
"The school’s improvement journey has very much been a team effort and achieving this high standard has taken time, commitment and dedication. I am incredibly proud to lead such a strong team and so grateful to the governing body for the valuable support they provide. We will now act upon the advice provided by Estyn and prepare a post inspection action plan to address the recommendations given in the report."
Councillor Richard Clark, Executive Member for Education, said: "This is a very good Estyn report which praises the headteacher and the school's team of committed staff.
"It recognises the many opportunities pupils have to contribute to school life and wider community, such as through their charity ambassadors, eco committee, and the pupil parliament."
The school was last inspected in March 2014.
The recent report recommended the school take action to sharpen self-evaluation and improvement processes to focus more specifically on the impact of teaching on learning; improve the quality of feedback to better support pupils to understand their next steps in learning; improve provision to support pupils to apply their numeracy and writing skills creatively across the curriculum and extend opportunities for pupils to make choices about their learning increasingly independently.