Posted on: Friday 16 May 2025
Pupils have been praised for their exemplary behaviour during a recent Estyn inspection.
In a report published by the school inspectorate, the behaviour of pupils at Padre Pio RC Primary School, in Pontypool, towards each other and staff was highlighted.
The inspectors said: "The school provides a welcoming and nurturing environment where pupils and staff feel safe, valued and appreciated.
"Staff develop positive working relationships with pupils. This creates an environment of mutual respect where pupils feel happy and engage positively with their learning.
"Staff across the school promote good behaviour and use positive praise frequently. Consequently, nearly all pupils are polite to adults and to each other, and their behaviour is exemplary. "
The report also recognised pupils' progress in literacy, maths and digital skills, as well as the school's relationships with families, which ensure parents understand how their child is developing and what they can do to support them.
The report said: "Leaders and staff develop very positive links with families. They provide valuable opportunities for parents or carers to visit the school, for example during ‘book look’ days, where parents can look at their child’s work or by attending regular class assemblies.
"Leaders organise purposeful transition events for parents new to the school. These enable most pupils to have a successful start to school life.
"They communicate regularly with home and ensure that they respond swiftly and purposefully to any concerns or suggestions for improvement."
Headteacher Paul Welsh said: "The report is a testament to the hard work, dedication and collaboration of our entire school community - pupils, staff, governors, and parents and carers.
"We are proud of what we have achieved and remain committed to continuous improvement to ensure that we provide the best possible learning environment for all our pupils to thrive."
The inspectors recommended the school do more to develop the independent learning skills of older pupils, improve pupils' Welsh language skills and strengthen the role of governors in self-evaluation and improvement planning to ensure that they provide suitable challenge to the school.