JENNER Park Primary School, in Barry, is housed in an impressive, red brick building that was built in 1899.

The school, while based in a Victorian premises, stresses that it has a commitment to honouring the history of the school while it strives to ensure its educational approach includes the best up-to date practice for all its learners.

Jenner Park Primary is at the heart of a diverse and vibrant community and the happiness and well-being of each child is central to the school’s ethos - where 'together we strive for success'.

Head teacher, David Morris said: “Children are encouraged to cooperate with one another, respect diversity and treat each other as equals.

“We are a highly motivated and caring team and are committed to providing opportunities for our young learners to develop into respectful, compassionate citizens, who contribute positively to the well-being of others.

“We aim to deliver an exciting and challenging curriculum.

“Through excellent and enthusiastic teaching, we will empower children to lead their learning, so that they become motivated and independent thinkers.

“We are passionate about equipping our pupils with the skills they need to grow up in an ever changing world and to develop learning attitudes that will stay with them for life.

“We pride ourselves on being a school where pupils, staff and parents working together to move our school forward.

“And we aim to provide a nurturing safe haven for our pupils to blossom and fulfil their potential under the guidance of our exceptional and motivational staff."

The school works closely with the local Barry Cluster of schools and plays an active role across the Central South Consortium as part of the SIG (School Improvement Group) system with schools from the Vale, Cardiff, Bridgend and RCT.

It provides outreach support for schools in the Vale who have concerns for specific children with cognition and learning concerns; it houses the centre of excellence for children across the Vale with complex educational needs and liaises with Ysgol Y Deri children who transition there.

It develops further understanding of topics such as Makaton and a variety of therapeutic approaches and it works closely with local secondary schools to aid transition for pupils.

It also ensures a great start to its nursery by liaising with Flying Start and it shares resources with parents to help them access the amazing facilities and resources of Putting Families First and Vale Families Information Service.

Mr Morris said: “Jenner Park has always been a member of the Vale Healthy Schools Network and has been successful in achieving the National Quality Award for Healthy Schools.

“For many years we have been a Lego Education school, using products such as Build to Express to help children build scenes then discuss their emotions linked to their construction.

“We have also used coding and programming to control robots created from Lego and used it for its main designed use of construction in design technology.

"Online security is of huge importance to everyone in this day and age, so we use the experts - the children in the upper years of the school to act as digital ninjas who support other children and staff in working with IT and to provide assemblies and lessons for the other children on keeping safe online.

“We work collaboratively with the pupils through groups such as eco club, to provide new resources for our outdoors to enhance teaching and learning outside such as a new pergola that can be used for science and art.

“For a number of years we have been using Minecraft as a tool for modelling situations and designing and building projects which would otherwise have been impossible.

“This came from a direct appeal by the school council to the governing body for the funding to purchase the software in the way of a digital presentation and a series of presentation boards at a full governing body meeting.”

The school is supported by Families Learning Together who attend the school to provide programmes where parents and their children can work together on literacy and numeracy.

This enables families to understand how their children are taught so that they can better support them at home, but it also supports parents in brushing up their skills.

Book fairs are held and parents and children have taken part in a Breakfast with Books session aimed at engendering a love of reading in the children and enabling them to share that love with their parents.

“A cup of tea and slice of toast just helped everyone a little bit,” Mr Morris said. “For a number of years, children in Years 5 and 6 have taken part in the Shakespeare Schools festival.

“This enables children to read and learn scenes from Shakespearean plays, are coached by professional actors and directors then perform their scenes on a professional stage for an audience.

“On each occasion we have performed we have received extremely positive responses both from parents, other members of the audience and from the professional directors involved.

“This year we are taking part in an inter-generational dance project pilot at the Memo which enables our Year 3 children to work with professionals and more senior members of our community on creating an amazing piece of movement.”

“We pride ourselves on having a very inclusive school with a friendly atmosphere,” he said. “The recent Inspection report noted that Jenner Park Primary School is highly inclusive and provides a safe, welcoming and stimulating learning environment for all its pupils.

“During their time in school, most pupils, including those with additional learning needs, make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills.

“We love sharing our learning with the parents and wider community by asking them to join us on special days such as Breakfast with Books and fundraising coffee mornings.”

Mr Morris added: “Staff are extremely caring and supportive, providing programmes such as ELSA to support vulnerable pupils to develop their social and emotional skills in a calm environment which provides a safe and nurturing place for them.

“This has a positive impact on raising self-esteem and helps most pupils to develop improved levels of confidence and engagement in school life.”

PANEL

FACT FILE

School motto: Together we strive for success

Chairman of governors: Mr David P Shire

Head teacher: Mr David J Morris

Number of pupils: 250

Age of pupils: 3-11

Last inspection: (year and rating): 2019 four good and one adequate