EDUCATION inspector, Estyn has judged Barry Island Primary School to be “excellent” in three areas and “good” in two areas following a visit in November 2019.

The judgement, published on January 30, concluded the school was worthy of top ratings for its wellbeing and attitudes to learning; care, support and guidance; and also leadership and management.

And it rated as "good” with regards to teaching and learning experiences; and standards.

The report said pupils behaved very well in classrooms and at playtimes.

“The working relationships between staff and pupils are an outstanding feature of the school and this is evident in the polite, respectful and courteous manner in which pupils interact with each other, staff members and visitors to the school, the report stated.

“Pupil voice is a strength of the school.

“Pupils are becoming ethically informed citizens through their work in the community, for instance when working to support local beach cleans.

“The school is a kind and caring community that supports all pupils through its positive and nurturing environment.

“It has highly effective systems to assess and track the progress of pupils.

“Pupils with social and emotional needs have very effective support through a whole school wellbeing programme led by highly skilled practitioners.”

The report, focusing on leadership and management, added: “The head teacher leads the school successfully.

“In collaboration with the highly effective senior leadership team, he focuses directly on refining provision to improve pupils’ standards and wellbeing.

“The school provides a very good start for pupils which allows them to learn productively and adopt enthusiastic attitudes to learning.”

Chairwoman of governors, Ceri Witchard said: “Barry Island Primary is at the heart of the community and we are lucky to have fantastic support from parents and the wider community.

“The wellbeing of our children is our top priority.

“Our positive relationships along with the success of nurture strategies and the Thrive programme, helps pupils feel safe and happy at school.

“This is essential to allow every child to reach their potential.

“We are lucky to be in such a fantastic location and have an amazingly supportive community.

“Our children enjoy regular trips to the beach and experience the local environment.

“They have been linking with a local care home to allow multi-generation activities.

“The current focus is Reading Buddies.

"The governing body is extremely pleased with this latest Estyn report.”

Head teacher, Matt Gilbert added: “I am extremely delighted with the school’s Estyn report.

“The success is due to the hard-working team and wonderful partnerships across the whole school community, to provide opportunities for all learners.

“Pupils’ happiness and wellbeing is essential to ensure they enjoy every opportunity to learn.”

“As part of our school improvement plan, we have continued to focus on developing pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

“The core skills are essential for all pupils to continue to access the whole curriculum with confidence and enthusiasm.

“We were successful in becoming a Big Maths Lead School, involving the sharing of mathematical strategies and learning experiences with colleagues from other schools.

“Our collaboration with NACE (National Association for Able Children) has also involved all pupils undertaking enrichment opportunities and the development of further mastery skills throughout the curriculum.”

He added: We take great pride in offering a range of experiences and exciting learning opportunities for children to engage further in their own education and apply skills in different contexts.

“We have developed very secure partnerships to enrich the curriculum with Sony, Renishaw, Cardiff University, St Fagans Museum of Welsh History, among others.

“With a focus on Professional Learning and Action Enquiry as a Pioneer School, we are now in a good position to embrace the new curriculum to further provide wonderful opportunities for all our pupils.”