Llanfair C.P. School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

The learning environment created in Llanfair Primary School reflects the calm and peaceful surrounding countryside. The pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school and are very proud to be a part of its community.

They feel safe in school and confident that they can speak to any staff if they are concerned or worried. The caring nature of the staff and the respect pupils show to one another, staff and visitors is a notable feature of the school. Pupils' oracy skills in English from the nursery class to Year 6 are exceptional.

Many pupils make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills in discrete lessons. In general, pupils do not use these skills as well as they could in other areas of learning. Pupils' p...rogress in developing their Welsh oracy skills is limited and they do not develop their digital skills well enough as they move through the school.

Pupils' behaviour is exceptional. All staff support them successfully to develop positive attitudes to learning and, as a result, pupils' collaboration in class activities and around the school is a strength. They provide pupils with purposeful opportunities to build on their knowledge and understanding but teaching does not always support pupils to achieve to the best of their ability.

In most classes across the school, there are few opportunities for pupils to become independent learners. The whole-school approach to plan and deliver the Curriculum for Wales is at an early stage of development. The newly appointed headteacher and governors have a clear vision for school development.

In a short time, leaders are beginning to make improvements to the provision for pupils. For example, they have developed aspects of the learning environment and arrangements for the teaching of reading. However, senior leaders and governors are in the very early stages of working collaboratively to ensure that self-evaluation processes are thorough.

Over time, leadership has not evaluated pupil progress thoroughly enough to ensure that teaching and learning challenges all pupils, particularly those who are more able. Recommendations R1 Embed leadership at all levels to identify the school's priorities for improvement successfully R2 Ensure that the curriculum is meaningful for all pupils and builds their skills systematically and coherently across the school, especially their Welsh and digital skills R3 Raise teachers' expectations of what pupils can do, particularly those who are more able What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to show how it is going to address the recommendations. Estyn will work with the local authority to review the school's progress.