Very inclusive ethos at Wolfscastle school

Pupils at Wolfscastle CP School are ‘very caring of each other’, and ‘a very inclusive ethos can be felt amongst the children’, says a recent inspection report by Estyn ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report follows an inspection of the school in November 2015, which rated the school’s current performance and prospects for improvements as good. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A ‘good’ finding by Estyn means that the school has ‘many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Most pupils make good progress in their learning.
Pupils’ attendance rates are excellent and have placed the school consistently in the top 25% in comparison with similar schools.
The pupil’s voice has high priority in the school’s work.
The standard of teaching across the school is robustly good.
There is a clear emphasis on delivering a practical curriculum that engenders pupils’ desire to learn. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The school’s prospects for improvement are good because: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The headteacher has a clear and purposeful vision for improvement.
Governors use information about the school’s performance data effectively to challenge the school.
The school has a wide range of effective self-evaluation activities.
Leaders identify strengths and areas to be improved suitably.
The school has a strong partnership with parents and the community.
The school works successfully with others schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report rated the school’s wellbeing as ‘excellent’ saying that nearly all pupils feel safe and have a strong understanding of how to keep fit. ‘Pupils’ behaviour around the school is robustly good,’ says the report. ‘They are courteous towards adults and peers and show enthusiasm and motivation towards their learning’. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It added: ‘Pupils have a full understanding of the importance of attending school. The school council has produced a pamphlet to encourage and maintain high attendance and has shared it very successfully with other schools in the catchment area.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also rated learning experiences as ‘adequate’. ‘The school provides interesting and stimulating learning experiences for pupils,’ it read. ‘Short-term plans are detailed, identify learning objectives clearly and provide stimulating activities that are differentiated appropriately. However, the school does not have long-term plans that show clearly enough that all skills are being developed fully.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

‘There is a Literacy and Numeracy Framework in place, but activities do not always show progression and continuity purposefully enough.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The recommendations from the Inspectors were: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Raise standards of extended writing in both languages across the curriculum.
Ensure that numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills are planned purposefully across the curriculum.
Ensure that planning and teaching provide opportunities for pupils to develop as independent learners.
Refine monitoring reports, by acting more effectively on findings that arise from them in order to address improvements quickly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Headteacher Wendy Raymond said the school was delighted with the report. “For us as a small school, the ‘excellent’ rating we received for wellbeing was wonderful,” she said. “It showed that Estyn recognised the commitment and support of the staff, pupils, governors and parents. They could see that the pupils are at the heart of the school and that the pupils’ voice is respected.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Sue Perkins, Cabinet Member for Education and Safeguarding, congratulated Wolfcastle CP School. “This is an excellent report, and shows that there are many positive features at Wolfscastle School,” she said. “The pupils’ work on attendance must be praised in particular as it obviously caught the Inspectors’ attention and they have highlighted it as a strength.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chairman of the Governors, Rev. Geoffrey Eynon, said: “I am delighted with the Inspector’s report, and feel that it reflects the commitment of the staff, pupils, parents and governors. The school has received the praise it deserves.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Estyn report on Wolfscastle CP School can be found at www.estyn.gov.wales ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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Having fun at P.E. at Wolfscastle CP School ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​