Birchgrove Primary School serves the Birchgrove area of Swansea. There are 427 pupils on roll aged 3 to 11 years. Pupils are organised into 16 classes. The headteacher took up his post in November 2013. The school was last inspected in July 2014. The three year average for pupils eligible for free school meals is around 21%. This figure is slightly above the Welsh average of 18%. The school has identified approximately 30% of pupils as having special educational needs, which is above the Welsh average of around 21%. Most pupils are of white British ethnicity and come from homes where English is the main language. Very few pupils speak Welsh at home. Further information is available from the Welsh Government My Local School website at the link below. http://mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk/Schools/SchoolSearch?lang=en 1 A report on Birchgrove Primary January 2020 Summary During their time at the school, most pupils make at least good progress from their starting points while a few pupils make very good progress. They are very happy and confident individuals with a keen curiosity that the school nurtures successfully. Pupils relish the numerous opportunities they have to become part of one of the well-established leadership groups in the school and, as such, genuinely feel their contribution to ‘The Birchgrove Way’ is valued. Teachers very successfully encourage pupils to contribute fully to their learning, through curriculum planning and in assessing their own progress. The staff of the school know their pupils exceptionally well and are quick to identify any vulnerability that may hinder their progress. Knowledgeable staff ensure these pupils have bespoke support so that they continue to thrive in forward-thinking learning environments. The headteacher has a clear and purposeful vision for the school and its curriculum. All at the school successfully understand this vision, and as a result, they work together as a community. Over time, the school has successfully brought about improvements and sustained these in a meaningful way. Much of this has been achieved by supporting the professional learning of the staff and strengthening relationships with its parents. Inspection area Judgement Standards Excellent Wellbeing and attitudes to learning Excellent Teaching and learning experiences Excellent Care, support and guidance Excellent Leadership and management Excellent 2 A report on Birchgrove Primary January 2020 Recommendations R1 Share good practice in teaching and learning, including the outdoors, across the school What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection. Estyn will invite the school to prepare a case study on its work in relation to the work they do in relation to the professional learning undertaken at the school and also for their work in raising levels of attendance and maintaining these over time, for dissemination on Estyn’s website.