Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Hamadryad is situated in Butetown in Cardiff local authority. Welsh is the main medium of the school’s life and work, and English is introduced to pupils in key stage 2. The school opened on a temporary site in September 2016 as one reception class with 17 pupils, before moving to a new building during the spring term 2019. There are 174 pupils on roll, including 66 nursery age pupils who attend on a part-time basis. There is only one class in key stage 2, namely Year 3. The school serves one of the most multilingual and multi-ethnic areas in Wales. Pupils represent 15 different ethnic groups. Across the school, pupils speak 21 different languages, including Welsh and English. On average, over the last three years, slightly less than 9% of pupils have been eligible for free school meals. This is significantly lower than the national average of 18%. The school has identified around 13% of its pupils as having additional learning needs. This is significantly lower than the national percentage of 21%. Many pupils come from English-speaking homes, but around 11% come from Welsh-speaking homes. The current headteacher was appointed to the post in September 2016. The school has not had a core inspection before as it is a new school. 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 Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Hamadryad February 2020 Summary The school is a happy and inclusive community, where a high priority is given to developing pupils’ respect and wellbeing. Pupils work together maturely and there is an excellent relationship between them and staff. There is a prominent Welsh ethos at the school, and staff encourage pupils to use the Welsh language regularly in all aspects of school life. Pupils take pride in their Welshness and feel that the language is a very important part of their multilingual community. This is a strong feature of the school. The headteacher provides the school with robust leadership and promotes high standards, co-operation and highly positive attitudes towards the Welsh language. The governing body supports the school effectively in order to provide valuable experiences for all pupils. Parents support all of the school’s activities successfully and contribute effectively towards creating a familial and welcoming environment within a multicultural community. Teachers use a wide range of teaching methods and resources thoughtfully to support learning and ensure that pupils acquire the Welsh language at a very early stage. Support staff make a significant contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. Staff establish an excellent working relationship which fosters successful learning. They have very high expectations, and visits and visitors are used effectively to reinforce learning activities. As a result, most pupils make strong progress in their learning. Inspection area Judgement Standards Good Wellbeing and attitudes to learning Good Teaching and learning experiences Good Care, support and guidance Good Leadership and management Good 2 A report on Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Hamadryad February 2020 Recommendations R1 Ensure that provision for numeracy provides an appropriate challenge for more able pupils to achieve to the best of their ability R2 Strengthen the role of pupils in expressing an opinion directly on the school’s wider procedures What happens next The school will produce 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 establishing a highly successful Welsh ethos and pupils’ pride in their Welshness in a multilingual community, to be disseminated on Estyn’s website.