Ysgol Y Faenol is in the village of Bodelwyddan, about four miles east of Abergele. Most pupils live in the village and its outlying area. Families frequently move into and out of the area and, as a result, there is considerable movement into and out of the school. There are currently 154 pupils on roll, including 21 pupils who attend the nursery on a part-time basis. Pupils are taught in five mixed age classes. Very few pupils speak Welsh as their first language and around 10% are learning English as an additional language. Around 15% of pupils come from ethnic-minority backgrounds and around 22% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly higher than the average for Wales of 19%. The school has identified 26% of pupils as having additional learning needs, which is slightly higher than the national average of 21%. The present headteacher has been in post since January 2008. The school was last inspected in May 2012. 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 Y Faenol October 2017 Summary During their time in the school, most pupils make good progress from their starting points and a few pupils make very good progress. By the end of key stage 2, they are confident, thoughtful and articulate and enjoy learning. They have a deep understanding of mathematical concepts and apply their knowledge of these well to solve mathematical problems. They apply their literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills well across the curriculum and take pride in their school and their work. In general, teachers provide interesting learning experiences that help pupils develop a love of learning. These are often linked to interesting and thought-provoking story-books that help pupils explore a wide range of topics and emotions. However, in the foundation phase, pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their skills independently. The headteacher is passionate about meeting individual pupils’ needs and seeing pupils mature into fully rounded, capable learners. Staff work together to support this vision effectively. The school is outward looking and makes the most of research and professional development opportunities to improve standards of teaching and learning. The school uses its pupil development grant particularly well to support vulnerable pupils. The governing body is very supportive of the school’s work. Inspection area Judgement Standards Good Wellbeing and attitudes to learning Good Teaching and learning experiences Adequate and needs improvement Care, support and guidance Good Leadership and management Good 2 A report on Ysgol Y Faenol October 2017 Recommendations R1 Ensure that all staff working in the foundation phase have a thorough understanding of foundation phase pedagogy and provide effective learning experiences for pupils R2 Plan carefully to ensure that pupils in the foundation phase have rich opportunities to learn through play R3 Improve the quality of the foundation phase learning environment indoors and outside R4 Improve pupils’ use of Welsh so that they become more confident in using the language outside of lessons What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations from the inspection.