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A primary school in Caerphilly has been praised by inspectors for its teaching quality, leadership, and community.

Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg y Castell, located just a stone’s throw away from Caerphilly Castle, was visited by schools inspectorate Estyn in February.

Estyn’s report highlighted the fantastic progress and day‑to‑day work of the Welsh-medium school, along with the quality of its teaching and its warm, caring, and inclusive community.

In the past, Estyn inspection reports gave short‑form gradings such as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. However, the new inspection framework now provides more detailed findings, along with any recommendations for each school.

Ysgol Gymraeg y Castell was found to have “clear, effective leadership”, with a strong focus on developing pupils’ independence and a cohesive staff team that shares good practice. Lessons were praised for their purposeful pace and appropriate level of challenge.

All pupils, including those with additional learning needs (ALN), were said to make “sound progress”, developing strong Welsh oral skills and achieving high standards across subjects, particularly maths.

A key theme running through the report is the strong partnership between the school and families, with parental voices being highly valued and contributing meaningfully to the school’s ongoing development.

The curriculum was also commended, with the school making strong use of its local heritage. The report notes that the curriculum provides “relevant and stimulating historical references” linked to Caerphilly Castle.

Both safeguarding arrangements and site management were judged as not a cause for concern, and healthy eating is strongly promoted across the school. Funding, including the Pupil Development Grant, is used appropriately, the report says.

Estyn did provide two recommendations for improvement, however; to increase opportunities for pupils to write at length, and ensure that high‑quality teaching practices are consistent across the whole school.

Following the report’s release, headteacher Gareth Hughes said: “The report reflects the hard work and dedication of our staff team and wider school community, alongside our consistent focus on high standards and ensuring pupils make strong, purposeful progress in their learning.

“At the heart of our work is a commitment to developing confident, independent, lifelong learners within a caring and supportive environment where every child is known and valued.”

Mr Hughes continued: “We’re especially pleased that Estyn drew particular attention to our strong partnerships with our families and the way that we engage with our parents.

“These relationships are central to what we do and play an important role in supporting our pupils to thrive.”

The school will be holding an open day for prospective parents between 9.30am and 11.30am on Saturday June 27.