Graig-y-Rhacca Primary School has received a glowing report from schools inspectorate Estyn.
The school was given an ‘excellent’ rating for its approach to care, support and guidance.
Estyn also rated the school as’good’ for standards, wellbeing and attitudes to learning, teaching and learning experiences, and leadership and management.
The report said: “Staff provide pupils with an extremely high standard of care and anticipate their needs well. There is an exceptionally warm and caring atmosphere in the school and this helps all pupils to feel valued.
“Teachers provide interesting learning experiences and enhance these well through trips, visits and engagement with the local community. They support individual pupils well to reach their potential.
“The headteacher provides the school with very strong leadership and engages the whole school community positively in improving the school. Leaders monitor and evaluate the school’s work robustly and all staff and governors work well together to bring about the necessary improvements.”
The report also stated: “Governors make a valuable contribution to the life of the school. They have a sound understanding of the school’s priorities and challenge the school effectively to improve important aspects of its work.
Headteacher Nicola Thain said: “We are obviously delighted with the inspection report which reflects a lot of hard work by everyone associated with Graig-y-Rhacca Primary School.
“It was particularly pleasing that as well as highlighting the high standards of teaching and progress made by pupils, the inspectors noted our school is a very happy and caring community that nurtures pupils’ personal, social, spiritual and cultural skills very well.
“All our staff, all our pupils and their families as well as the wider community can be very proud of this Estyn report but I am particularly delighted for our pupils who impressed the inspection team so much. We know how fantastic our children are but now everyone else knows it too.”
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Achievement, Cllr Philippa Marsden, said: “I would like to thank Ms Thain and all the team at Graig-y-Rhacca Primary School for this outstanding report.
“It is clear that the head teacher and staff have worked with the school community to create a caring learning environment that will help pupils to thrive. Well done to everyone at Graig-y-Rhacca Primary School.”
Inspectors offered three recommendations for improvement: “Ensure that pupils use a wide range of reading strategies to improve their reading; Improve spelling, handwriting and presentation across the school and ensure that the teaching of religious education meets requirements.”