Estyn inspection results above average despite special measures for one school

The latest Estyn inspections in Newport have been largely positive despite one primary school being placed into special measures, councillors have heard.

Inspectors visited nine of the city’s schools, with five requiring no follow-up visits and four of them being recognised for “particularly interesting or innovative” practices Estyn deemed worthy of sharing more widely.

But following a June inspection of St Joseph’s RC Primary, Estyn recommended special measures, and two other schools – Alway Primary and Llanwern High School – have been told to make significant improvements.

The inspection report for St Joseph’s noted leaders were “committed to creating a happy school… where many pupils feel safe and respected”.

But Estyn also found “frequent low-level disruption in lessons that hinders learning”, and said there were “inconsistencies” in the quality of teaching, and in progress for additional learning needs (ALN) pupils.

The school will have to devise an action plan showing how it will address four recommendations for improvements.

Sarah Morgan, the council’s head of education, told a scrutiny committee meeting that overall Estyn outcomes showed Newport was performing above the Wales average.

Since inspections resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic, Newport has recorded a rate of 93% of its schools requiring no Estyn follow-up visits, compared to a Welsh average of 90%, she explained.

Cllr Deb Davies, the local authority’s cabinet member for education, said the council was “very proud of all our schools”.

“Teachers work incredibly hard to make a difference to our children’s lives and instil learning, raise aspiration and provide opportunities for children to achieve their dreams,” she told a council scrutiny committee.

Cllr William Routley, the committee’s chairman, noted one of the recommendations for St Joseph’s RC Primary was to improve attendance levels for pupils who are eligible for free school meals.

He asked what the council was doing generally to support such families.

Ms Morgan said there were occasions when pupil absence could be linked to parents who themselves had “difficult experiences” at school.

She said the council was trying to “reach out” to those parents and show them school could be “a safe setting” for their children.