Estyn inspection praises Ysgol Bro Eirwg, Cardiff where non-Welsh speaking families are sending their kids

Less than a quarter of pupils at the school come from families where Welsh is spoken at home

Inspectors have praised a Welsh language school where most pupils arrive with Welsh-speaking skills below the expected level and leave speaking “with confidence”. Teachers at Ysgol Bro Eirwg in Cardiff were commended for planning opportunities that develop a strong sense of community and Welsh identity among the children.

Less than a quarter of the school’s 391 pupils speak Welsh at home and after visiting the school in Rumney Estyn said: “Although most pupils enter the school with Welsh speaking skills below the expected level, they make substantial progress during their time at the school and by the end of their time at Ysgol Bro Eirwg, most pupils are able to communicate confidently in both Welsh and English.”

But the report notes there are challenges. It says that by year six (the last year of primary), while most pupils develop their oracy skills confidently “many pupils across the school have a tendency to turn to English when communicating in informal situations.” For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.

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It adds: “By the end of year six, most pupils read English texts confidently, they use appropriate intonation, pay attention to punctuation and discuss the content meaningfully. However, when pupils read in Welsh, they do not always understand the meaning of the text effectively enough. This, in turn, limits their knowledge and understanding of different learning contexts.”

Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Eirwg is part of the Ffederasiwn y Ddraig federation, formed in September 2019 and has a close relationship with the local Welsh medium high school Ysgol Bro Edern. Inspectors said the school’s supportive environment is reflected in pupils’ behaviour and attitudes towards each other and adults and that staff provide a range of valuable experiences that broaden pupils’ horizons

“Maintaining a proactive relationship with all families is a priority for the headteacher and staff and this is reflected in the swift response to occasional cases,” the report adds, “this contributes effectively to strengthening the good working relationship between the school and parents.”

From this term free school meals are universally offered to all children in primaries in Wales, regardless of family income, but the report shows more than one in four pupils at Ysgol Bro Eirwg come from families whose income would have made them eligible before that, compared to a national figure of just under one in four.

Estyn has asked the school to prepare a case study on its successful approach to “creating a rich and stimulating learning environment”. This case study will be shared on Estyn’s website to benefit other schools across Wales.

Responding to the report headteacher Iwan Ellis said: “I am delighted with our Estyn report and thrilled that we have been asked us to write a case study sharing our outstanding practice in the nursery and reception classes. The report confirms that the school is a successful learning community, that the pupils are happy and polite, and that the relationship between staff and pupils is a strength.

“Ysgol Bro Eirwg is part of Ffederasiwn y Ddraig and I am extremely proud that the Estyn report highlights the success of our Federation, that both schools, Ysgol Bro Eirwg and Ysgol Pen y Pîl, collaborate effectively to “create a successful learning community that celebrates Welshness, provides care and respect well and offer valuable experiences for pupils. Pupils’ pride in their school, their local area and Wales can be felt clearly within the learning environment. This is the result of the hard work and dedication of all staff to ensure the best possible education for all our pupils.”

Estyn made just one recommendation for improvement which the school says it will address in its action plan; to develop its Welsh reading provision to better support pupils in understanding texts across all areas of learning.

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