PUPILS and staff at Ysgol Tycroes have been celebrating after an inspectors report praised the school and its ethos.

The school, say Estyn inspectors, is a happy and caring learning community, providing pupils with a strong sense of belonging and that most teaching is either good or better.

The inspection, carried out last year, resulted in an overall “good” rating for the primary- meaning it has many strengths and no important areas requiring significant improvement.

Schools are rated in a four point system with excellent being the highest of the standards and good being the second.

During the inspection it was found that many pupils make good progress and their behaviour is good.

The school’s language provision was particularly praised with the inspectors report stating: “Standards in Welsh are excellent and make a positive contribution to the bilingual ethos of the school.”

Other outcomes of the report on Tycroes, which has 204 pupils, highlighted good technology skills and that pupils with additional learning needs make valuable gains against their personal targets

Looking to the future, inspectors noted the school had good prospects for improvement due to strong leadership and support from the governing body.

The report added that all staff have clear roles and responsibilities which they carry out diligently and that “leaders deploy teaching and support staff effectively to make the best use of their talents and abilities

Recommendation for the school included improve standards of handwriting and presentation, extending opportunities for pupils to write at length across the curriculum and ensuring that staff apply the marking policy consistently across the school.

Elfed Wood, head of the school, said he was pleased with the results and praised his “dedicated staff”

Mr Wood, described in the report as “offering effective and dynamic leadership to a dedicated team,” said: “We are very pleased with the successful outcome of the inspection visit, which reflects the hard-working, positive ethos at our school.

“A team of dedicated staff work effectively with pupils, parents, governors and friends of the school in the community.

“The report reflects the happy, positive community we have at our school, and the progress that each child makes, developing essential life-skills through a wide range of experiences and opportunities on offer at our school.”