TWO Gwent primary schools have received good Estyn reports praising their well-informed governing bodies, teaching and assessment.

Pengam Primary School near Blackwood, where half of its 215 pupils come from outside the catchment area, was described as having a “safe, caring and happy community” where pupils’ performance compares well with similar schools.

Performance and prospects for improvement were both “good”, but the inspectorate recommended the school improve pupils’ knowledge of howto calculate basic mental maths and improve standards in Welsh.

It said a significant minority of pupils make better than expected progress in English and maths, and in 2012, the school was in the top 25% in maths at both expected and higher levels.

Resource management, partnership with the Blackwood credit union, leadership and the relationship with governors were all described as “good”.

Crindau School in Newport was praised for pupils’ good behaviour by the inspectorate when they visited in May.

But it said the standards and skills of boys and those pupils receiving free school meals were below expected levels, and the school’s current performance was described as “adequate”, with prospects for improvement “good”.

It said there was a well-informed governing body that challenges the 383-pupil school effectively and there are clear plans for improvement.

Inspectors recommended the school improve boys’ performance and pupils’ knowledge of phonics and skills.

It said performance in maths in 2012 was not as good as in previous years, but that attendance is consistently high and pupils are “extremely courteous to adults and work well with each other”.

Teachers provide a wide variety of after-school clubs including drama, cooking, journalism and radio, and the school acts sustainably in the way it uses consumable resources.