ENTHUSIASTIC pupils enter the classroom “with gusto” and “thoroughly enjoy” attending lessons, inspectors have said in a glowing report on a Gwent school.

They complimented the “articulate and confident” children at Cantref Primary, in Abergavenny, for their attitudes to learning and their support for each other.

A team from Welsh inspection agency Estyn visited the school in April, and has just published a report on the findings.

Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning, they noted, was “a result of the vibrant teaching” at Cantref Primary.

Teachers plan “engaging” activities for the classroom, giving children “numerous opportunities to build on their knowledge and understanding”.

Staff also provide “effective support and guidance for pupils in all aspects of school life”, including an “extensive” range of extra-curricular activities that “inspire” the children to take up new interests.

Teachers and support staff develop “strong, supportive relationships” that create a “nurturing and inclusive” atmosphere at the school.

The inspectors said staff had “worked productively” on bringing Cantref Primary in line with the new Curriculum for Wales, but said “generally, the whole school approach” to meeting those requirements “lacks clarity”.

“In addition, teachers’ feedback does not always provide opportunities for pupils to reflect on their work and make improvements,” Estyn added.

But in the classroom, inspectors witnessed “a range of worthwhile opportunities to learn about the history and culture of Wales” and teachers using “clever ways to engage pupils into learning and teaching moves at a lively pace”.

They called the use of the outdoor area for younger pupils “a real strength of the school” which develops children’s problem-solving skills and also supports their “enjoyment, interest and wellbeing”.

Behaviour at Cantref Primary is “exemplary”, the inspectors said, and nearly all children “show kindness and respect for one another”.

Pupils feel “safe, secure, respected and treated fairly” and are “ambitious about what they can achieve”.

“They clearly love school and are very happy to be part of the school community,” Estyn said. “They understand the strengths of the school and are proud of it.”

The headteacher and senior leadership team, meanwhile, was described as having a “powerful vision” for the school, where a “relentless focus on well-being ensures that pupils and staff thrive”.