Thank you for taking the time of visit our website.

On behalf of the pupils, staff, and governors, I would like to welcome you to Hendrefoilan primary school. The school takes pride in the excellent standards attained by pupils. This is the result of our commitment to teaching and learning. Hendrefoilan is situated on a large site with extensive grounds, boasting developed woodland, fields, adventure playgrounds, netball courts and football pitches and a celtic roundhouse. The school was last inspected by Estyn in March 2024 and the inspectors commented.

“Hendrefoilan Primary School is a calm and happy place where pupils make good progress and achieve well. Staff develop strong working relationships with pupils and the community. Pupils of all ages are friendly polite, and talk about their learning confidently. The school celebrates diversity and ensures that everyone is treated equally.” (Estyn, May 2024).

Leaders have established a calm, happy atmosphere in which all stakeholders strive for excellence. Clear aims, policies and plans with strategic priorities focus on meeting pupils’ needs well. There is a passionate, energetic, newly appointed deputy headteacher. In addition, the school’s additional learning needs co-ordinator returned to school from local authority (LA) secondment and has resumed her teaching post, and as an important part of the senior leadership team (SLT). Highly trained and experienced staff have a significant impact on pupil outcomes, for example improvements to teaching because of well-established action research. Hendrefoilan retains staff well and has a strong history of investment in people with many teachers going on to take leadership positions in other schools. Senior leaders have established links with other schools that influence successful partnerships, for example the Swansea bay partnership (SBP).

The school is immensely proud to have achieved the peace mala award, the healthy schools’ phase five leaf and the bronze siarter iaith award and is aiming for the silver siarter iaith award by July 2025. The four purposes are the starting point of Hendrefoilan’s curriculum. They are underpinned by integral skills, which are developed within a wide range of learning and teaching. The Hendrefoilan curriculum is interesting, authentic and influenced by the pupils. Pupils’ standards in all areas of learning and experience are often excellent. The school arranges musical tuition on request and has a choir and orchestra, both of whom have a strong history of performance in school and the community. We are immensely proud of our netball, football, rugby, cross-country, swimming, tennis and athletics teams, all of whom participate in and often win local competitions.

Hendrefoilan has been a platinum eco school for eight consecutive years and has led other schools in outdoor learning approaches. The school uses the wooded area and the Celtic Roundhouse, as an outside classroom. The school makes excellent use of grant funding and over the last few year has built a new classroom, toilets, and storage areas, had a new roof, and a sensory room. Hendrefoilan is a thriving, popular school and plans are in place to increase capacity for up to fifty new pupils by 2029.

Visitors to the school often comment on the warm welcome they receive and the politeness and courtesy of all pupils. All pupils feel that they are an integral part of the school, have self-confidence, and achieve their potential. The school is fully inclusive, and we value all children equally, regardless of age, ability, background, gender, religion, or race. The school’s expectations for behaviour are set out in the school charter and standards of behaviour are exemplary. There are many opportunities for pupils to improve their leadership skills, for example in the roles of head pupil and head/deputy head of house. The school council, eco council and criw cymraeg meet weekly to drive forward whole school improvements.

The school is emerging as a community hub and hosts events that bring others together in a celebratory way, for example, pupil led afternoon visits and choir events. The school hosts multi after school parent/staff led sporting events, netball mums vs mums, a café for the school community and the outstanding ‘hendrefest’ community summer festival. Feedback from parents and pupils indicates high levels of satisfaction.   

Finally, Hendrefoilan is a vibrant, exciting, self-improving school, where every pupil has a personal learning pathway with aspirational, individual targets. In the future, we look forward to a long and successful partnership with you and your child/children. We hope that this website provides answers to any questions you might have. If you need any further information, please contact the school and we will be pleased to answer any queries.

Mrs Field,

Pennaeth, Ysgol Gynradd Hendrefoelan

Headteacher, Hendrefoilan Primary School