Llandysul’s all-through school is “inclusive and caring” with pupils making good progress, but work needs to be done on attendance for secondary pupils.

Ysgol Bro Teifi, which caters for 877 pupils across all ages from three-year-olds up to sixth form, was given the thumbs up by Estyn following an inspection in November.

In a report released in January, the staff and pupils were praised for how they “work together closely to create a familial environment and maintain an inclusive and caring ethos.”

“From foundation learning to the sixth form, pupils realise the school motto, ‘Oni heuir, ni fedir’ (Without sowing, there is no reaping) successfully, taking advantage of opportunities to develop as responsible, respectful and kind citizens,” inspectors found.

“In general, many pupils make suitable progress over time considering their age and ability.”

Inspectors found that provision for supporting pupils with additional learning needs is a “strength” of the school, and the “additional provision in the ‘Hafan’, ‘Clwb Cwtsh’ and ‘Clwb yr Enfys’ centres make a very valuable contribution to the care and support that pupils need.”

Inspectors found that while the attendance of primary age pupils is strong and increasing, the attendance of secondary age pupils has “fallen recently to a level below the national average and the corresponding figures at similar schools.”

While teachers plan a “good range of lessons” that “ensure that pupils commit fully to their learning and apply their skills regularly,” some “provision to develop pupils’ skills progressively has not been co-ordinated carefully enough,” inspectors found.

Estyn made three recommendations to help the school continue to improve.

The school should “ensure cohesive provision to develop pupils’ literacy, numeracy and digital skills increasingly”; “improve the attendance of secondary age pupils”; and “sharpen self-evaluation activities to focus better on the effect of provision on pupils’ standards.”

The school will draw up an action plan to address the recommendations.

Headteacher, Gareth Evans said: “This report is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire school community.

“At Ysgol Bro Teifi, we strive to create a space where every child feels valued and supported to achieve their potential.

“We are excited to build on this success and address the recommendations with the same determination and teamwork that define our school."

Lynsey Thomas, Chair of Governors said: "I am extremely proud of the pupils and staff of Ysgol Bro Teifi for their dedication and hard work and I would like to congratulate them on receiving very positive feedback in this report.

“I was pleased that the Estyn inspectors were able to see what is so great about our school - especially their comments about the wellbeing and care of our pupils and about the pupils' politeness and enthusiasm for learning.

"The Governing Body is very proud to be part of such a successful team under the leadership of the Headteacher, Gareth Evans.

“We look forward to continuing our support to the school so that the pupils of Ysgol Bro Teifi have the best possible education and learning experiences."