The present school was opened in Pontyberem in September 1984 when the Infants School in Llannon Road and the Junior School on the village sqaure were closed.
Previously, the building was used as a Secondary Modern School, which became vacant following Secondary re-organisation in the Gwendraeth Valley. From the outset the school has established itself, and grown to be an integral part of the community.
Over the years the school has received much praise and commendation from numerous agencies and individuals. The School has been inspected three times by Her Majesty’s School Inspectors and the following quote is from the H.M.I. report on an inspection held at the school in January 1990.
“The school is an active community which works conscientiously. Pupils are educated in a warm and secure environment. The generally favourable facilities are well exploited to provide a good range of learning experiences. Firm foundations have been laid in developing a broad and balanced curriculum and in extending pupils’ use of both languages as effective media of communication. The school succeeds in eliciting pupils’ best efforts and according to ability they obtain generally good standards.”
In October 1996 the inspector’s report was again highly favourable. They said:-
“This is a good school. Pupils’ achievements in each core subject of the National Curriculum in KS1 and KS2 and several foundation subjects are good and in some aspects they are very good.
The quality of provision is good. Teaching generally across the school has many strengths. Lessons are characterised by good relationships between teachers and pupils and between pupils. Lessons have a good structure and in the majority of cases, have a good balance of class and group activities. Pupils benefit from a good range of interesting and stimulating experiences, the use of a variety and range of resources and good support.
The school has a good ethos. Its aims are based on firm principles and their effective implementation is manifest in its daily life and work. The contribution it makes to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is good. There is a particularly strong emphasis on many aspects of the Welsh heritage and traditions.”
The school received another successful inspection in October 2002. The inspectors said:-
“This is a good school with very good features. It offers pupils a rich curriculum and everyone associated with the school is aware that they are part of a supportive, caring community.
The good and very good teaching is one of the main strength of the school. Pupils’ standard of achievement are good across the curriculum. The head offers the school very good leadership. He provides clear direction and a sense of purpose.
Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Pupils collaborate well together and standards of behaviour are very good. The staff offer praise and support and their relationship with the pupils is very good. The quality of the learning environment provided for the pupils is of a high standard.”
In our most recent inspection report in November, 2008 the inspectors stated:-
“This is a good school with outstanding features. The leadership, the progress pupils make, their behaviour, the provision for personal and social education and partnerships with other providers and the community are outstanding features.”