'As many hands build a house
So many hearts make a school'
Welcome by the Chair of Governors
Dear Parents and Carers
As Chair of Governors at All Saints Church in Wales Primary School, I am pleased to share with you our Annual Report for the academic year 2024–2025. This year has been one of continued commitment, reflection and progress, and I would like to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to our dedicated staff team. Their professionalism, care and determination to provide the very best for our children remain a strength of our school and are evident in the positive learning experiences shared throughout this report. This work is further strengthened by being led by an experienced and talented leadership team, who continue to guide the school with clarity, ambition and care.
Over the past year, the Governing Body has worked closely with the Headteacher and senior leaders to support ongoing school improvement. We have maintained a strong focus on teaching and learning, pupil wellbeing and inclusion, ensuring that every child is supported to flourish academically, socially and emotionally. Our curriculum continues to develop in line with the Curriculum for Wales, with an emphasis on literacy, numeracy, digital competence and meaningful, real-life learning experiences that engage and inspire our pupils.
As a Church in Wales school, our Christian vision and values remain central to all that we do. Our shared values of being ready, being respectful and being responsible underpin daily school life and guide decision-making at every level. Through these values, we aim to nurture children who are confident learners, caring individuals and responsible members of their community, with a strong sense of compassion, respect and moral purpose.
The Governing Body is also acutely aware of the significant financial challenges facing schools locally and nationally. This year, budget pressures have continued to intensify, and we are working proactively with the local authority and school leaders to manage these challenges responsibly. While these constraints are difficult, governors remain fully committed to prioritising pupils’ learning, wellbeing and safety, and to ensuring that All Saints continues to provide high-quality educational opportunities for all.
We are proud of the inclusive ethos at All Saints and the work undertaken this year to strengthen equality, wellbeing and support for learners with additional needs. Attendance and wellbeing remain key priorities, and we value the partnership we share with parents and carers in supporting children to attend school regularly and make the most of every learning opportunity.
On behalf of the Governing Body, I would like to thank you for your continued support, encouragement and trust. Schools thrive when they work in partnership with families, and we are grateful for the positive relationships that underpin our strong school community. Together, we look forward with confidence and hope as we continue to build on the successes of this year.
With best wishes,
Mrs Sian Evans
Chair of Governors.
All Saints C/W Primary School.
Welcome By The Head Teacher
As we reflect on the academic year 2024–2025, I am proud to share this annual report and to celebrate another year of learning, growth and achievement at All Saints Church in Wales Primary School. The dedication and collective effort of our staff, governors, pupils and families continue to be the foundation of our strong and caring school community, and I would like to thank you all for your ongoing support.
Throughout the year, we have remained firmly committed to ensuring that every child is supported to thrive academically, socially and spiritually. As a Church in Wales school, our Christian vision and values help to shape daily life at All Saints, guiding us to act with compassion, respect and service towards others. These principles sit alongside our school values of being ready, being respectful and being responsible, which continue to underpin our expectations and the way we care for one another.
High-quality teaching and learning, strong pastoral care and positive relationships sit at the heart of our work. We have continued to develop our curriculum in line with the Curriculum for Wales, with a clear focus on literacy, numeracy and digital competence, alongside rich, engaging learning experiences that connect learning to real-life contexts and encourage children to think deeply, ask questions and grow in confidence.
Wellbeing and inclusion have remained key priorities this year. We have continued to strengthen our provision for learners with additional needs, promote positive behaviour and embed approaches that support emotional wellbeing and resilience. Our inclusive ethos reflects our belief that every child is uniquely valued, and we are committed to ensuring all learners feel safe, supported and encouraged to achieve their very best.
Close collaboration between staff and governors has enabled us to reflect carefully on our practice and to respond proactively to both opportunities and challenges, including the increasingly difficult financial climate facing schools. Despite these pressures, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing high-quality educational experiences and a nurturing environment where children feel known, valued and able to flourish.
Beyond the classroom, pupils have benefited from a wide range of enrichment opportunities, including educational visits, sporting events, creative activities and community-based experiences. These opportunities play a vital role in broadening horizons, building confidence and helping children to develop a sense of belonging and responsibility within the wider community.
As we look ahead, we remain ambitious for every child at All Saints. We will continue to work in partnership with parents and carers to support attendance, wellbeing and progress, ensuring that our children leave us as confident, capable and compassionate individuals—ready for the next stage of their learning journey and equipped with the values to make a positive difference in the world.
I would like to thank the Governing Body for their continued challenge and support, and the staff team for their professionalism, dedication and care. Most importantly, I thank our pupils, who continue to inspire us each day.
Thank you for your continued trust in our school. Together, we look forward to another positive and successful year.
Yours faithfully,
Mr A. R Williams,
Headteacher,
All Saints Church in Wales Primary School.
2024 - 2025
School Development Plan Priorities
At All Saints Church in Wales Primary School, we were committed to continual improvement in order to provide the very best education for all our learners. Central to this commitment was our robust cycle of self-evaluation, which drew upon evidence from pupil progress data, staff reflection, learning walks, pupil voice and feedback from parents and carers. This reflective approach enabled us to identify strengths, respond to areas for development and ensure that our provision met the needs of every child.
The School Development Plan (SDP) for the academic year 2024–2025 was shaped by this thorough self-evaluation process. It remained a live, working document that was regularly reviewed by school leaders and governors to monitor progress, evaluate impact and refine actions where needed. Through this approach, we stayed focused on improving outcomes, experiences and wellbeing for all learners.
During 2024–2025, our development priorities focused on strengthening core skills, enhancing curriculum provision and ensuring equity and inclusion across all aspects of school life. A key priority was to increase opportunities for pupils to develop mathematics and numeracy skills across the curriculum, with particular emphasis on reasoning, challenge and the application of skills in meaningful and authentic contexts, including outdoor learning.
Alongside this, we continued to develop writing across the school. By embedding a consistent approach to teaching writing and providing purposeful opportunities for pupils to apply their skills across different areas of learning, we worked to raise standards, improve confidence and ensure that all learners made strong progress from their starting points.
Curriculum development, diversity, equity and inclusion also remained central to our work. We aimed to ensure that our curriculum reflected the diverse world in which our children lived, promoted a strong sense of belonging and supported pupils to feel safe, valued and represented.
Further priorities included strengthening assessment and feedback practice to support pupil progress, as well as continuing to improve wellbeing, attendance and support for learners with additional learning needs. The Governing Body continued to play a key strategic role in supporting and challenging the school as these priorities were implemented.
Your support as parents and carers was vital to the success of our School Development Plan. By working together as a school community, we helped to ensure that All Saints remained a place where every child was nurtured, challenged and supported to flourish academically, socially and spiritually.
SDP Priorities 2024 - 2025
Priority 1 - To increase opportunities to develop Mathematics & Numeracy across the curriculum, including reasoning, challenge, authentic and outdoor contexts.
Priority 2 - To develop writing across the school, improving consistency, progression and purposeful application across learning.
Priority 3 - To enhance curriculum development and provision through Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, ensuring learners felt represented and that belonging was strengthened.
Priority 4 - To improve identified areas to support pupil progress through consistent feedback and assessment.
The Curriculum - Opportunities & Learning Experiences
At All Saints Church in Wales Primary School, we remained committed to providing a curriculum that inspired and supported all of our learners. Rooted in our school values of Be Ready, Be Respectful and Be Responsible, our curriculum during 2024–2025 was carefully designed to be engaging, inclusive and responsive to the needs of our children, while reflecting our Christian vision of nurturing the whole child.
Throughout the year, teaching and learning were aligned with the principles of the Curriculum for Wales, ensuring that pupils developed the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed to become ambitious, capable learners and ethical, informed citizens. The Digital Competence Framework (DCF) and the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF) were embedded across all Areas of Learning and Experience, enabling pupils to apply core skills meaningfully and consistently in a wide range of contexts.
A key strength of our curriculum during the year was the continued use of enquiry-based learning. This approach provided pupils with regular opportunities to explore real-life issues, ask questions, investigate ideas and make connections across their learning. By engaging with authentic contexts, both indoors and outdoors, pupils were supported to deepen their understanding, develop independence and apply their learning in purposeful ways.
Curriculum enrichment remained a valued part of school life. Pupils benefited from a wide range of educational visits, visitors, creative experiences and sporting opportunities, which enhanced classroom learning and helped to broaden horizons. These experiences supported pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, while strengthening links with the local community and wider world.
Through this evolving curriculum, we supported pupils to become confident learners who were curious, reflective and resilient. By fostering a culture of enquiry, creativity and high expectations, we helped our children to develop the skills, knowledge and values needed to thrive both during their time at All Saints and as they moved forward into the next stage of their learning journey.
Examples of Teaching & Learning Experiences 2024–2025
Across the year, pupils benefited from a broad range of educational visits and enrichment activities that brought learning to life. Foundation Phase learners enjoyed experiences such as Nursery’s Grandparents Day and visits including Wiggleys Fun Farm, Mountain View Ranch and Barry Island, while Reception visited Cardiff Castle and Rest Bay and took part in our Christmas Nativity. Key Stage 2 pupils accessed a rich programme of curriculum-linked visits, including Year 1 to Techniquest, Fonmon Castle and the Wales Ape and Monkey Sanctuary; Year 2 to the South Wales Police Heritage Centre, Barry Castle, Southerndown and Cardiff Castle; Year 3 to Llandaff Cathedral and pond dipping at Porthkerry; Year 4 to St Fagans, Bristol Aquarium and the Big Pit; Year 5 to Rhondda Heritage Park, Chapter Arts and a residential visit to Rock UK; and Year 6 to Crucial Crew, Cardiff Museum and a wide range of transition opportunities with Whitmore High School, alongside end-of-year celebrations and performances.
Whole-school events and themed learning weeks continued to strengthen our curriculum offer, including Safer Internet Day, STEM Week, World Book Day, Eisteddfod, Black History Month, British Food Fortnight, Anti-Bullying Week, Odd Socks Day and wellbeing-focused activities such as Wear Yellow Day and Positive Noticing Day. Pupils also took part in a range of creative, digital and sporting opportunities, including IntoFilm Festival experiences, GarageBand digital music workshops, iSingPOP workshops, and Urdd competitions and outdoor workshops. We welcomed valuable contributions from external partners including Welsh Water’s ‘Source to Sea’ workshops, the NSPCC (Speak Out, Stay Safe), the Fire Service, Cardiff Devils and Show Racism the Red Card, which supported learning, safety and personal development.
Our parish, community and charitable links also remained a strong feature of school life. Pupils benefited from visits from Rev Steve and Rev Zoë, Christmas Carols at All Saints Church, and meaningful Year 6 services including the Leavers’ Eucharist and Leavers’ Service at Llandaff Cathedral. The school community supported a range of charitable and community events including Macmillan Coffee Morning, Wear Red for Velindre, Children in Need, Red Nose Day, Rags2Riches collections and Remembrance activities. Throughout the year, Take-Off Days and Landing Afternoons provided important opportunities for pupil voice, curriculum immersion and celebrating learning with families.
Equality & Inclusion for All Learners
At All Saints Church in Wales Primary School, our commitment to equality, inclusion and children’s rights was firmly rooted in our Christian vision of love, respect, justice and service to others. Guided by the belief that every child is uniquely created and valued, we worked throughout the year to ensure that all learners were welcomed, supported and enabled to flourish within a safe, nurturing and respectful environment.
Inclusivity remained central to our school ethos and daily practice. We sought to live out our Christian values by promoting compassion, kindness and fairness, ensuring that all pupils—regardless of race, background, ability or circumstance—were able to access the curriculum and participate fully in all aspects of school life. Diversity was celebrated as a strength of our community, enriching learning experiences and helping pupils to develop empathy, understanding and respect for others. This work was closely aligned with the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), particularly the rights to equality, safety, participation and being heard.
Targeted support for learners was a key feature of our inclusive approach. Through effective Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision, pupils received differentiated teaching, structured interventions and pastoral support to help remove barriers to learning. Staff engaged in ongoing professional development to strengthen inclusive practice and ensure early identification of need. This reflected both our Christian commitment to caring for the whole child and our responsibility to uphold every child’s right to appropriate support and high-quality education.
During 2024–2025, the school continued to strengthen its work on equality, diversity and anti-racism. Leadership engagement with DARPL and participation in the DARPL Advocacy Network supported the development of an increasingly inclusive and representative curriculum. Pupil voice groups, including Red to Racism, played an important role in shaping learning environments and school culture, empowering pupils to challenge injustice, promote fairness and contribute meaningfully to school improvement. These opportunities ensured that children’s voices were heard and respected, in line with both Christian teaching and UNCRC principles.
Children were encouraged to develop a strong understanding of their rights and responsibilities through inquiry-based learning, collective worship and leadership opportunities. Pupil voice activities enabled learners to share their views, influence decisions and take an active role in shaping school life. While references to children’s rights were evident across the curriculum and in worship, the school also recognised the need to embed UNCRC principles more consistently across all aspects of school life, and this self-evaluation has informed priorities for further development.
By working closely with parents, carers, the church community and external partners, we fostered a strong sense of belonging, dignity and mutual respect. This partnership approach ensured that every child felt safe, heard and valued, and supported our shared commitment to nurturing confident, compassionate and ethically informed learners who are prepared to make a positive contribution to a diverse and just society.
Attendance – 'Every Day Counts'
At All Saints Church in Wales Primary School, we continued to recognise that regular attendance is essential to pupils’ learning, wellbeing and overall achievement. In partnership with the Vale of Glamorgan Council, the school worked closely with families throughout the year to promote good attendance and to provide timely support where concerns arose.
For the academic year 2024–2025, the school’s attendance target was set at 95.36%. By the end of the year, whole-school attendance stood at 95.46%, meaning that the school met and slightly exceeded its target. This represented a continued improvement on the previous academic year and reflected the positive impact of consistent monitoring, early intervention and strong partnership working with parents and carers .
Attendance was monitored closely on a weekly basis by the leadership team, with regular reviews of attendance data and swift follow-up where absences were unexplained or patterns of concern emerged. Families were contacted promptly to offer support, and where necessary, the school worked with external services to help remove barriers to regular attendance. Particular attention continued to be given to supporting vulnerable learners and those with attendance below 90%.
Despite this positive overall picture, the school remained aware that any absence from learning can have a significant impact on pupil progress. Families were therefore encouraged to avoid taking holidays during term time wherever possible and to ensure that children attended school every day unless they were unwell. Our expectation remained that every pupil should aim for attendance of at least 95%, in order to fully access learning opportunities and achieve their potential.
Please refer to your child’s final attendance figure included in their end-of-year school report (Summer 2025). Together, we can support our learners in reaching their best by making every school day count.
100% Attendance 190 Days in school
95% Attendance - 180 Days - 2 Weeks off school = 40 lessons missed
90% Attendance - 171 Days- 4 Weeks off school = 80 lessons missed
85% Attendance 161 Days - 6 Weeks off school 120 lessons missed.
Miss School Miss Out!
Financial Management Reporting – School Budget
The financial climate for schools across the Vale of Glamorgan and Wales has continued to present significant challenges during the 2024–2025 academic year. Ongoing budgetary pressures, rising operational costs and constraints on funding have required careful and strategic financial management at All Saints Church in Wales Primary School.
For the financial year ending April 2025, the school reported a deficit of £269,429. This reflects the cumulative impact of sustained financial pressures experienced across the sector and represents a significant increase on the previous year’s position .
Looking ahead, the financial outlook remains extremely challenging. Current projections indicate an anticipated deficit of approximately £454,000 for the 2025–2026 financial year if no further mitigating actions or changes to funding arrangements are made . This highlights the scale of the challenge facing the school and reinforces the need for continued, proactive financial planning.
The Governing Body continues to work closely with the Local Authority and the school’s finance team to manage this position responsibly. Robust monitoring arrangements are in place, and governors receive regular financial reports to ensure oversight, transparency and accountability. All decisions are carefully considered to balance financial sustainability with the need to protect pupils’ learning experiences, wellbeing and safety.
Despite these pressures, the Governing Body remains firmly committed to prioritising high-quality teaching and learning, supporting vulnerable learners and maintaining the inclusive ethos of the school. Where possible, efficiencies are sought that minimise the impact on pupils, and additional funding opportunities are explored to support school improvement.
We recognise that this is a challenging period for schools and appreciate the continued understanding and support of our parents, carers and wider school community as we work together to navigate these financial constraints responsibly and sustainably.