A primary school which recently received a glowing endorsement from Estyn has now garnered heaps of praise from the local Senedd Member.
Natasha Asghar MS visited Sofrydd Primary School this week to meet with headteacher Helen Hickinbottom and chair of governors Debbie Field.
The visit came shortly after Estyn inspectors highlighted the school’s strong community tries and inclusive culture which has been fostered by Mrs Hickinbottom, making sure all pupils feel valued and able to succeed.
The South Wales East politician hailed Sofrydd as a “prime example of what a primary school should be like” following her visit to the Blaenau Gwent school.
Natasha Asghar MS said:
“Having visited the school, it is not hard to see why Estyn inspectors produced such as positive report recently. It’s clearly well-deserved.
“Mrs Hickinbottom and the great team around her, have completely transformed the school over the last few years, and it was clear from the faces of the children just how much they love their school. It was a real joy to see.
“Sofrydd is a prime example of what a fantastic primary school be like, and I look forward to working with the school going forward and helping in any way I can.”
During the visit, Natasha and the Sofrydd team discussed a range of topics including support for ALN students and the rollout of the new curriculum before touring the site and meeting with pupils.
Headteacher Helen Hickinbottom said:
"We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Natasha and her team for visiting our school.
“We were delighted to welcome Natasha to Sofrydd. It was a pleasure to share the journey we have been on and highlight the progress our school community has made.
“Our Sofrydd learners were thrilled to have the opportunity to meet with a Member of the Senedd. We are very proud of our whole school team and community and were very grateful to have the chance to share this with Natasha.”
Chair of Governors Debbie Field added:
I am delighted that the whole school community is receiving the recognition it deserves.
“The staff team are all passionate about ensuring all the children have the tools they need for their future and reach their full potential.
“The visit by Natasha was really important to the school in her role as Shadow Education Minister. She was keen to learn about the running of the school and asked some very searching questions about what we were doing to succeed.”
