Caedraw Primary School, Merthyr Tydfil

Caedraw Primary School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 231 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

30% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 17% have additional learning needs (21% in 2020/21); 9% are learning English as an additional language; and 9% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 21 pupils (Year 2) to 34 (Year 4).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £6,835 per pupil, against £4,910 in 2021-22. It carried forward £132k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its January 2026 inspection summarises Caedraw Primary School like this:

"Caedraw Primary School is a happy, vibrant school community where leaders articulate a clear and purposeful shared vision that places high expectations, wellbeing and inclusion at the centre of the school’s work. This strong strategic vision promotes a positive whole- school ethos and enables staff to design an authentic curriculum that reflects pupils’ needs and the local context well. Teaching is effective across the school, with well-planned learning experiences that engage pupils successfully and support progress across the curriculum. Assessment and feedback practices are developing, although teachers’ feedback does not provide clear next steps consistently. Most pupils make good progress as they move through the school. They develop secure numeracy and literacy skills, including strong oracy and problem-solving skills."

"Most apply their writing skills effectively in meaningful, real-life contexts and develop positive teamwork skills through participation in community events and projects. The promotion of the Welsh language is a significant strength, with nearly all pupils demonstrating confident Welsh oracy skills. Self-evaluation and strategic planning for the curriculum focus appropriately on pupil progress. Leaders identify strengths and priorities accurately, although improvement planning is not always precise enough to help leaders evaluate the impact of individual actions. The governing body supports and challenges leaders effectively. Governors have a strong understanding of the quality of provision and pupils’ progress."

"They use this knowledge well to hold leaders to account. Systems to evaluate and improve attendance are not sharp enough and, as such, attendance is too low. Leaders distribute roles and responsibilities purposefully to build leadership capacity across the school. They place a strong emphasis on high-quality professional learning and link it closely to the school’s improvement priorities. Staff work collaboratively within the school, across the cluster and within the local authority, which broadens their expertise and strengthens teaching and learning."

Estyn made 3 recommendations: (1) Improve attendance; (2) Improve the impact that all forms of feedback have on pupils’ learning; (3) Refine improvement planning so that it is more manageable and impactful.

The nearest other state primary schools to Caedraw Primary School are Twynyrodyn Community School (0.5 miles), Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Santes Tudful (0.5 miles), Cyfarthfa Park Primary School (0.8 miles) and Gwaunfarren Primary School (0.9 miles).

The nearest railway station is Merthyr Tydfil Rail Station, about 240 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).

23 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Castle Bingo (near), 200 metres away.