Coed Hirwaun Primary School, Port Talbot

Coed Hirwaun 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 157 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

16% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 11% have additional learning needs; and 15% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 11 pupils (Year 1) to 27 (Year 6).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £5,822 per pupil, against £3,669 in 2021-22. It ended 2024-25 with a deficit of £167k.

Estyn's report on its September 2024 inspection summarises Coed Hirwaun Primary School like this:

"Coed Hirwaun Primary School is an inclusive, caring school where the well-being of all is a priority. The headteacher provides purposeful and supportive leadership. Staff build trusting working relationships with the school community and arrange effective support to ensure that pupils succeed. There are extensive arrangements to meet the needs of all pupils effectively. For example, the dedicated support for pupils to develop their emotional well-being is a strength of the school. Nearly all pupils behave well at school. They show respect to adults and to each other. As a result of the positive relationships between staff and pupils, most pupils feel safe and happy during their time at the school."

"The curriculum is suitably wide-ranging. It is based around the study of broad concepts, for example ‘energy’. Pupils regularly devise their own questions and make decisions about how they want to learn. This is particularly effective in engaging pupils and giving them a voice in their learning. Teachers plan for the development of pupils’ literacy, numeracy and digital skills systematically and they ensure that there are appropriate opportunities for pupils to apply these skills across the curriculum. However, pupils’ confidence to speak Welsh is limited. Leaders have identified this as a priority for improvement. Most teaching meets the needs of pupils well."

"Teachers are successful in developing pupils’ speaking, listening and thinking skills and they use questioning effectively to encourage pupils to debate and consider a range of real-life social and moral issues. Most older pupils enjoy justifying their opinions and do so articulately. They respond well to opportunities to work collaboratively. However, in a few lessons, teachers over-direct learning and this limits pupils’ independence and the learning that takes place. Governors undertake their roles effectively. They take an active interest in the school’s improvement priorities and monitor the use of resources diligently."

Estyn made 2 recommendations: (1) Improve teaching to enable pupils to work independently in lessons more often; (2) Raise standards of Welsh oracy.

The nearest other state primary schools to Coed Hirwaun Primary School are Pil Primary School (1.4 miles), Mynydd Cynffig Primary School (1.5 miles), Afon-Y-Felin Primary School (1.6 miles) and Ysgol Y Ferch O'r Sger (1.8 miles).

The nearest railway station is Pyle Rail Station, about 1.6 miles away in a straight line.

1 bus stop is within a five-minute walk; the closest is Coed Hirwaun Primary School (outside), 130 metres away.