Dinas Powys Primary School, Vale of Glamorgan

Dinas Powys 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 448 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

15% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 4% have additional learning needs; and 16% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 42 pupils (Reception) to 62 (Year 4).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £5,149 per pupil, against £3,743 in 2021-22. It carried forward £127k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its June 2024 inspection summarises Dinas Powys Primary School like this:

"Dinas Powys Primary School is a welcoming, inclusive school where leaders and staff are committed to providing effective care and support for all pupils. Staff nurture positive relationships with pupils, which ensures that most feel safe and happy in school. Leaders focus their work firmly on improving outcomes for pupils’ learning and well-being. As a result, most pupils, including those eligible for free school meals and those with additional learning needs (ALN), make good progress. Provision for the progressive development of pupils’ skills including literacy, numeracy and digital skills is strong and pupils make good progress in these areas. Staff have created a positive culture of reading across the school, which results in many pupils developing as enthusiastic readers. The school provides beneficial opportunities for outdoor learning."

"Pupils develop their physical skills well and many older pupils enjoy sports such as cricket and netball. Overall, teaching is effective, and teachers know pupils well. They have clear aims for lessons and model positive approaches to learning. Staff provide a range of interesting learning experiences across the school which engage pupils well. However, at times, there are inconsistencies in the effectiveness of teaching. For example, in a minority of lessons, teachers’ use of questioning techniques is underdeveloped. In a few lessons, teachers provide beneficial opportunities for pupils to influence what and how they learn, however, in general, this is at an early stage of development."

"Leaders focus successfully on developing staff through beneficial professional learning. This includes learning support staff, who make a strong contribution to the work of the school. For example, professional development for all staff has had a positive impact on pupils’ Welsh language skills. The transition arrangements for pupils moving from Year 2 to Year 3 are highly effective. This ensures that pupils settle into their new learning environment successfully. The school has developed strong partnerships with most families. Parents appreciate the ample opportunities they have to share their child’s learning experiences and understand the progress they are making."

Estyn made 2 recommendations: (1) Address inconsistencies in teaching to ensure all pupils make the progress they should; (2) Ensure that all pupils have effective opportunities to influence what and how they learn.

The nearest other state primary schools to Dinas Powys Primary School are St Joseph's R.C. Primary School (0.6 miles), Ysgol Pen Y Garth (0.6 miles), St Andrews Major C.I.W. Primary School (0.9 miles) and Cogan Primary School (1 mile).

The nearest railway station is Eastbrook Rail Station, about 190 metres away (roughly a 2-minute walk).

11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brookside (after), 20 metres away.