St Athan Primary School, Barry

St Athan 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 212 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

28% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 6% have additional learning needs (10% in 2020/21); 4% are learning English as an additional language; and 9% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 24 pupils (Reception) to 30 (Year 5).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £5,687 per pupil, against £4,032 in 2021-22. It carried forward £48k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its October 2024 inspection summarises St Athan Primary School like this:

"At St Athan Primary School, staff create a nurturing and supportive environment where pupils feel a sense of belonging. The school’s senior leaders have a clear vision for an inclusive school with a strong sense of community in which all pupils are happy, engaged and develop a love of learning. Staff support pupils’ moral and social development well. As a result, most pupils work alongside each other in a spirit of collaboration and cooperation well. Leaders have ensured that the extensive space within the school is used appropriately to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable pupils."

"For example, sensory spaces like the indoor woodland or the developing lunchtime café area support pupils to be calm and ready for learning. Leaders and staff have worked well together to develop the school’s curriculum. They have carefully considered the skills and experiences that will support pupils to make progress in their learning. However, the quality of teaching across the school is variable and staff do not always use the learning environment purposefully to enhance learning. As a result, a few pupils do not always make the progress they should."

"The school’s provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) is strong. Staff put pupils at the centre of their work, and skilled teaching assistants support pupils’ needs effectively, enabling most pupils to make good progress towards their personal targets. Leaders generally evaluate the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well. They generally use this information effectively to develop aspects of the school’s work, such as improving pupils’ skills in and reading and writing. However, leaders do not always focus improvement carefully enough on important aspects that need improving."

Estyn made 1 recommendation: (1) Address the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.

In its own words: "St Athan Primary School is a very welcoming school at the heart of its diverse community. We are based in a rural environment which means we are blessed with green playing fields as well as being surrounded by farms and farmland. We serve families within the village, surrounding communities and families linked to the military base at St Athan."

The nearest other state primary schools to St Athan Primary School are Rhws Primary School (2.7 miles), Llanfair C.P. School (2.8 miles), Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant (2.9 miles) and Ysgol y Ddraig (2.9 miles).

The nearest railway station is Rhoose Rail Station, about 2.8 miles away in a straight line.

6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Athan Primary School (after), 80 metres away.