Ysgol Calon y Dderwen, Newtown

Ysgol Calon y Dderwen 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 336 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

27% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 10% have additional learning needs (33% in 2020/21); 8% are learning English as an additional language; and 21% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 34 pupils (Year 5) to 58 (Year 4).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £5,154 per pupil, against £4,025 in 2021-22. It carried forward £131k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its October 2024 inspection summarises Ysgol Calon y Dderwen like this:

"The headteacher led the amalgamation of the Infant and Junior schools skilfully. Through consultation and collaboration, he ensures that staff at Ysgol Calon Y Dderwen work as one effective team. Staff have beneficial professional learning to support pupils’ well-being and ensure that this aspect of the school’s work is at the heart of everything they do. Provision, such as “Y Cwtch” nurture resource, supports pupils with individual needs well. Staff commitment to enrichment activities, such as residential trips, is admirable. Leaders use grant funding purposefully to ensure that these residential opportunities are available to all pupils, including those eligible for free school meals. Staff have engaged in professional learning to develop their Welsh language skills. They speak Welsh regularly in lessons and around school and inspire pupils to do the same."

"As a result, many pupils' progress and enjoyment of learning Welsh is strong. Teachers share appropriate learning objectives and use questioning to develop pupils' understanding effectively. However, feedback does not always provide pupils with enough specific information on how to improve and not all teachers have high enough expectations of pupils, particularly the more able. Many pupils develop oracy and reading skills effectively. However, a minority of pupils, in particular more able pupils, do not develop their writing skills as well as they could. Many pupils develop their mathematical skills suitably. However, they do not apply these skills in problem-solving and reasoning activities as well as they could. This is something the school recognises and has started to address."

"Over time, most pupils do not develop a broad enough range of digital skills. Overall, most pupils make suitable progress from their starting points. The school is highly inclusive, collaborates with external agencies and modifies provision well to support pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) successfully. Provision for pupils with ALN is strong. Leaders show the capacity to implement improvement strategy effectively. For example, their work to improve standards of pupils’ well-being, reading and Welsh have been successful. However, their work to improve other aspects of the school’s work is less effective. The governing body supports the school well, balancing challenge and support successfully."

Estyn made 3 recommendations: (1) Further improve teaching and assessment to ensure that teachers have consistently high expectations of pupils, particularly the more able; (2) Sharpen the school’s procedures for self-evaluation and monitoring; (3) Ensure that the curriculum supports all pupils to develop their writing, problem- solving and digital skills effectively.

The nearest other state primary schools to Ysgol Calon y Dderwen are Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd (under 0.1 miles), St Mary's R.C. (A) School (0.3 miles), Penygloddfa C.P. School (0.4 miles) and Maesyrhandir C.P. School (0.7 miles).

The nearest railway station is Newtown (Powys) Rail Station, about 440 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).

8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Ladywell House (before), 120 metres away.