Ysgol Pen Y Garth, Penarth

Ysgol Pen Y Garth is a Welsh-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 307 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 5% have additional learning needs (25% in 2020/21); and 5% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 29 pupils (Reception) to 46 (Year 5).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £5,066 per pupil, against £3,560 in 2021-22. It ended 2024-25 with a deficit of £169k.

Estyn's report on its November 2022 inspection summarises Ysgol Pen Y Garth like this:

"Leaders have recently adopted a new motto for Ysgol Pen y Garth, namely ‘law yn llaw, llwyddiant a ddaw’ (‘together, we will succeed’). This statement of intent recognises the need to forge positive working relationships among staff and with the school community to ensure positive outcomes for pupils. In a short period, the acting executive headteacher has begun to develop the role of leaders appropriately and has improved the sense of teamwork throughout the school. However, over time, leaders have not had enough of an effect on improving important areas of provision and the current leadership arrangements are not stable enough. A majority of pupils make suitable progress in developing and applying new skills. They develop to become confident Welsh speakers, although only a minority persevere with speaking Welsh in informal situations and with their peers in lessons. Most pupils have a sound understanding of mathematical concepts and, when given an opportunity to do so, many use their numeracy skills in tasks across the curriculum."

"They develop digital and physical skills suitably; however, on the whole, the opportunities they are given to develop their creative skills are limited. Overall, a minority of pupils do not make the expected progress in lessons, particularly those who have been identified as having additional learning needs (ALN) and more able pupils. The standard of teaching is too inconsistent. In the best practice, teachers create an effective learning climate and provide interesting lessons that capture pupils’ imagination. Too often, activities do not challenge pupils to develop their skills to the best of their ability. Learning experiences for the school’s older pupils also do not build purposefully enough to develop their skills over time and do not always stimulate them. As a result, a few pupils disrupt the flow of lessons."

"Too often, feedback provided by teachers on pupils’ work is too basic and they do not provide purposeful enough opportunities for pupils to improve their work. The school has recently begun to adapt provision appropriately to introduce the Curriculum for Wales. In the best practice, this is beginning to have a positive influence on teaching, for example by placing an increasing emphasis on using real life stimuli in lessons. On the whole, the school provides a broad curriculum. However, pupils are not given enough opportunities to celebrate their Welshness, for example through the expressive arts. Although there have been recent improvements to the school’s leadership, they have not managed resources well enough over time. There also continue to be shortcomings in the way in which leaders respond to complaints and the governing body does not ensure that the school meets all requirements in relation to eating and drinking healthily."

Estyn made 5 recommendations: (1) Strengthen leadership to operate more strategically; (2) Ensure that self-evaluation and planning for improvement procedures are rigorous enough to address the areas for improvement; (3) Provide activities that set an appropriate level of challenge so that all pupils can achieve to the best of their ability consistently; (4) Provide stimulating learning activities that support older pupils to develop and apply their skills purposefully over time; (5) Ensure that teachers’ feedback on pupils’ work is purposeful and provides regular opportunities for pupils to improve their work.

The nearest other state primary schools to Ysgol Pen Y Garth are Cogan Primary School (0.3 miles), Fairfield Primary School (0.5 miles), St Joseph's R.C. Primary School (0.6 miles) and Llandough Primary (0.6 miles).

The nearest railway station is Cogan Rail Station, about 730 metres away (roughly a 9-minute walk).

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cowslip (near), 80 metres away.