An Abergavenny school has been praised for its ‘good progress’ by Estyn, the body responsible for overseeing standards of education in Wales after being deemed as requiring monitoring last year.

Our Lady & St Michael’s Catholic Primary School, Pen Y Pound Road, had been described as ‘adequate’ in an inspection that took place in March of 2016, which meant that strengths outweighed areas for improvement. But it was also found that ‘Able pupils and those of average ability do not achieve their full potential because the work they undertake does not challenge them enough.’

However, in a monitoring visit which took place in June of this year it was noted the School had made good progress in respect of the key issues for action and has subsequently been removed from the list of schools requiring Estyn monitoring.

Mr Ali Szwagrzak took over as acting head of the school in April of this year but had been advisory head since January. He was appointed to the headship of St Mary’s RCP School in Chepstow in 2014 and attributes much of his success at Our Lady & St Michael’s to the close ties between the two schools.

He is also full of praise for the help he has received from staff, governors and pupils in Abergavenny, stating, ‘Everyone here has worked their socks off to turn things around along with the previous acting head, Mrs McCarthey. Of the six original recommendations made by Estyn we have shown good improvements in every category.

‘I believe that Our Lady & St Michael’s is on a trajectory for excellence and we will get there through a mutually shared strong, warm and cohesive family approach where all staff and pupils value each-other’s contributions to the learning journey of our faith community.’