Ysgol Swn Y Don

Overall Assessment:

"Swn y Don provides a safe, caring and inviting environment in which the children are supported by every member of staff from the minute they arrive at school to when they leave.  This is true on a day-to-day basis as well as for their school career. The children are happy and enjoy school because the relationships between them and the adults are consistent and PACEful. The schools’ lead TIS practitioner is an excellent role model and supports staff to develop their practice.  The school is led by a passionate, effective head teacher whose values are child-centred and shared widely with stakeholders.  The willingness and supportive nature of the staff team to implement trauma informed approaches to support the direction of the school is clearly evident.  The meet and greet at the school gate each morning by the Head teacher and at the classroom doors by staff further evidences the understanding of the value of this as a protective factor. The children express that they feel safe in school, everyone is treated equally and they can talk to any adult – indeed they are encouraged to. Staff too echo the feeling of collective support that exists between all colleagues on an informal basis – they support each other.  There is a real ‘we’ culture and ethos.  The use of evidence-based interventions across the school ensure children have access to appropriate and supportive mechanisms that reflect the PRRRs. Syd, the dog, is an obvious asset to the enhancement of relationships throughout the school – she is loved, appreciated and mentioned often and utilised for both regulation and reward.

My overriding memory will be of the smiling happy faces of the children as they entered school and the words from one child who told me, “The best thing about my school is everything’!" - TISUK Assessor