Blaen-Y-Cwm Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive community where pupils thrive both academically and personally. Leaders and other staff understand the needs of their community well and set high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Staff provide outstanding care for pupils’ well-being, which contributes to the calm, happy atmosphere across the school. Pupils are polite, confident and eager to learn. They respond positively to the high standards modelled by staff. Teaching is consistently strong. Teachers use a wide variety of approaches, skilfully combining clear explanations with opportunities for independent work. They check pupils’ understanding carefully and provide helpful feedback that supports pupils to improve their skills. Older pupils reflect thoughtfully on their progress and give one another precise and constructive feedback. In the foundation learning classes, pupils benefit from rich opportunities to explore and experiment in well-resourced indoor and outdoor areas. The curriculum is stimulating and meaningful and it builds effectively on pupils’ interests. Provision for expressive arts and humanities is a notable strength, and pupils produce imaginative, high-quality work. The Welsh dimension is strong, although pupils’ spoken Welsh does not progress well enough as they move through the school. Pupils’ literacy skills develop well, with most pupils becoming fluent readers and mature writers. Pupils make strong progress in digital skills and physical development. They understand how to stay safe online and demonstrate good awareness of healthy lifestyles. Provision for pupils with additional learning needs is effective, with early identification and targeted support ensuring that most targeted pupils make good progress. Pupils contribute positively to school life, particularly through pupil groups, such as the school council and the equality champions. Attendance is improving, including the attendance of pupils from low-income families. Governors provide appropriate challenge and support and work with leaders to manage resources. However, the school faces a financial deficit, and there is not yet a medium-term plan in place to secure sustainability.