A Powys primary school has been taken off a list of schools requiring significant improvement after inspectors said it had made enough progress since its last full inspection.

Estyn confirmed that Ysgol Dolafon had addressed key recommendations and should no longer be subject to its most intensive level of monitoring.

The decision follows a monitoring visit in March, during which inspectors noted “clear signs of improvement” across leadership, teaching and pupils’ learning experiences.

The school, which is in Llanwrtyd Wells, had previously been identified as needing significant improvement, but inspectors said it had now made sufficient progress to be removed from that category.

In its report, Estyn highlighted stronger leadership at all levels, with staff taking on clearer roles and becoming more involved in evaluating the school’s work. Inspectors said this was helping the school identify strengths and areas needing further development more effectively.

They also noted improvements in teaching, saying relationships between staff and pupils were positive and learning environments were more purposeful. In most cases, pupils were said to be making at least appropriate progress.

The curriculum was also praised for becoming more engaging, with pupils increasingly given opportunities to make choices and take responsibility for their learning. Inspectors said this was helping to build confidence and independence.

Work to improve literacy and numeracy was also recognised. Reading interventions were said to be starting to have a positive impact, while writing standards were improving gradually. In mathematics, a more consistent whole-school approach was helping pupils develop skills in a more structured way and apply them in real-life situations.

However, inspectors said there was still more work to do, including improving consistency in feedback to pupils and making better use of outdoor learning facilities.

Chris Davies, Ysgol Dolafon’s Acting Headteacher, said: “We are delighted with Estyn’s recognition of our successes and progress. We have worked collaboratively with our children, staff, governors, local authority, parents and wider community to bring about change, and drive meaningful improvement across our school, in line with our vision of ‘un teulu mawr’.

“It is pleasing that Estyn have recognised our supportive working relationships with our children, our purposeful culture of professional learning and the clear improvements made in the quality of teaching and learning across the school.

“We have worked hard to co-construct and implement our ‘Teulu’ curriculum, that is based on authentic and purposeful learning experiences, providing a strong foundation for our children to thrive and make progress.

“It is exciting to see our children have a voice in their learning, making choices and taking greater responsibility, which is fostering greater curiosity, enthusiasm and independence.

“As the Acting Headteacher, I remain fully committed to our ongoing improvement journey and look forward to building on our successes, ensuring that our school is the very best place that it can be for our children and community.”

Dr Richard Jones, director of education at Powys County Council, said the findings reflected “a clear focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning”.