This Estyn report looks at the challenges and successes of establishing all-age schools in Wales. The study looks into how successful all-age schools are and whether standards are better in an all-age school compared with separate secondary and primary schools.
The number of all-age schools in Wales is increasing, with more due to open in the next few years. In 2020-2021, local authorities continued to propose the establishment of all-age schools.
Many local authorities benefited from the 21st Century Schools and Education programme to establish all-age schools. This provided large infrastructure investment in schools and colleges. As a result, many all-age schools are situated in either brand new buildings or newly refurbished and extended sites.
An all age school can be defined as a school that combines at least two stages of a child’s education (typically primary and secondary).
In Wales, all-age schools are classified as middle schools and defined according to the age range of pupils that they provide for. This could be either from age 3 or 4 to ages 16 or 19.