CHEPSTOW Comprehensive was named as one of six Monmouthshire schools requiring intensive and critical intervention by a leading schools body.

The school already has a post-inspection action plan, drawn up to tackle failings identified by the inspectorate Estyn in January last year.

Five other schools – Castle Park, Llanvihangel, Llanfair Kilgeddin, King Henry VIII and Mounton House – were named in a report as being of “particular concern” or “critical concern” to the Education Achievement Service (EAS).

Tasked with improving standards of education across South-East Wales, the EAS monitors all schools in Gwent and places them into categories, similar to the Welsh Government’s banding scheme.

These start with routine support and monitoring; “specific intervention” for minor issues and “sustained intervention” for significant issues.

Problem schools are placed under “intensive intervention” for particular concerns or “critical intervention” for critical concern – the two most serious categories.

In Monmouthshire, 29 schools have been placed in the top three categories, while six have been given intervention plans drawn up by the school, the EAS, local authority officers and agreed with the chief officer for education, Sarah McGuinness.

One primary school is receiving “critical” support to address “serious concerns regarding standards” of leadership, with five receiving intensive support.

No schools need critical support for academic performance, but concerns over the boundary of one school has meant it is receiving critical support for safeguarding.

Two require intensive intervention to address “significant issues” around attendance. It is not yet known which school is which, a Monmouthshire council spokesman said.

The intervention model is similar, but separate, to one that the inspectorate Estyn follows.

Schools with Estyn or council postinspection action plans in place are Deri View, Osbaston, the Dell (provisional), Ysgol y Ffin, Chepstow Comprehensive and a pupil-referral unit.

Mrs McGuinness’ report said a “transparent process” was being developed to share information across all schools, governing bodies and the council, identifying schools by name and cluster.

No school will need intensive or critical support by September 2015 if targets are met, the report said.

In a statement she said where schools such as Chepstow have a headteacher new to the school and the authority, they can benefit from specific professional support known as an intervention plan.

“Any school in South-East Wales can be given an intervention plan or tailored support specific to their development at any time”, she said.

Best to invest in teaching WE DO get concerned whenwehear reports of the progress of schools in Monmouthshire.

In the wake of the Estyn inspection which put the local education authority into special measures, we now hear that the Education Achievement Service, a different body with a different remit, has itsown concerns about several of the county’s schools.

In fact the EAS which was set up to drive improvement in schools across the whole of south east Wales, says 29 Monmouthshire schools have been placed in the top three categories of its table of levels of concern.

A further six have been given intervention plans drawn up by the school, the EAS, local authority officers and agreed with the chief officer for education, Sarah McGuinness.

This is a worry but if we can take anything positive from it, it is that at least the problems are being picked up, hopefully sooner, rather than later, and that they are being tackled head on.

Monmouthshire council, along with others, has made great play of its investment in school buildings and in hi tech infrastructure.

Both of which are important of course. But in our view they come second to the quality of teaching and that is where the focus has to be.