SEVEN schools in Gwent are currently in special measures.
Inspectors from education watchdog Estyn visit schools across Wales, and if a school is judged not to be providing an acceptable standard of education, it is placed in special measures – the most serious category.
The seven schools which are in most need of assistance are spread throughout each of the Gwent local authorities.
Two Newport schools – Malpas Church in Wales Primary School and Bridge Achievement Centre – both were judged to have made sufficient progress over the past 12 months to be taken out of special measures.
These are the schools currently in special measures:
Newport High School
Newport High School was placed into special measures after an Estyn inspection in November 2017.
It was found that the school’s “performance at key stage four is weak and is well below that in similar schools,” while “teaching across the school does not challenge all groups of pupils well enough.”
The inspectors did find, however, that “many pupils demonstrate a positive attitude towards their learning” and that “most staff develop positive working relationships with pupils.”
Cwmbran High School
Cwmbran High School was placed into special measures following a visit by Estyn in October 2018.
The report recognised the school had made improvements, however, the pace of improvement had been too slow and insufficient progress had been made.
Estyn’s recommendations included improving the standard of pupils’ skills and behaviour, as well as addressing “shortcomings in teaching”.
Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw
Following an Estyn visit in April 2019, Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw was placed into special measures.
The report read: “the school’s leaders, including the governing body, have not shown the ability to ensure the necessary improvement.”
“Shortcomings in many teachers’ planning mean that pupils, on the whole, do not make enough progress in their lessons,” it continued.
Inspectors did note “a close-knit community that provides suitable care and support for its pupils” at the school and an overall “supportive ethos.”
Dewstow Primary School
It was reported that “the pace of learning is too slow” and that “the quality of teaching varies and in too many classes, expectations of pupils are not always high enough”, meaning “pupils are not always engaged or challenged well enough to make solid progress”.
Inspectors did note that that school was “inclusive” and placed a “strong emphasis” on pupil wellbeing, helped by staff building “positive working relationships” with pupils.
Brynmawr Foundation School
Inspectors found that the school’s “changes have not had a sufficient impact on important areas of the school’s work such as teaching and pupils’ standards”, with pupils making “much less progress than expected.”
However, the report noted the school “has a supportive and inclusive ethos”.
River Centre 3-16 Learning Community
The River Centre 3-16 Learning Community is a special school in Blaenau Gwent which opened following the closure of the local pupil referral unit, which means most pupils have special educational needs while all have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
It was placed in to special measures following an inspection in June 2022.
Estyn reported that the school – which operates across three campuses – “does not operate as a cohesive organisation” and there were “significant differences” between the campuses, with the positives found at the main campus “generally not found” at the secondary campus.
They added there had been “significant and wholesale changes to governance, leadership and staffing” over the previous 18 months, and these had had “a detrimental impact”.
However, they did add that pupils made progress in their learning and that “many pupils feel safe in school”.
Crumlin High Level Primary School
Crumlin High Level Primary School was placed in special measures after an inspection in October 2022.
Inspectors reported that pupils at the school “do not develop their writing, numeracy, digital and Welsh oracy skills well enough”.
Estyn said the deputy headteacher, and the new headteacher – who was appointed in October – had begun to “address important areas for improvement in the school’s teaching and assessment practices and pupils’ learning”, but it was too soon to assess the impact of this.
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