School facing financial problems

The school came out of special measures in 2007

A once failing secondary school which improved after being placed in special measures is facing financial problems.

Blessed Edward Jones Catholic High School in Rhyl is "causing concern" and needs a recovery plan, according to a council official.

Denbighshire councillors were told it had gone into deficit due to the cost of appointing a new head teacher.

But the school says it has "hugely improved" teaching and learning, including better GCSE grades.

Details of the school's financial situation were included in minutes discussed by the council.

Recovery plan

Although no figures were included, a report reveals that despite coming out of special measures with no debts, the school had "again slipped into deficit".

The report said that during 2007/08 the head teacher had been replaced and "as a result of the lengthy process involved, additional costs had been incurred and the school again slipped into deficit".

The school had been asked to provide a recovery plan but council officers considered it weak.

The school was placed in special measures by inspectorate Estyn after it was considered to be failing its pupils.

The council said the school had "emerged from special measures in mid-2007 in such an impressive way".

However, it added: "The minutes refer to the need for an increase in pupil numbers for the school to be financially viable in the long term.

"That is the reason that the council is keeping an eye on the budget situation at Blessed Edward Jones."

Last year, the head teacher, Catherine Britton - who was at the time interim head - introduced formal uniforms and banned the use of the school's nickname - "Blessed Ted" - in an attempt to improve standards.

'Continuously improving'

In response to the council report, the school said there were "current straitened circumstances" but its year seven is already oversubscribed for 2009, and that is likely to continue "in 2010 and beyond".

It said its GCSE A* - C grades had risen from 21% in 2007 to 53% in 2008, it had the best "value added" results in Denbighshire.

It also had "continuously improving" numbers joining the sixth form, and with children transferring to it from other schools every week from in and out of Denbighshire.

The school also pointed to its position as the one with the highest number of children in the county who receive free school meals; have English as a second language; have special educational needs; who are "transients", and have "base data below the national average".

The school said there was the evidence of its "hugely improved teaching and learning" in its GCSE results, which were "predicted to continue this year and beyond".

Ms Britton has also been asked by neighbouring county Conwy to speak to its leadership group about school improvement.