School out of 'special measures'

The school had been under "special measures" since January 2007

A secondary school told it was "failing" just over a year ago has succeeded in turning itself around.

Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School in Blackwood, Caerphilly county, was placed under "special measures" by education inspectors in January 2007.

At the time, officials identified shortcomings in achievement levels and the quality of education.

However, inspectors say the school has now made "good progress" and no longer needs to be under special measures.

The 800-pupil school was told it was failing to hit required standards following a series of inspections that started in November 2007.

It followed strike action at the school earlier in the year by 35 teachers in a row over extra responsibility payments.

There is a positive learning ethos in most classrooms and little evidence of the low-level disruption Estyn inspectors' report

The school was subjected to official inspections every term over the last year as part of the "special measures" programme imposed by Estyn, the Welsh school inspections body.

But in March teams concluded that the comprehensive had improved enough to no longer need constant monitoring.

Its latest report states: "Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School is judged to have made good progress in relation to recommendations.

"As a result of this progress, Her Majesty's chief inspector of education and training in Wales is removing the school from special measures."

Improvement

However, Estyn's latest report into progress highlights areas that still require attention in the school.

It said that while the GCSE exam performance of boys has improved, taking it to the local authority average, girls at the school still fall behind national and local performance.

Inspectors said the senior leadership team in the school also needed to develop their roles in evaluating pupils' classroom achievements.

But the school is also praised by Estyn for its new approach to teaching.

"There is a positive learning ethos in most classrooms and little evidence of the low-level disruption evident at the time of the inspection in 2006," said the report.

"The number of recorded incidents of misbehaviour has reduced over a quarter compared with the same period a year ago. There has also been a reduction in fixed-term exclusions over the same period, with significantly fewer days lost from school."

The inspectors added that the school's head teacher had set out a "clear vision" for the school, with "high expectations".