School out of special measures
YSGOL y Bryn in Llanelli has been removed from a list of schools needing special measures after its latest Estyn inspection.
The school, in Gelli Road, was praised by inspectors for all its hard work and the progress it has achieved since its last inspection three years ago. As a result, the primary school has been removed from special measures by Estyn.
In 2018 it was placed in the highest category of Estyn monitoring after inspectors judged that its leadership and care, support and guidance were “unsatisfactory” and teaching and learning was deemed “adequate and needing improvement”.
Now, following a recent visit, Estyn said that the school had made sufficient progress in relation to the recommendations made and has now been removed from this category.
The inspectors stated within the report that as a result of the hard work undertaken revisiting the school’s values, vision and aim, strong relationships have been built with the school community.
Throughout the school high levels of respect were clear with pupils very positive and confident in talking about their school and the changes that have happened over the past three years.
Inspectors also stated the new head teacher “provides clear strategic direction” and “continues to provide the school with sensitive leadership during the ongoing pandemic”.
A particular area identified as a strength was the suite of support the school provides its Additional Learning Needs pupils.
Inspectors said the school “has effective procedures to support pupils with additional learning needs” and “the school uses a wide range of beneficial interventions to support identified groups of pupils”. The report also highlighted the head teacher and his senior leadership team’s clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to develop, which has been formed through “undertaking a range of appropriate monitoring activities, which has had a significant impact on improving teaching and learning in the school”.
Following the inspection, Stephen Thomas, who took over as head teacher in September 2019, said: “I am very proud of this achievement, most importantly for the children of the Bryn community.
“All children deserve the best possible education we can provide, and it is our duty to provide an exciting, engaging, pupil-led curriculum which challenges our learners and develops them as independent learners, but also that we provide a comprehensive package of support for our learners’ wellbeing, to ensure they are ready to learn and achieve.
“Of course, this improvement only happens through a team effort, and this is a super team at Bryn now, in which all of our staff deserve credit for their efforts to get to this point.
Inspectors also stated that the Governing Body use their skills and experiences well to support the school in driving improvements.
Chair of governors Cllr Gary Jones said: “Since taking over the headship at Bryn, Mr Thomas has worked tirelessly with the whole staff to turn things around, to the benefit of pupils and staff alike.”