A new management team has been drafted in at a Welsh high school while investigations are carried out following a damning Estyn inspection. Pencoedtre High School in Barry was put into special measures by inspectors last month after they found that teaching expectations were "too low" and there were "high rates of persistent absence". Read more about the inspection findings here.
There have also been claims of bullying made by parents of children attending Pencoedtre High. It is understood the headteacher, Lee Humphreys, is still in post but is on leave. Pencoedtre High, which opened in 2018, was formerly Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School when it was girls only. Pupils and staff moved into new-build £22.8m premises in January 2022.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council and Pencoedtre High School issued a joint statement which said various claims made through formal channels were being investigated, or had been investigated.
The statement added: “A number of changes have been made at Pencoedtre High following a recent Estyn inspection, including alterations to the school’s senior leadership structure.
“An executive headteacher has been seconded to the school, along with the appointment of two new assistant headteachers. A deputy headteacher is also working at Pencoedtre two days a week on secondment, before becoming full-time from the summer term, and additional school governors have been appointed.
“The council is unable to comment on the detail of internal processes, but all allegations and concerns raised through formal channels have either been investigated or are in the process of being investigated.
“The school holds regular forums in which parents have the opportunity to ask questions and gather information on school matters. These will continue, with another meeting set to take place in the near future.”
Estyn inspectors will return to the school on March 31 to meet the school leaders, representatives of the local authority and officials from the Central South Consortium school improvement service “to discuss detailed improvements plans following the inspection report”, the statement added.
And it went on: “Bullying of any kind is completely unacceptable and both Pencoedtre High and the council have a zero tolerance approach to such behaviour. We will work to address any issues of this type brought to our attention and appropriate action will be taken against anyone found to be involved in bullying.
“All incidents and allegations of bullying are taken extremely seriously. All schools in the Vale of Glamorgan have been provided with a model anti-bullying policy produced by the Vale of Glamorgan Council in line with Welsh Government guidelines.
“All incidents across the county are recorded and the data analysed to ensure patterns of behaviour are not able to develop and vulnerable groups are safeguarded.”
To get our free daily briefing on the biggest issues affection the nation, Wales Matters, click here.
Read next:
- Teachers accept pay offer from Welsh Government ending strike action
- Hundreds of teachers and school staff told to re-apply for their jobs
- The heartbreaking story of a teacher who took her own life and the questions it has raised about the school inspection system
- The huge problem Andrew Tate is causing teachers in Wales
- Thousands of cannabis plants worth £3m found inside Barry bingo hall
