A school with high absence rates where shortcomings in lessons "prevent pupils from making suitable progress" has been put into the highest level of Estyn monitoring. The school's head teacher Martin Hulland said he was "determined" to improve the school and is meeting with parents next week.
School inspectors said Risca Community Comprehensive needed to go into special measures despite Mr Hulland being appointed as head last term. Efforts under the new leadership had not so far made enough impact on pupil standards, quality of teaching, or attendance, Estyn said.
Mr Hulland is former head of Cardiff West Community High, which he joined in 2017 and which was was taken out of Estyn review in spring 2022. Before that he was head of Ysgol Clywedog in Wrexham, which he also saw come out of special measures after two years at the helm. Thousands of fines have been issued to parents in Wales for not sending their children to school and you can read more about that here.
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Risca had been labelled in need of significant improvement but inspectors upped this to special measures after a monitoring visit in December. In a report published this week Estyn acknowledged some progress had been made but said it was not enough.
On absences they said: "Between the academic years 2018-19 and 2022-23 the school’s rate of attendance fell by a much larger amount than that seen nationally. Last year [attendance] was well below that of similar schools. The high rate of persistent absence and the low attendance of girls and pupils eligible for free school meals are of particular concern."
On teaching the report was also critical. Inspectors noted: "In around half of lessons observed there are shortcomings that prevent pupils from making suitable progress. In these lessons teachers do not plan carefully enough and set tasks that focus on what pupils will do rather than what they will learn."
The report adds that since Mr Hulland's arrival there had been "a more concentrated approach to developing pupils’ skills". But planning to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills "continues to be at an early stage of development" .
Inspectors said the pace of improvement has been "far too slow and this has impeded pupils’ learning and progress". They added that "the impact of teaching on the development of pupils’ skills is limited".
On the plus side Estyn's report noted that "most pupils are courteous towards each other, staff, and visitors and behave well in lessons and around the school" and that "teachers are beginning to understand their role in developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in meaningful context." In around half of the lessons seen teachers provide clear instructions and explanations, inspectors said.
Responding to the findings Mr Hulland said: “We are obviously disappointed with the report but the school leadership team and governing body fully accept the findings and we are determined to make the necessary changes to improve outcomes for all our learners. I would like to assure the whole school community that our improvement journey is already under way and Estyn has recognised that some improvements have already been delivered since September. This process will continue and will ensure that the school becomes much stronger and a genuinely high-performing community school providing opportunities and positive outcomes for all our pupils."
Mr Hulland had only been in post for 12 weeks when the inspection took place but Caerphilly council said he has "significant experience having led two previous schools out of this situation and he is confident he can do the same alongside the team at Risca". Cllr Carol Andrews, Caerphilly council’s cabinet member for education, said: “The local education authority and our colleagues at EAS (school improvement service) will continue to provide all the necessary support and advice to ensure that the school responds positively to this report. We are confident that the findings will be addressed fully by the dedicated leadership team at Risca Community Comprehensive School.” Parents are being invited to question and answer sessions at the school on January22 and 23.
