It's true to say that Ysgol Brynhyfryd used to be one of north east Wales' best schools. If I recall correctly, 20 or so years ago, Brynhyfryd was up there with the very best in Wales, even Britain. At one point, it was doing better than the school over the road it faces, privately funded Schola Ruthinensis (Ruthin School).
Over recent years, however, some doubts have emerged. Whether this is just disaffected parents speaking I don't know but there's been a recent issue with
- Discipline, with teachers reportedly bunkering themselves in their common room rather than tackling or confronting problems.
- Litter—there has been too much of it around the site, an indicator that things may not be right.
- Reports of bullying being left unattended.
- And although again unverified, it's reported that pupils have apparently been allowed to wear MP3 ear phones during some lessons and even, in some classes, to answer their portable phones.
- Some report that pupils even openly smoke on the rear school playing field. There's also reports of a little stretching of able pupils and a lack of homework.
It's also reported that the LEA has been worried about the school and its lack of discipline.
Of most concern, though, was the ranking in the Daily Post over the summer holidays. Here, Brynhyfryd attracted four out of five stars in the newspaper's guide to North Wales' schools. The Daily Post still felt that Brynhyfryd was best school in Sir Ddinbych (just) but it had slipped from a score of 65 to 59.
This in itself is meaningless unless you compare Brynhyfryd with the area's top schools. All of Sir y Fflint/Flintshire's secondaries bar two get either four or five stars. Schools that were once thought to be on a par with or worse than Brynhyfryd are now in the five-out-of-five bracket: Ysgolion St Joseph's, The Maelor and Morgan Llwyd in Wrecsam; and Ysgol Alun Yr Wuddgrug/Mold Alun, Castell Alun YrHob/Hope and Ysgol Uwchradd Penarlâg/Hawarden High in Sir y Fflint. It's fair to say that most of these have a catchment of similar standing, prosperity and background to Brynhyfryd's. But what about less wealthy areas such as Bwcle/Buckley, Fflint and Saltney? Each of their secondaries—The Elfed, Fflint High and St David's—all actually now score five.
No Sir Ddinbych secondary in the summer 2014 Daily Post guide managed the top five stars.
- Blessed Edward Jones, Denbigh High and Prestatyn High all scored two.
- In spite of what the school publicity might expect you to think, the Brigidine Convent School (St Brigid's) scored three.
- Brynhyfryd, Dinas Brân and Glan Clwyd scored four.
While the top schools in Sir y Fflint have all increased their points scores significantly over 2013—by an average of 16—every school in Sir Ddinbych bar one has dropped its points total. The exception was three-star Rhyl High that went up by as many points as Brynhyfryd dropped, making it a three star school (and that's another interesting thing: Rhyl High is significantly above neighbour Emrys ap Iwan, yet the perception is always the other way round. Single-star Emrys is another school that seems good at prfesenting itselfkidology).
One indicator that parents may no longer be quite as happy with Brynhyfryd is the reducing roll. Some parents are making choices that mean their children either go elsewhere at 11 or 16, or are even removed from the school midway through. This is evident by the numbers who now come from Dinbych. This has been steadily growing since the early to mid-2000s but is reported as reduced in the 2014/15 academic year by as much as 20 per cent, thogh this again is unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, 300-strong private Ruthin School (above, nothing fancy) goes from strength to strength. There was a time when you could get a better education on the State by crossing the road to Ysgol Brynhyfryd. After five or so shaky years during which time its finances were in some considerable doubt, the 730 year old school culled its preparatory department in favour of strengthening its upper school. It now attracts significant numbers of overseas students and of course opened The Anchor as a new dormitory for upper sixth formers in September 2014. Over 90 per cent of its sixth form go on to Russell Group universities. It is currently ranked 15th by The Times.
