Today, the government launched the new basis upon which parents and the community can judge their local schools. Unlike the previous banding, the new traffic light categorisation takes into account more than just performance but also qualitative measures and how poorer pupils do. Green is the best, red the worst. No school in Denbighshire achieved either colour.
But how did Ysgol Brynhyfryd do?
Pupils at Brynhyfryd perform well but do they perform well enough for the catchment in which Brynhyfryd finds itself? The answer to that question lies in the colour chosen for Brynhyfryd: it's in the Amber bracket, which firmly places it towards the bottom of the scale. It's also possible that basic discipline has something to do with it.
Almost all secondaries in Denbighshire are categorised higher than Brynhyfryd. That even includes Denbigh High. Yes, Brynhyfryd’s really been overtaken by Denbigh High. That’s not to say pupils at Denbigh outperform Brynhyfryd’s. They don’t. But Denbigh's performance is better when compared to the lower expectations there and the categorisation is adjusted because of the way the school helps less advantaged pupils achieve. Nowhere is this more graphically illustrated than at Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Gwersyllt. This was accorded just 4 under the performance-driven banding but it skips to Yellow here, becausse of how it assists those from a less advantaged background.
Schools across the region that 20 years ago were on a par with or perceived as worse than Brynhyfryd are Yellow or Green. Indeed, Brynhyfryd was once one of the best state secondaries in the country. It was once better than the public (private) school across the road. What's gone wrong and why? Rhuthun/Ruthin is a relatively prosperous community and, with prosperity, you might expect a top-flight school.
For example, Brynhyfryd has the lowest percentage of pupils on free school meals in Denbighshire and one of the lowest in Wales. Only seven per cent of pupils receive free meals. Compare that to Rhyl and Denbigh Highs, both Yellow schools, with 31 and 17 per cent respectively. All the region's "green" schools have a poorer FSM percentage than Brynhyfryd, all but one at least double.
But how did Ysgol Brynhyfryd do?
All secondary schools in North Wales by category, green to red together with the blog author's assessment of where each North East Wales school ought to be
Pupils at Brynhyfryd perform well but do they perform well enough for the catchment in which Brynhyfryd finds itself? The answer to that question lies in the colour chosen for Brynhyfryd: it's in the Amber bracket, which firmly places it towards the bottom of the scale. It's also possible that basic discipline has something to do with it.
Almost all secondaries in Denbighshire are categorised higher than Brynhyfryd. That even includes Denbigh High. Yes, Brynhyfryd’s really been overtaken by Denbigh High. That’s not to say pupils at Denbigh outperform Brynhyfryd’s. They don’t. But Denbigh's performance is better when compared to the lower expectations there and the categorisation is adjusted because of the way the school helps less advantaged pupils achieve. Nowhere is this more graphically illustrated than at Ysgol Bryn Alyn, Gwersyllt. This was accorded just 4 under the performance-driven banding but it skips to Yellow here, becausse of how it assists those from a less advantaged background.
Schools across the region that 20 years ago were on a par with or perceived as worse than Brynhyfryd are Yellow or Green. Indeed, Brynhyfryd was once one of the best state secondaries in the country. It was once better than the public (private) school across the road. What's gone wrong and why? Rhuthun/Ruthin is a relatively prosperous community and, with prosperity, you might expect a top-flight school.
For example, Brynhyfryd has the lowest percentage of pupils on free school meals in Denbighshire and one of the lowest in Wales. Only seven per cent of pupils receive free meals. Compare that to Rhyl and Denbigh Highs, both Yellow schools, with 31 and 17 per cent respectively. All the region's "green" schools have a poorer FSM percentage than Brynhyfryd, all but one at least double.