The adopted anthem of Ysgol Brynhyfryd should perhaps be the 1977 Eurovision Lyndsey de Paul song that finished second,
For, as predicted on this very blog, Ysgol Brynhyfryd's Estyn inspection result, now published, was merely "adequate" with prospects for improvement as "unsatisfactory". How the mighty fall. Not so long ago, Brynhyfryd was one of the best schools in north east Wales, indeed all of Wales. Expect some bitterness within the local community at how the school is run.
The most telling comment within Estyn's report was that the chief inspector was,
Other soundbites from Estyn include, "There is too much inconsistency in the quality of teaching within and between departments" and "In the majority of instances, teachers' marking is not thorough enough and does not give pupils enough guidance about how to improve". Nevertheless, Estyn does conclude that there is absolute poor quality in only "a few areas".
School leadership has come in for a trouncing. The report recognises the developments made during the interim acting headship and since September 2014. Prospects for improvement are nevertheless still ranked as "unsatisfactory".
Speaking with teachers, LEA officers and, to date, one governor, it's clear that they all tend to blame each other. The Estyn report makes it clear that governors "have an increasing clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities" and this implies that they have not had a firm grip on things to date. This is backed up by LEA officer views. Some complain that there is unsatisfactory support from the LEA. Nowhere in the report does Estyn shed any hint of blame at the council's door. Indeed, the council isn't mentioned at all and neither should it be: this is a matter for the school and its leadership alone.
Controversial head of Ruthin School, Toby Belfield, was an unlikely supporter of the school at this difficult time. He was publically critical of the way in which Estyn performs its inspections. Where he's right is in the grades that pupils at Brynhyfryd get are generally good.
Strangely, we're always told that there's more to a school than its exam results (at least, that's what schools have always tried to teach us). It therefore seems slightly odd suddenly to rely on exams as the main example of a school's success. So, where Belfield's wrong is that those within the school system who understand just how the school has recently performed will know that Estyn, not Belfield, has captured the headlines well.
Ysgol Brynhyfryd remains in the "Amber" category of Welsh schools (lowest but one band).
Pass rates were first published in the local press in 1987, ahead of the possibility pf secondary school league tables. Brynhyfryd scored 47 per cent in English, compared to Denbigh High at 30; GlanClwyd at 30; and Emrys ap Iwan (Abergele), 22 per cent. Welsh was not measured other than at Glan Clwyd. For maths, Brynhyfryd scored 37 per cent; Glan Clwyd 44; Denbigh 25; and Emrys ap Iwan 21 per cent. At the time, it was reported that Brynhyfryd was "coming out well ahead of Denbigh High and Emrys ap Iwan and comparing favourably with Glan Clwyd".
Where are we? Rock bottom
Tragedies? We got 'em
Remedy? Why don't we
Rub it out and start it again
The most telling comment within Estyn's report was that the chief inspector was,
"Of the opinion that this school is in need of significant improvement"With the prospect of the Estyn report looming over it, this is why, from September, Brynhyfryd will institute an independent programme of what should lead to significant change. We can only hope that this will transform the school and result in one equal to the catchment that in recent times has been carrying it. For too long, the school has relied upon the quality of its pupil intake rather than harnessing the quality of its teachers. This is evident in the continued good results as seen by pupils and this, perhaps, is the school's redeeming feature. But think where these results could've been.
Other soundbites from Estyn include, "There is too much inconsistency in the quality of teaching within and between departments" and "In the majority of instances, teachers' marking is not thorough enough and does not give pupils enough guidance about how to improve". Nevertheless, Estyn does conclude that there is absolute poor quality in only "a few areas".
School leadership has come in for a trouncing. The report recognises the developments made during the interim acting headship and since September 2014. Prospects for improvement are nevertheless still ranked as "unsatisfactory".
Speaking with teachers, LEA officers and, to date, one governor, it's clear that they all tend to blame each other. The Estyn report makes it clear that governors "have an increasing clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities" and this implies that they have not had a firm grip on things to date. This is backed up by LEA officer views. Some complain that there is unsatisfactory support from the LEA. Nowhere in the report does Estyn shed any hint of blame at the council's door. Indeed, the council isn't mentioned at all and neither should it be: this is a matter for the school and its leadership alone.
Controversial head of Ruthin School, Toby Belfield, was an unlikely supporter of the school at this difficult time. He was publically critical of the way in which Estyn performs its inspections. Where he's right is in the grades that pupils at Brynhyfryd get are generally good.
Strangely, we're always told that there's more to a school than its exam results (at least, that's what schools have always tried to teach us). It therefore seems slightly odd suddenly to rely on exams as the main example of a school's success. So, where Belfield's wrong is that those within the school system who understand just how the school has recently performed will know that Estyn, not Belfield, has captured the headlines well.
Ysgol Brynhyfryd remains in the "Amber" category of Welsh schools (lowest but one band).
Pass rates were first published in the local press in 1987, ahead of the possibility pf secondary school league tables. Brynhyfryd scored 47 per cent in English, compared to Denbigh High at 30; GlanClwyd at 30; and Emrys ap Iwan (Abergele), 22 per cent. Welsh was not measured other than at Glan Clwyd. For maths, Brynhyfryd scored 37 per cent; Glan Clwyd 44; Denbigh 25; and Emrys ap Iwan 21 per cent. At the time, it was reported that Brynhyfryd was "coming out well ahead of Denbigh High and Emrys ap Iwan and comparing favourably with Glan Clwyd".
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