Ysgol Brynhyfryd is in the green. That's the result of the school support categorisation results published today by the Welsh government.
When in 2017 the school leapfrogged from support category Red to Yellow, I admit I was sceptical that it could achieve its rightful place among the best. I was wrong. Not only has it gained Green, it is now the only school in Denbighshire to have done so, this year.
The school can claim to be Wales' most successful secondary, having left behind its place in the 2014 Red support category and achieving Green in two years. Truly remarkable.
While rival Denbigh High has fallen from Amber to Red and Dinas Brân from Green to Yellow (this was Denbighshire's first ever Green), the most surprising shift is further rival Ysgol Glan Clwyd, from Yellow to Amber. This is almost as unexpected as Brynhyfryd touching rock bottom Red in 2016.
It's interesting to note that Prestatyn High has moved from Amber to Yellow. Like Brynhyfryd, it has a new headteacher. Like at Brynhyfryd, he's come from an English academy system. The Prestatyn head is, in fact, a former colleague of Geraint Parry's.
Figures for the Brigidine Convent School (St Brigid's) near Denbigh have till now been separately shown under middle schools. we do not have comparative data but we know that like 2017, St Brigid's was and continues to be Yellow.
Remember, the category in which a school sits corresponds to the support it needs given the expected attainment and the school's socio-economic background. This is only one determinant. But, Brynhyfryd also performs well in terms of exam successes and in the much smaller number of pupils on free school meals.
¹ This is our assessment of the category in which each school in North East Wales should be.
When in 2017 the school leapfrogged from support category Red to Yellow, I admit I was sceptical that it could achieve its rightful place among the best. I was wrong. Not only has it gained Green, it is now the only school in Denbighshire to have done so, this year.
The school can claim to be Wales' most successful secondary, having left behind its place in the 2014 Red support category and achieving Green in two years. Truly remarkable.
The number of Green schools in North East Wales fell from seven in 2017 to five in 2018. The number of Red schools has increased from six to seven. There are three consistently poorer performers requiring Red support. The slide from Yellow to Amber to Red at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd is on a similar scale to Brynhyfryd's previous position.
While rival Denbigh High has fallen from Amber to Red and Dinas Brân from Green to Yellow (this was Denbighshire's first ever Green), the most surprising shift is further rival Ysgol Glan Clwyd, from Yellow to Amber. This is almost as unexpected as Brynhyfryd touching rock bottom Red in 2016.
It's interesting to note that Prestatyn High has moved from Amber to Yellow. Like Brynhyfryd, it has a new headteacher. Like at Brynhyfryd, he's come from an English academy system. The Prestatyn head is, in fact, a former colleague of Geraint Parry's.
Figures for the Brigidine Convent School (St Brigid's) near Denbigh have till now been separately shown under middle schools. we do not have comparative data but we know that like 2017, St Brigid's was and continues to be Yellow.
Remember, the category in which a school sits corresponds to the support it needs given the expected attainment and the school's socio-economic background. This is only one determinant. But, Brynhyfryd also performs well in terms of exam successes and in the much smaller number of pupils on free school meals.
¹ This is our assessment of the category in which each school in North East Wales should be.