Abertillery Learning Community

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Abertillery Learning Community is an English-medium 3 to 16 all-age school, maintained by Blaenau Gwent local authority. There are currently 1,655 pupils on roll with 611 in the secondary department and 1,044 pupils over four separate sites in the primary department.

The school opened in September 2016 after the amalgamation of Abertillery Comprehensive School, Abertillery, Bryngwyn, Roseheyworth and Queen Street primary schools. The school serves communities in and around the town of Abertillery. Over 30% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is higher than the national average of 17% for secondary schools and 19% for primary schools.

About 44% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales. Very few... pupils receive support to learn English as an additional language or come from a minority ethnic background. The school hosts two resource bases, one at the secondary site and one at a primary site, for around 50 pupils with complex educational needs.

Currently, about 2.7% of pupils have statements of special educational needs, which is higher than the national average. Less than 1% of pupils speak Welsh fluently.

The current principal took up post in September 2017, but has worked at the school since 2016 as a vice principal and acting principal. The senior leadership consists of three teams. The executive leadership team comprises of the principal, vice principal and business manager.

The community leadership team includes the head of each campus. The extended leadership team includes the deputy heads of campus of the primary campuses, the secondary assistant heads of campus and the finance and business team leader. The school is currently a pioneer school and is working with the Welsh Government and other schools to proceed with developments relating to the curriculum.