Islwyn High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Islwyn High School is an English-medium, mixed 11-16 comprehensive school situated in the town of Oakdale, near Blackwood.

The school was opened in September 2016 following the amalgamation of Oakdale and Pontllanfraith Comprehensive Schools. The school serves a wide geographical area that includes both Pontllanfraith and Oakdale. The catchment area also extends east to Trinant, to Bryn in the west and south to Ynysddu, Cwmfelinfach and Wattsville.

Islwyn High School works in partnership with three other schools and the local further education college to provide post 16 education for their pupils. There are 1,154 pupils on roll, including 53 pupils in the secondary special resource base. Around 19% of pupils are eligible f...or free school meals.

This figure is above the Welsh average of 16.4% for secondary schools. Around 18% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales.

Around 25% of pupils have additional learning needs, and just over 7% have a statement of special educational needs. Both of these figures are above the Welsh averages of 22.9% and 2.

2% respectively. Almost all pupils are from a white, British background. Very few speak English as an additional language.

Very few pupils speak Welsh as a first language. The current headteacher took up his post in 2016. The current leadership team includes two deputy headteachers, three assistant headteachers and the business manager.