Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn is a nurturing school with an inclusive ethos. Staff build trusting relationships with pupils. They know their pupils well and generally adapt approaches skilfully to meet the needs of pupils.

Over time, many pupils develop into confident and happy learners. Many pupils develop a range of important skills that support their learning and well-being effectively. Over time, many pupils make strong progress in developing their social and emotional skills.

In relation to their individual starting points, many learners meet their personal targets. These skills prepare them successfully for progression to their next steps in life and learning. However overall, pupils' ability to write at length is underdeve...loped, mainly due to a lack of structured opportunities to do so.

The quality of the teaching at the school is inconsistent. In the minority of lessons where teaching is most effective, teachers deliver highly engaging learning experiences and provide activities that are based within authentic learning contexts. Many teaching staff intervene and challenge pupils appropriately and sensitively to ensure that they continue to engage with tasks at a pace that is appropriate for the individual.

In a few cases, where teaching is less effective, pupils tend to be passive for too long during lessons or are provided with tasks that do not inspire or challenge them. The headteacher provides purposeful and calm leadership. The relatively new senior leadership team are passionate and committed to the school and its pupils.

The school's use of first-hand information to inform strategic planning is underdeveloped, and the information that the school does have is not collated to inform whole-school areas for improvement well enough. Recommendations R1 Address the safeguarding issues raised during the inspection R2 Improve the quality and the consistency of teaching R3 Improve the planning and the provision for pupils' literacy skills R4 Strengthen the arrangements for self-evaluation and improvement planning What happens next The school will draw up an action plan to show how it is going to address the recommendations. Estyn will work with the local authority to review the school's progress.