Brecon High School crisis meeting over inspection failings

Brecon High School was in special measures from 2014 to 2016

Parents have been invited to a crisis meeting at a secondary school following a critical report by inspectors.

Estyn said Brecon High School in Powys was failing to support able pupils and a senior staff revamp had left an "inequitable" allocation of duties.

The school spent two years in special measures from 2014 to 2016.

Myfanwy Alexander, Powys cabinet member for education, said an interim head teacher was being brought in to drive improvement.

Inspectors, who visited the school in November, said teaching and senior management were "unsatisfactory and need improvement", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Overall, provision to support and challenge more able pupils, particularly in lessons, is limited and does not enable them to make sufficient progress," the report said.

Teaching standards

The watchdog was also damning in its verdict of a recent restructuring of senior staff and their duties.

"The inequitable allocation of responsibilities, respective teaching commitments and operational duties limit the capacity of the senior team to prioritise strategic issues," the report said.

"This has contributed to insufficient and unsustained improvement in key areas of the school's work."

School governors were also criticised for failing to provide a "robust enough challenge" to senior staff on matters such as teaching standards and a "substantial" budget deficit.

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Responding for Powys County Council, Ms Alexander said: "Brecon High School is recognised as a school requiring a high level of support.

"Senior officers from the authority are already working with the school and we have already secured an experienced teacher as interim head teacher to drive improvement."

Estyn inspectors will return later this year to see if the situation has changed at the school, which is to be replaced by a new £22m development.

The meeting for parents takes place on Wednesday at 18:30 GMT.