Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau Report Welcomed

The good work carried out to deliver improvements and raise standards at Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau over the past year has meant that Estyn, the national education inspectorate, has now confirmed that the school is no longer in need of special measures. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Estyn has decided to remove the school from special measures at the earliest opportunity following their recent follow-up inspections. In its latest report, the inspectorate notes that the school has made “strong progress” or “very good progress” in all of the seven recommendations made following the original inspection last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report notes that the school’s leaders have set out and delivered an improvement plan for the school and that “staff and governors have co-operated effectively to ensure significant improvement over the last year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Reverend Tim Webb, Chair of the Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau governing body welcomed Estyn’s latest inspection report. He said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am absolutely delighted that the school has been removed from special measures in less than a year, which is indeed very unusual. This is a tribute to the expertise of our acting head teacher Mrs Carys E Jones and to the talents and hard work of the teaching staff. I would like to thank them and my fellow governors very warmly for raising the school back on its feet, and I look forward to working together to ensure the best possible education for the children of Dolgellau in the future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carys E Jones, Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau Headteacher who was appointed on a temporary basis following Estyn’s original inspection last year, added: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m delighted for the staff and children at this very positive report and I thank them for their untiring dedication in facing this challenge under new leadership. This is the result of effective collaboration between them, the governors and the School Effectiveness and Improvement Service (GwE). The significant progress and good standards have led to raising the school out of special measures in a very short time. Indeed, we understand that it is the fastest period in which any school has been raised out of special measures.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Arwyn Thomas, Gwynedd Council Head of Education said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are very pleased that the independent Estyn inspectors have confirmed that the good work carried out at Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau means that the school has been removed from special measures. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Over the past year, the school’s management team, staff, governors and parents have worked in partnership with the Council’s Education Department to deliver real improvements that have raised standards across the board at Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau. We look forward to continuing to work with the school.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​