Ysgol Gyfun Llangynwyd Make Improvements To Ensure Continued Success

Cabinet Members from Bridgend County Borough Council have been informed that strong progress has been made at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd to address four recommendations suggested by Estyn inspectors when they visited the school last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The county borough’s first Welsh-medium comprehensive school passed its maiden inspection with flying colours in May 2015, with inspectors judging the school to be performing well, and having good prospects for improvement. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

While the school was rated ‘good’ in 13 areas, and ‘adequate’ in two, the Estyn team made four recommendations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The first one was to improve standards in English and Welsh at key stage four, while the second one was to improve provision for pupils who have additional learning needs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It was also recommended that the school should strengthen quality and ensure consistency in teachers’ feedback to pupils on how to improve their work, and Estyn’s final recommendation centred on strengthening management systems in order to ensure full accountability in all areas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In response, the school drew up a post-inspection action plan, and a recent Estyn review found that strong progress is being made in respect of all four recommendations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The news was reported to Cabinet Members at the local authority earlier this week, and Councillor Huw David, the Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, said: “YGG Llangynwyd received a very positive first inspection report last year which was testament to the hard work of staff, governors and pupils. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“When they visited, the Estyn inspectors also made some recommendations for improvement to ensure the school’s continued success, and I’m delighted to confirm that those key actions have all now been addressed.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

YGG Llangynwyd Head Teacher Meurig Jones said: “I am extremely happy with the hard work of all our staff and pupils in implementing the recommendations set out by Estyn and this is evident in our excellent GCSE results this year. We look forward to a successful future and will continue to build on the strong foundations we have made as the only Welsh medium comprehensive school in Bridgend County Borough. Llongyfarchiadau i bawb sy’n rhan o Tîm Llan.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

YGG Llangynwyd’s successful GCSE results in 2016 included… ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• 17.2 per cent of pupils gained five or more A*/A grades, which was an increase of 5.3 per cent compared to last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• 85.8 per cent of pupils gained grades at A*-C in English, which was up 7.7 per cent on last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• 81.8 per cent of pupils gained grades at A*-C in Welsh First Language, which was an increase of 8 per cent on last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• 76.7 per cent of pupils gained grades at A*-C in Mathematics, which was a rise of 14.8 per cent compared to last year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​