A NEW chairperson of school governors has been installed in a failing Blaenau Gwent school in a bid to turn things around there.

At the Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Executive committee meeting on Wednesday, November 10, councillors were told of emerging problems at the River Centre Learning Community.

The River Centre is an all-through school from three to 16 years old across three campuses that caters for pupils with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties from Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, and the surrounding valleys.

It has become a “school causing concern”

The council’s director of education Lynn Phillips explained that a statutory warning notice had been given to the school on September 14.

The report said that a “pre-warning” notice had been sent to the school in the spring setting out the department’s concerns, but the work needed to avoid the warning notice had not been achieved.

Mr Philips said: “I feel that the River Centre’s response, following the notice has not provided us as a council with the assurances that are required.

“At the governing body annual general meeting which took place on November 3, I used the powers of intervention that are available to the council, and we have appointed an LEA (local education authority) chair of governors.”

Mr Phillips claimed that the new chairperson of governors work is already showing “encouraging” signs despite only holding the post for a week.

Education portfolio holder Cllr Joanne Collins said: “I’m confident  that the local authority will continue to take a supportive approach towards the River Centre to address the concerns and ensure we are providing the best provision possible for the children and young people at the River Centre.”

Earlier Mr Phillips had outlined improving positions at the three other schools that have been causing concern, Brynmawr Foundation School, Abertillery Learning Community (ALC) and Sofrydd primary school.

Mr Phillips told councillors that an Estyn monitoring visit had taken place at Brynmawr and “progress was identified” particularly in terms of leadership and governance,

He added that pupil behaviour and “attitude to learning” had also improved in Brynmawr, but there was still “further work to do.”

“It remains in special measures and Estyn will return in the spring term,” said Mr Phillips.

Mr Phillips said that, at Abertillery Learning Community, “satisfactory progress” had made against all of the Estyn inspection recommendations

He anticipated that an Estyn monitoring visit would take place soon, either at the end of this term or early in the New Year.

Mr Phillips said he was “really pleased” to update the executive on Sofrydd primary school, where a new headteacher had  been appointed in September and the governing body were now carrying out their “statutory functions.”

“Nurture provision” at Sofrydd had also improved.

Mr Phillips said: “I’m very encouraged with the progress the school is making.”

He added that the School’s Causing Concern panel will “consider the status” of the school at a meeting later this year.

Cllr Collins said that the report was  “positive overall” regarding  Brynmawr,  ALC (Abertillery Learning Community) and Sofrydd.

Council leader Cllr Nigel Daniels added: “It’s good to see the positive directions that the schools are heading in.”

The executive approved the report.

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