A PLAN to help turn around a failing school for children with additional learning needs in Blaenau Gwent has been lodged with watchdog Estyn, an education chief has said.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s People Scrutiny committee, on Tuesday, October 18, education director Lynn Phillips updated councillors about efforts to address problems at River Centre 3-16 Learning Community, which were highlighted in a recent inspection report.

The school was discussed as part of a wider debate on the council’s “improving schools programme.”

In September it emerged that Estyn had placed the River Centre into special measures and published a damning report following an inspection held at the school last June.

The report gives the all-through school across three campuses in Ebbw Vale and Tredegar seven recommendations that need to be addressed.

Mr Phillips said: “We are working closely with the school leaders to respond to both Estyn’s health and safety letter and the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) to redress the shortcomings.

“I can confirm that both the PIAP and health and safety letter have been returned to Estyn.”

He added that there was a need to “ensure” that the secondary school site had the right number of teachers which would help “secure improvements.”

Efforts to find more funding to make improvements to the school buildings were taking place, as well as installing CCTV inside the secondary school.

Mr Phillips added that a “school improvement partner” had also been appointed to help the River Centre move forward.

Cllr Keith Chaplin asked: “What would be the benefits of installing CCTV internally? What are the outcomes you are expecting?”

Mr Phillips said: “We feel that having CCTV in the building would help in terms of managing health and safety and safeguarding to protect learners and staff.

“Especially due to the complex needs of the learners, they do have very challenging behaviour on occasion and that will help in terms of both safeguard children’s interest and staff confidence to be able to support those appropriately.”

Cllr Julie Holt believed the committee would benefit from a briefing on the “functions” of the River Centre which is “a different” type of school.

Mr Phillips agreed that a “dedicated briefing” should take place in the future.

The seven recommendations the River Centre needs to address are:

  • Issues identified in the health and safety letter;
  • Establish a clear purpose and vision for the school and implement a staffing structure that is fit for purpose and adequately reflects roles and responsibilities;
  • Ensure that the curriculum is sufficiently engaging, broad and balanced and prepares pupils well for their next stage in life and learning;
  • Improve the behaviour of pupils, particularly on the secondary campus;
  • Improve the quality of the learning environment and culture, particularly on the secondary campus;
  • Improve the outcomes for pupils, particularly those on the secondary campus;
  • Establish systems, procedures and routines across the school that are clearly understood by staff and relevant partners.

Estyn will monitor the school’s progress on a term-by-term basis.