Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni

Overview

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni is described as a “homely and caring community” where leaders prioritise pupils’ emotional and social needs alongside academic progress. The inspection highlights a strong culture of self-evaluation and effective pastoral support, resulting in high attendance rates and sound progress for most pupils. However, the report identifies specific shortcomings in teaching quality and a significant budget deficit that require urgent attention.

Strengths

• The well-being team provides “excellent support and pastoral assistance,” with dedicated spaces like ‘Hwb’ and ‘Hafan’ helping pupils build confidence.
• Attendance rates are higher than in similar schools, with persistent absences “significantly lower than the national average,” due to active staff responses to obstacles.
• Most pupils, including those with additional learning needs, make “sound progress” in subject knowledge, literacy, and digital skills.
• Leaders maintain a “strong culture of evaluation,” using evidence to clearly identify strengths and priorities for improvement.
• Teachers generally foster supportive relationships and manage behaviour effectively, ensuring most pupils behave well and listen attentively.

Areas to improve

• Address the “significant deficit in the budget” where leaders have not been successful enough in making savings.
• Strengthen the role of governors to ensure they “challenge leaders’ decisions sufficiently” as critical friends.
• Ensure teachers always plan lessons to “challenge pupils” and avoid shortcomings such as talking for too long or accepting brief answers.

Safeguarding

The report states that “arrangements for safeguarding pupils are sound.”