AN ABERYSTWYTH secondary school is to continue being monitored by inspectors amid mounting complaints from parents.

Estyn inspectors carried out a follow-up ins­pection of Penglais School in January, two years after the last inspection judged the school’s current performance and prospects for improvement as “ade­quate” — the second-lowest rating inspectors can give, when Estyn said it would “monitor the school’s progress”.

The Cambrian News can now reveal that the school, led by outgoing headteacher Matthew Brown since September 2013, has not shown enough improvement to move out of Estyn monitoring, the second stage of an escalating Estyn follow-up process which can lead to the school being placed in special measures.

The news comes amid parents’ complaints received by the Cambrian News which express concerns that senior teachers are leaving Penglais to work at other schools in the county, that the behaviour of pupils has deteriorated, and that staff morale is at “rock bottom”.

One parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said: “There are incidents every day my child tells me about and I am also friendly with staff who say morale is at rock bottom.”

The parent also claimed poor discipline was a result of a change from the ‘pastoral’ system — pupils at each year of education administered by a single head of year — in favour of a ‘house’ system, where pupils from different year groups are overseen by a head of house.

It was revealed at the time of the inspection in January that Mr Brown would be stepping down this summer after less than three years in charge of the county’s biggest school following the announcement he had been successful in his application for the post of head of learning services at Ceredigion County Council.

The Cambrian News can reveal that no applications have received by Ceredigion County Council for the headteacher’s job at Penglais School, and that deputy headteacher Hayley Griffiths will take over from September until a replacement is found.

A council spokesperson said: “Ceredigion County Council provides advice and assistance to Ysgol Gyfun Penglais, and with many other schools, on a wide range of matters including staffing structures and behaviour management."