YSGOL Penglais school’s new headteacher has admitted that turning the fortunes of the school around “will take some time” after inspectors found that “insufficient progress” has been made since the last visit by inspectors.

Inspectors from Estyn visited the school in December to check up on progress since a 2014 report which has left the school in constant yearly monitoring amid concerns over the performance in key subjects for boys, the quality of teaching, and low standards.

The report says that the school, which was taken over by new headteacher Mair Hughes in September, “is judged to have made insufficient progress” and remains “in need of significant improvement” in key areas.

The report outlines that boys’ performance at Key Stage 4 “declined in 2017 and remains below that of boys in similar schools in most indicators”, while “the performance of pupils eligible for free school meals declined in most key indicators in 2017”.

While “the school has taken a range of suitable actions to improve its provision for the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills”, the report said, “action to improve pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills has been too slow.”

“Overall, the school has not made enough progress in improving the quality of teaching and assessment,” the report adds.

The report did find, however, that the school had made progress in improving attendance, strengthening systems, and addressing health and safety issues.

Headteacher Mair Hughes said she was “delighted with the progress the school has made” since taking up the post.

“It is, of course, a concern that our recent Estyn monitoring report has found the school to have made insufficient progress against the recommendations they left us following the full inspection,” she said.

“However, as the report rightly points out, we have already begun to put the robust systems in place to make the significant progress required.

She added: "It will take some time, but with the continuing support of the whole school community, we have all the ingredients to turn Ysgol Penglais into a school we can all be proud of.”

See this week’s Aberystwyth or South Ceredigion papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now