Ysgol John Bright headteacher on school's improvement since 2019 inspection

Ysgol John Bright was visited by Estyn inspectors following a core report in 2019, after the school moved from an amber to red rating due to making "insufficient progress" since 2015.

Inspectors had found the Llandudno school needed to improve in areas including key stage four boys' performance and English, ensuring lessons consider pupils with individual lesson plans and improving self-evaluation.

The latest report, published on Friday, July 16 said the school "has continued to concentrate on improving boys’ performance" using strategies such as engaging with families, raising aspirations, and subjects "better suited to boys’ needs and interests" such as applied science and vocational courses.

School leaders have also "focused considerably" on developing better processes for self-evaluation and improvement planning.

"Leaders, teachers, and governors share the same aspirations of raising standards, improving the quality of teaching, and strengthening leadership at all levels," inspectors said.

"Overall, quality assurance and monitoring activities are well-planned, more consistent and purposeful than at the time of the core inspection."

The improvements have been achieved during the most difficult 18 months that schools have ever faced after Covid-19 struck.

Headteacher Ann Webb said the report was another milestone on the way to becoming a “truly exceptional school”.

It was, she said, a team effort by staff, pupils, parents, governors and other stakeholders.

“I would like to pay tribute to everybody who has played an important role in improving standards so dramatically, but the real heroes of this story are our brilliant pupils," she said.

“The coronavirus pandemic has presented schools with unprecedented challenges, and we’ve had the most difficult 18 months that education has ever seen and that the whole country has experienced.

“What’s really pleased me is the way that this school has not only worked really hard to keep children safe - and the report does recognise that - but that we have also continued on the school’s improvement journey and continued to drive up standards in the school.

“We were already on this upwards trajectory in 2019 and we were showing very strong improvement, as the report demonstrated.

“The pandemic has meant that we have had to wait much longer for official confirmation of the huge progress we’ve made than would otherwise have been the case."

Mrs Webb, previously of Eaton Bank Academy, in Congleton, Cheshire, said the school had already been using Google Classroom to streamline its teaching process before lockdown, which made the transition to online learning "a lot easier" for pupils and staff.

“At the same time, we made sure that children had digital devices right from the start so, if there was any digital disadvantage, we identified this and we made sure that all of those children had a device," she said.

“Meanwhile, the Behaviour and Wellbeing team and the Directors of Learning made sure that they kept in contact with families who may might need additional support.

“All of this meant we were able to build on the improvements we had already made before the pandemic as part our long-term strategy that’s not based on quick fixes, but rather on sustainable, long-term success."

The chair of the governors, Carla Forfar, said Ysgol John Bright has benefited from Mrs Webb's "inspirational" leadership during the pandemic.

“Ann Webb is a wonderful headteacher and her leadership has been nothing short of inspirational, particularly during the incredibly difficult time we have all experienced over the past 18 months," said Mrs Forfar.

“Rather than go for a quick fix, she has implemented root and branch changes that are bearing fruit and will continue to do so in the long term."