Performance Band of Wrexham Schools Revealed

Wrexham schools received mixed fortunes after banding information for all secondary schools in Wales was published by the Welsh Government.

Every school in the country has been banded from band one which contains schools which are performing well to band five schools which contains schools that need to improve.

Three of Wrexham’s nine secondary schools were put into band five including Rhosnesni High, Ysgol Bryn Alyn and Ysgol Clywedog, however St Joseph’s Catholic and Anglican High and Ysgol Ruabon were placed in band one.

Meanwhile Darland High School, Ysgol Morgan Llwyd and the Maelor School in Penley were all put in band two and Ysgol Y Grango was placed in band three.

Information about how well 15-16-year-olds have performed in examinations, and information about their level of attendance is used to band schools.

The Welsh Government also takes account of the level of poverty of pupils in the school as this can have an impact on what the school can achieve.

Education Minister Leighton Andrews stressed that the bands were not created to label or name and shame schools.

He said: “If we are to drive up standards across the board in Wales we need to know how our schools are performing. Banding is at the heart of this.

“Plans for banding schools were set out in the incoming government’s manifesto and are now a key component in our Programme for Government. The process is designed to give us a clearer focus on our performance and progress.

“It’s not about labelling, naming or shaming, or creating a crude league table. It is about putting schools into groups to identify which need our support and which we can learn from.

“We will now be exploring how we can best support those schools in the lower bands so they can begin their improvement journey.

“You cannot un-invent the Freedom of Information Act – parents and pupils have a right to know what is best in Wales and how their schools measure up.

“I have said all along that we will be transparent about the banding, both in terms of the methodology used and the outcomes for schools. In publishing this data today we are meeting this commitment.”

John Davies, Wrexham Council’s head of lifelong learning, said: “Wrexham Council already has a well-established and agreed process in place for considering a wide range of data and information about its schools.

“That information is used to ensure that available resources are targeted at schools which require support.

“The information from the national school banding system will be considered within the above process in the future.”