New leadership team aims to lift failing school out of special measures

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

A new leadership team is being put together to try and take a failing school out of special measures.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s People scrutiny committee on Tuesday, November 12 councillors were given an update on efforts to address problems at the River Centre 3-16 Learning Community as part of a wider “improving schools programme” report.

Report

The River Centre teaches children and young people with Social, Emotional, and/or Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD) across three campuses in Ebbw Vale and Tredegar.

In September 2022 it emerged that Estyn had placed the River Centre into special measures and published a damning report following an inspection held at the school in June that year.

Director of education Luisa Munro-Morris told councillors that “strong progress” against the recommendations at a speed not “seen before” had been taking place at the school since September.

Dr Munro-Morris added that she and the councils chief executive (Stephen Vickers) would be meeting education watchdog Estyn to give them a further update on the situation at the school.

Dr Munro-Morris said: “There’s a really good understanding of where the school is going in terms of their recommendations.”

She added that a briefing for councillors would take place in December to provide more details of the work being done.

Support

Committee chairman Labour’s Cllr Tommy Smith asked for Dr Munro-Morris to expand and give more “in depth information” to the committee on the help being given to turn the school around.

Dr Munro-Morris said: “We have a new interim headteacher in the school, we’ve also secured some very strong secondments from other schools with significant leadership experience around behaviour support.

“We are waiting for those two people to start in December, we’re really pleased to have appointed them, and that will add extra capacity and support.”

She added that Cllr Jen Morgan (Labour) had been appointed as chair of governors at the school.

Dr Munro-Morris said: “There’s a lot of financial support going in to the school to ensure that we can afford that extra capacity in leadership to drive the changes that need to be put in place as quickly as possible for the school to thrive.”

Dr Munro-Morris stressed that it was still “early days,” but she was “really confident” that this would happen.

Vulnerable

Opposition Independent group’s Cllr Julie Holt: “The River Centre hosts some of our most vulnerable learners from across the borough, some students can be difficult to deal with and be really volatile.”

She asked for assurance that staff had the required training and support to teach the pupils.

Dr Munro-Morris said: “Training and staff wellbeing is fundamental and that’s something the school is focussing on.

“It’s not acceptable for our staff to go to work and be experiencing any type of physical or verbal abuse, we need to ensure there is a clear line so that the young people know what’s acceptable.

“We will continue to develop that.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Cllr Holt.

Councillors accepted the report which will go in front of the Cabinet at a meeting next month.