Ysgol Rhydygors

Governors’ Annual Report to Parents

Autumn 2017

Believe, Persevere, Suceed

Membership of the Governing body

Governors Type / Governors Name / Start date / End Date
Community / Mrs Lea Reed / 02/01/2016 / 05/01/2020
Community / Mr Joe Cudd / 10/03/2015 / 09/03/2019
Community / Mr Paul Spear / 28/01/2016 / 27/01/2020
Headteacher / Mr Ian Berryman / 01/09/2016
Local Authority / Mr Chris Davies / 31/03/2014 / 31/03/2018
Local Authority / Cllr Barry Williams / 27/01/2015 / 26/01/2019
Local Authority / Vacant
Parent / Mr Hywel Williams / 18/03/2016 / 17/03/2020
Parent / Vacant
Parent / Vacant
Parent / Vacant
Teacher / Mrs Debra Payne / 04/12/2013 / 03/12/2017
Staff / Miss Rhiannon Frost / 09/10/2017 / 08/10/2019

Arrangements for Parent Governor elections

Arrangements are made for the election of Parent governors one school term before a parent governors term of office is due to expire or on the receipt of a resignation. Information about the election is sent out to parents via pupil post. The governors have received no parental nominations for the last 2 elections therefore an election is due to be held in Autumn 2017

Financial statement2016/17

Funding / £1,682,827
Income / £45,851
Expenditure / -£1,658,216
In year profit/loss / £70,462
Brought forward balance 1/4/2016 / -£152,863
Carry Forward balance 31/03/2017 / -£82,401

Destination of Year 11’s:

Tier 1 / Training / College
1 / 5

The below table shows the number of NEET pupils for the past three academic years.

14-15 / 15-16 / 16-17
0 / 0 / 0

Attendance:

Academic Year / Attendance / Absence
% / Authorised / Unauthorised
2014-15 / 90.11% / 6.12% / 3.77%
2015-16 / 92.24% / 4.22% / 3.54%
2016-17 / 85.01% / 7.28% / 7.71%

Community Links:

As Chair of Governors it is lovely to report that this year has been a positive one developing strong links across a wide range of communities.We secured funding from The Wooden Spoon Trust that has paid for a Brand New Adventure Play Area that was well overdue and is used daily by pupils.

We have worked with pupils, staff and local community members to support them to establish the Friends of Rhydygors Community group and they have supported the schools and community ambitions to develop community focused projects that benefit all. Success so far has meant the group secured funding from TESCO’S and this funded a therapeutic Garden with Growing Zone, Poly Tunnel and Cob Outdoor Pizza Oven for all to use and enjoy going forward.

We have continued to embed our community focused approach with key partners who work with our young people and offer additional services to our learners and their families. Our partners are based centrally and are available at specific times for both face to face or over the phones chats to offer advice and support in key areas.

Our Community hub members are:

Community Hub
Service/Role / Person
School Educational Psychologist / Helen Davies
School Based Youth Worker / Vacancy
School nurse / Lowri Wiltshire
Police Liaison team / PC Craig Williams and PSCO Sylvia Morris
Choices (Young person caseworker substance misuse) / Thea Meake
Stop smoking Wales (Senior Smoking Cessation Specialist)/ (Cessation advisor) / Susan O’Rouke /Alison John
School based counsellor / Sandra Hurton

Pupil Performance Targets– The governing body sets whole school target in the Autumn term of each academic year

In 2016-17, around 70% of pupils on average across all subjects made expected

progress with increasing numbers making better than expected progress. This is a 10%

average rise compared to 2015-16. On average, a student has exceeded expectation across

all subjects by 0.3 of a level. All subject targets set by leaders have been met or exceeded.

KS2 / English / Maths / Science / Average Value added score
Percentage of students making expected progress from baseline / 83% / 83% / 100% / 0.37
KS3 / English / Maths / Science / Average Value added score
Percentage of students making expected progress from baseline / 90% / 84% / 95% / 0.31
KS4
Percentage of students making expected progress from baseline / 100% / 100%
Percentage of students achieving 5 relevant qualifications including English and Maths / 100%
Percentage of students achieving Level 1 threshold / 66%

Sport :

In addition to lesson on the timetable students have had increased access to Sports opportunities through Amser Activ on Fridays. These are tutor based active and healthy lifestyles sessions designed to encourage more young people to embrace healthier lifestyle choices including greater access to a wide variety of sports. The residential team have developed a wider range of ‘wrap-around’ activities for day students to participate in beyond the usual school day hours.

Polices

During the Academic year 2016-17 the following polices and documents were reviewed amended where appropriate and agreed by the Governing body

  • Whistle blowing
  • Student Uniform
  • Staff Dress Code
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection
  • Administration of Medication
  • Governor expenses
  • Marking
  • Intimate Care
  • Care Control and Use of Force
  • E Safety
  • Code of Conduct
  • Attendance
  • Teachers Pay
  • Performance Management

Term dates for students’ academic year 2017-18

Half Term Holiday
Term Begins / Begins / Ends / Term Ends
6th September / 30th October / 3rd November / 21st December
8th January / 19th February / 23rd February / 29th March
17th April / 28th May / 1st June / 23rd July
Inset days 4th & 5th September, 22nd December,16th April 24th July

Session times:

As a residential setting, the school operates a 24hr curriculum. Day pupils arrive to school between 8:30-8:45 to start at 9:00pm. Departure times for day pupils are between 3:00-3:30 Monday to Thursday and between 2:30-3:00 on Fridays. Day pupils have access to wrap around sessions on Wednesday and Thursday nights until 7:30pm.

Residential pupils arrive on a Monday morning between 7:45-8:30 and leave on a Friday between 2:30-3:00. Residential pupils have home nights where possible on a Wednesday evening.

School information:

Information regarding the school is available on the schools website.

Curriculum and organisation of learning:

The curriculum and organisation and teaching methods at the school have been developed to ensure that we are enhancing the provision to ensure we have a welcoming, caring environment in which the educational and therapeutic needs of learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are addressed effectively.

Curriculum design at Ysgol Rhydygors encompasses the academic rigours of the National Curriculum through a creative and personalised platform of learning. This continues to be developed with increasing access to a range of therapeutic, vocational and occupational opportunities that are driven by individual learner needs.

Ysgol Rhydygors cultivates a learning environment built on mutual respect and ensure that learners’ rights, needs, aspirations and personal preferences remain central to the school’s organisation and learners are empowered to benefit from a meaningful, contributing and rewarding adulthood.

Category and use of Welsh:

As an English medium school, growing efforts to ensure that incidental Welsh is embedded across our school culture continues. Welsh speaking staff model the use of incidental language across both Day and Residential aspects of the school and that staff not yet fully confident have been taking Welsh lessons in everyday classroom language and modelling its use within across the school.

Healthy eating and drinking:

A range of healthy snacks and refreshments are offered at break times and learners take ownership of this provision through requesting snacks and running the trolley. Healthy meals are provided by the in-house kitchen team and regular feedback is sought from our learners regarding the range of foods they access. The school has been inspected by external agents and is regarded as offering a good range of nutritionally balanced meals with a moderated approach to treats.

Toilet facilities:

The school toilet provision across the day school of two female and two male toilets remain the same this year. The boy’s toilets were refurbished in May 2016, and were open for use in June. On each residential area there are three toilets located within the dormitories. Toilets are cleaned daily as part of the schools cleaning contract