Estyn inspection report results for Alun School in Mold

Alun School, in Mold, was visited by Estyn inspectors in February 2024, who highlighted the array of strengths demonstrated by the school, including their extensive range of extra-curricular activities and assured leadership of the headteacher.

The school's pupils were credited as "considerate, polite and courteous to others. They behave appropriately in lessons and around the school".

With inspectors adding: "Pupils take on numerous leadership roles and have affected valuable changes in the school. They collaborate well with staff and each other to ensure that everyone has the right to teach, to learn, to be safe and to be respected".

The inspectors also noted that "pupils from all backgrounds, including young carers and those eligible for free school meals are keen to take on leadership responsibilities within the school."

Alun School headteacher Jane Cooper with members of the School Council.

Headteacher at the 1,545-pupil school, Jane Cooper, was credited for her "assured leadership and ensures strong accountability at all levels".

The report added: "Her vision is clear and is shared and understood by senior leaders who demonstrate this through their support to the headteacher and in their own work.

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"In general, leaders have a sound understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of the provision in their areas of responsibility. Their self-evaluation, however, does not always consider the impact of the provision on the standard of pupils' learning well enough."

The school was considered to have "many strengths in teaching". The report states: "Most teachers use their subject knowledge to good effect and give clear and precise explanations. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, ask useful questions to check for understanding and give beneficial verbal feedback on their work.

"However, the quality of teacher assessment varies and is not always effective enough to enable pupils to improve their work. Whilst leaders have recently taken a strategic approach to plan the progression of skills across the curriculum, this work is still in its infancy."

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Both the sixth form and extra curricular opportunities were praised by inspectors.

They said: "Pupils in the sixth form are supported well in making suitable career choices and talk positively about their learning experiences. They engage with tasks productively, show resilience when working independently and persevere when faced with new challenges."

The range of extra-curricular opportunities available at the Alun School, was commented on very positively by inspectors, the report refers to many pupils attending and benefitting "from a broad range of clubs which include a jazz band, creative writing, international languages and a Young Coders club. Many pupils participate in an inclusive and extensive extra-curricular sporting programme".

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As well as excellent attendance - inspectors recognised the hard work the school has put into improving attendance by noting last year attendance "was above that of similar schools", "attendance of pupils eligible for free school meals was above the national average" and "rates of persistent absence were well below the national average" - the report recorded pupils' praise for pastoral care.

Inspectors conducted surveys of pupils and spent time meeting with pupils to get their view of the school. They concluded that "pupils at Alun School feel safe, free from bullying, respected and treated fairly by staff. Many pupils feel that their wellbeing is supported positively by the school and feel that their views are listened to and appreciated through a wide range of methods such as pupil surveys, interviews, reviews, and a highly effective school council."

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The school was also noted for offering comprehensive and worthwhile support for pupils' with additional learning needs (ALN).

Recommendations from the inspection included: Strengthen self-evaluation to focus more on the impact of provision on pupils' learning and improve strategies to address the poor behaviour of a few pupils and its impact on other pupils. The school will draw up an action plan to address all recommendations.

Headteacher Mrs Cooper said: "As a school with a history of achieving excellent academic outcomes for our students, I am very pleased that Estyn have recognised that this has come about through the hard work of our staff.

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"Academic excellence and a culture of high expectation is the result of teachers and support staff working together to support our students achieve their best. I couldn't be more proud of what we have achieved as a school and am excited for the next stage in our development as a school community."

Chair of governors Tracey Gilliland added: "In recent years, the Alun has gone from strength to strength despite some major challenges beyond their control. This is in no small measure due to the leadership of the headteacher and the wider leadership team of the school who have developed and implemented their vision for the school.

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"This Estyn report is a testament to the hard work of everyone in the school community and reading the praise is contains for the school is very pleasing."

Ben Harris, chair of Alun School Council, said: "Student viewpoints are key to decision making when it comes to school improvement. As chair of the school council I am very glad that Estyn recognised the number beneficial changes that have been implemented in the school as a direct impact of student voice.

"I genuinely feel the school council is part of the leadership of the school and am proud of what we have achieved."

• To view the full report, visit: www.estyn.gov.wales