YSGOL Bro Hyddgen will be monitored by inspectors after it received an unfavourable ‘adequate’ judgement.

Following an inspection in February, Estyn said last week that the Machynlleth dual-stream primary and secondary school’s current performance is ‘adequate’, with ‘adequate’ prospects for improvement.

‘Adequate’, which means “strengths outweigh areas for improvement”, is the second-worst judgement a school can be given, and will lead to Estyn inspectors returning to the school each year to monitor its progress until it improves.

Only ‘unsatisfactory’ is worse, with schools aspiring for a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ judgement.

But the school’s leadership has said it is “delighted” with the “very positive” report, which acknowledged the school has been through a period of instability after it was formed by the merger of the town’s primary and secondary schools in 2015.

Headteacher Dafydd Jones he was “delighted the Estyn inspectors have praised what is achieved by pupils, parents, staff, governors and the community beyond”.

But admitted that the amalgamation of Machynlleth Primary School and Ysgol Bro Ddyfi to establish the new all-age school has been a “significant challenge”, adding that “we’re on a journey of developing a new school, and we have clear plans of how we’ll target specific aspects which need further attention so we can see Ysgol Bro Hyddgen progress further”.

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