SCHOOL BANDINGS: Pontypool school jumps up rankings - but mixed picture for Gwent

THERE was a mixed picture for Gwent schools today as bandings for Welsh schools were released.

St. Albans R.C. High School in Pontypool reversed its 4 ranking from last year by achieving a 1 ranking this year – the highest possible.

Other schools in Torfaen are all in the 4 or 5 bands.

In Newport, Caerleon Comprehensive School slipped from the 2 to 4 band, while Bassaleg School stepped up to band 2 from 3. St Joseph's RC High School went down from 1 to 2 band. Hartridge/Llanwern School fell from band 3 to 5.

Some Blaenau Gwent schools continued to fare badly, with Ebbw Vale Comprehensive School falling from band 2 to 4 and Abertillery Comprehensive School from 4 to 5. Tredegar Comprehensive School stayed in band 5.

In Monmouthshire Caldicot School jumped from band 5 to 3, while there were falls for King Henry VII in Abergavenny, which slipped from band 3 to 5 and Chepstow Comprehensive School which fell from band 3 to 4. Monmouth Comprehensive School stayed in band 3.

Caerphilly continued to boast a band 1 school in Islwyn, with Oakdale Comprehensive School in the top rank. Newbridge fell from band 1 to 2 while Blackwood jumped from band 4 to 2.

FULL LIST OF GWENT SCHOOLS BANDING 2011 AND 2012:

2012 Gwent schools banding

Comments(18)

JJ2047 says...
3:19pm Tue 18 Dec 12

What do all these rankings really mean?

is it 1 Great 5 really bad?

Owain Vaughan says...
3:40pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Also how can Caldicot School *jump* from band 3 to 5, whereas King Henry VII in Abergavenny *slipped* from band 3 to 5?

Utterly shoddy reporting.

regescu72 says...
7:27pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Does anyone know what criteria these bands are based on?

philjay72 says...
7:54pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Doesn't say anything about Newport High until the table - so Newport high has gone 4 to 2 ? Concur its a confusing news report

fedupjon says...
8:04pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Another piece of nonsense produced by the Welsh Assembly Government. How can Estyn place Llantarnam School in special measures yet they are not rated in the lowest group.

Tak523SC says...
8:40pm Tue 18 Dec 12

Oooooh....Newbridge down to Band 2. Oakdale Band 1 again !!!!!

dragonlady1 says...
10:36pm Tue 18 Dec 12

I wonder what excuse Torfaen will use to try yet again to close St Albans

tracy evans says...
11:47pm Tue 18 Dec 12

dragonlady1 wrote:
I wonder what excuse Torfaen will use to try yet again to close St Albans
somebody really needs 2 explain this article as it makes no sense at all...SWA you need to get new reporters who know and explain what they are on about

cathmcla says...
7:49am Wed 19 Dec 12

Owain Vaughan wrote:
Also how can Caldicot School *jump* from band 3 to 5, whereas King Henry VII in Abergavenny *slipped* from band 3 to 5?

Utterly shoddy reporting.
Owain, if you read again, the report states that 'Caldicot School jumped from band 5 to 3', not 3 to 5.

What was that about shoddy reporting. ;)

Cymru Am Beth says...
8:28am Wed 19 Dec 12

This is absolute drivel.
Caerleon consistently gets very good results and has been put in band 4.
It is not about results though, it is about socialist engineering, to make the chav schools feel better.
I am certain that if you were to compare like with like on academic terms, Caerleon would probably come in band1.
The truth hurts, as academic prowess above all else is likely to get someone a good career.
This is kidology at its best from the powers to be in that pathetic excuse for a government in Cardiff.

Cymru Am Beth says...
8:34am Wed 19 Dec 12

Further to my posting, how can Lliswerry and St Julians be in a higher band than Caerleon?
I think that these bandings have to be treated with the contempt that they deserve.
I know which school I would like to send my child to if they wanted to get a good career and it certainly wouldn't be any of these.
Absolute b****y joke.

Dugstar says...
8:45am Wed 19 Dec 12

So it looks like if you want you children to go to a decent school, move to Caerphilly.

Owain Vaughan says...
9:40am Wed 19 Dec 12

cathmcla wrote:
Owain Vaughan wrote:
Also how can Caldicot School *jump* from band 3 to 5, whereas King Henry VII in Abergavenny *slipped* from band 3 to 5?

Utterly shoddy reporting.
Owain, if you read again, the report states that 'Caldicot School jumped from band 5 to 3', not 3 to 5.

What was that about shoddy reporting. ;)
Fairly obviously they have corrected the wording Ex post facto.

Cwmderi says...
11:33am Wed 19 Dec 12

It would appear from most of the postings that contributors are not aware of the basic points that combine to give the final rating (Banding). The whole system is another crazy invention by Leighton Andrews to smack head teachers, staff, pupils and governors over the head with his concocked 'League Tables'
Only three schools in the whole of Greater Gwent awarded top ranking.
Ysgol Cwm Rhymni
Oakdale Comprehensive
Torfaen Catholic School.
Well done to those schools who have managed to jump through all the hoops and obsticles set by Mr Andrews.

Anne teak says...
2:49pm Wed 19 Dec 12

If you've read 1984, by George Orwell, you will understand the concept of doublespeak.....

Obviously WAG has read it too.

paul m roberts says...
3:18pm Wed 19 Dec 12

Well, if people will continue to vote Labour, jobs for the boys and incompetence will be the result.

gadget says...
4:41pm Wed 19 Dec 12

Cymru Am Beth wrote:
This is absolute drivel.
Caerleon consistently gets very good results and has been put in band 4.
It is not about results though, it is about socialist engineering, to make the chav schools feel better.
I am certain that if you were to compare like with like on academic terms, Caerleon would probably come in band1.
The truth hurts, as academic prowess above all else is likely to get someone a good career.
This is kidology at its best from the powers to be in that pathetic excuse for a government in Cardiff.
I couldnt agree more . nice comment

qawsedrftgyh says...
8:29pm Wed 19 Dec 12

Cymru Am Beth wrote:
This is absolute drivel.
Caerleon consistently gets very good results and has been put in band 4.
It is not about results though, it is about socialist engineering, to make the chav schools feel better.
I am certain that if you were to compare like with like on academic terms, Caerleon would probably come in band1.
The truth hurts, as academic prowess above all else is likely to get someone a good career.
This is kidology at its best from the powers to be in that pathetic excuse for a government in Cardiff.
You aren’t incorrect in terms of the banding.
But your reference to some of the schools as “chav schools” is out of order. Many of them are making improvements, and are just stuck with bad reputations.
I’m a student in a school with a pretty bad reputation, should I say, “a chav school”. So please, do tell me more about the unlikelihood of me getting a good career and my forthcoming life on the dole.

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