Education inspectors have recommended Llanidloes High School works to address some teaching and health and safety issues in a report which found a “caring and supportive” high school “where all are valued and encouraged to give of their best.”

Issues around the security of the school premises – resolved with the building of a new fence – along with concerns over school attendance and some areas of teaching quality were raised by inspectors, in the overall positive report which praised the school for ensuring “that the well-being of staff and pupils is their highest priority.”

The report says staff “provide interesting learning opportunities and, as a result, many pupils engage well and make good progress.”

“In a few particularly effective lessons, teachers set high expectations, they question skilfully, and pupils make rapid progress in their knowledge, understanding and skills,” the report adds.

“Pupils benefit from a range of valuable support for their well-being and learning.

“Staff know the pupils well and provide beneficial guidance when needed.”

Inspectors gave the school five recommendations for improvement including “ensuring that leaders prioritise precisely the aspects of provision that need the most improvement”; “improving the quality of teaching to address shortcomings”; “ensuring that there is a well-co-ordinated and understood approach to the progressive development of pupils’ skills”; and “improving school attendance.”

The school will draw up an action plan to show how it will address the recommendations and Estyn will work with the local authority to review the school’s progress.

Headteacher Daniel Owen said: “I would like to congratulate our wonderful pupils and staff on this smashing inspection report.

“It is heartening to read that inspectors found the school to be a ‘welcoming community, which provides pupils with effective care and guidance’.

“We are delighted that they were able to see that our hard-working pupils are respectful, courteous and engaged in their learning, and that our staff are passionate, knowledgeable and able to inspire.

“The recommendations align with our self-evaluation, for example, we are already working with local authority colleagues to install new perimeter fencing to make the site more secure during the school day.”