NEWTOWN High School has been put into special measures after a follow up inspection found that the school had not made enough progress since May 2015.

In February Estyn inspectors re-visited the school and produced a report with seven recommendations.

The school now has three months to make progress on the recommendations before Inspectors return again.

The recommendations, are:

1 - Improve performance at key stage four in the indicators that include English and Mathematics

2 - Improve attendance and reduce fixed term exclusions

3 - Improve provision for developing pupils' numeracy and ICT skills across the curriculum

4 - Improve the quality of teaching and assessment

5 - Review and strengthen the school's arrangements for tackling bullying

6 - Improve the quality and consistency of middle leadership to ensure that they secure sufficient improvements in standards and wellbeing within their areas of responsibility

7 - Improve the rigour and effectiveness of self-evaluation and improvement planning.

Reporting Inspector, Jayne Edwards, said: "Newtown High School is judged to have made insufficient progress in relation to the recommendations following the core inspection in May 2015.

"As a result, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales is increasing the level of follow-up activity.

"In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that special measures are required in relation to this school.

"The school will draw up an action plan to show how it's going to address the recommendations.

"Estyn inspectors will re-visit the school in about three months' time to inspect progress against the recommendations."

The inspectors said that school governors had not had enough involvement in the school's self-evaluation processes or in "monitoring robustly" progress against improvement plans made at departmental or whole school level.

Jayne Edwards, added: "In order to maintain and improve on this progress, the school should continue to sustain the level of progress it has already made and continue to address those inspection recommendations where further progress is required."

Powys County Council (PCC) said that education officers will be joined by "challenge advisors" from ERW, the regional education consortium to support Newtown High School and work to deliver "significant and rapid improvements."

Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, said: “This is disappointing but not unexpected news.

"A new management team at Newtown High School know the steps they need to take to ensure rapid improvement and the authority will be providing all necessary support for the school on their improvement journey.”

Peter Hough, Chairman of the School Governors, said; “The report clearly shows that insufficient progress has been made since the original inspection in 2015.

The new headteacher, who started in September, recognises the need for significant change and as Estyn say in the report 'has begun to introduce a series of suitable strategies to address important areas for improvement.'

"There is lots to be done and everyone involved with the school is determined to make the changes required to get the school out of special measures as soon as possible."