Inspectors found the Tai Education Centre needs none of the usual recommendations for areas to improve
A unit for children expelled from school in Rhondda Cynon Taf has been judged near perfect in a glowing report from inspectors. Estyn gave a rare accolade to the Tai Educational Centre judging that it needs none of the usual recommendations for improvement. Such a report is rare for a mainstream school let alone for a school teaching pupils with the most challenging behaviour.
The pupil referral unit in Penygraig takes children from RCT and neighbouring areas, some of whom have been kicked out of school. Its 55 pupils are aged five to 11 and experience social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Many pupils come to the pupil referral unit after struggling in mainstream education, but then thrive, inspectors said.
Nearly all pupils during their time at the PRU make strong and in a few cases exceptionally strong progress in their learning, behaviour, emotional development and attendance.
While school absence and poor behaviour have grown across Wales since the pandemic both are being tackled well at Tai.
Behaviour at the centre is “exemplary” and attendance runs at 90%, far above many schools and year groups. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
All pupils attending the cente have additional learning needs, more than one in five are looked after by the local authority and 53% are entitled to free school meals, far higher than the national average.
Despite those challenges nearly all pupils during their time at the PRU make strong and in a few cases exceptionally strong progress in their learning, behaviour, emotional development and attendance, Estyn said.
“Through inclusive, engaging, and individually tailored learning experiences, nearly all pupils develop a renewed love of learning,” Estyn’s report says, “this sense of achievement builds confidence and encourages positive attitudes toward themselves as successful learners.”
Nearly all pupils at the centre significantly improve their social skills and make “strong progress” in literacy, numeracy, behaviour, and communication. Inspectors who visited found the children are “enthusiastic in class, and display improved self-worth and resilience”.
Staff follow and implement a clear behaviour policy and anticipate challenges well. This works as “pupils act with kindness and respect” and incidents of challenging behaviour decrease, and exclusions are avoided.
Teachers track pupils’ progress closely setting “ambitious but realistic targets” based on their individual needs.
“Learning is joyful, and pupils participate with enthusiasm,” the report adds, Staff are extremely skilled in developing pupils’ love of learning. It is especially effective as most of the pupils have previously struggled to engage in learning.”
The “skilful support of staff” means children learn to regulate their emotions which helps their progess.
The children get personalised support through their Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and regular reviews with their parents and carers.
Leadership at the centre is “inspirational”, there is a strong ethos of “respect, community, and high expectations”. Pupils feel safe,confident and well-prepared, parents and carers feel well supported and finances are “thoughtfully allocated”.
Behaviour has become such a major problem at schools across Wales that the Welsh Government has launched a group to look at the issue and staff have taken industrial action in some areas.
At Tai the “clear and robust behaviour management policy” means potential issues are anticipated and avoided, the report says.
“The PRU has a highly effective approach to supporting pupil behaviour, which reflects the ethos of the whole provision. There is a clear and robust behaviour management policy and a range of supportive strategies used consistently by all staff. This promotes a calm and nurturing atmosphere that aids pupil learning well. “
Inspectors found that staff “skilfully anticipate challenges and explicitly model expectations” while “explicit teaching of emotional intelligence” helps pupils modify behaviour.
“Nearly all pupils improve their behaviour, self-worth and resilience as a direct consequence of the pastoral support and specialist interventions that are used extremely well across the PRU.
“Behaviour around the PRU is exemplary, including at break times. Incidents of challenging behaviour are decreasing, and there has been a notable absence of fixed-term exclusions for a several years.”
Although many of Tai’s pupils don’t transition back into full-time mainstream education and require further specialist provision the centre’s leaders have an expert understanding of the wide range of potential destinations for year six leavers.
A well-established programme of transition planning is in place, including regular meetings with parents and carers, and extensive work with external partners, Estyn found.
