SCHOOL inspectors have taken a pupil referral unit (PRU) in Newport out of special measures.

The Bridge Achievement Centre has been judged by Estyn to have made "sufficient progress" in meeting recommendations set by inspectors three years ago.

The centre works with pupils who have social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and are of primary or secondary school age. There were 100 students at the centre when Estyn visited in 2018.

Then, the inspection team praised the "positive relationships" staff fostered with pupils but said the quality of teaching was "too variable" and lacked planning. The school's safeguarding procedures were also "a serious cause for concern", Estyn said in 2018, when inspectors said the centre needed "urgent improvement" across the board.

But following a recent monitoring visit, Estyn inspectors were satisfied the situation had improved in all areas.

Reorganisation at the centre has led to progress in "strengthening leadership" and "leaders have a clear vision for the PRU, which is successfully communicated and shared by all staff", they said in their 2022 report.

Safeguarding at the centre is now "robust and clearly communicated" with staff, and "there is growing evidence of increasing pupil engagement and decreasing incidents of pupils’ behaviour".

A points system to reward good behaviour is "well understood by all pupils" and "incidents of pupil behaviour interrupting learning are reducing" at the centre.

A "strong working partnership" with Careers Wales and local colleges and training providers means  that "over the last four years, there has been a significant reduction in Report of visit – Bridge Achievement Centre March 2022 5 the number of pupils not in education, employment, or training (NEET) when they leave the PRU", the Estyn team said.

There have also been no permanent exclusions since the last inspection in 2018, the inspectors noted.

"The Bridge Achievement Centre is judged to have made sufficient progress in relation to the recommendations following the most recent core inspection," Estyn concluded. "As a result, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales is removing the PRU from the list of PRUs requiring special measures."