PRESTATYN High School has been taken out of monitoring by education watchdogs after making “good progress”.

Following an Estyn review, the school was judged to have made sufficient progress in addressing the recommendations from the section 28 [October 2014] inspection.

Estyn wrote to the school saying it was satisfied that it no longer needs monitoring.

The letter says: “The school has been removed from the list of schools requiring Estyn review. There will be no further monitoring activity in relation to this inspection.”

An inspection report from 2014 deemed both the school’s performance and prospects for improvement as “adequate”.

Key recommendations were: To raise standards in KS4 outcomes including English and Maths (L2+); to improve the accuracy and presentation of pupils’ writing; to improve attendance rates and reduced persistent absenteeism; to improve the behaviour of pupils; to improve the quality and consistency of teaching and assessment; to improve the accountability and consistency of leadership at all levels and to improve self-evaluation and improvement planning.

Neil Foley took over as headteacher of the school last year. He took over the reins from Phil Pierce who spent 20 years at the school, the last 10 as headteacher.

Speaking to the Journal last year, he said it was his mission to make Prestatyn High “not just the best school in Wales but in North England and beyond”.

A spokesman for Prestatyn High said the school has worked tirelessly on improving these recommendations and had made significant progress in all areas.

“Estyn have recently judged our school as having made good progress due to the aspirational work that takes place every day. It is an ideal time to raise standards further and improve how the school presents itself in the community,” the spokesman said.

“Estyn have now recognised all the hard work put in and the fantastic results the school, staff and most importantly – our year 11s – achieved last summer.

“This judgement by Estyn is a great endorsement of what the school is doing well and we will now have the time to make sure the school achieves its full potential, becoming the outstanding school the community, parents and most importantly the pupils and students of Prestatyn deserve.”