Brynteg Comprehensive School provides its pupils with an inclusive, caring environment where the values of ‘respect, independence, community, kindness’ are an integral part of school life. A range of beneficial support is carefully planned to meet the social and emotional needs of pupils. For example, the ‘Dyfodol’ provision offers a safe, nurturing place for vulnerable pupils to thrive and make progress. In many cases, well-planned lessons delivered by teachers passionate about their subject help pupils to make sound progress in their knowledge, understanding and skills. In a few instances, particularly effective teaching enables pupils to make strong progress. In the few lessons where expectations are not high enough, pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The school is developing an ambitious, innovative Key Stage 3 curriculum. This aims to provide pupils with rich, authentic learning experiences that inspire them to be creative, independent learners. This is a long-term, ongoing project that leaders continue to adapt and develop. Valuable opportunities for pupils to practise and develop their literacy and digital skills across the curriculum support pupils’ progress well, although numeracy provision is less well developed. Despite the challenges arising from the school’s notably large site, leaders have, in general, secured a sound culture of safeguarding. However, arrangements regarding pupils leaving the site at lunchtime are not robust enough. Leadership has secured some important improvements to the work of the school. For example, rates of attendance, including those of pupils eligible for free school meals, improved well last year, although overall attendance remains slightly below that of similar schools. Arrangements for line management, self-evaluation and improvement planning are generally rigorous and robust. However, in a few instances, staff are not held to account with sufficient consistency and leaders do not plan for improvement precisely enough. A range of strategies to reduce the impact of poverty have a positive impact on the well-being and progress of pupils from low-income households.