<p>The Schools Challenge Cymru Programme</p>

Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education – in the Senedd at 2:17 pm on 2 November 2016.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 2:17, 2 November 2016

Coleg Cymunedol y Dderwen in my constituency in Ynysawdre was put under Schools Challenge Cymru in 2015. In a remarkably short time, under a new executive headteacher, Nick Brain, with strong leadership right throughout the school, not only with Nick, but throughout the school now, under Schools Challenge Cymru, this year it had a record-breaking year of GCSE results: 93 per cent of students achieving at least five GCSE grades A* to C—34 per cent higher than the year previously; 56 per cent of students achieving the gold standard of at least five GCSE grades A* to C; and, in short, the best results achieved in the short history of Coleg Cymunedol y Dderwen or its two predecessor schools of Ogmore and Ynysawdre comprehensives. So, to echo the comments of my colleagues who’ve spoken previously, Vikki and Paul, how do we build on that success to make sure that that is now continued long into the future, so that all of my pupils, no matter where they live, no matter what background they come from, have the very best opportunity in life?