Llanwern High School, Newport

Llanwern High School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 1129 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

37% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 12% have additional learning needs (30% in 2020/21); 9% are learning English as an additional language; and 28% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 49 pupils (Year 13) to 234 (Year 8).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £7,358 per pupil, against £4,674 in 2021-22. It carried forward £912k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its July 2026 inspection summarises Llanwern High School like this:

"Staff at Llanwern High School work hard to offer pupils of all abilities and backgrounds a supportive environment based upon care and mutual respect. Many staff, at all levels, understand the school’s vision of providing ‘nurture, growth and success’. As a result, many pupils feel safe in school and behave appropriately in lessons. Despite some improvement since 2023-2024, pupils’ attendance has remained well below that of similar schools. Attendance in the sixth form is also too low. The school has suitable processes to help pupils with additional learning needs (ALN), including an alternative curriculum programme in a suitably calm environment. However, not all of these pupils have sufficient access to mainstream provision. Pupils with autistic spectrum condition are supported appropriately in the school’s specialist resource base. Most of them develop positive attitudes to learning and many make at least the progress expected."

"In a majority of lessons, teaching helps pupils to make the progress they should while a very few, mostly older pupils, make stronger progress. In these lessons, purposeful relationships between teachers and pupils create a generally productive and supportive atmosphere. This helps pupils to engage with their learning and feel less anxiety about making errors. In a minority of lessons, shortcomings in teaching do not allow pupils to make the progress they could. This is usually because teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do and how they should behave are too low. The school’s coordination of and provision for the progressive development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are underdeveloped. Overall, there are limited opportunities for pupils to apply and develop these skills in worthwhile and appropriately challenging contexts. This includes reading, though the school does recognise the importance of it to pupils’ attainment, life chances and well-being. The school’s senior leaders have started to establish a positive culture around improved behaviour and attendance."

"Most leaders at all levels are strongly committed to the school. However, their roles and responsibilities are not equitable, and they are not all held to account robustly enough for the quality of their work. As a result, the effectiveness of leadership is too variable across the school. #April 2026 Prudent financial management has secured a stable and sustainable financial situation that benefits the school. Grant funding is used appropriately though currently the impact on the outcomes of pupils eligible for free school meals remains below that of similar schools. Governors are committed advocates for the school, though their understanding of the school’s work is too limited. The inspection team brought a couple of safeguarding issues to the school’s attention."

Estyn made 6 recommendations: (1) Address the safeguarding issues identified during the inspection; (2) Improve attendance; (3) Improve teaching so that all pupils are challenged to make good progress; (4) Strengthen the leadership of, and provision for, the progressive development of pupils’ reading, oracy and writing skills across the curriculum; (5) Strengthen the leadership of, and provision for, the progressive development of pupils’ numeracy skills in relevant subjects; (6) Strengthen processes for self-evaluation, improvement planning and accountability.

Estyn follow-up status: Significant Improvement.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Llanwern High School are Lliswerry High School (1.3 miles), St Julian's School (2 miles), Caerleon Comprehensive School (2 miles) and Newport High School (3.8 miles).

The nearest railway station is Newport (S Wales) Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

5 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Llanwern High School (near), 30 metres away.