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| Pupils arrested in school protest | Pupils arrested in school protest |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Police have arrested three pupils after a protest at a secondary school, which until two weeks ago was classed as "failing". | Police have arrested three pupils after a protest at a secondary school, which until two weeks ago was classed as "failing". |
| About 150 students blocked the road in front of Pontllanfraith Comprehensive after staging a walk-out on Monday. | About 150 students blocked the road in front of Pontllanfraith Comprehensive after staging a walk-out on Monday. |
| Pupils have claimed a number of teachers at the Blackwood school were given redundancy notices last week. | Pupils have claimed a number of teachers at the Blackwood school were given redundancy notices last week. |
| Caerphilly local education authority said there were "necessary" changes to staffing levels under discussion. | Caerphilly local education authority said there were "necessary" changes to staffing levels under discussion. |
| A Welsh Assembly Government spokesperson said the education minister was "concerned about any actions that affect the education of young people in Wales as their learning is paramount". | |
| Monitoring | |
| Pontllanfraith was put into "special measures" in January 2007 but that ended two weeks ago after inspectors said the school had made good progress. | Pontllanfraith was put into "special measures" in January 2007 but that ended two weeks ago after inspectors said the school had made good progress. |
| Two boys and a girl were arrested during the demonstration outside the school for obstructing the highway and a public order offence. | Two boys and a girl were arrested during the demonstration outside the school for obstructing the highway and a public order offence. |
| Two have been released but a 15- year-old girl remains in police custody. | |
| Gwent Police said 10 officers were sent to the school. | Gwent Police said 10 officers were sent to the school. |
| Ten police officers were called to the protest | Ten police officers were called to the protest |
| William Graham, Conservative AM for South Wales East said teachers and pupils had worked "tremendously hard over the past year to raise standard at Pontllanfraith Comprehensive. | |
| "Together, they raised their school out of this situation, as acknowledged by Inspectors earlier this month. The bond of mutual support is demonstrated by today's protest," Mr Graham said. | |
| "It is a matter of regret that 'rightful expression of support by pupils for their teachers' has now been overshadowed by these arrests". | |
| School inspectors who visited from November 2006 said it had failed to hit required standards. | School inspectors who visited from November 2006 said it had failed to hit required standards. |
| There had previously been strike action by 35 teachers provoked by a row over extra responsibility payments. | There had previously been strike action by 35 teachers provoked by a row over extra responsibility payments. |
| A report in March found the school had improved enough not to require constant monitoring and the headteacher had a "clear vision" with "high expectations". | A report in March found the school had improved enough not to require constant monitoring and the headteacher had a "clear vision" with "high expectations". |
| "There is a positive learning ethos in most classrooms and little evidence of the low-level disruption evident at the time of the inspection in 2006," said the report. | "There is a positive learning ethos in most classrooms and little evidence of the low-level disruption evident at the time of the inspection in 2006," said the report. |
| "The number of recorded incidents of misbehaviour has reduced over a quarter compared with the same period a year ago. There has also been a reduction in fixed-term exclusions over the same period, with significantly fewer days lost from school." | "The number of recorded incidents of misbehaviour has reduced over a quarter compared with the same period a year ago. There has also been a reduction in fixed-term exclusions over the same period, with significantly fewer days lost from school." |