Head credits strict discipline for turnaround at Caldicot School in south Wales

A headteacher who imposed a strict discipline regime at a troubled south Wales secondary school says recent exam gains show the measures have worked, after the school reported substantial rises in GCSE and A‑level performance.

Figures released by Caldicot School in Monmouthshire show GCSE scores this summer rose by 14 points — described by the school as equivalent to nearly two-and-a-half grades per pupil — and 39% of A‑level grades were A or A*. The 1,300‑pupil comprehensive also reported a 15% increase in university applications, with every applicant securing a place.

Alun Ebenezer, 50, took over the school last year as an emergency appointment after a period in which staff staged repeated strikes over violent incidents and disorder, according to school and union accounts. Ebenezer said he introduced a package of measures — stricter uniform rules including a return to blazers, Saturday detentions, larger "university‑style" maths classes of up to 60 pupils to cope with teacher shortages, house choir competitions and rewards for good attendance — to rebuild discipline and school culture.

"Caldicot is not chasing trends," Ebenezer said in a statement released by the school. "It is building a culture where every child belongs, every child can achieve, and every child matters." He added that his aim was to change behaviour and expectations after the school had been "effectively run by its students," a characterisation previously cited by teacher unions.

Parents and staff previously criticised some of Ebenezer's earlier actions and those taken since his arrival. He was widely described in some local media and by parents as the "headmaster from hell" after incidents that included sending dozens of pupils home in one day for uniform breaches, and reports that girls arriving at school were confronted with wet wipes and nail clippers and had skirt lengths measured. Ebenezer defended strict uniform enforcement and other sanctions, saying lapses in discipline "lead to carnage."

Before taking the Caldicot post he had led other schools where his zero‑tolerance approach drew attention. Reports from previous headships include placing pupils in isolation for uniform infractions and enforcing hair regulations that prompted controversy. Ebenezer, a teacher for 27 years who grew up in Beaufort, Blaenau Gwent, said his background informed his approach: "You learn from the past," he said.

School leaders say the combination of measures produced quick changes in attendance, punctuality and classroom standards. Ebenezer told reporters that after introducing Saturday detentions even some of the most unwilling pupils attended, arriving in full uniform, which he said demonstrated the plan's immediate impact. The school did not supply a detailed breakdown of how the 14‑point GCSE increase was calculated.

Teaching unions and some parents have pushed back on the harder line at Caldicot, saying heavy sanctions can alienate pupils and families. National education groups caution that sustained improvements commonly rest on a mix of resources, staffing stability and pastoral support as well as behavioural expectations. Caldicot's decision to hold larger maths classes was partly a response to teacher shortages, the head said, and was accompanied by other targeted interventions to support attainment.

The school subject to the changes serves a diverse community and had been described as struggling before Ebenezer's arrival. Union statements at the time said staff had repeatedly walked out citing assaults and a lack of pupil management; the school says its new systems have reduced incidents and improved morale, though independent verification of incident rates was not published alongside the exam figures.

Ebenezer has also spent the past two-and-a-half years advising other schools on leadership and culture, work he said complemented his role at Caldicot. The school said it will continue to monitor progress and publish further outcomes in coming months. Officials at the local education authority declined to comment beyond confirming they had supported the school's leadership changes last year.

The case at Caldicot highlights a wider debate in Britain about the balance between disciplinary measures and inclusive approaches in secondary schools, and about how best to reverse poor outcomes where behaviour and staffing problems are entrenched. Caldicot's leaders say the recent exam improvements demonstrate that firm expectations can lift attainment; critics and some education experts say long‑term gains require sustained investment in staff, pupil support and community engagement alongside behaviour policies.