EXCLUSIVEHow £34million high school went from new-build hope to hellish fight club where teachers are regularly attacked after fish and chip shop head and his successor walk away
A newly-built £34million high school has been the centre of a teacher strike as staff claim it is plagued by violence, assaults, internal truancy, children swearing, vaping and kicking doors down.
There were high hopes for the Pencoedtre High School in Barry, South Wales, as London-based architects drew the design featuring large open balconies around a central 'heart space' dining hall, main hall and courtyard.
But part of the violence is being blamed on its new layout, which has a Pupil Referral Unit for troublesome children in the centre of the building.
And teachers who dread going to work for fear of being assaulted by unruly pupils have resorted to strike action today, despite sub-zero temperatures, as a union leader described conditions as 'virtual anarchy'.
Some of the allegations include children telling teachers to 'F off' and damaging property - incidents which 'grind down' staff.
The latest incident allegedly saw a male teacher suffering bruised ribs while breaking up a scrap between two girls during lesson time. Union leaders claim the teacher called for back-up but no one arrived to help for 20 minutes.
Some teachers say they have been treated 'like punch bags' at the 1,100 pupil school in the town famous for TV family comedy Gavin and Stacey.
And Debra Thomas who was brought in as Executive Headteacher last September suddenly stepped down amid claims she received 'little support' from Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Teachers at Pencoedtre High School in Barry, South Wales are striking despite sub zero temperatures
Teachers who dread going to work for fear of being assaulted by unruly pupils have resorted to strike action today
Union official Sharron Daly said children are damaging property and swearing at staff
A staggering 136 exclusions have taken place at the 1,100 pupil school since the start of the new year in September
Members of the NASUWT walked out today in protest at the school failing to protect teachers from the alleged daily violence and unruly behaviour.
They say the biggest problem is internal truancy where pupils attend but skive off lessons and wander the corridors causing trouble.
One teacher said: 'It's got that many of us dread going in - there is a nasty atmosphere and regular violence. It's really hard and it grinds you down.
'It's not all the kids - 95 per cent of the children come in and get on with it. They want to learn.
'But there are fights, children running around kicking doors, vaping in the toilets. I regularly get told to F-off.
'We've had occasions where one pupil wants to fight another and you have to lock pupils inside the classroom to protect one of them.'
Teachers have been in negotiations with school management and the Vale of Glamorgan Council but say they have been badly let down.
One teacher, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: 'The school claims it has an action plan but we haven't seen it.
'The biggest problem is the school says it's making policies to stop what's going on but we are not seeing that on the ground.'
Another teacher told Mail Online: 'Good pupils who are one day going to go to university are complaining that their lessons are being disrupted.
'They are not getting the best school experience which they deserve.'
Members of the NASUWT walked out today in protest at the school failing to protect teachers from the alleged daily violence and unruly behaviour
They say the biggest problem is internal truancy where pupils attend but skive off lessons and wander the corridors causing trouble
A staggering 136 exclusions have taken place since September last year when the new term began.
And the NASUWT claims there were 50 breaches of Health and Safety regulations at the school last term.
Former head teacher Lee Humphreys previously raised eyebrows by running two chip shops with his wife, Sam, on top of his job at the school.
The father-of-two opened Fish Kitchen 1854 in Maesycwmmer, South Wales, in 2018 after spotting a former Chinese takeaway was up for auction.
He insisted the unlikely moonlighting arrangement suited his day job at Pencoedtre High School as it helped him connect with the 1,300 pupils.
But Mr Humphreys later admitted he underestimated how tough it would be working two jobs at once when he was in the takeaway every evening.
He left in April last year with teacher Leanne Pownall taking over as acting head.
Debra Thomas, the head of nearby Cowbridge Comprehensive School, was brought in as Executive Headteacher last September but suddenly stepped down amid claims she received 'little support' from Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Cllr Rhys Thomas, who is the Chair of the Learning and Culture Scrutiny Committee, said: 'These developments are hugely concerning and show that the Vale Council have failed to take responsibility.
'Debra Thomas faced a huge challenge sorting out problems at Pencoedtre School and got little support from the Council who have sought to avoid blame at every turn.
'It's time for the Council to finally step up to the plate, otherwise it's teachers and children who will continue to suffer.'
It's understood the school is bringing in extra staff to deal with its internal truancy problem.
Ninety-five per cent of the teachers at the school have voted in favour of strike action and 40 picketed at the school gates today.
Former headteacher Lee Humphreys (pictured) dons an apron to work in his own fish and chip shop by night
Locals supporting their industrial action beeped their horns and waved as they went past
Union official Sharron Daly said: 'Gangs of children are roaming the corridors with no adult supervision. It's virtual anarchy'
NASUWT claimed teachers 'dread' working at the school
Locals supporting their industrial action beeped their horns and waved as they went past.
Only about 100 children in their GCSE year were told to attend with almost 1,000 pupils staying home. Two more strikes are planned for next week.
Union official Sharron Daly said: 'Gangs of children are roaming the corridors with no adult supervision. It's virtual anarchy.
'On Monday there was a fight between two pupils and one of our members suffered bruising trying to separate them.
'They followed procedures but the support they needed did not come.
'More than 100 internal truancies have been recorded in one day - that's in a school of just over 1,000 pupils. It's massive.
'They are damaging property, vaping, swearing at staff. We will continue to strike over pupil indiscipline and a lack of management response.'
NASUWT claimed teachers 'dread' working at the school - with 50 serious health and safety incidents reported to have taken place since the start of the academic year.
Teachers said the central location of the school's 'Successful Futures Centre' enables big groups of children to interact, causing fights
The open-plan design has been contributing to poor behaviour, according to NASUWT
Sharron Daly, a union official, claimed staff at the school were striking because 'they feel at the end of their tether' over issues with behaviour from the children.
'The building is not fit for purpose. The physical make-up of the building is not going to help this situation and the situation needs to change,' she said.
According to The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), the open-plan design of the school has been feeding into the bad behaviour.
Teachers said the central location of the school's 'Successful Futures Centre' enables big groups of children to interact, causing fights.
National executive member of NASUWT, Mark Harris, said: 'The design of the new school buildings is remarkably poor.'
Architects HLM designed the school paid for by the Welsh Government. The company previously said: 'The new school will improve the social and cultural well-being of its users and facilitate a larger range of different learning requirements, intertwining both social and educational environments – a school for boys and girls to thrive.'
Staff at the Welsh school went on strike last Wednesday and today, and more walkouts are set to happen on January 24, 25, 31 and February 1 if matters are not resolved.
A joint statement to MailOnline from The Vale of Glamorgan Council and Pencoedtre High School says: 'Both the Council and school are disappointed by this strike action, which has caused further disruption to pupils at a time when many are preparing for important exams.
'The nature of negotiations with trade unions is that they are done in private and not through the media. To this end, the Council is committed to continuing the positive discussions with Trade Union colleagues in the appropriate forum, so that further strike action can be avoided.
'We are fully aware of the issues affecting staff and are working with the NASUWT to resolve them.
'The work taking place has been discussed with the trade union in regular meetings and includes steps to improve the working environment and update the school's behaviour policy.
Pencoedtre High School in Barry, South Wales has an open layout which is being blamed for behaviour issues at the school
'Following Estyn's recent visit, the Council, Senior Leaders and Governors are also committed to actioning the Post-inspection Action Plan (PIAP). This includes improving the provision to address the behaviour of a minority of pupils who have trauma-related issues.
'Staff and pupil safety is of the highest importance and any incidents that impact this are taken extremely seriously.
'They are subject to robust investigation and accurate recording, with subsequent action taken in line with appropriate policies.
'These include the school's Disciplinary Policy, Welsh Government Statutory Guidance for Exclusions and the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act.
'There are lockdown procedures in place at the school to deal with significant incidents and these are used proportionately.'
MailOnline previously contacted HLM for comment.
