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Porthcawl Comprehensive School is an English-medium 11 to 18 mixed comprehensive school with 1,221 pupils, including 229 in the sixth form. The school serves the community of Porthcawl and its surrounding villages. Around 8.5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, and 9% are on the special educational needs register. The headteacher has been in post since 2013, supported by two deputy headteachers and other senior staff.

The school is a caring community that supports pupils to become ethical and informed citizens. The senior leadership team provides strong strategic direction, and staff know their pupils well, providing timely support and guidance. Teachers plan and deliver engaging lessons, and pupils participate in an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. The school's provision for health, wellbeing, social, and moral development is enhanced by contributions from partners, and pupils have opportunities to shape the curriculum and enrichment programme.

The inspection judgement found the school to be "Good" in standards, wellbeing and attitudes to learning, teaching and learning experiences, and leadership and management, with "Excellent" care, support, and guidance. Recommendations include reducing variation in teaching and assessment, widening opportunities for Welsh language skills, and sharpening self-evaluation and improvement planning. The school will draw up an action plan to address these recommendations.