Mountain Ash Comprehensive School

Out of all schools in the area, MACS has to be one of the worst ones for almost every single aspect. A lot of the teachers (especially SLT and support staff) are rude and obnoxious to their pupils for the majority of the time. If you need to get sent home due to being ill or for medical reasons, you often have to go through at least an hour long process of trying to find the staff that are actually able to authorise absences. Even after this, the chances are you won't be allowed to go home and will get punished for suggesting such a horrible thing (simply to go home). The internal doors now lock in between lesson and weren't tested before installation meaning that on the next fire drill, they were locked - surely this is an extreme safety hazard right? You also are not allowed to fill up any water bottles in between lessons even if you are under the weather and going to the toilet is often discouraged during lessons (which would be understandable if the toilets were actually monitored properly during breaks and lunches). The school is going extremely downhill and with the possibility of the sixth form closing, many of the teachers are saying they are going to leave anyway. The kitchen staff themselves also have even complained about the things they have to put up with due to the poor monitoring of the kids especially during the busy break and dinner queues. The majority of SLT and support staff are useless, there's an "anti-bullying league", however, when concerns are raised they will tell you that there's nothing they can do (so what is the point of it existing?). SLT are often rude with most of them believing that respect should just be given to them even when they approach students with rude tones and attitude themselves. The school is extremely underfunded leaving the school with gaps for staff and the quality of the school itself. There is only one physics teacher meaning that teachers from other parts of the school have to fill in to teach subjects despite not usually teaching them. Complaints (especially bullying) are never taken seriously with the worst punishment being isolation (which is a more preferable environment than the classroom anyway), or a 5 minute talk from SLT outside the classroom where the student is able to deny any allegations even if there is proof. Every morning, you get looked up and down by the SLT who are standing at the pupil entrance just so they can check for the correct uniform. The uniform code itself is ridiculous with students being punished for white socks, 1mm piercings, a few strands of coloured hair and even black trainers with logos or white bottoms. Not only this, even once you report a teacher for acting inappropriately it also won't be taken seriously with a small talking from a higher-up member of staff. On some occasions, the school has totally ignored complaints from parents despite it being over e-mail with evidence of the situation. Fights happen often with the local community police sometimes having to come into the school due to the school's poor way of dealing with pupil's wellbeing and social issues. The school itself cares more about its image and reputation than the actual pupils in the school with many pupils able to get away with disrespecting the staff and other pupils. The learning environment within MACS is dirty and loud. In many classes, pupils are able to misbehave, scream and run around the classrooms - some of this can even be heard through the walls when you are in class. The cleaners only clean the floors with the exception of a few tables during covid. The teachers are expected to take their own recycling out even though this should probably be the cleaners job. In all fairness, I have the upmost respect for the teachers that do work here as some of the pupils themselves are absolutely disrespectful and downright rude. Though, it is a shame that the SLT especially lets this aspect down. The journey between classes is often also dangerous with narrow unmonitored hallways and busy stairs. Some children push and shove people in the corridor, even down the stairs which you would think would be a huge safety concern considering the school's motto is "Ready, Respectful, Safe". If you are thinking about sending your child here, especially if they are likely to be a victim of bullying - don't even bother. I wouldn't be surprised if this school gets put in special measures at some point either way so you might as well send them to a better (not perfect of course) school like ACS or St Johns. For me personally, this school has been utter hell and it has put me off even attending Sixth Form here (in which they heavily try to pressure their pupils to go to). It has gotten to the point where they have decided to even split form classes into more-abled and less-abled pupils with the intent of trying to advertise more "helpful" advice for people who are performing better in school. The target grades set for pupils are also complete rubbish as they are set by one of the deputy headteachers who doesn't even teach them - this could easily set back someone's confidence. Despite the multiple complaints from teachers themselves, this issue has not been resolved. The majority of the people around me, who have also had similar experiences to me also wish that they had never went to this school. Some of them have even made the decision to move schools due to how awful this school is. To end off, I would also like to mention the fact that there is no communication between any of the staff in this school. There is absolutely zero between departments, SLT, teachers themselves, pastoral and reception - which I believe would be one of the major things that this school needs to change before it even becomes bearable for the pupils and other staff.

This review is specifically about the dangerous snow and ice in and by the school on 20/11/2024 and 21/11/2024. My child attends this school and there was black ice everywhere on the way to school, to the point I had to walk to school with them to assure them it was okay. In the school, my child told me that they had to close the fire yard due to ice which could have been harmful if there was a fire, many people were slipping in school and on the way and the school did nothing to solve these problems. They didn’t close the school, put grit down or anything. They clearly do not care about their pupils.

Where do I start? This school is falling apart while others have modern areas. Students are forced to walk in an environment where classrooms are falling apart while the staff have been given a new and modern staff room!!! One IT teacher (R.H.) favourites one student by letting them go in their phone, letting them keep their coat on while everyone else who does that gets told off! Constant supply teachers as staff are always off, the food is disgusting and barely edible.

This place should be shut down. The teachers are horrible. They literally lock the toilets. It is horrible.

awful place, didn’t do anything about the bad people in the school and actually stays on their side and protects them, the teachers are awful, the hygiene in the girls toilets is disgusting, the place is falling apart, they don’t let us to go the toilet and actually LOCKS them, and one science teacher gives the whole class detention even though one class member acts out. the place should be shut down because its more of a prison than a school