RUTHIN High School’s new headmaster has vowed to bring back ‘communication and connection’ between the school, pupils, parents and the local community.

The school was in danger of falling into disrepute when former principal Toby Belfield was sacked in February after sending inappropriate texts to female pupils.

However, the independent school’s new head, Paul Wallace-Woodroffe, is aiming to re-connect it with the community, whilst maintaining its ‘excellent academic standards’.

The 60-year-old has made big changes within the school; scrapping Saturday exams and three-day half terms and staff are encouraged to share ideas rather than follow orders as they had done previously.

Talking about what attracted him to the role,Wallace-Woodroffe, said: “It’s the challenge of it. I, like many others, was aware of the situation at the school beforehand, but this is a school with real positive qualities.

“I felt that, even when the issues were explained to me, Ruthin High School had massive potential and I thought things really could get going very quickly here.

“The school’s reputation wasn’t really damaged as such, I think, all the staff and all the pupils and parents knew that fundamentally the school itself was still excellent.”

Denbighshire Free Press:

PICTURE: Ruthin High School.

Before arriving at the 350-pupil Ruthin High School in April, Mr Wallace-Woodroffe, who has over 35 years experience in the education sector, spent the last few years as head of Wycombe Abbey International School in China and Hong Kong.

He then moved to the North Wales from Cumbria, having previously lived in London.

Mr Wallace-Woodroffe said he's reinstating things which had previously been abandoned, such as parent meetings and social events to encourage a 'strong sense of community'.

Since arriving at Ruthin High School, he has overhauled what they offer to pupils in forms one, two and three, providing them with a much wider range of interests academically and sporting wise.

Further up the school, he aims to 'drive the academic standards' by tailoring to the demands of each subject. Mr Wallace-Woodroffe added: "Some work better with tests, and others less well, so we're aiming to tailor them appropriately.

"The other big change is that I’ve empowered the staff to take responsibility. whereas before this was all micro-managed by the head, which is not how you should run a school.

"We’ve also given half terms back to parents and teachers. They had been shortened to being three days long, which is really unacceptable. In a school that’s really good, children and teachers, should by half term be tired and these half terms should rejuvenate, regenerate and refresh them."

Another challenge faced immediately by Mr Wallace-Woodroffe upon his arrival at Ruthin High School was the coronavirus outbreak.

Despite this, the school has provided support to children of key-workers, as well as remote learning and is running 70% of a full academic timetable which includes setting homework, projects and assignments.

Former head Mr Belfield’s strict rules about relationships raised a few eyebrows before he was sacked. Asked on whether or not such rules would be changed under his leadership, Mr Wallace-Woodroffe said: "We will run the school now as any other good boarding school is run, we understand we are working with youngsters, many of whom are teenagers and therefore our approach is sensible. we look at every sit. on individual basis.

"To have rules that are rigid or out of date is unacceptable. The main shift will be in the ethos of the school, but we will maintain our excellent academic standards, whilst also driving a much more engaged and dynamic education, and critically, we will involve our parents in that.

"Communication and connection with the local community and our own parents is really important."