[7] The school was criticised, in February 2008, after pupils aged 13 were instructed by a teacher to write imaginary suicide notes for an English lesson in order to "get into the mind of a troubled teenager".

The headmaster of the school stated that "the task was a 'spontaneous piece of writing' where children were asked not to turn over the page to find out what the letter said - but to write their own version of the suicide note" and "the teacher setting the text did not associate the task with news stories but considered it part of the textual study of a serious book dealing with serious issues in a serious way".

Several relatives of the recently deceased Bridgend teenagers expressed their sorrow and regret that the unsuitable subject featured in a school project for such young children.

[8] In September 2016, the school was subject to scrutiny following media coverage of 30 year old IT teacher Richard Shore's 'sexually motivated' relationship with a 17-year-old student.

[10] However, in December 2020 a member of the school's IT department, Richard Edmunds (see above), was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in Newport's Crown Court for grooming female students to obtain indecent photographs.

[12] The report aims to raise awareness of rape culture in education and all of the institutions listed were named in testimonials submitted by survivors.

Estyn no longer provides headline rankings,[13] however the 2024 inspection can be judged as more successful if going by the 2 recommendations put forwards in 2024, compared to the 5 action points of 2016.

[14] In the Wales Region Hard Track Cycling Championships held in July 2006, a pupil won the under-14 Girls' Omnium.

[16] The Band continued touring, and headed to Chicago in August 2008.,[17] for a packed week of events including a performance at the North American Welsh Festival and the Field Museum.