Ken Skates put on the spot during Maelor School, Penley, Q&A session

CLWYD South AM Ken Skates got a grilling from pupils at one of the country’s best-performing schools.

Labour AM Mr Skates visited the Maelor School in Penley on Friday (January 24), which moved up from band three to two in the Welsh Government’s most recent tables.

The updated bandings, released in December, showed 76.3% of GCSE pupils at the Maelor achieved at least five A*-C grades including English and maths.

Mr Skates said: “The Maelor is an excellent school, and its superb performance in recent years is testament to that. I always enjoy my visits there, and it was great to meet such an enthusiastic group of pupils and discuss a variety of topics.”

The Wrexham-born AM was quizzed by Key Stage 3 children from the school council, and headteacher Simon Ellis said the question and answer session provided an interesting insight into the inner workings of the National Assembly.

Mr Skates added: “We discussed careers, why I stood for election and what aspects I enjoy most about the job, one of which is visiting local schools and engaging with young people and helping them learn about democracy and who represents them.

“We also talked about what help is offered to children leaving care and other vulnerable young people. I was really impressed with how inquisitive the pupils were and the range of topics they raised, and I hope they enjoyed the afternoon as much as I did.”

Mr Ellis said: “The pupils were delighted to be able to find out more about Welsh Assembly politics and what life is like as an AM, and Ken then had a tour of the school with myself. It was great to have the opportunity to discuss the school and the tremendous progress we have made over the past few years and to share how we have raised standards and improved students’ employability skills.”