“Signifianct improvement” is needed at a specialist school in Powys which is at the centre of a whistleblowing incident and could still be closed as part of budget cuts.

In May, education watchdog Estyn inspected the Powys Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) which is split between two sites, with one in Brecon and the other in Newtown.

Pupils attend PRUs for a range of reasons including exclusion from mainstream school due to behavioural and mental health issues and illness.

They cater for those either at risk or permanently excluded from schools from across Powys.

Estyn said: “The local authority does not have a clear strategic vision or improvement plan for the PRU.

“As a result, leaders at the PRU are unclear of their roles and contribution within the local authority to support pupils accessing education other than at school.”

“Leadership arrangements differ across the two sites.

“At the Newtown site, there has been considerable change to the senior leadership team for a significant period of time.

“This negatively impacts the ability of leaders to effectively plan for improvement, provide sustained support for staff and establish processes and systems at this site.”

The education watchdog will monitor the PRU’s progress for the next year.