Estyn, His Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales, has given this school a Grade 1 overall assessment, the highest available. They described it as "a good school with a significant number of outstanding features that is going from strength to strength under the leadership of its head, David Swallow". Outstanding features of the school include the relationships between teachers and pupils and the quality of care, support and guidance students receive. Children make outstanding progress in their moral and social development in a school that is an orderly and respectful community. Standards of behaviour are very good. In spring 2006 Barry Comprehensive was named the most improved school in Wales for the third year running. Barry Comprehensive had the second most improved Key Stage Four results in Wales, 2002 and was also the most improved school in the South Wales region. The school was one of several chosen to pilot the Welsh Baccalaureate. The School have introduced an innovative numeracy mentoring scheme with staff from the local chemical plant
Dow Corning working with Year 8 boys. Barry Comprehensive has twinned with
De Soysa Vidyalaya Moratuwa of
Sri Lanka. In September 2012, Mr. Gerard McNamara took over as head teacher. ==As a filming location==