Whitchurch High School Explained

Whitchurch High School
Coordinates:51.5134°N -3.2232°W
Head Label:Head teacher
Head:Nick John
Address:Penlline Road and Glan-y-Nant Terrace
Country:Wales
Postcode:CF14 2XJ
Urn:401880
Staff:248
Enrolment:2,400 approx
Lower Age:11
Upper Age:18
Colours:Grey Jumpers/Blazers and White Shirts. Blue and Yellow Ties (Lower school) & Maroon and Yellow Ties (Upper school)
Free Label 1:Predecessor schools
Free Label 2:Former pupils
Free 2:Old Whitchonians
Free Label 3:Estyn
Free 3:Reports

Whitchurch High School (Welsh: Ysgol Uwchradd yr Eglwys Newydd) is a large, co-educational, comprehensive secondary school in the suburb of Whitchurch in Cardiff, Wales.

Organisation and structure

The school is currently the largest in Wales (according to the school's last Estyn report) with 2,400 pupils. In accordance with the three-tier system, it is divided between two sites, known as Upper and Lower. The Lower School site houses Years 7 to 9, with the Upper School providing facilities for years 10 and 11. The Upper School site also includes the Sixth Form Centre (Years 12 & 13).

The school's Leadership Team is composed of the headteacher, two deputy headteachers and five assistant headteachers. The current headteacher is Nick John, who took over from Mark Powell in September 2023.

The school's uniform consists of a yellow and grey blazer, with a blue tie for Lower School and a maroon tie for Upper School.

Funding

In 2015–16 the school budget per pupil was £4,411, amongst the lowest for secondary schools in Cardiff.[1] For the 2017–18 Academic Year this was further reduced, and local media reproduced a letter which had been sent out to parents by the Chair of Governors regarding the financial difficulties the school was experiencing.[2]

History

The first documented school in Whitchurch was on Old Church Road, opposite the now defunct St Mary's Church, adjacent to the Fox and Hounds Public House.[3] Known as 'the Fox school-room', it was started in the nineteenth century, and was joined by a few small privately run establishments to cater for the village's more affluent residents. The first half of the twentieth century saw the rapid growth of Whitchurch as a suburb of Cardiff, and with this growth came the need for more extensive educational provision. Under the terms of the Elementary Education Acts, Glamorgan County Council established the Whitchurch Elementary School on Glan-y-Nant Road (which later became Eglwys Newydd Primary), and then later in the 1930s a Secondary School on Glan-y-Nant Terrace as well as a Grammar School on Penlline Road. The current Whitchurch High School came into being in 1968, following the government circular of 1965, which replaced the existing tripartite system with comprehensive education. The new comprehensive school was created through a merger of the now well-established Whitchurch Grammar School, and Whitchurch County Secondary School, which had become a secondary modern school under the Butler Acts. The former Grammar School building became the Upper School, while the Secondary Modern became the Lower School. Like its predecessors, the school was co-educational and catered for a broad catchment area centred on the suburbs of Whitchurch, Rhiwbina and Tongwynlais in the northern part of Cardiff. The comprehensive school was initially run by Cardiff County Borough until the local government reform of 1974, which included Whitchurch in the new county of South Glamorgan. In 1996, the school reverted to Cardiff County Council, which became a unitary authority. Since merging both sites have seen extensive expansion, although both retain the original buildings as well as extensive playing fields. In September 2011, the school has been granted foundation status by the Welsh Assembly, following controversy over the local authority's proposals to reduce the school's intake.

The school's badge is a white church tower on a blue background with the surround 'Album Monasterium', the Latin name for Whitchurch.

In the 2010s, four former pupils reached the highest levels of their chosen sports; Sam Warburton captained Wales and the British and Irish Lions in Rugby Union, Gareth Bale played football for Real Madrid, Elliot Kear captained Wales in Rugby League and Geraint Thomas won two Olympic gold medals for cycling and won the 2018 Tour de France. All three had been coached by Steve Williams, a teacher at the school.[4] [5]

Curriculum

The school's Sixth Form school offers AS/A2 levels, a few stages of the Welsh Baccalaureate, and some vocational courses. Up until 2012, it was one of the few secondary schools in Wales to offer the International Baccalaureate.

Facilities

Extracurricular activities

Whitchurch has a strong sports department and has produced many athletes who have represented Wales or Great Britain in recent years.[6] [7]

The school was named Sports State School of the Year by 7th Annual Aviva Daily Telegraph "School Sports Matters" National Awards in November 2011 in recognition of its sporting achievements.[8] [9]

The Japanese School in Wales (ウェールズ補習授業校 Wēruzu Hoshū Jugyō Kō), a weekend Japanese educational programme, is held at Whitchurch High School.[10]

Notable former pupils of Whitchurch High School

Whitchurch Grammar School

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: A report on Whitchurch High School. Estyn. 30 December 2016. January 2016.
  2. Web site: Wales' biggest secondary school faces funding crisis. Katie-Ann. Gupwell. 25 March 2018.
  3. Edgar Chappell, "Old Whitchurch" (Priory Press, 1945)
  4. News: Wall . Tom . Bale, Warburton and now Geraint Thomas: the state school on a fast track to sporting glory . 29 July 2018 . The Guardian . 28 July 2018 . London.
  5. Web site: Geraint Thomas, Gareth Bale and Sam Warburton – Welsh schoolmates who became sporting champs . . 29 July 2018 . 28 July 2018.
  6. News: From Gareth Bale to Sam Warburton and Gerraint Thomas – Prime Minister heaps praise on Cardiff school's sporting heroes. South Wales Echo. 3 November 2011.
  7. News: A school for sporting idols. South Wales Echo. 6 November 2011.
  8. Web site: Whitchurch High School wins Sports State School of the Year Award.
  9. News: School Sport Matters awards: stars come out in force to hail heroic sporting efforts of British schools. The Daily Telegraph. 4 November 2011.
  10. "欧州の補習授業校一覧（平成25年4月15日現在）" (Archive). Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Retrieved on 10 May 2014. "Whitchurch Upper High School, Penlline Rd., Whitchurch, Cardiff CF4 2XJ, U.K."
  11. News: Lions captain Sam Warburton revels in special 48 hours for himself and Tottenham forward Gareth Bale. The Independent. 1 May 2013. 17 June 2013.
  12. News: County Championship: Carlson makes dream debut for Glamorgan. BBC Sport. 31 August 2016.
  13. Web site: Physical Education. whitchurchhs.com.
  14. News: Proudly Welsh ice skater Lloyd Jones set to star at the Winter Olympic... representing France. Wales Online. 26 January 2014.
  15. News: Stars are on opposite sides of school fence. South Wales Echo. 24 April 2012.
  16. News: Pride at Cardiff school that developed Sam Warburton and Gareth Bale. guardian.co.uk. 13 October 2011.
  17. News: Geraint Thomas clinches first Welsh gold at London 2012. news.bbc.co.uk. 3 August 2012.
  18. Web site: Scrivener . Peter . 29 July 2018 . BBC Sport . 29 July 2018.
  19. News: Rugby World Cup 2011: Cardiff-born Gareth Bale and Sam Warburton were stars from the start, reflects coach. The Daily Telegraph. 14 October 2011.
  20. Web site: Woods. Lesley. Welsh Warrant Officer steps down from top job. RAF.MOD.UK. 3 November 2010. 2009.
  21. News: Obituary: Dale Owen. London. The Independent. Kenneth. Powell. 28 November 1997.

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