Caerleon Comprehensive School
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| Caerleon Comprehensive School | |
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cold Bath Road, Caerleon, Newport, |
| LEA | Newport |
| Region | City of Newport |
| Founded | 1952 (assumed) |
| Staff | |
| Total Staff | Approx 170 |
| Headteacher | Dr A G Davies, MA, M.Ed |
| Deputy Head(s) | Mrs R Hughes, Mr P James |
| Assistant Heads | Mr N Ingham (Lower School)
Mr G Jones (Upper School) Mrs E Roberts (Sixth Form) |
| Chair of Governors | Mr M J Pugh |
| Students | |
| Compulsory Education | 1,307 |
| Sixth Form | 303 |
| Total | 1,610 |
| Age range | 11–18 |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Other | |
| Motto | 'Perseverance' |
| Website | www.caerleoncomprehensiveschool.co.uk |
| Former Headteachers | W T Greener, JP, BA (1952-1970) |
Caerleon Comprehensive School (Welsh: Ysgol Gyfun Caerllion) () is a state-run school situated in Caerleon on the outskirts of Newport, Wales. The school boasts an excellent reputation in the region, not only for the academic results of its pupils, but also for music and sport.
Contents |
[edit] Identity
There are approximately 1600-1700 pupils on roll at the school at any one time, including a sizable sixth form of around 300 pupils. All pupils are required to wear the school uniform comprising black trousers or skirt, a black jumper, a sky blue shirt and a maroon tie with blue stripes. Sixth formers are distinguished by their white shirts and wholly maroon ties displaying the school crest of a Roman eagle above the emblem of a fortress, (a reference to Caerleon being the site of the Isca Augusta Roman fortress) underscored by the school's motto, 'Perseverance'. In the months after Easter, students are permitted to change their shirt and tie for school polo shirts at the headteacher's discretion. They are blue for years 7-11 and white for years 12 and 13. As of the end of the first part of the 2007 Autumn Term (October 2007), there are exactly 1,610 pupils enrolled, divided equally between both sexes, with 805 boys enrolled, and 805 girls enrolled. At the point of last count, the school is 185 pupils over capacity.
[edit] Facilities
They include several modern computer suites, a floodlit astro-turf pitch, recently resurfaced tennis courts, large playing fields, a modern design and technology block - which was opened in 1999 by Sir Terry Matthews OBE, a library, a canteen, numerous specialist classrooms (including science laboratories, music rooms, etc), a sizable main hall, a nature reserve (not part of the school), and a separate sixth form building which houses classrooms for exclusively sixth form use, along with offices and a student common room which contains a coffee shop.
[edit] Physical education
The PE department has the use of two gymnasia, the emergency use of the hall, three football pitches, two rugby pitches and one interchangeable pitch. There is also an all-weather floodlit astroturf, four tennis courts, two netball courts, a fitness suite and PE theory classrooms. In summer months the grounds of Caerleon Rugby Club adjoining the school are occasionally used.
The school's alumni include professional rugby union players Nick Walne and Ceri Jones.
[edit] Performing arts
The two remaining drama department demountable classrooms will be demolished in summer 2008 as work on a new performing arts building for the music and drama departments commences. This is set to be completed by September 2008 and the former music classrooms will be converted into chemistry laboratories.
[edit] Information technology
The IT department is well equipped with five classrooms, four of which are in the new Isca Block. The remaining room has been retained in the Design and Technology block (the J block). The Charles Williams Suite (also in the J block) is purely used for CAD/CAM and is well-equipped with various machinery.
[edit] School environment
The school looks to foster a friendly environment, and beyond merely academic provision, offers students the chance to participate in numerous extra-curricular activities. The school has a number of successful teams in several different sports, including football, hockey, rugby, and netball. It also offers those with musical talents the chance to participate in the school choir or orchestras. Moreover, the school participates in other schemes such as Young Enterprise and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, allowing pupils the opportunity at least to leave the school, be it at 16 or above, with more than just academic qualifications.
The school's mission statement is:
'To maximize the potential of all in a happy, caring and disciplined environment'
The school also has a hugely successful ski trip which usually runs in January, and also February half-term annually, which many of the staff and often hundreds of students go on. Many of the trips are to Austria but recently a few have been going to France. A ski trip is also available to 6th form students, which takes place in Canada.
The school's catchment area is vast, and covers both Caerleon junior schools, Ponthir Primary, Langstone Primary, Usk Juniors and various other areas.
[edit] Curriculum
There are numerous subjects available for study at both GCSE and A Level.
- English
- Mathematics
- Science
- Modern foreign languages
- Humanities
- Art
- Performing arts
- Physical education
- Personal and Social Education
- Design technology
- ICT
- Religious education
- Business studies
Secondary School performance tables[1] reveal Caerleon Comprehensive's success record, with an average of 95% of pupils who took their GCSEs between 1998-2000 achieving five or more A* to G grades, and 72% achieving five or more grades at A* to C.[1]
[edit] Famous Old teachers / students
[edit] Mrs Rachel Rice
Mrs R Rice was a student teacher who taught a few classes, including English as a student teacher and a form- also as a student. She left the school- but it is not known whether she shall return as she is currently taking part in the Channel 4 gameshow- Big Brother.
[edit] Controversy
[edit] Perimeter fence
With such a large school population, gossip and controversy is rife.[citation needed] In March 2007, a large fence erected around the perimeter of the school buildings. Senior staff cited 'security reasons' for this,[citation needed] although it prompted jokes from staff, who are determined to prove it is to keep water buffalo out after according to members of staff, "a giant bull like monstrosity charged horn first into the hard brick wall of the Isca block."[citation needed] The fence has proved an unnecessary annoyance for pupils,[citation needed] and has prompted complaints to the city council about the pointlessness of the expense and dramatic waste of funds.[citation needed]
[edit] Performing arts block
There has been no official confirmation or consultation to pupils regarding the construction of the new performing arts building[citation needed] and this information was only discovered by chance through one of the governors. Once more, pupils are angry[citation needed] that the school puts a lot of money into the PE and music departments, and that other areas—notably English, maths and art—miss out on this funding. The building will be constructed over a major green space in the school which contains the Environment Club Pond. This has prompted controversy[citation needed], with many saying they would rather keep the pond than have a new performing arts block.[citation needed] Much of the anger has be aimed at the music department, as most believe that the drama demountables should be replaced as they are not adequate for their needs and the music department already get a lot of funding, and many think there is nothing wrong with the music rooms, and have concluded that: "The music department's finickiness has clearly got so annoying that the governing body have given in".[citation needed]
[edit] Music Department
One word "finickiness". Although the music department is fairly successful there is a resentfulness towards more modern (i.e not classical) groups. The orchestra, although they have got through to the National Round of National festival of Music For Youth this year playing the Well known "Firebird" by Stravinsky, are hyped-up by the head of department while other bands are ignored and not given much of a chance.
[edit] Flooding
The school site, notably the main car park, floods annually during the winter months.[citation needed] The school bus park is situated at the bottom of Fosse Lane—or simply, 'The Fosse'—this means that in order to access the buses, pupils must walk down Fosse Lane. This floods often during the winter months also, leaving pupils soaked to the skin. Also Cold bath road regularly floods during the winter, this means pupils have to walk around the back of school to get on, this however makes little difference as they get soaked anyway.[citation needed] In January of 2008, following a weekend of heavy rain, the car parks, Cold Bath Road and Fosse Lane were flooded. The main car park was flooded to such an extent that the caretaker's Bungalow was ruined and all staff cars were parked on the tennis courts. Cold Bath Road was inaccessible and playing fields were out of use for nearly a fortnight. Water in some places was up to 11 inches deep[citation needed], however the school remained open. These floods prompted mass debate[citation needed] about the school's drainage system and once more, the city council bore the brunt of the pupils' anger.[citation needed]
[edit] Language
There has also been heavy criticism at the lack of funding for the language department with Spanish not being represented and German only being available to a select amount of pupils who are "judged good" enough to take it. The school uses an unfair test which distinguishes whether or not you are able to to take German, this system is likened to that of a Grammar school than a comprehensive one.
[edit] Student Council
The student council has also complained about it being used at the discretion of the head master as a way of proving that he listens to the student when what is discussed is strictly guided to things such as "healthy eating" and "School uniform". Students feel that they are being used as puppets and are just there because there is a legal requirement for them to be so. As well as this they were failed to be told about changes to the school such as the performing arts block which will be built for an over funded department and built on land that the students themselves would prefer to be kept as a pond area to meet and eat at lunch and break.
The school, being near the River Usk has plans in place to deal with mass flooding, heavy snowfall, fire and extremely hot conditions. The school's fire alarm system is top of the range and was installed in 2003. It has been commended by both Newport City Council and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
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