Blaengwawr Comprehensive School
| Motto |
Addysg Porth Bywyd ("Education is the Gateway to Life") |
|---|---|
| Established | 1978 |
| Closed | 2014 |
| Type | Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Mr. S.W Hanly |
| Deputy Headteacher | Mrs. M Pearce |
| Location |
Club Street Aberaman Mid Glamorgan CF44 6TN Wales Coordinates: 51°42′20″N 3°26′22″W / 51.70542°N 3.43955°W |
| Local authority | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| DfE URN | 401811 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | Approx. 750 |
| Gender | Boys & Girls |
| Ages | 11–18 (Year 14 available) |
| Website | Blaengwawr.co.uk |
Blaengwawr Comprehensive School (Ysgol Gyfun Blaengwawr) is found in the village of Aberaman, near Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The school's catchment area includes the communities of Aberaman, Cwmaman, Godreaman and Abercwmboi. It is a mixed school with over 750 girls and boys. Included in this number are approximately 160 pupils attending from outside the catchment area. The main feeder Primary schools include Blaengwawr, Oaklands, Glynhafod and Cap Coach.
The school also houses the Special Support Centre for pupils throughout the Cynon Valley who have physical or hearing difficulties.
Cynon Valley Consortium
The school is a founding member of the Cynon Valley Consortium which allows Sixth Form students to commute to nearby schools (Aberdare High, St Johns, Aberdare Girls' and Mountain Ash Comprehensive) to continue their studies and share resources. Transport between schools is provided and run by Blaengwawr. The schools take turns in leading the consortium each year. Registers are shared between the schools through a WAN (Wide Area Network), allowing each school to track the attendance of all pupils involved. Each year the Consortium holds a Parents' evening for all of the teachers, parents and students involved. These started in the local sports centre, but have recently been held in the leading school.
Facilities
The school has been able to build a brand new Astroturf (on the site of an old Red Gravel pitch) which is now used by the school's and local football, hockey and other sports teams. It is a full sized, floodlit pitch with football and hockey nets.
The main hall showcases an impressive pipe organ. The visible pipes are for display purposes only, and can be seen in almost all of the school's year group photographs since its installation, under Headmaster Mr. S George. It is a 2-manual and pedalboard electric pipe organ with a detached, semi-portable console.[1] The organ is playable, but does show signs of wear-and-tear, mainly due to it being situated at the front of the main hall, which doubles as the school canteen. It is currently only used in the school's annual Prize Evening. Blaengwawr is the only school in Rhondda Cynon Taf (and possibly the wider area) to have a working pipe organ.
Due to the school's excellence as a Special Support Centre, the school also has disabled access to every part of the school; including two elevators (one external) and a purpose-built graded ramp for access to the higher level of the school.
In the Community
The school puts strong emphasis on community, and key to this is the school's music department. In the autumn the Sixth form organise an afternoon of entertainment for local OAPs. The highlight of this event is the hour of musical performances, including the school choir(s) and other solos and ensembles.
At Christmas, the school choir visits local OAP homes and Aberdare Hospital singing carols and other songs. This is done while rehearsing for the school's annual Carol Service held in St. Margaret's Church. This includes readings, choir performances, solo performances and ensembles.
With the school's eagerness to integrate new pupils from primary schools, in the summer term, instrument players from the school visit local feeder primary schools involving them in various musical activities.
Closure
In 2010 the parents, staff and governors of Blaengwawr were presented with a document planning the closure and subsequent amalgamation of three schools in Aberdare; Aberdare High School, Aberdare Girls School and Blaengwawr Comprehensive School. This proposal was strongly opposed by all concerned with Blaengwawr as it was believed that it did not serve in the best interests of the pupils or the community of Aberdare. However it was confirmed on the 18th May 2012, that the Welsh Government had approved the plans to close the school and create a new super school on the Ynys site. The school is scheduled to be operational from September 2014 although 2015 seems a more realistic date given the building progress to date. Some have questioned whether a school is really a school without a building.
