Croesyceiliog School

Croesyceiliog School (Welsh: Ysgol Croes-y-ceiliog) is a state-funded secondary school (prior to the late 1970s, the school was a grammar school)l and campus in the Croesyceiliog district of Cwmbran, Monmouth in Wales, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Setting

January 2013

The school is set on a large and spacious site that borders Woodland Road Park. The school is coeducational and provides education for 11–18 year olds. There are currently 1,747 pupils on roll, making it the largest school in Torfaen. It is situated in the parish of Llanyrafon, with the A4042 and headquarters of Gwent Police to the east, and the Afon Llwyd to the west.

Most pupils come from the areas of Croesyceiliog, Llanyrafon and Pontnewydd; however the sixth form college attracts students from as far as parts of Newport and Pontypool.

The school grounds also hosts a local youth centre. The school is situated on 42 acres (170,000 m²) of land; the average for schools is 18 acres (73,000 m²). There is a river (the Afon Llwyd) at the end of the West Fields. The school is surrounded by woods on all sides: Jim Crow Wood, Middle Wood & Turnpike Wood.^[1]

The latest incarnation of the school's logo features a blue cockerel, a symbol synonymous with both the school and the community, sat inside a golden letter 'C'. In addition, the school's moto has been amended in recent years and now reads: Learning, Respect, Ambition.

Mrs Logan has announced her resignation as Head Teachers and she will leave at the end of the spring term. Her replacement is Mr. D. Taylor.

Head Team 2012-2013

As of 2012/13, Michael Jordan and Deanna Hallett are Head Boy, and Head Girl respectively.

History

Foundation

In 1949, the Cwmbran New Town was created and the 1951 Master Plan stated that three secondary modern schools would be built (Coed Eva in the South West of Cwmbran, Llantarnam in the South East and Croesyceiliog in the North East) but Croesyceiliog would be a "campus" whereby a top-end grammar school would be built alongside it. The school was founded and designed by the Monmouthshire County Architect, Colin Jones. The Secondary School was opened on 5 November 1957 and the Grammar School was opened on the 3 February 1960. Colin Jones however died before the Grammar School was completed. When the school was established in 1960 it cost £250,000. Today it would cost around £43 million.

Comprehensive

When the two schools merged in September 1971, there was only need for one headteacher and Summers was given the job.

The school was known as Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School until 2000 when it dropped comprehensive from its title, bringing it into line with other schools in the county borough (although there are still numerous examples of schools in the area that have kept comprehensive or high in their titles).

In the 2005 inspection Croesyceiliog School had one of the best inspection rates in Torfaen.^[2] In June 2006 Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott visited Croesyceiliog School.^[3]

In 2010, work had begun on the South Fields for the construction of Crownbridge School, an education centre aimed at children aged 11–19 with learning or physical disabilities. The previous Crownbridge School, situated on Greenhill Road in Sebastapol, has fallen into disrepair and is due to be demolished. The schools will be totally separate but both will be situated on the 42 acres (170,000 m²) of land. The whole project was expected to cost £8.7 million, and the school has now been open a year. The partnership between the two schools will continue to develop. ^[4]

Student life

Head Boy Michael Jordan and Head Girl Deanna Hallett celebrate raising £2000 for Children in Need.

Registration is by electronic means, SIMS, a computer system.

There are after school activities available for pupils. Most lunch times and usually after school the Fitness Suite is available for pupils to use; chess club runs one lunch time per week. It is also possible to complete the Duke of Edinburgh award in school, as well as many more awards.

The current head team consists of Head Boy Michael Jordan, Head Girl Deanna Hallett, and their deputies Hywel Evans, Lewis Elliot, Emily Adams, Christine Felkin.

The sixth form plays a fundamental part in the community through numerous charity events organised by the student head team.

Buildings

• East Building: (There are three floors here known as K Floor, L floor and M floor. Subjects taught there are English, Maths, Further Maths, Maths Statistics, Maths Mechanics, Biology, Physics, Music.
• West Building: (There are four floors here known as A floor, B floor, C floor and D floor). Subjects taught here are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Re, Politics, Citizenship, I.T., Drama, Geology, Business Studies, Word Processing, PSE, Economics, CISCO and IT Essentials, Philosophy.
• Sixth form block (South Building): (There are two floors here known as F floor and G floor). Subjects taught here are French, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek, psychology, sociology and geography.
• West Boys Gym: PE and Games.
• West Girls Gym: PE and Games.
• East Boys Gym: PE and Games.
• East Girls Gym: PE and Games.
• Development block: (There are two floors here known as H floor and J floor). Technology, Art, Graphics, Electronics.
• Demountables: Welsh, Law, Food Technology, Hair dressing and Media Studies.
• The main cafeteria is situated alongside the West hall.
• The fitness suite is situated alongside the West boys and girls gym.^[5]
• The youth club for Croesyceilog and the surrounding area is located at the top of the East Field.
• The library can be found on B floor in the West Building. The school archives are located here.
• The Clock Tower (the clock no longer works) is situated between both the West and East areas of the school.

List of Head Teachers

Granville Lewis Pomeroy 1957-1970: Born in 1916. Pomeroy was the dual headmaster with Dr Summers, but Pomeroy was head of the secondary modern school which opened two years before the grammar school. He was also head of the community college on the same site. Pomeroy's wife was an English teacher at the same school. Pomeroy left to be head teacher of Caerleon School and started there in 1970 until 1980.

Dr Donald John B. Summers (CBE) 1959-1975: Born in October 1909 Summers was the first and last headteacher of the Grammar school. (He died in 1999 at the age of 90). Summers attended Oxford University where he studied chemistry, and later completed his PhD. He was known for wearing the traditional headmaster's gown.

Mike J. Pugh 1975-1991: The first Headteacher of the unified school. Pugh is now on the Board of Governors for Caerleon School.

Helene Mansfield (OBE) 1991-2009: Mansfield was born in Brittany. She studied languages for her research year at Downing College, Cambridge University.^[6]

Sarah Jane Logan: 2009–2013: Logan was previously Deputy Head Teacher of Bassaleg School. Logan announced that she would be retiring from teaching and would be leaving Croesyceiliog School at Easter Half-Term 2013.

David Taylor: Summer Term 2013.

Notable former pupils

• Nick Ramsay, the Conservative AM since 2007 for Monmouth^[7]
• Jessica Morden, Labour MP since 2005 for Newport East.^[8]
• Mark Hale, Wales and Great Britain, Weightlifting
• Adam Hughes, Newport Gwent Dragons and Wales U20 rugby
• Morgan Allen, Ospreys and Wales U20 rugby

Croesyceiliog Grammar School

• Rt Rev Gregory Cameron, Bishop of St Asaph since 2009.^{[citation needed]}
• Green Gartside, the primary force^{[citation needed]} behind Scritti Politti the famous 1980s band.^{[citation needed]}
• Denise Kingsmill, Baroness Kingsmill^[9]

References

External links

• School student page & department websites
• School administrative homepage
• EduBase