Bassaleg School

Bassaleg School
Motto A Tradition of Excellence (Welsh: Traddodiad o ragoriaeth)
Type Comprehensive School
Chairperson Mr E J Watkins
Location Forge Lane
Newport
NP10 8NF
Wales, United Kingdom
Local authority Newport City Council
Students 1,741[1]
Gender Mixed
Ages 11–18
Houses Ebbw, Sirhowy, Rhymni, Hafren
Colours Navy      Gold     
Vice chairperson Rev'd Canon J Williams
Website Official Website

Bassaleg School (Welsh: Ysgol Basaleg) is a comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11-18, situated in the suburb of Bassaleg on the western side of the city Newport, South Wales. The present buildings of the school range in age from the early 20th century to the present day. The buildings form a natural campus, with playing fields, lawns and gardens.

The school runs a full programme of curriculum enrichment activities, especially in music, drama and physical education.

The current headteacher is Mrs E. Thomas

Identity

It has over 1,700 pupils enrolled and is in the top 1000 of most academically-successful mixed comprehensive schools in England and Wales. Many former pupils have attended Oxford and Cambridge Universities, as well as becoming successful in the fields of politics, business, the arts and perhaps most notably sports.

Physical Education

The Physical Education department has a wide variety of facilities within the school including three gymnasia, eight tennis courts, three netball courts, one cricket green, two rugby pitches, one football pitch, field running track, one long jump, two triple jump pit, use of a variety of gym equipment, PE theory classrooms and an all-weather floodlit astroturf. Many current pupils represent Wales in their age groups for various sports such as gymnastics, athletics, hockey and football.

Many former pupils having played rugby for both the Welsh and English national teams, as well as former pupils representing the Welsh national football team and representing national teams in other sports such as boxing, swimming, and cricket.

Drama Department

The drama department has use of a full drama studio complete with lighting, use of the hall also complete with stage and lighting and then a theory classroom. The school has a musical theatre performance every other year. Past performances have included Guys and Dolls, Oliver, The Wizard of Oz, West Side Story, The Sound of Music, Les Misérables and Grease. The drama department have produced successful pupils in the past, with many going on to perform on the West End and many studying at some of the most prestigious drama schools in the United Kingdom.

Music Department

The music department have a variety of facilities available including a new keyboard lab to help develop practical music skills,theory classrooms, the availability of a wide variety of musical instruments and a specific classroom for extra curricular music lessons. The music department have successful string, brass and wind bands, the latter having been involved in the Finals of the National Music for Youth in Symphony Hall. Pupils have also performed in the Schools Proms in the Royal Albert Hall. Many pupils studying music are also members of the National Youth Ensembles of Wales and Great Britain in their musical category.

Eco Schools

Bassaleg currently has an involvement in becoming a more eco friendly school.

The Eco Committee is an established forum of pupils of all ages, who are trying to improve the environmental aspects of everyday life at Bassaleg. Projects include the construction of an allotment and a greenhouse made entirely from recycled plastic bottles. The school has installed a wind turbine on Griffin Field which does not power the new eco-friendly geography block but is sold back to the national grid, and the produced energy money is deducted from the overall bill on the green energy scheme. The school has an established recycling system and an effective litter management system. Compost bins are starting to be used in the orchard, placing the rotten apples in the compost bins and ensuring the good apples are being used and not wasted.

Activities days in the school include 'The Big Grounds Survey' which included cleaning the school stream and to improve the conditions of the freshwater species present. A base line survey was also completed for the intended meadow. An outdoor classroom has been built by year 6 and 7 pupils with the aid of members of the 6th Form and the Forestry Commission. This was completed using all natural materials and included a willow hedge.

The school has been awarded the Eco Schools Award 2010 and one other green flag in 2008.

The schools eco committee is working towards an action plan for its third alongside the uncompleted sections of ESDGC which the school must complete to finally obtain a gold flag award.

Notable former pupils

References

  1. ↑ Inspection Reports - Bassaleg School (PDF). Estyn (March 2004). Retrieved on 2008-06-11.


Coordinates: 51°34′29″N 03°02′36″W / 51.57472°N 3.04333°W