Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen

Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen

Motto	Hau Hadau'r Dyfodol (Welsh: Sowing seeds of the future)
Established	1894
Type	Comprehensive
Headteacher	Paul Matthews-Jones
Location	Bethel Road Caernarfon Gwynedd LL55 1HW Wales
Local authority	Gwynedd
Students	~900
Gender	Coeducational
Ages	11–18
Houses	Cadnant      Gwyrfai      Menai      Seiont
Colours	Navy and Red
Publication	Seren Syr Hugh
Website	ysgolsyrhughowen.org

Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen (which translates as "Sir Hugh Owen School"), is a Welsh language medium comprehensive secondary school for pupils aged 11–18, situated in Caernarfon, Gwynedd, Wales. The school was established in 1894, the first to be built under the Welsh Intermediate Education Act of 1889, which was heavily influenced by the educator Sir Hugh Owen, after whom the school was named.

The school has over 900 pupils and its current headteacher is Paul Matthews-Jones. It serves the town of Caernarfon and the nearby villages, which include; Bontnewydd, Caeathro, Y Felinheli, Llandwrog, Rhosgadfan, Rhostryfan .^[1] It is amongst the most Welsh speaking schools in the country, with approximately 98% of pupils fluent in the language and following a Welsh First Language Course.^[2] There is also a sixth form, which enables students to stay at the school for a further two years instead of having to transfer to college.

History

Establishment

As an advocate of education reform, Hugh Owen recognised the need for improvements in the schools of Wales. Being both a member of the British and Foreign School Society and the Cambrian Educational Society, Owen enthusiastically supported the idea of non-denominational day schools. During the 1840s he wrote two letters to the people of Wales, acknowledging the need to establish such schools.^[3] His efforts were partially successful, as it consequently lead to the creation of a number of schools in the country, but many schools suffered from a lack of qualified teachers. In order to train teachers, Owen saw the need to be a benefactor of more universities, those being Bangor Normal College, Swansea University, and University College of Wales in 1875.^[4]

Sir Hugh Owen

Upon retiring to raise funds for the University College of Wales in Aberystwyth, Owen turned his attention once more to the need of education reform in schools. Owen wanted to qualify students sufficiently to be accepted by the newly established universities. At a lecture at the 1880 National Eisteddfod in Caernarfon, Owen read a paper entitled Intermediate Education in Ireland and Secondary Education in Wales to members of the Cymmrodorion, where he highlighted the need of more intermediate schools. The following year Owen was knighted for his services in education, but died three months after, aged 77.^[5]

The paper he read would eventually lead to the passing of the Welsh Intermediate Education Act of 1889. The purpose of the act was detailed in clause two, as follows;

The first intermediate school was established in Caernarfon, to serve the whole of Caernarfonshire. Royal assent was given in 1893 and the school opened in February 1894. The school was later renamed in Sir Owen's honour, but was at the time known as the Caernarvon County School due to the county-wide provision of the new schools.^[7]

Attempt to burn down the school

On 15 August 1913, the County School was a target of a failed attempt to burn the building down. It was suspected that the Suffrage movement was responsible for the attempt, and did the act as a protest but failed.^[8]

Notable former pupils

• Guto Bebb - Conservative Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Aberconwy
• Nathan Craig - Footballer who plays for Caernarfon Football Club (ex Everton and Wales U21)
• William David Davies - Presbyterian minister and writer on theological topics
• Selwyn Iolen, born Selwyn Griffiths - Welsh language poet
• Meirion MacIntyre Huws - Welsh language poet
• Ray Mielczarek - Footballer
• Emrys Roberts - Liberal politician and businessman
• Winston Roddick - Barrister, and the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales Police
• Dafydd Wigley - Plaid Cymru politician and Member of Parliament for Caernarfon

References

External links

• School's website

Coordinates: 53°08′46″N 4°15′48″W / 53.1462°N 4.2633°W / 53.1462; -4.2633