Bassaleg School
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| 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 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, a cricket green, two rugby pitches, a 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. Pupils have represented Wales in their age groups for various sports such as gymnastics, athletics, hockey and football.
Former pupils have played rugby for both the Welsh and English national teams, as well as 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.
Music Department
The music department have a variety of facilities available including a keyboard lab to help develop practical music skills, theory classrooms, the availability of a variety of musical instruments and a specific classroom for extra curricular music lessons. The music department have 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
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 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.
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.
Notable former pupils
- Stuart Barnes, Times journalist and rugby player
- Jon Callard, Bath Rugby player
- Jamie Corsi, rugby player.
- David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth and one of the youngest MPs in the House of Commons
- Ron Davies AM, Former First Minister of Wales and Secretary of State for Wales
- Karl Francis, film writer and director
- Anneliese Heard, triathlete
- Amelia Womack, Deputy Leader Green Party of England and Wales [2]
- Ryan Jones, Wales and British Lions rugby player
- Stephen Jones, rugby correspondent of the Sunday Times
- Roger Lewis, writer and journalist, author of The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
- Alix Popham, Welsh national rugby player
- Paul Sharma, actor - Roger Roger, The Office, Gavin and Stacey and EastEnders as AJ Ahmed
- Malcolm Thomas a Welsh international centre who played club rugby for Newport. He won 27 caps for Wales.
- Liz Johnson, Paralympic gold medallist
References
- ↑ Inspection Reports - Bassaleg School (PDF). Estyn (March 2004). Retrieved on 11 June 2008.
- ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenameliawomack
Coordinates: 51°34′29″N 03°02′36″W / 51.57472°N 3.04333°W
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