Llantarnam School

Llantarnam School (Welsh: Ysgol Llantarnam) was a state-funded and non-selective comprehensive school in the Llantarnam suburb of Cwmbran, Torfaen in Wales. The school officially closed in July 2015 in order to make way for a series of new housing developments alongside a new primary school on the site where the current Llantarnam School would merge with Fairwater High School on the Fairwater site to make way for Cwmbran High. It provided education for approximately 1,400 students between the ages of 11 and 19. The school was placed on special measures, after the publication of an unsatisfactory Estyn inspection report in November 2012. The school is now closed down.^[1]

Layout of the site

The school was split into three main buildings (one of which was split) with two smaller buildings on site. The main buildings were named Ebbw, Llwyd, Usk and Monnow after local rivers such as the Ebbw River, Afon Llwyd, River Usk and River Monnow. These were also the names of the four Houses in the school.The two smaller buildings were referred to as the Design Technology Block and the Science Block.

Each of the three main buildings had three storeys or levels and a main access corridor on the first level which were referred to by students and faculty as Llwyd Corridor, Usk Corridor and Monnow Corridor. The school's canteen was located in Llwyd Building but there had been a second canteen in Usk Building up until 2006. What was Usk Canteen is most recently known as the Sixth Form study area. (see below)

Both the Science block and the Design Technology block used to house other subjects as well as their own. The Science block contained three classrooms and one Science prep room which linked the two Science classrooms. The third classroom was used as a Physical Education theory classroom and had a set of computers connected to the schools network. The Design Technology Block contained two workshops, three Design Technology classrooms and an Art classroom. These classrooms all had smaller rooms used for storage.

Usk Building contained two Geography rooms on the top floor, a staff room, threeDrama classrooms, three Religious Studies classrooms, the Headteacher's office as well as the other main school admin offices. The ground floor contained student's toilets and staff toilets, a classroom and a sixth form area which contained a locker room (now Offices), and it contained Sixth Form toilets, a common room, one classroom which was also used as a Sixth Form Study Area.

Leisure Centre

The Leisure Centre encompassed a swimming pool, changing rooms (Male and Female), a classroom, a small staff area as well as a basketball area which could be used for other sports.

Significant locations around the school

Llwyd Canteen Llwyd Canteen was most recently known as the only area available for students and teachers to buy food and drinks. The canteen served both hot and cold food and had a variety of vending machines so that students may purchase food even when the canteen is not open. The canteen was dependent on the school's internal debit card system, with students topping up their accounts in Llwyd and Usk blocks via simple ATMs.

Sixth Form Study Area (Formerly Usk Canteen) The 6th Form had expanded to 300 students and funds from the Welsh Assembly Government had helped the school build a new 6th Form Study Centre, which opened in September 2009. This had a number of uses but its primary use was as an additional study area for the school's Sixth Form. However, it was also used as an exam hall and as a classroom. The Sixth Form Area was located in Usk Block and was the only part of school that younger students were denied access to. The Sixth Form Area contained a common room, a class room, two offices and toilets. The area also included a garden.

Learning Resource Centre The Learning Resource Centre had two purposes, it was a library and a computer room that the entire school could access at break and lunch times. Teachers could book the area for their classes at all times with the exception of 1st Period where the area was strictly for Sixth Form use only. At all other times any student could use the facilities, but during break and lunch times, Sixth Form would take priority over all other year groups.

The role of senior students in Sixth Form

The Sixth Form included a group of students who were designated prefects, with students in Years 12 and 13. Most recently, only Year 12 students could apply to become prefects, with successful applicants resuming their role in Year 13. Prefects were expected to patrol areas of the school at break times to prevent disruptive behaviour as well as being attached to departments and a year 7 or 8 form group. As a rule of thumb, the prefects were expected to help out at other occasions such as Open Days.

The senior students were six students who had been elected to the positions of Head Boy, Head Girl and four House Captains, who obtained the roles of (what was previously known as) deputies by members of the staff and sixth form. All four students had to be prefects to be eligible for nomination. They were elected during the summer term after Year 13 go on study leave and after Year 12 return from study leave. Like the prefects, the senior students were expected to help out at occasions such as Open Days, however their role in such events was greatly expanded. The senior students were also responsible for organising such events as the sixth form parties and the OAP Christmas party. All senior students also attended school council meetings.

Both Prefects and Senior Students could be identified by the distinctive badges that they would wear on their ties. All senior students had blue badges with their position named on their badge (so the Head Boy's badge read Head Boy, the Head Girl's badge read Head Girl, the Deputy Head Boy's badge read Deputy Head Boy and the Deputy Head Girl's badge read Deputy Head Girl). The prefects badges were available in numerous colours but are mainly either blue or yellow, although red badges were available. All prefect badges had the word prefect written on them. The font colour was gold with the badges all shaped like shields with a gold border. The text was written diagonally across the badge.

References

External links

• Llantarnam School's Official Website