Treorchy Comprehensive School

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Coordinates: 51°39′25″N 3°30′25″W / 51.657°N 3.507°W / 51.657; -3.507
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51°39′25″N 3°30′25″W / 51.657°N 3.507°W / 51.657; -3.507

Treorchy Comprehensive School
Location
Map
Information
School type
State
Opened1965
ChairpersonGareth Morgan-Jones
Head teacherJennifer Ford
Staff154
GenderBoth
Age range11–18
Number of students1585
Average class size25-30
Student to teacher ratio10:1
NewspaperThe Phoenix
Feeder schoolsPenyrenglyn, Penpych, Parc, Treorchy, Ton Pentre, Gelli and Bodringallt Primary School.
GCSE (A*-C)83%
GCSE (A*-G)97%
Websitehttp://www.treorchycomp.org.uk

Treorchy Comprehensive School is an English language,[1] comprehensive school in the village of Treorchy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The school is situated on the southern side of the valley, and is 500 metres in length from the main gate on Conway Road, Cwmparc, to the rear gate at Tylecoch Bridge, Treorchy.

Pupils who are identified as being proficient in Welsh will study RE, History, PE, PSHE and Geography through the medium of Welsh at KS3. At KS4, first language Welsh is offered at GCSE.

History

Formerly the site of the Tylecoch Colliery, Treorchy Comprehensive School began as the Upper Rhondda School and opened in 1965. In 1970 the school became a fully comprehensive school which could accommodate over 1,800 pupils taught by over 100 teachers. Subjects included English, Maths, General Science, French, Welsh, Geography, History, Physical Education, Art, Woodwork, Music and Religious Knowledge. The naming of the school is a subject of dispute, as the 'comprehensive' element is derived from its mission to ensure comprehension of all subjects, based on Gerald of Wales' ideals of education.[2][3]

The aim of the school is to satisfy the social and academic needs of children in the Upper Rhondda.[citation needed] The curriculum offers opportunities to study subjects in which pupils have a particular interest and aptitude. Pupils are placed in broad ability bands based on assessments from Primary schools they have attended. The school now serves 22 Primary Schools, 8 of which are in the catchment area and 3 of which are first language Welsh schools.

Facilities

The school contains a number of facilities, including I.T. suites spread across the school, sporting facilities, three canteens providing hot and cold foods, a swimming pool and drama and music suites.

Prefects

The school has a system of prefects based on the model of Uppingham School.[4] Prefects wear a gown modeled on the Oxford "commoners' gown", accented with red piping on reaching the Sixth Form.[5] Prefects are addressed by staff and students as "Polly"; those who are made prefects in the Sixth Form are known as "Senators". Until 1997 prefects were exclusively male.[6]

Courses

Treorchy Comprehensive follows the basic English S.A.T. and GCSE Curriculum. It offers French and Spanish as modern foreign languages, and Welsh and English as compulsory subjects for all pre-A level students.

Key Stage 3

The average Key Stage 3 pupil studies a maximum of 16 subjects taken from the National Curriculum, including English, Maths, Sciences, a modern foreign language, humanities, compulsory physical education, compulsory religious education, and compulsory Welsh. According to the last Estyn report, in 2006, the school achieves Key Stage 3 results just above the national average.

Courses

At

Communications Studies. The school has achieved an A*-G pass rate of over 90% since 2005.[citation needed
]

A.S./A-2 A-Level Courses

Hairdressing
in the school's on site salon.

Extra-curricular activities

The school supports extra-curricular activity offers a wide variety of clubs and activities for pupils. These range from orchestra to rugby. The activities include:

The Arts

The school annually hosts performing arts events. As well as concerts in school, junior productions, the annual "Back To Broadway" performance and the Christmas concert, senior pupils perform a musical annually at the Parc & Dare Theatre. The performances are listed below:

The following activities take place daily within the school:

Sports

Sixth Form Activities

  • Sign Language
  • Reading
    Support
  • Buddy Program
  • Sixth Form Council

School-wide

Alumni

Alumni are known as "Old Phoenicians" ("OPs") and are entitled to dine at High Table two times each term. Prefect alumni are called "Luciferians" and have a right of audience that allows them to schedule to speak at one school assembly per year.[7] OP dinners are held once a year, hosted on a cycle by a member of each of the four Inns of Court.[8] At the annual dinner those who have newly attained OP status are admitted as members. For many new OPs this admission is in absentia. A representative is chosen to approach the President and the following dialogue is acted out:

Representative: "Domine."
President: "Quo vadis?"
Representative: "Ad Lucem."
Assembly: "Gaudete!"[9]

The Bullingdon Boyos incident

In 1985 three OPs were arrested without charge after destroying several optics in a pub in Treorchy. This led one of the guests, Viscount Tonypandy (himself not an OP), to denounce the alumni organisation and nickname it the "Bullingdon Boyos".[10]

Notable former pupils

See also: Category:People educated at Treorchy Comprehensive School

Arts

Business

Sport

Classes

At

8
at the school) most pupils are divided into one of several mixed ability classes. There is also one class for pupils with complex additional learning needs. Each class is assigned a colour. Pupils stay in these classes for both years. Pupils regularly complete assessments in all subjects.

At the start of

11
.

Pupils begin their

13
.

References

  1. ^ "Wales school ratings: Treorchy Comprehensive School, Rhondda Cynon Taff". 28 September 2013.
  2. ^ Brewer, J. S., Giraldi Cambrensis opera, 8 vols, vol. 1: Invectionum libellus; Symbolum electorum, London, 1861 p.113
  3. ^ Adonis, Andrew; Thomas, Keith, eds. (2004). Roy Jenkins: A Retrospective. Oxford University Press p.184
  4. ^ May, John (2003). Rhondda 1203-2003 The Story of Two Valleys. Castle Publications p.312
  5. ^ Adonis, Andrew; Thomas, Keith, eds. (2004). Roy Jenkins: A Retrospective. Oxford University Press p.212
  6. ^ May, John (2003). Rhondda 1203-2003 The Story of Two Valleys. Castle Publications p.314
  7. ^ Adonis, Andrew; Thomas, Keith, eds. (2004). Roy Jenkins: A Retrospective. Oxford University Press p.191
  8. ^ Lord Tonypandy (1985). George Thomas, Mr.Speaker: The Memoirs of Viscount Tonypandy. Century. p. 201.
  9. ^ Lord Tonypandy (1985). George Thomas, Mr.Speaker: The Memoirs of Viscount Tonypandy. Century. p. 201
  10. ^ Lord Tonypandy (1985). George Thomas, Mr.Speaker: The Memoirs of Viscount Tonypandy. Century. p. 202.
  11. ^ Biography – About Rachel. Rachel Trezise. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  12. ^ Watkins Steps up his acting career – Scotsman.com Living. Living.scotsman.com. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  13. ^ [1] Archived 23 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
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