Fitzalan High School
Encyclopedia
Fitzalan High School is an 11-19 mixed, large, co-educational, community comprehensive secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...

 in Cardiff. The school is located in the suburb of Leckwith
Leckwith
Leckwith is a district of western Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It is home to Cardiff City F.C.'s and Cardiff Blues home ground Cardiff City Stadium, and to Fitzalan High School...

 area (Canton
Canton, Cardiff
Canton is an inner-city district and community in the west of Cardiff, capital of Wales, lying west of the city's civic centre. One of the most ethnically diverse of Cardiff's suburbs, with a significant Asian population such as Pakistanis and Indians, Canton has a population just in excess of...

 electoral ward) of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. The school serves some areas which are economically disadvantaged. Over 40 different languages are spoken within the school community. There are currently (2010) 1,440 pupils on roll including 254 students in the sixth form.


The school's catchment area covers Canton, Butetown, Grangetown, Riverside. Principal feeder schools are Kitchener, Radnor, Lansdowne
Lansdowne Primary School
Lansdowne Primary School is a Victorian primary school that opened in 1898 in Canton, Cardiff, Wales.- Present day :In the last 20 years the school has seen the fabric of the building being renovated with new double glazing on the first floor of the Juniors building...

, Severn Road, Ninian Park, St. Mary the Virgin, Grangetown and Mount Stuart.

History – the origins

Fitzalan High School can trace its links and origins to the late 19th century. Following the Elementary Education Act 1870
Elementary Education Act 1870
The Elementary Education Act 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act, set the framework for schooling of all children between ages 5 and 12 in England and Wales...

, School Boards were established to provide education in areas where no such provision existed. Cardiff's first municipal secondary school was established in Adamsdown at Howard Gardens in 1884. The school was known as Howard Gardens School for Boys and later became Howardian High School and a Grammar School in 1941. Much of the school was subsequently destroyed by incendiary bombs in the Cardiff Blitz
Cardiff Blitz
The Cardiff Blitz refers to the bombing of Cardiff, Wales during World War II.At the time, Cardiff Docks was the biggest coal port in the world and, for a few years before World War I, it handled a greater tonnage of cargo than either London or Liverpool....

  during the night of 3-4 March 1941 in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. After the war the building was partially repaired.

Until 1951 technical education in Cardiff was confined to groups of pupils in Cathay’s and Howard Gardens High Schools for Boys. In that year another technical department was established at John Viriamu Jones
John Viriamu Jones
John Viriamu Jones, FRS , was a British scientist, who worked on measuring the ohm, and an educationalist who was instrumental in establishing the University of Sheffield and Cardiff University.-Early life and studies:...

 Secondary Technical School (previously a Secondary Modern School) with an intake of three forms, under the Head Master Mr Fred Charles Oram B.A., B.Sc. The following year the school expanded to six forms. School Houses were: 'Glyndwr', 'Dewi', 'Llewelyn', and 'Caradog'.

Fitzalan Technical High School (1953-1968) Howard Gardens

Motto: none School colours: Green blazer (badge top pocket) edged with silver and green whorled piping, and badged cap.

Badge: Four quarters, Top 'Welsh Dragon', 'Cardiff's three Chevrons', bottom initials 'F.T. H.S'


Organisation

Mr Oram retired in July 1952 (he died in 1956) and the school was opened as a new separate technical school in September 1953 in the old Howard Gardens School building (Howardian High School had relocated to Penylan
Penylan
Penylan is a district in the east of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, known for its Victorian era period houses and spacious tree lined roads and avenues....

 in the Eastern suburbs) with around 200 boys under Mr Harold C Eyre B.A. the new Head Master. The school was officially named ‘Fitzalan Technical High School’ in December 1953. Admission was by Eleven plus exam, and the school was run on Grammar school
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...

 lines with class forms streamed by ability, and divided into ‘houses’ with house captains. They were named after famous British technical pioneers in their fields: 'Stephenson' (George Stephenson
George Stephenson
George Stephenson was an English civil engineer and mechanical engineer who built the first public railway line in the world to use steam locomotives...

), 'Priestley' (Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley
Joseph Priestley, FRS was an 18th-century English theologian, Dissenting clergyman, natural philosopher, chemist, educator, and political theorist who published over 150 works...

), 'Faraday' (Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday
Michael Faraday, FRS was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electromagnetism and electrochemistry....

), and 'Scott' House (Robert Falcon Scott
Robert Falcon Scott
Captain Robert Falcon Scott, CVO was a Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery Expedition, 1901–04, and the ill-fated Terra Nova Expedition, 1910–13...

), (the Antarctic explorer who sailed from Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...

 in 1910). In 1959 Mr Leslie Philip Herbert, B.Sc. the much respected deputy Head (and Geography teacher, affectionately known as 'Pop' by pupils) suddenly died, and in 1960 a new ‘Herbert’ house was named in his memory. Most masters wore black gowns whilst in school on a daily basis although the ‘mortarboard’ academic cap had by this time disappeared. Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...

 was in force, and school prefects were selected from the senior boys to maintain discipline. In 1956, the Director of Education congratulated the school on achieving many passes at G.C.E. at the first time of entry in the schools short history. In December 1957 the Inaugural Meeting of an Old Boys Association was held at the School.


Competitive sports

Competition was encouraged and a school sports day held each summer term. The first School Sports day was held in the Castle Grounds at Blackweir Park and the Sports Cup was won by 'Scott House', and presented by the Headmasters wife. From 1958 this annual event was held at Maindy Stadium. The school syllabus included rugby, cricket, swimming, tennis and athletics. Pontcanna Fields were used for House matches. Summer events included ‘Staff’ v ‘School’ matches in tennis and cricket. The first Staff XI v School XI cricket match was played at Sophia Gardens in July 1955. It was won by the Staff XI (Capt. Mr.Leslie Evans, B.Sc). The School XI team (Capt. G.Baynham, 4A) scored 42 all out. The Staff XI team scored 43 for 5 wickets. In July 1956 'School Colours' were awarded for the first time in rugby and cricket. In 1957 a swimming gala was held at the Guildhall Crescent Baths in the autumn term. At the same time the chairman of the parents association presented the school with a silver cup (to be known as the ‘Granville Davies Swimming Cup’) presented annually to the winning House at the Swimming Gala. In March 1960 the first ‘Old Boys rugby match took place against a School XV. The School XV had to wait until April 1964 to achieve its first win.


Arts and Educational visits

A St. David’s Day Eisteddfod was introduced in 1955 which became an annual event. The House Choir event was won by 'Faraday House' and the Trophy, for competition for the first time, by 'Scott House'. In March 1955 an exhibition of the work done for the Eisteddfod was held and some 200 parents came to see it. After this event a group of parents decided to form a ‘Parents Association’. In 1957 the first Annual Prize-Giving & Speech Day was held at the Reardon Smith Lecture Theatre in Cardiff, in the presence of the chairman of the city’s council who presented the prizes & certificates. To close the autumn term the school's annual 'Carol Service' was held in December at St.James’ Church in Newport Road (closed in 2006), usually in the presence of parents and educational officials from the city. The school established many links with local business and industry as well as the armed forces. Regular educational visits were made to companies such as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds (now GKN
GKN
GKN plc is a multinational automotive and aerospace components company headquartered in Redditch, United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds and can trace its origins back to 1759 and the birth of the Industrial Revolution.GKN is listed on the London Stock...

), and Nantgarw Colliery
Nantgarw Colliery
Nantgarw Colliery was a coal mine located in the village on Nantgarw, Mid Glamorgan located just north of Cardiff.Opened in 1910, it closed in 1986. The site is now redeveloped as the industrial estate Parc Nantgarw.-Development:...

. Including Royal Naval ships visiting Cardiff docks and Army establishments.

Fitzalan High School (1964 - present) Lawrenny Avenue

Motto: ‘Veritas praevalebit’ (Latin for 'truth will prevail') School colours: Remained the same, although 'Jumpers' replaced 'Blazers' later

Badge: Essentially the same but with castle & wall replacing F.T.H.S. on bottom quarters

The Howard Gardens site was to be re-developed (now the campus of Cardiff Metropolitan University) and Fitzalan Technical High School acquired new premises on the present site in Lawrenny Avenue. It was opened on Tuesday 3rd March 1964. Following the Education Reform Act of 1968 which replaced the existing tri-partite education system with Comprehensive education. In December 1967 the head master Harold C Eyre B.A. resigned after fifteen year with the school. He died in 1978.

In January 1968 the school was re-named Fitzalan High School (dropping 'Technical') in its new form as a comprehensive school, under the new Headmaster Mr Peter L.Goble, M.A. It introduced a new school badge and motto ‘Veritas praevalebit’ (Latin for truth will prevail). The school became co-educational with around 400 boys and 150 girls, drawn from Ninian Park and Grangetown Schools.

Organisation and Communications

Before pupils join Fitzalan, profiles are produced using their primary schools information. Pupils are grouped according to their abilities and progress is reviewed each term. More able pupils are placed in an express set, receiving extension work and study Latin as an additional subject. Pupils with special educational needs receive specialist support in class to ensure that they can access the curriculum fully. The school has four Houses: DEWI, LLEWELLYN, GLYNDWR, and HYWEL.

The school has a website, and issues a regular newsletter on school activities. A School Council exists for pupils to raise any issues through this forum. It has many community links and local residents and interest groups, who are allowed to use the extensive facilities. The school has an established and published policy on 'anti-bullying' for all pupils. A Parent Teacher Association (PTA) was formed in 1978 called the ‘Friends of Fitzalan‛. It supports the school, raises funds, and helps organise social events.
In 2007 the school embarked on a program to reduce its carbon footprint
Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...

 after an audit by the Carbon Trust. Steps taken included installing "eco-quiet" computers, one of which was to be powered by a demonstration wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...

.

Fitzalan now has the highest ratio of interactive whiteboards to classrooms of any secondary school in Wales and is at the cutting edge of its use of ICT in education. The school was awarded the NAACE Mark for excellence in the use of ICT in November 2005. Six new thirty station ICT suites have been installed since 2006 with state-of-the-art computers and software.

Organised Sports and Arts
The school campus includes 2 gymnasia, a multi use dance studio, 2 indoor multi use halls, 2 fitness suites, a sports hall, a swimming pool, 4 grass football/ rugby pitches and an artificial cricket square. In addition daily access to the Gol Centre, comprising 12 five-a-side artificial football pitches, the Welsh International Athletics Stadium and artificial sports pitches. BTEC sport lessons take place
in both school and in Cardiff City Football Club.
  • In 1982, the school football team won the English Schools Football Association
    English Schools Football Association
    The English Schools Football Association is the governing body of schools' football in England, and is responsible for the running and development of schools competitions and festivals for boys and girls at primary and secondary school age....

     Cup, the first time that this cup had been taken out of England.

  • Fitzalan has traditionally had a strong chess team, winning the Welsh Schools Championship in 1984 and 1985, and in 2001 and 2002.

  • The school hall was used during filming for "School Reunion
    School Reunion (Doctor Who)
    "School Reunion" is the third episode in the second series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It first aired on 29 April 2006. The episode's narrative takes place some time after the events of "The Christmas Invasion"...

    ", an episode of the long-running British
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

     science fiction series Doctor Who
    Doctor Who
    Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...

    , first aired on 29 April 2006. A BBC2 documentary called “Fitzalan — School of Dreams” was filmed in March 2006, showing how well pupils achieve at the school.

  • The school transformed one of its gyms into a drama studio complete with brand new apparatus

Facilities

  • A £300,000 refurbishment of the school's 20 metre swimming pool, and named the Peter Perkin’s Swimming Pool in memory of the former chair of governors. It was officially opened in March 2009. Facilities are also open to the local community after school hours. As part of the joint venture between the Sport Wales, Cardiff City Council’s Active Communities team and the school, a disused classroom has also been turned into a fitness suite and multi-gym facility.

  • Fitzalan was the first school to install state-of-the-art 5-a-side astro pitches (identical to that of Real Madrid
    Real Madrid
    Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...

    ), in partnership with Gôl Football Centres, in a new £600,000 sports hall. The hall has many uses such as Cricket
    Cricket
    Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...

    , Football, Basketball
    Basketball
    Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

    , Netball
    Netball
    Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...

    , Tennis
    Tennis
    Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

    , Badminton
    Badminton
    Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players or two opposing pairs , who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their...

     etc.

  • Two new full-sized astro pitches were recently completed, and are located next to the Leckwith Athletic stadium.

  • The school introduced a new 5x60 regime
    Regime
    The word regime refers to a set of conditions, most often of a political nature.-Politics:...

     -a Sport Wales programme aimed at increasing the number of secondary age pupils taking part in sport or physical activity for 60 minutes, at least five times a week. Pupils of any age can take part after school. The activities include football, netball, basketball, cricket, hockey, dancing etc.

Head teachers

Mr Fred. C. Oram, B.A. BSc., Viriamu Jones Secondary Technical School, 1951-1953

Mr Harold C. Eyre, B.A., Fitzalan Technical High School, Howard Gardens, 1953-1963

Mr Harold C. Eyre, B.A., Fitzalan Technical High School, Leckwith, 1963-1967

Mr Peter L. Goble, M.A., Fitzalan High School, Leckwith, (as a Comprehensive), 1968-?

Mr Hugh Jones-Williams, ?-2008

Mrs Cath. Bradshaw, 2009- present

School inspections

Fitzalan High School is inspected every six years by the independent statutory body Estyn
Estyn
Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb meaning "to extend". Its mission is to achieve excellence for all in learning in Wales by providing an independent, high quality inspection and advice service to the Welsh Assembly Government and...

, as part of the Welsh national programme of school inspection, funded by the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...

.
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