Holyhead High School
Encyclopedia
Holyhead High School was the first comprehensive school
in England and Wales, opening in 1949 as Holyhead County School.
, Amlwch
is said to claim the title of the first purpose built comprehensive. Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni is recorded as Britain's first comprehensive.
There was a number of reasons for the school to be the first "comp". The headmaster Mr Hughes was retiring and he was to be replaced by an enthusiast for Comprehensive education, Trefor Lovett. The new head became known as "the first apostle of the
comprehensive movement". The transition was also assisted by the close proximity of St Cybi Secondary school and Holyhead Grammar; the schools that would be replaced. Obviously the backing of Anglesey Education Committee
was essential.
The changes that Mr Lovett brought about were not unexpected as he has previous taught locally at Vaynor
and Penderyn
schools. The new school was certain that a child's future should not be determined at age eleven with the eleven plus exam. Previously children in Britain had all sat an exam at the end of their Junior school
education and this decided whether you would attend the Grammar School
or a Secondary Modern School
. Mr Lovett was convinced that this was unfair and that there should be a firm Catchment area
so that all the students irrespective of their background or abilities would attend the one school.
After two years, the new head reported,
Twelve per cent of the students are able to speak Welsh fluently and four per cent have Welsh as their first language. The catchment area of the school is mainly the town of Holyhead and the area around the school has been highlighted as an area for development with nearly 30% of households having no wage earner. Estyn visited the school in 2008 and commended the school with regards to teaching and pupil behaviour.
Two years ago the school moved its sixth form out of the old red brick Cybi building and put that in the control of the local authority. Since then the building has become dilapidated and the education authority announced in 2008 they intend to demolish the building.
At presant virtually all pupils in the Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi catchment area choose the school for their secondary education. The schools pupil numbers continue to rise.
Mr Martin Wise is the new head teacher in Holyhead High School now
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
in England and Wales, opening in 1949 as Holyhead County School.
History
The school was formed in 1949 with the amalgamation of Holyhead Grammar and St Cybi Secondary school. Ysgol Syr Thomas JonesYsgol Syr Thomas Jones
Ysgol Syr Thomas Jones is the comprehensive school in the Pentrefelin area of Amlwch, Anglesey. The School was opened in 1950 and named after Sir Thomas Jones who was an Amlwch doctor and Chairman of the County Council. The school was initially designed to accommodate 700 pupils...
, Amlwch
Amlwch
Amlwch is the most northerly town in Wales. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey, on the A5025 which connects it to Holyhead and to Menai Bridge. The town has no beach, but it has impressive coastal cliffs. Tourism is an important element of the local economy. At one time it...
is said to claim the title of the first purpose built comprehensive. Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni is recorded as Britain's first comprehensive.
There was a number of reasons for the school to be the first "comp". The headmaster Mr Hughes was retiring and he was to be replaced by an enthusiast for Comprehensive education, Trefor Lovett. The new head became known as "the first apostle of the
comprehensive movement". The transition was also assisted by the close proximity of St Cybi Secondary school and Holyhead Grammar; the schools that would be replaced. Obviously the backing of Anglesey Education Committee
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
was essential.
The changes that Mr Lovett brought about were not unexpected as he has previous taught locally at Vaynor
Vaynor
Vaynor is a village, parish and community in the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough in Wales, United Kingdom.- Location :...
and Penderyn
Penderyn
Penderyn may refer to:*Penderyn, Rhondda Cynon Taf, a village in Wales*Penderyn , a whisky produced by Penderyn Distillery...
schools. The new school was certain that a child's future should not be determined at age eleven with the eleven plus exam. Previously children in Britain had all sat an exam at the end of their Junior school
Junior school
A junior school is a type of school which caters for children, often between the ages of 7 and 11.-Australia:In Australia, a junior school is usually a part of a private school that educates children between the ages of 5 and 12....
education and this decided whether you would attend the 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...
or a Secondary Modern School
Secondary modern school
A secondary modern school is a type of secondary school that existed in most of the United Kingdom from 1944 until the early 1970s, under the Tripartite System, and was designed for the majority of pupils - those who do not achieve scores in the top 25% of the eleven plus examination...
. Mr Lovett was convinced that this was unfair and that there should be a firm Catchment area
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
so that all the students irrespective of their background or abilities would attend the one school.
After two years, the new head reported,
The school today
In 2006 there were approximately 850 pupils in the school which included about 100 in the sixth form. The school had falling rolls in the years before and is much reduced since there were questions in the early 1960s in the House of Commons to then Education Minister Chris Chataway enquiring how the school was to cope with a roll of 1400 pupils. In 2010 the school has exceeded the Local Authority's projected figures.Twelve per cent of the students are able to speak Welsh fluently and four per cent have Welsh as their first language. The catchment area of the school is mainly the town of Holyhead and the area around the school has been highlighted as an area for development with nearly 30% of households having no wage earner. Estyn visited the school in 2008 and commended the school with regards to teaching and pupil behaviour.
Two years ago the school moved its sixth form out of the old red brick Cybi building and put that in the control of the local authority. Since then the building has become dilapidated and the education authority announced in 2008 they intend to demolish the building.
At presant virtually all pupils in the Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi catchment area choose the school for their secondary education. The schools pupil numbers continue to rise.
Mr Martin Wise is the new head teacher in Holyhead High School now
of the comprehensive
- Glenys KinnockGlenys KinnockGlenys Elizabeth Kinnock, Baroness Kinnock and Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead is a British politician....
, politician - Tracey Morris, athlete
- Albert OwenAlbert OwenAlbert Owen is a Welsh Labour Party politician and Member of Parliament for Ynys Môn. He took the seat in the 2001 election from Plaid Cymru with a margin of exactly eight hundred votes and retained the seat with an increased majority of approximately twelve hundred votes in the 2005 election. In...
, politician - Tony RobertsTony Roberts (footballer)Anthony Mark "Tony" Roberts is a Welsh footballer who plays for Dagenham & Redbridge as a goalkeeper.Roberts was formerly the goalkeeping coach at Championship side Queens Park Rangers until he was suspended by John Gregory...
, Welsh International and QPR goalkeeper
of predecessor schools
- Cledwyn HughesCledwyn HughesCledwyn Hughes, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos, CH, PC, , was a Welsh Labour politician.Born in Holyhead and educated at the Holyhead Grammar School and at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, he served in the RAFVR in the Second World War. He became a solicitor and a town clerk of Holyhead...
(1916–2002) Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos - David WilliamsDavid Williams (Methodist minister)David Williams was a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist minister and theological tutor.-Life:Williams was born on 4 May 1877 at Holyhead, Anglesey, north Wales. He was educated in Holyhead and in Beaumaris before moving to Oswestry where he was taught by Owen Owen...
(1877–1927) Professor in Pastoral Theology