porth county grammar school

But the really important story about my school and others like them was not blazers, test results or even the teaching. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Printed Multiview Postcard Trearddur Bay ( Wales ) at the best online prices at eBay! [5], After the death of headmaster John Stradling Grant in 1914, Richard Chalke took over as head of the school. This record is stored off site and will take. But Santos was mightily persistent. It isn't just the autumnal back-to-school weather. As I entered school for the first time, I wore the classic blazer bought in the one shop in town allowed to sell it, emblazoned with the motto from the Mabinogion in Welsh, "a fo ben bid bont" - "Let he would be the leader be the bridge". So there we all were, a thousand strong, one summers morning, processing across Penrhys, behind the Maerdy Miners Lodge Banner, and the Treorchy Comprehensive school band. If not, be warned We waited for the terrible threat. However, if the photos include boys and girls then it wouldn't have been Porth County. When the schools closed during the pandemic, many Rhondda parents told me that they began to appreciate for the first time what these institutions do for children it turns out its far more than reading, writing and arithmetic. There were five Welsh-language junior schools Llwyncelyn and Bronllwyn, Bodringallt and Llyn y Forwyn in Ferndale, as well as Ynyswen and a big Comprehensive in Cymmer. Porth Community Schoolis a Community Schoollocated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Cilla recalled telling Ringo to "post the [wedding] bands in 48 hours and I'll do it". My great grandfathers name Was William James, his wifes name was Sarah. of any that money could buy. To be clear Im a sucker for nostalgia but Im not arguing for a return to the good old days of Grammar Schools. 63, 523, 2011 issn: eissn: doi: construccin con tierra en el siglo xxi earthen construction in Subscribe now for regular news, updates and priority booking for events, All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0, except where otherwise stated, ED - Records created or inherited by the Department of Education and Science, and of related bodies, Division within ED - Records of the Inspectorate, ED 109 - Board of Education and successors: HM Inspectorate: Reports on Secondary Institutions, Subseries within ED 109 - WALES: GLAMORGAN, ED 109/9276 - Glamorgan: Reports on secondary institutions (described at item level), About our Bells. Not just one, but two levels of grammar school local grammars up and down both valleys, and for those passing their Eleven Plus with the highest marks of all, there was the Rhondda County Grammar School at Porth. I started in a grammar school that turned into a comprehensive school. County Grammar School Rugby Team - 1962-1963. Did you send your children there? The compulsion to fit in, the desire to stand out. Miners put pennies aside, built schools for their sons and daughters, and when universal secondary education became a right, the Rhondda Borough Council invested heavily in it. The school was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two leading grammar schools, Porth County Girls and Porth County Boys, along with the amalgamation of the Secondary Modern Schools of Llwyncelyn, Trealaw and Ynyshir.Porth is now described as a good school and the previous Porth Infants . Something went wrong, please try again later. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Then between 1946 and 1947, the name of the school was changed to Porth Secondary Grammar School. During lessons, it was a crammer: the masters dictated, and the pupils filled their notebooks with the formulae and theorems that would secure outstanding grades from the WJEC. The fights, the boredom, the worry. Her first teaching posts were in the private sector, at Wycombe Abbey. We need more thanThe Pride of Miss Jean Brodie. The sheer torture of the whole deal. Instead, we need to make sure there is the globally competitive, progressive economy which can offer real hope to the many. Promoted to studio director in 1963, when I first met him in the news department, Richard worked on innovative news programmes including Wales Today and the first Welsh-language magazine programme, Heddiw. [13] Steve Bowden (the school headteacher at the time) commented: "It is becoming more apparent now. The school was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two leading grammar schools, Porth County Girls and Porth County Boys, along with the amalgamation of the Secondary Modern Schools of Llwyncelyn, Trealaw and Ynyshir. In fact pay has decreased since then and we pay more for a lot lessfood, fuel, clotheseverything. Continuing our series by John Geraint, author of The Great Welsh Auntie Novel, and one of Waless most experienced documentary-makers. Porth County Grammar School 1st XV rugby team 1968/69. Smells. When they visited the school, a very emotional experience for most, the 'old girls' commented on the many changes and differences in the premises - but the welcoming, or otherwise, odour of the ChemLab, near the old staff entrance, was still discernible to everyone, although the area is now used for other purposes! Jammy that our time happened to be the very time when the Boys began to meet the Girls in class as well outside of school. After all, it was twenty years ago. The school was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two leading grammar schools, Porth County Girls and Porth County Boys, along with the amalgamation of the Secondary Modern Schools of Llwyncelyn, Trealaw and Ynyshir. I was lucky in Porth County: I had a succession of brilliant and committed Welsh teachers Berian Davies and Delyth John, Olwen Peters and Eleanor Aubrey. The secondary modern boys wore plain jumpers and would try to throw stones at you, but you knew you were the superior race. But we gave him a few short lines, and he had such presence on the screen that he became a really big character, the retired miner who represents the very spirit of the Rhondda. The golf club and the Rotary beckoned you as you smoothly travelled in you new Austin Tourer from your detached house in a pleasant village in the vale of Glamorgan. When I got to my O level year, the set poem for group recital in the Urdd Eisteddfod turned out to be Y Ffynhonnau. [14] All of the students that met the actor were members of 'Filmclub' (a Film Agency of Wales and Skillset Screen Academy Wales initiative to give children access to thousands of "classic film titles"). Mention schooldays and suddenly our minds are flooded with memories. Clive first went to Kettering Grammar School before transferring to Porth County Grammar when his father was appointed borough architect to the Rhondda Valley. Sian is passionate . We need more of the kind of degree apprentice routes my own university offers to industry-sponsored young people who may not pass an 11-plusbut who, with the right training and support, can and will become the engineers and industry CEOs of the future. It was here, in the makeshift, black-and-white 405-line studios, built in the shell of an old chapel, that Richard found the outlet for his talents. I reckoned Id have a flying start with Welsh. But more was gained, for more pupils, across the whole of the Rhondda, by treating everyone as though they had the right to the best that school could offer, by refusing to make anyone think they might be second best for life just because they hadnt excelled in a certain sort of test when they were 11. Catalogue description Porth county school for girls, Rhondda Mid Glamorgan Ordering and viewing options This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded. Keep up to date with the latest stories with our WalesOnline newsletter. Once the first acceptance came, many more followed. He was one of a new breed of broadcasting professionals who grasped the opportunity presented by still-rudimentary television in the 1960s, and made it into a medium by which the Welsh nation could become better known to its neighbours, and to itself. You need to sign in to tag. He retired in 1997 to write poetry and spend more time with his family. I have not seen any improvement to our way of life in North Wales since the early 70s. We want your child to enjoy their learning and the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities available whilst being challenged and supported to reach their full potential." More. And the Cory Band. - and was attended by ex-pupils from all over the country with extra messages and letters to be read out after lunch from those who couldn't attend - including some now living abroad. The grammar school I entered was a tough rugby-playing place too. So it was natural for us in Porth County to have a crack at it. Or, you can request a quotation for a copy to be sent to you. I often talk about the Porth County opportunity for socially deprived pupils from working / lower working class homes and what it did for them. This record has not been digitised and cannot be downloaded. I saw it when I looked at a copy of the school magazine from the 1960s. Santos fostered a special link with one of the top Oxford colleges. In recent years she suffered a series of health issues, but bore them all without complaint. Get this The Spokesman-Review page for free from Thursday, May 15, 1919 SMAN-REVIEW. . He was initially an English and History teacher at the school, then head of the History department, and eventually headmaster of the school. Bridgend Grammar Technical School ended up as Brynteg Comprehensive when it was merged with Heol Gam, the nearest secondary modern school. Catcalls and sniggers. The results were predictable. Sian Assiratti is a Councillor for Pontyclun East. The BBC have sent Stephen Evans to North Korea, so they most likely know he went to my school. He obtained his first BA honours degree in history at Cardiff University (to be followed by two other degrees, a BSc Econ and an MEd), and did his teachers training at 'Porth County Grammar School for Boys'. [11], After six to seven weeks of preparation, a demolition team reduced parts of the 'upper school' to a pile of rubble during the weekend of 31 May to 1 June 2003, with site clearance taking place within the subsequent weeks following the demolition.[12]. Porth County Grammar School for Girls Experience Directorate Communication and Engagement Manager dvla Mar 2012 - Present10 years 11 months Education Porth County Grammar School for Girls -. China Entrepreneur Voices Of Experience From 40 Business Pioneers Paperback . There was a great deal of controversy over providing further education in the Rhondda. At the time the vast majority of children in the Rhondda were born into poverty. Read tagging guidelines. The school was built to cater for pupils between the ages of ten and fifteen years-old, but there were many problems from the start. Author: United States.Congress. The school catered for 240 pupils under the headmaster ship of John Stradling Grant. But Santos was certainly ahead of his time. 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Back when I was in Junior School things were a bit different. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! We need cutting-edge industrial research and a national strategy to support our best companies as they take on the world. Location. Porth County had an enviable reputation for academic excellence, along with a very strict regime for discipline. Connect with Nation.Cymru on Facebook and Twitter. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Many of his Porth County past pupils attended his funeral last week including Dr Kelvin Roberts, head of Pirtek Group of Companies, who gave a eulogy. Free delivery for many products! All episodes of the John On The Rhondda podcast are availablehere, John Geraints debut in fiction, The Great Welsh Auntie Novel, is available from all good bookshops, or directly fromCambria Books, You can find the rest of Johns writing on Nation.Cymru by following his link on thismap. And its still one of my proudest achievements that we did it, we won First Prize in the Eisteddfod we beat Rhydfelen at their own language their own language there you go, another strange phrase. It means something like The Mountain Springs, I suppose. One year, it all got so bad, that he felt he had to intervene just as the Trio were getting into their stride mid-Movement. Porth Community School is a Community School located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. SPOKANE, WASH. CITY PLAN BOARD I 1.) Delwyn Jones, former head of Gelli Primary School, read one of Vernons own poems called County Ties as part of the celebration of a remarkable life. Emphasis was given to natural ventilation. More disturbingly, The Guardian discovered that the use of steroids was "spreading" from the gym to the playground. There are 2200+ professionals named " Stephen Gray", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and . Paul Kelso, Duncan Mackay and Matthew Taylor, "Headteacher dedicated life to his pupils", 'Porth County Community School' 2003 Demolition, "From gym to club to school: the shock spread of steroid abuse", "Actor Michael Sheen to visit local school", "Michael Sheen hits out at lack of drama funds", "Eleven schools could shut in 75m Rhondda education shake-up ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Porth_County_Community_School&oldid=1096285706, Educational institutions established in 1973, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 15 out of 212 secondary schools in Wales (as of 2014), This page was last edited on 3 July 2022, at 13:37. The boys who are taking the drugs are not top sportsmen, they are just looking for respect in their communities and for whatever reason are turning to the gym and sometimes steroids. But its not just in retrospect that our eyes can be opened to the worth of education. Porth Community School is a Community School located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Enter your email address to receive instant notifications of new articles. Porth Countys reputation was well established by the time an ambitious but unconventional young headmaster was appointed to the Boys School in 1961: Owen Vernon Jones. And yet who doesnt remember school with at least a sliver of fondness, if only for the friends we made, the time we had with them, for the fact that we were young then, and that was our time? If you would like to donate to help keep Nation.Cymru running then you just need to click on the box below, it will open a pop up window that will allow you to pay using your credit / debit card or paypal. The Pendyrus choir got involved. We needdemand for what the best whole system of education can provide. [16] During his visit, Michael Sheen spoke with the pupils and told them that he was "saddened" by the lack of funding for drama schools and clubs throughout Wales. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Glamorgan, Wales. On St. Davids Day, the girls would get dressed up in Welsh hats and shawls, the boys might wear a small cloth leek, wed have a short Concert and sing Calon Lan maybe, and then wed dash out of school for our half-day off and that would be that, as far as Welshness was concerned, for the rest of the year. I knew I was made for life; everyone had told me that in each pitying remark that I heard about those who "failed" the 11-plus examination. Bringing back the grammar schools will not change the opportunities for life that we need for our children if, when the exams are over, there is nowhere for them to put that education to work. However, she then moved to a state school Ellen Wilkinson school for girls in Ealing, west London and thereafter was committed to comprehensive education. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The relationship between Wales and England is a hell of a lot better than a few hundred years ago. These were both on Cemetery Road in Porth and amalgamated to become the comprehensive school on the old Porth County site. He was said to have courted his wife by galloping on horseback up to her house on the steep slopes of Blaenclydach. I Will Make Them Play The Whole Concert All Over Again. Wrestling matches broke out. (Add a good Welsh accent to get the real effect). Maybe the maverick in him was attracted to a degree of anarchy. But I was a contrary so-and-so. That will take a lot more than rebranding comprehensives and introductinggreater selection. The school was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two leading grammar schools, Porth County Girls and Porth County Boys, along with the amalgamation of the Secondary Modern Schools of Llwyncelyn, Trealaw and Ynyshir. Let us know. Gill Rowlands has died at a hospice near her home in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire. Conventional school discipline wasnt really his thing. Im told that when that college researched its own past to mark its 500th anniversary recently, it found that, in all that time, over any ten-year period, no other headmaster had secured more admissions. You might well have had a Porth County boy as a teacher or even as a headmaster - well-educated Welsh school boys went on to many such roles. And even if you left school at 14, as my dad and others like him did, there were still a lotof decentlypaid blue-collar jobs to go to.