Blaengwawr Comprehensive School
| Motto | Addysg Porth Bywyd |
|---|---|
| Established | 1974 |
| Closed | 16 July 2014 But used for a further year as Aberdare Community School Blaengwawr Camus Years 8 and 9 |
| Type | Comprehensive |
| Headteacher | Mr. S.W Hanly |
| Deputy Headteacher | Dr Thomas, |
| Location |
Club Street Aberaman Mid Glamorgan CF44 6TN Wales Coordinates: 51°42′20″N 3°26′22″W / 51.70542°N 3.43955°W |
| Local authority | Rhondda Cynon Taf |
| DfE URN | 401811 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | 800 |
| Gender | Boys & Girls |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website |
Blaengwawr |
Blaengwawr Comprehensive School (Ysgol Gyfun Blaengwawr) is found in the village of Aberaman, near Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The school's catchment area includes the communities of Aberaman, Cwmaman, Godreaman and Abercwmboi. It is a mixed school with over 800 girls and boys. Included in this number are approximately 160 pupils attending from outside the catchment area. The main feeder Primary schools include Blaengwawr, Oaklands, Glynhafod and Cap Coach.
The school also houses the Special Support Centre for pupils throughout the Cynon Valley who have physical or hearing difficulties.
Cynon Valley Consortium
The school is a founding member of the Cynon Valley Consortium which allows Sixth Form students to commute to nearby schools (Aberdare High, St Johns, Aberdare Girls' and Mountain Ash Comprehensive) to continue their studies and share resources. Transport between schools is provided and run by Blaengwawr. The schools take turns in leading the consortium each year. Registers are shared between the schools through a WAN (Wide Area Network), allowing each school to track the attendance of all pupils involved. Each year the Consortium holds a Parents' evening for all of the teachers, parents and students involved. These started in the local sports centre, but have recently been held in the leading school.
Facilities
The school has been able to build an Astroturf is used by the school's and local football, hockey and other sports teams. It is a full sized, floodlit pitch with football and hockey nets.
The main hall showcases an impressive pipe organ. The visible pipes are for display purposes only, and can be seen in almost all of the school's year group photographs since its installation, under Headmaster Mr. S George. It is a 2-manual and pedalboard electric pipe organ with a detached, semi-portable console.[1] The organ is playable, but does show signs of wear-and-tear, mainly due to it being situated at the front of the main hall, which doubles as the school canteen. It is currently only used in the school's annual Prize Evening. Blaengwawr is the only school in Rhondda Cynon Taf (and possibly the wider area) to have a working pipe organ.
Due to the school's excellence as a Special Support Centre, the school also has disabled access to every part of the school; including two elevators (one external) and a purpose-built graded ramp for access to the higher level of the school.
Notable Former Pupils
Kelly Jones - Musician, Richard Jones - Musician, Stuart Cable - Musician, Ian Evans - Rugby Union, Neil the Penny Picker, Malcolm Meatball Head, His weird sister who brings up a fake baby, Titch and half the cast of Shameless.
Closure
In 2010 the parents, staff and governors of Blaengwawr were presented with a document planning the closure and subsequent amalgamation of three schools in Aberdare; Aberdare High School, Aberdare Girls School and Blaengwawr Comprehensive School. This proposal was strongly opposed by all concerned with Blaengwawr as it was believed that it did not serve in the best interests of the pupils or the community of Aberdare. However it was confirmed on 18 May 2012, that the Welsh Government had approved the plans to close the school and create a new super school on the Ynys site.
Aberdare Community School
It was announced in 2012 that Aberdare High School, Aberdare Girls' School and Blaengwawr Comprehensive School would merge to form a new 'super-school'.[2] The construction of the new £50m campus began on the Michael Sobell Sports Centre site in 2013 with the intentions of creating a unified education, leisure and community hub. After several delays, the intended September 2014 opening date of the new 1,600 pupil building was pushed back to April 2015[3] with the formation of Aberdare Community School still set for September 2014. Blaengwawr Comprehensive, Aberdare High and Aberdare Girls' schools were closed at the end of the Summer Term 2014. It was announced that due to delays of the new campus, the four buildings previously occupied by the three schools would temporarily house various school years until a gradual move is possible once the new building is completed 2015.
References
- ↑ http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi?Fn=Rsearch&rec_index=D03307
- ↑ "£350m Aberdare super-school plan unveiled". BBC.co.uk/news/UK-Wales. 16 June 2012. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
- ↑ Sam Tegeltija (25 November 2013). "Opening of new South Wales Valleys super-school building is delayed". WalesOnline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
