Fitzalan High School

Fitzalan High School is a state school located in the Leckwith area (electoral ward of Canton) of Cardiff, Wales.

It is a school of over 1500 pupils and is one of the most multi-cultural state schools in the UK. It provides for 11-18 year olds. Its principal feeder schools are the Kitchener, Radnor, Lansdowne, Severn Road, Ninian Park, St. Mary the virgin, Grangetown primary school and Mount Stuart primary schools.

In 1982, the school football team won the English Schools Football Association Cup, the first time that this cup had been taken out of England. [http://www.fitzalan.cardiff.sch.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=6] The achievement meant that Fitzalan High School was the only school in Wales that managed the take the cup out of England.

In March 2006 a BBC2 documentary called “Fitzalan — School of Dreams” was made and screened showing how well pupils achieve at the school. The school has worked very closely with all its primary feeder schools over this past year in putting together a Transition Policy to further enhance progression routes between KS2/KS3.

In 2007 the school embarked on a program to reduce its carbon footprint 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. [ [http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_headline=high-school-kicks-off-city--8217-s-ambitious-plan&method=full&objectid=19366742&siteid=50082-name_page.html High school kicks off city’s ambitious plan] "Western Mail", Jun 28 2007]

Fitzalan received a good report from Estyn and was praised for its high standards and teacher support.The school installed new interactive whiteboards in every active classroom due to funding.

Stars such as athlete Colin Jackson and ex rugby player Brad Hepi have visited the school and voiced their "amazement" that Fitzalan was such a "great" and "well-organised" school.

Subjects

Art and Design Business Studies Design & Technology DiDA

CIDA Drama English English Literature French German Geography History ICT Maths Music Physical Education Religious Studies Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Child development

Health Education

Welsh

First aid

Sign language

Sociology

Textiles

Food technology

Urdu

Arabic

Somali

Bengali

BTEC Sport

BTEC Engineering

GSCE Sport

Welsh short Course

Welsh Full Course

Careers

ICT Short Course

ICT Full Course

Media Studies

BTEC Media Studies

Latin (Only For Year 7 Express Set (Top Set) - Newly Introduced In 2008)

Facilities

Brand new computers have been installed and a multimedia centre for good measure.

The swimming pool was re-tiled and a sauna is set to be installed.

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

Fitzalan was the first school to install state-of-the-art 5-a-side astro pitches (identical to that of Real Madrid) and a new £600,000 sports hall. The sports hall has many uses for sport such as Cricket, Football, Basketball, Netball, Tennis, Badminton etc.

Two new full-sized astro pitches will be finished soon and are located next to the under-construction Leckwith stadium.

The school introduced a new 5x60 regime in which pupils of any age could take part in sports activities 1 hour after school. The activities include football, netball, baketball, cricket, hockey, dancing etc.

It also offers help to the less-capable children and can keep up with the pace of the brighter children. It employs various teachers to help the children achieve their maximum potential.

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.

Huw-Jones Williams was appointed headteacher in 2005.

“Fitzalan is a good school. It successfully promotes pupils’ achievement, with emphasis on individual needs. Pupils are given very good support, in a caring community, where cultural diversity is celebrated.” Estyn Dec 2004.

ee also

* [http://www.fitzalan.cardiff.sch.uk/ School website]

References