Llantarnam School

Llantarnam School ( _cy. Ysgol Llantarnam) is a state-funded and non-selective comprehensive school in the Cwmbran suburb of Llantarnam, Torfaen in Wales. It provides education for approximately 1,460 students aged 11-19. The school also houses the district's leisure centre and swimming pool.

Layout of the site

The school is split into three main buildings with two smaller buildings on site. The three main buildings are named Llwyd, Usk and Monnow after local rivers such as the Afon Llwyd, River Usk and River Monnow. The two smaller buildings are referred to as the Design Technology Block and the Science Block.

Each of the three main buildings have three storeys or levels and a main access corridor on the first level which are referred to by students and faculty as Llwyd Corridor, Usk Corridor and Monnow Corridor. The school's canteen is located in Llwyd Building but there had been a second canteen in Usk Building up until 2006. What was Usk Canteen is now a classroom and when not in use is a Sixth Form study area.

Both the Science block and the Design Technology block house other subjects as well as their own. The Science block contains three classrooms and one Science prep room which links the two Science classrooms. The third classroom is used as a Physical Education theory classroom and has a set of computers connected to the schools network. The Design Technology Block contains two workshops, three Design Technology classrooms and an Art classroom. These classrooms all have smaller rooms used for storage.

Usk Building contains two Geography rooms on the top floor, a staff room, Drama classroom, two Religious Studies classrooms, the Headteacher's office as well as the other main school admin offices. The first floor contains student's toilets and staff toilets, a classroom and a sixth form area which contained a locker room (now Offices), and it contains Sixth Form toilets, a common room, one classroom which is also used as a Sixth Form Study Area and the offices of Head Of Sixth Form who is currently Mrs L. Davies and the Head Of Year 12 who is currently Mrs F. Campbell as well as the office of the Careers Advisor. The sixth form area also includes a small Sixth Form garden.

Leisure Centre

The Leisure Centre contains a swimming pool, changing rooms (Male and Female), a classroom, a small staff area as well as a basketball area which can be used for other sports.

Significant locations around the school

Llwyd CanteenLlwyd Canteen is now the only area available for students and teachers to buy food and drinks. The canteen serves both hot and cold food and has a variety of vending machines so that students may purchase food even when the canteen is not open. The canteen is dependent on the school's internal debit card system, with students topping up their accounts in Llwyd and Usk blocks via simple ATMs.

Sixth Form Study Area (Formerly Usk Canteen)The Sixth Form Study Area has a number of uses but its primary use is as an additional study area for the school's Sixth Form. However, it is also used as an exam hall and as a classroom. The Sixth Form Area is located in Usk Block and is the only part of school that younger students are denied access to. The Sixth Form Area contains a common room, a class room, two offices and toilets. The area also includes a garden.

Learning Resource CentreThe Learning Resource Centre has two purposes, it is a library and a computer room that the entire school can access at break and lunch times. Teachers can book the area for their classes at all times with the exception of 1st Period where the area is strictly for Sixth Form use only. At all other times any student may use the facilities, but during break and lunch times, Sixth Form take priority over all other year groups.

The role of senior students in Sixth Form.

The Sixth Form includes a group of students who are designated prefects, with students in Years 12 and 13. At present, only Year 12 students can apply to become prefects, with successful applicants resuming their role in Year 13. Prefects are expected to patrol areas of the school at break times to prevent disruptive behaviour as well as being attached to departments and a year 7 or 8 form group. As a general rule-of-thumb, the prefects are expected to help out at other occasions such as Open Days.

The senior students comprise four students who have been elected to the positions of Head Boy, Deputy Head Boy, Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl by members of the staff and sixth form. All four students have to be prefects to be eligible for nomination. They are elected during the summer term after Year 13 go on study leave and after Year 12 return from study leave. Like the prefects, the senior students are expected to help out at occasions such as Open Days, however their role in such events is greatly expanded. The senior students are also responsible for organising such events as the sixth form parties and the OAP Christmas party. All four senior students also attend school council meetings.

Both Prefects and Senior Students can be identified by the distinctive badges that they wear on their ties. All senior students have blue badges with their position named on their badge (so the Head Boy's badge reads Head Boy, the Head Girl's badge reads Head Girl, the Deputy Head Boy's badge reads Deputy Head Boy and the Deputy Head Girl's badge reads Deputy Head Girl.) The prefects badges are available in numerous colours but are mainly either blue or yellow, although red badges are available. All prefect badges have the word prefect written on them. The font colour is gold with the badges all shaped like shields with a gold border. The text is written diagonally across the badge.

External links

* [http://www.llantarnamschool.net/ Llantarnam School's Official Website]