Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen

Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen is a Welsh Medium comprehensive school in the village of Church Village near Pontypridd, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, in the principality of Wales in the United Kingdom.

Background and History

The school was originally established in 1962 in the village of Rhydyfelin near Pontypridd. It was the second Welsh-language comprehensive school to be established in Wales. In the first year 80 pupils were on the school roll.

Gwilym Humphreys was the first Headmaster of Rhydfelen. He was born in Wallasey, England, the son of a Presbyterian Minister. Raised in a mining village called Rhosllanerchrugog, Denbighshire. [Speech to the Valleys Vall conferences, 1971]

A school house system was developed as the school grew. In Rhydfelen they were called "llysoedd" (plural; "llys" singular).

Up to 1973 there were three : Dinefwr, Ifor Hael and Sycharth.

In 1973, when the school had grown to nearly 1,000 pupils, the number of "llysoedd" was increased to six : Dafydd, Gruffydd, Hywel, Iolo, Llywelyn, and Owain.

Each "llys" was associated with a corresponding colour : Dafydd (dark blue), Gruffydd (pale blue), Hywel (yellow), Iolo (red), Llywelyn (pink/lilac), and Owain (orange).

The school magazine, "Na Nog", was published annually.

The original Rhydfelen site

At the original school site, the buildings were grouped roughly into three areas (or blocks) and named after Welsh counties : Gwent, Powys and Dyfed.

Gwent buildings were the oldest and dated from the Second World War. Powys was a three-storey building and Dyfed was a two-storey building.

The School library was situated on the second-storey of Dyfed block.

There was a Refrectory service in Powys (called "y ffreutur") and Dyfed.

The 6th form rooms were located on the second floor of the Powys block.

Extensive use was made of portable cabins (portacabins) as school rooms.

An old gymnasium burned down in the school and was replaced by a new gymnasium in Powys in approximately 1977. This gymnasium survived in tact until 2007, when the school site was demolished.

The school had a large on-site Rugby Field and a swimming pool.

The school Headmaster's room was situated roughly in the centre of the school, in Powys block, adjacent to a staff room and near "y ffreutur".

Rhydfelen Today

In 2006, the school moved to a new site as part of the Gartholwg campus complex in Church Village.Today approximately 930 students are on the school roll, including 160 students studying at sixth form. [ [http://www.estyn.gov.uk/inspection_reports/Ysgol_Gyfun_Garth_Olwg_March_2007.pdf English ] ] About ninety-two percent of pupils come from homes where the main language is English as against eight percent from homes where Welsh is the main language. [ibid.]

Gallery of Photos of Campws Gartholwg school site

School Name

Since the school re-located to the Garth Olwg campus in 2006 there is an ongoing argument between the comprehensive school and the Welsh assembly government as to the name of the comprehensive school, the school maintaining its original name Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen and the local authorities insisting it be renamed Ysgol Gyfun Gartholwg [citeweb|url=http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-committees/bus-committees-third1/bus-committees-third-pc-home/bus-committees-third-pc-agendas.htm?act=dis&id=67295&ds=1/2008|title=Petition against school name change|accessdate=2008-07-12]

Alumni

Actors include Richard Harrington, Jeremi Cockram, Daniel Evans, Richard Lynch, Lisa Palfrey, Gareth Potter, Maria Pride, Ieuan Rhys, and Geraint Todd.

Computer scientist Rob Hartill who is best known for his work on the Internet Movie Database website and the Apache web server. Notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web.

Entertainers include Martin Geraint, children's entertainer, the multi-talented Geraint Benney, and TV cook Dudley Newberry.

Entrepreneur: Ian Jindal, former Head of Online Operations (1998-2000) at the BBC.

Journalists and broadcasters include BBC television and radio broadcaster Alun Thomas and Ciaran Jenkins, (brother of Bethan Jenkins AM).

Politicians include Jon Owen Jones MP, Bethan Jenkins AM, Delyth Evans former AM, and Dafydd Trystan Davies, former Chief Executive of Plaid Cymru.

Sports-players include footballer Owain Warlow, Kevin Morgan, the Welsh international rugby player and the power-lifter Gareth Jones, from Nelson, Wales.

Writers and poets include Gwyneth Lewis first National Poet for Wales , dramatist Ian Rowlands, Gwyn Morgan (writer) and Gavin Courtney, author of the New York Times Bestseller "How Asian are you?".

Notable former members of staff

Huw Bunford guitarist in the rock band, Super Furry Animals was former Head of Art at the school.

John Owen, creator of the Welsh Television childrens' series. Pam Fi Duw? and author of the series of books of the same name, was Head of Drama at the school. He commited suicide in 2001 after having been arrested and charged with serious criminal offences against children. [citeweb|title=BBC News timeline of events|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3853953.stm|accessdate=2008-07-13] [citeweb|title=BBC News story|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3857009.stm|accessdate=2008-07-13]

Contact Details

Ysgol Gyfun RhydfelenCampws Gartholwg,Main Road,Church Village,Pontypridd,CF38 1DX

Tel: [phone]

E-mail: [e-mail]

References

External links

* [http://www.rhydfelen.org.uk School website]
* [http://www.campwsgartholwg.org.uk/ Campws Gartholwg Campus]
* [http://www.twmdesign.co.uk/prints/ffarwelrhydfelen/ Photos of Rhydfelen after it closed.]