Bishop Hedley High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school

Secondary school

Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...

, established in 1967, and located in Penydarren

Penydarren

Penydarren Ironworks was the fourth of the great ironworks established at Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales.Built in 1784 by the brothers Samuel Homfray, Jeremiah Homfray, and Thomas Homfray, all sons of Francis Homfray of Stourbridge. Their father, Francis, for a time managed a nail warehouse there...

, Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...

, South Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

. The vast majority of the pupils of the school stem from the Heads of the Valleys, serving parishes from Aberdare

Aberdare

Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...

, Hirwaun

Hirwaun

Hirwaun is the name of a village at the northwest end of the Cynon Valley in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The village of Hirwaun is from the town of Aberdare, and comes under Aberdare for postal reasons...

, Merthyr Tydfil, Merthyr Vale

Merthyr Vale

Merthyr Vale is a linear village in the Welsh county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan. Lying on the A4054 road it is on the east bank of the River Taff opposite Aberfan.-Ynys Owen:...

, Gurnos

Gurnos

Gurnos is a community of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, United Kingdom. It consists principally of the Gurnos Estate, a large housing estate established by Merthyr Tydfil Council in the early 1950s and expanded over many years...

, Dowlais

Dowlais

Dowlais is a village and community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. As of 2001, it has a population of 6646.Dowlais is notable within Wales and Britain for its historic association with ironworking; once employing, through the Dowlais Iron Company, roughly 5,000 people, the works...

, Tredegar

Tredegar

Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales...

, Rhymney

Rhymney

Rhymney is a town and a community located in the county borough of Caerphilly in south-east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Along with the villages of Pontlottyn, Fochriw, Abertysswg, Deri and New Tredegar, Rhymney is designated as the 'Upper Rhymney Valley' by the local...

, At present, the school serves around 690 - 700 pupils, aged 11–18. The school motto means God is enough in the Welsh language

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

.

Perhaps its most famous alumnus is Robert Sidoli

Robert Sidoli

Robert Sidoli is a Welsh rugby union player who plays for Newport Gwent Dragons.He has won 42 caps for Wales as a lock forward...

, the previous Welsh rugby union

Wales national rugby union team

The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...

 lock. Bishop Hedley is a member of the eco-schools. As a school, it has gained a bronze, silver and a 1st green flag.

Establishment

Bishop Hedley Roman Catholic High School was established in 1967 due to the growing need to cater for the large populace of Catholic youth aged 11–18 in the Merthyr Tydfil and Heads of the Valleys area. The school was so named after Bishop Hedley who opened the first Roman Catholic Church in the Merthyr Valley (St. Illtyd's) in 1863. The school was expanded to a second phase in 1973.

Subjects and curriculum

In KS3

Key Stage 3

Key Stage 3 is the legal term for the three years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales normally known as Year 7, Year 8 and Year 9, when pupils are aged between 11 and 14...

, pupil partake in English, Mathematics, Science (in year 9, this changes to chemistry, physics and biology as they start GCSE Science early), RE, ICT, Welsh, French, Art, History, Geography, Music, Design & Technology and Drama.

In KS4

Key Stage 4

Key Stage 4 is the legal term for the two years of school education which incorporate GCSEs, and other exams, in maintained schools in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland—normally known as Year 10 and Year 11 in England and Wales, and Year 11 and Year 12 in Northern Ireland, when pupils are...

, pupils study English Language, English Literature, Science, Additional Science, Mathematics, Welsh (Short Course), RE, and PSE. Pupils then have three choices out of ICT, Welsh, French, Art, History, Geography, Music, Design & Technology, Drama, Business Studies.Also at GCSE Welsh, students are offered a 'boost class' in Year 11 if these choose not to do GCSE Full Course Welsh at the end of Year 9. Students then boost up from Short Course to Full Course. This has been a success and continues to be a success. It is run by Head of Welsh, Mrs. Elaine Walters.

In KS5

Key Stage 5

Key Stage 5 is an unofficial label used to describe the two years of post-compulsory education for students aged 16-18, or at sixth form, in the United Kingdom, to align with previous Key Stages as labelled for the National Curriculum....

, pupils can study all of the other subjects mentioned as well as economics, sociology, health and social education, Drama (at Cyfartha, Law (at Pen-Y-Dre) and Media Studies (at Afon Taf). From September 2009, Bishop Hedley will be making the Welsh Baccalaureate mandatory for pupils in KS5.

In Years 9-13, Science is taught separately as Chemistry, Biology and Physics. The EdExcel Science 360 specification is used at KS4 - but at the present moment it is an a 'GCSE Science' and 'Additional Science' course. Shortly, the school hopes to offer the three sciences separately. In years 7 and 8, Spotlight Science is used.

Facilities

Bishop Hedley has recently been improved. 70% of the exterior of phase 2 is now completed, with the new colour red. Progress continues on completing the refurb of the exterior of phase 2. Bishop Hedley has also recently improved phase 1 main hall.

Bishop Hedley has a main hall, dance and drama studio, pottery room, gymnasium, two sports hall, football/rugby field, hockey pitch, three yards, three design and technology rooms, learning resources centre, music rehearsal room, two new 21st century science suites, 5 I.C.T. resources rooms (excluding I.C.T services in other areas of the school eg, music room, LRC etc.) and a 6th form-specific revision area, common room. Pupils in years 12 and 13 also make use of the Careers Library. The MFL department has a specific room on the top floor, and the science department has an specific I.C.T. suite (opposite the main science department in phase 2). There is also a specific SEN and EAL area.

The MFL department has a French assistant from France attend every acedamic year to improve their and help in their studies of English, and help GCSE and AS/A2/A level pupils who have taken French.

Classrooms are well-equipped, with every classroom having a electronic projector. This also aids the science department, which currently uses the on-board textbook for GCSE Science and GCSE Additional Science. This is part of the new EdExcel specification. The school has also invested in a Pisys system, which has proved a great investment for staff and pupils alike.

Recent school report

Estyn inspected Bishop Hedley in November 2007 and said "The school has many good features, of which some are outstanding."

Religious education is inspected separately at the same time. This was another positive report which said "The Catholicity of the school pervades all that goes on and provides a rich environment where pupils excel academically and grow spiritually. The school is highly effective in promoting Catholic values." It also said that "pupils at Key Stage 4 achieve high standards".

40th anniversary

Bishop Hedley High School celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008. The culmination of various celebrations was a mass held on Tuesday 24 June 2008. In the afternoon, Father Mike Evans led a mass for the pupils, while in the evening Archbishop Peter Smith led the celebrations. Pupils, staff, parish priests, parishioners, councillors, representatives of officers from Merthyr County Borough Council, representatives of our partnerships with external organisations and past pupils celebrated the mass with the Archbishop.

Music from the mass was composed by Mr. Peter Lewis, Head of Music and a tapestry was displayed which had been created by Mrs. A. Richards, Mrs. G. Jones and Year 8 pupils. During the mass, pupils sang and the bidding prayers were read in the different languages of the school community - Polish, Portuguese, Filipino, Welsh and English. The orchrestra accomnpied all the hymns.

Pupils from our partner primary schools brought candles to join the BHHS candle by the altar which was decorated with beautiful flowers arranged by a parent, Mrs. Nicola Evans.

At the end of the mass the Archbisop blessed all the crosses from the classroms in the school. He also blessed the large cross in the Main Hall which was another project for the anniversary with Christine Chivers the ceramicist helping pupils create individual ceramic tiles to join together to form one large cross. Finally, a beautiful buffet was enjoyed by all.

Community & charity events

Bishop Hedley High School is a primary location for the 3G's community group. Yearly, there is also an annual OAP party for the residents in the local area. This is arranged by Mrs Scrivins (head of the sixth form) and the 6th form. The School also has a Charity Day every term in the school year. The last charity day raised over £1,100 for three charities - the Mayor's appeal, Breast cancer care and to help with the purchase of a land-rover in Tanzania.

Drama Department success

A successful modern twist on an old classic saw pupils in Year 8 and 9 praised by the manager of the Shakesphere Festival when they performed Macbeth at the Taliesin Theatre in Swansea. Their contemporary version featured dancing witches who rocked around the cauldron to songs such as "Soulja Boy", "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Rock Star". The idea was to make the play more accessible and enjoyable for teenagers. The cast was praised for their mature performances and the manager of the Shakesphere Festival recommended that some of them try for the National Youth Theatre

National Youth Theatre

The National Youth Theatre is a registered charity in London, Great Britain, committed to creative, personal and social development of young people through the medium of creative arts....

when they are 16.

External links

• Old Merthyr Tydfil: Bishop Hedley School - Historical photographs of Bishop Hedley School.
• School website