Rhyl New School
The 13th April was a special day for the pupils at Rhyl High and Ysgol Tir Morfa as the doors to their new school finally opened.
The £25 million brand new high school has been built on Rhyl High’s School playing fields and can accommodate 1,200 pupils as well as providing a base for 45 pupils from the nearby community special school, Ysgol Tir Morfa. The project is being funded by the Council and the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools and Education programme.
As well as the usual academic facilities, the school also boasts a café bar, construction yard and hairdressing salon.
Claire Armitstead, Head of Rhyl High School said: ”It’s an end of an era for the old Rhyl High school, but the beginning of a brand new exciting chapter as we look forward to the future in our brand new school.”
“The old high school building has provided an education for generations of pupils and some former pupils took the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and came to see the school before it closed. Many people will have extremely fond memories that they will treasure forever.”
“Our young people can now access the best possible facilities as part of their academic and vocational studies which will provide them with the best possible start for their future education and careers.”
Phil Thomas, Assistant Headteacher of Ysgol Tir Morfa, said: “Those pupils and staff from Tir Morfa moving across from our Ffordd Derwen site are delighted to be moving into the satellite base in the new building, complete with state of the art facilities that will benefit our pupils and future generations. Not many pupils have such a great opportunity to move into a brand new school and our pupils are delighted to be joining their counterparts from Rhyl High for this momentous time in our history.”
The project has also given the local economy a boost with nearly 71% of the expenditure with sub-contractors has been to companies within 30 miles of Rhyl and many of the relationships developed with the local supply chain have been taken forward to the Ysgol Glan Clwyd project.
Job success for Llangollen student Elliot
A group of students from a Denbighshire secondary school were recently put through their paces for an experience of a job interview – with one enterprising student managing to earn himself a real life Saturday morning job as a result.
The Council, through its Economic and Community Ambition Board, commissioned and funded a new project entitled ‘Pathway+’. One of the activities of the project programme was to develop and pilot an interview toolkit, with local employers and schools.
The first pilot was held at Ysgol Dinas Bran, Llangollen when Year 11 students made a choice from six advertisements, applied for the position and were interviewed by one of several local employers present at a special event.
Employers included A.N Richards, Ifor Williams Trailers, Lawson Construction, Xenos, Employability Academy, Denbighshire County Council, Waterco and Mondelez International.
Each employer interviewed several students throughout the day, and Elliot Tudor-Evans was interviewed by Jenni Edwards from Denbighshire County Council. At the interview, Elliot enquired whether there was an opportunity for any Saturday work with any employers present.
Jenni referred Elliot to Johanna Cooke of A. N. Richards (car & commercial recovery and repair service), who spoke informally to Elliot and advised him to send in his CV/application form and they would invite him for interview.
A week later Elliot sent in his CV/application form and attended a formal interview with the company.
Rose Richards, who interviewed Elliot, said: “Elliot arrived on time, well presented and conducted an excellent interview. He showed a genuine interest in our company and asked all the right questions.
“We were so impressed that we offered Elliot a Saturday job. We are hoping that once Elliot has finished his exams he will join us as a full time member of staff and have a successful future with the company.
“Our company would like to continue to be involved in the Pathway+ programme as we believe it is important, as employers we give back to the community and support our young people in local schools.
Elliot said: “I attended the interview at the school, and was unsure what I wanted to do once I had finished my exams. I am so pleased that I have been given this opportunity by A N Richards and intend to prove to them I am worthy of the trust they have placed in me. I am determined not to let either myself or the school down".
Jenni Edwards, Pathway+ Coordinator for the Council, said: “The success of the pilot has shown us that we are on the right track, and that our students are benefitting from working with employers and participating in such important skills development programmes.”