Ysgol Gyfun y Strade (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈəsɡɔl ˈɡəvɨn ə ˈstradɛ]) (often known as Y Strade) is a Welsh-medium comprehensive school and sixth form in the town of Llanelli, Wales. It opened in September 1977 as a mixed gender school.[1] In 2022 there were 1,209 pupils enrolled at the school.[2]

The school's motto is "Nid da lle gellir gwell"[3][4] — literally, (it is) not good where capable of (being) better, i.e. never settle for second-best; or, there is always room for improvement.

Ysgol y Strade
Depicts the outside of the school. Green gates encompass the building. In. the distance in front of the building is a car park. To the right, behind the gates, there is grass with a yellow digger.
The view from outside the school grounds during its extension.
Location
Carmarthenshire
,
SA15 4DL

Wales
,
United Kingdom
Information
School typeSecondary & Sixth Form
MottoNid da lle gellir gwell
([it is] not good where capable of [being] better)
Religious affiliation(s)Christianity
Established1977
AuthorityCarmarthenshire County Council
School code6694052
Head teacherGeoff Evans
Secondary years taughtYear 7 to Year 11
Age range11-18
Enrollment1209 (2022)
Student to teacher ratio17.8
LanguageWelsh
HousesGwenllian, Madog, Buddug and Rhodri[5]
SportsRugby
Budget£4,844 per pupil
Websitehttp://www.ysgolystrade.cymru
Last updated: 2023-06-05

The school has a successful rugby team which competes in the Rosslyn Park National School Sevens annually.[6]

The arts department within the school has also achieved many accolades throughout the nation. The choir have featured numerous times on the BBC in competitions such as Songs of Praise.[7][8][9] Many awards have also been won in The National Eisteddfod with recitation groups, choirs, drama performances, solo and duet singing, and public speaking.[10]

History

The school was opened in 1977 as a mixed bilingual comprehensive.[1] The current headteacher is Geoff Evans;[11][12][13] he took over from the previous headteacher, Heather Lewis, in 2017. Lewis became headmistress in 2009.[14]

Extensions and Improvements

The school featured in S4C's Hip neu Sgip?: Yn erbyn y cloc in 2011, in a cafeteria makeover which took place at the school in September 2010.[15]

A picture taken outside depicting the rear of the school's extension with a blue sky overhead
The rear of the school's extension in 2015

In 2015, a standalone extension for the Science and Design & Technology departments was completed. As a part of the project, the existing facilities used by the departments mentioned were converted and refurbished into classrooms for departments including music, media, and drama. A new lounge and study area for the school's sixth form was also introduced. In total the project cost £8.245 million, with the Welsh Government footing 50% of the investment as a part of its 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme. Carmarthenshire County Council contributed the rest through its Modernising Education Programme.[16]

As a part of the Welsh Government's 'Cymraeg 2050' strategy, Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, announced in 2022 that a £4.4 million investment would be dedicated to a new 'Welsh Language Immersion Centre' at Ysgol Gyfun y Strade. The investment also seeks to increase the school's capacity by 228.[17]

COVID-19 Response

The UK's response to the pandemic meant that Ysgol y Strade, like all schools, was closed until the end of June 2020. From then, many schools in Wales reopened from the end of June until the summer to trial how they would reopen in the next academic year. Shortly after reopening for the next academic year, pupils in Year 10 were forced into self-isolation after a pupil tested positive for the virus.[18] Similar cases plagued the school throughout the pandemic.

The school was praised for introducing a "Botwm Becso" ("Concern Button") during the pandemic. The button, placed on the school's website, allowed pupils to voice their concerns directly to the school's assistant head teacher in a confidential manner. The assistant head teacher would then decide how best to support the pupil. The scheme was highlighted in Estyn's 20-21 Annual Report.[19]

Extracurricular activities

Rugby

The school is notable for its rugby offering. It competes in union, league, and sevens[20] competitions. In 2023, the school's team claimed victory over previous winner Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera to win the WRU's under 18s Welsh cup.[21] Other competitions include the school's defeat to Llanishen in 2015 in the same competition.[22]

Arts

External videos
Ysgol y Strade perfomring on S4C's Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol
video icon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFKgYmjZOXM

The school frequently competes in the National Eisteddfod, usually with its choir, though it's competed in other competitions too, including recitation groups, drama performances, solo and duet singing, and public speaking.[23][24] The choir has also competed in Songs of Praise's School Choir of the Year, which it won in 2013[25] and lost in 2018.[26]

In 2013, the school performed an original musical Grav that was based on the life of late rugby star Ray Gravell. The musical was completely in Welsh and performed by pupils from the school of all ages. It attracted a large audience throughout South Wales; resulting in a shortened version being performed in the National Eisteddfod the following year in Llanelli.

Notable former pupils

Notable former teachers

  • Tudur Dylan Jones, two-time winner of the Eisteddfod chair[33] and author,[34] taught Welsh at the school.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ysgol Y Strade". ysgolystrade.cymru. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade". mylocalschool.gov.wales. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  3. ↑ Thomas, Bethan (14 October 2020). "32 things you'll only remember if you went to Strade School in the past 20 years". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  4. ↑ "Ysgol Y Strade". ysgolystrade.cymru. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Thomas, Bethan (14 October 2020). "32 things you'll only remember if you went to Strade School in the past 20 years". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens". www.national7s.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "BBC - School Choir of the Year 2013 - Ysgol Y Strade singing Anfonaf Angel". BBC. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Côr Ysgol Y Strade yn ffeinal Songs of Praise". BBC Cymru Fyw (in Welsh). 6 May 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  9. ↑ "School Choirs 2012 Final". Songs of Praise. 29 April 2012. BBC. And finally, from Llanelli, Ysgol Y Strade!
  10. ↑ Blake, Aled (7 August 2014). "National Eisteddfod: Wednesday and Thursday's results". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "Staff – Ysgol Y Strade". www.ysgolystrade.org. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
  12. ↑ Harries, Rob (30 September 2022). "Another school individual has tested positive for virus". Llanelli Star. p. 4.
  13. ↑ Harries, Robert; Lewis, Ian (15 August 2019). "A-level results in Carmarthenshire: How every school and college performed". WalesOnline. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  14. ↑ Dalling, Robert (8 July 2017). "Llanelli head teacher set to say farewell to pupils after eight years in role". WalesOnline. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Vibrant new dining hall at Strade". Carmarthenshire County Council. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 9 December 2010.
  16. ↑ "Ysgol Y Strade". www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales. 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  17. ↑ "Llanelli's Ysgol y Strade to get £4.4m expansion". Swansea Bay News. 1 March 2022. Archived from the original on 1 March 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  18. ↑ Thomas, Bethan (24 September 2020). "Whole year group isolating after positive test at secondary school". WalesOnline. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  19. ↑ Wightwick, Abbie (2 December 2021). "The schools recognised for their hard work over the pandemic". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens". www.national7s.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  21. ↑ "Thunderous schools finals kick-off 'RTP 2023' series". Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community. 2 March 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Bywater, Alex (20 April 2015). "Llanishen High School win back-to-back Welsh Schools Cup titles". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  23. ↑ Blake, Aled (7 August 2014). "National Eisteddfod: Wednesday and Thursday's results". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  24. ↑ Smith, Mark (3 June 2016). "Urdd Eisteddfod 2016: These are Friday's results". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "BBC - School Choir of the Year 2013 - Ysgol Y Strade singing Anfonaf Angel". BBC. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  26. ↑ "Porth school choir wins in Songs of Praise final". BBC News. 13 May 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  27. ↑ Rees, Paul (30 January 2018). "Josh Adams gets his chance for Wales amid the host of Scarlets". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  28. ↑ "Josh Adams' Scarlet-letter day". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  29. ↑ Rees, Paul (30 January 2018). "Josh Adams gets his chance for Wales amid the host of Scarlets". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  30. ↑ "Josh Adams' Scarlet-letter day". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  31. ↑ WalesOnline (8 June 2014). "Commonwealth Games 2014: Olympic gymnast Frankie Jones chosen for final hurrah as part of Team Wales Glasgow squad". WalesOnline. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Pennod 2". Y Prif. Season 1. Episode 2 (in Welsh). December 2023. S4C.
  33. ↑ "National Eisteddfod: Solving 'mystery' of first chair". BBC News. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Tudur Dylan Jones: Biography and Bibliography | Y Lolfa". www.ylolfa.com. Retrieved 17 August 2023.


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