Ysgol Rhiwabon Welcomes Primary Pupils and Parents for Open Evening

Primary school pupils and their parents were given the chance to look around Ysgol Rhiwabon, one of the only two Band 1 schools in the Wrexham area, on the evening of Tuesday 18th September.

New headteacher Alun Harding welcomed the students with a talk which referred to the excellent results which have seen Ysgol Rhiwabon reach the top 25% of schools nationally in English, maths and science at Key Stage 3, and saw 91% of last year’s Year 11 gain 5 A* – C grades, but stressed the importance of looking to the future. Parents and children also had the opportunity to tour the school, see various subject areas in action, and talk to staff, governors, and existing pupils. Refreshments were provided in the library – along with keyrings as a souvenir of the visit.

The new head’s speech said that the school’s aim was “to ensure that we consistently produce well rounded young men and women who are productive, positive members of society” and it was clear from talking to current students that they share this vision. We caught up with Year 10 students Charlotte and Kaan in the school’s media suite and when asked if they’d recommend the school to prospective pupils, both replied “Definitely!” Charlotte described it as “The best high school in the area,” and Kaan said it offered a wider range of options than other local schools, along with “a great choice of extra-curricular activities and very helpful staff.” They took great pride in showing me the news section of the school website, which they run along with the rest of the RPress team – a real showcase for the students’ talent.

Primary school pupils enjoyed the tour, with perhaps the highlights being the sports hall, where they could see trampolining, basketball and football taking place, and the science labs where current students demonstrated experiments. Adam, from Johnstown, said, “It’s good! I was really impressed by science and maths,” and mentioned he particularly enjoyed seeing practical work and the use of equipment he wouldn’t normally get to use. Others were particularly excited to learn of the theatre club, which offers students in all year groups the chance to go to see major touring productions of the very best musicals.

Wrexham.com also spoke to Mrs Gail Colley, parent of both a current and a prospective student, who said, “We’re very impressed by the school; it’s all really good. A very informative evening, a friendly atmosphere and it was great to see the children get involved with the activities.” The parents of another current student said that their daughter was very happy and they’d really enjoyed seeing her getting involved in extra-curricular activities like street dance, and the number of prospective pupils who look set to follow in older siblings’ footsteps was a clear sign that parents were happy with the education their students are receiving.

Prospective parents who were unable to attend the evening and would like more information about the school can visit the website or contact the school by telephone on 01978 822392.