Barry Comprehensive School () was a secondary school for boys aged 11–18, situated opposite

Highlight Park Barry (; ; ) is a town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. It is on the north coast of the Bristol Channel approximately south-southwest of Cardiff. Barry is a seaside resort, with attractions including several beaches and the resu ...

in the town of

Barry Barry may refer to: People and fictional characters * Barry (name), including lists of people with the given name, nickname or surname, as well as fictional characters with the given name * Dancing Barry, stage name of Barry Richards (born c. 195 ...

, in

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School Pencoedtre High School, formerly called Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School, is in Merthyr Dyfan on the outskirts of the town of Barry near Cardiff in Wales. It was opened as Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School in 1971, an 11-19 girls' comprehensive sc ...

was the partner girls' school that also provides a mixed sixth form for both schools. A new co-educational school reopened on the same site called

Whitmore High School Whitmore High School is a state secondary school in the London Borough of Harrow. The school's students are mostly drawn from the wider Harrow area. In March 2015, the school was judged "Outstanding" by Ofsted for the second time. The current ...

History

Barry Boys’ Comprehensive School was formed by the merger of Barry Boys' Grammar School and the three Boys' Secondary Modern Schools (Cadoxton, Gladstone and Romilly) in September 1966 with the introduction of comprehensive schools for boys. In 1993, Barry Sixth Form, a joint

sixth form In the education systems of Barbados, England, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepa ...

with

was created. In 1998, the school dropped the word 'Boys' from its name and thus adopted its current name. Since 2000, the school has been consolidated on one site, following an extensive development and expansion on the original grounds. Former Headteacher, David Swallow, received an

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

, in June 2003, from the

Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...

for his work in education.Patrons
Jam-Fund Barry Comprehensive suffered damage to kitchen and dining areas and some classrooms during a fire caused by an arson attack on 4 August 2006. The attack took place during the school holiday period and the school was able to re-open for pupils at the beginning of the next term. The attack was believed to be caused by students of the school. On 31 August 2018, Barry Comprehensive School ceased to exist. A new co-educational school called

was formed in its place.

Academic Standards

Vehicular entrance to Barry Comprehensive School

Estyn Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb meaning 'to reach (out), stretch or extend'. Its function is to provide an independent inspection and advice service on quality and stand ...

, His Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales, has given this school a Grade 1 overall assessment, the highest available. They described it as "a good school with a significant number of outstanding features that is going from strength to strength under the leadership of its head, David Swallow". Outstanding features of the school include the relationships between teachers and pupils and the quality of care, support and guidance students receive. Children make outstanding progress in their moral and social development in a school that is an orderly and respectful community. Standards of behaviour are very good. In spring 2006 Barry Comprehensive was named the most improved school in Wales for the third year running. Barry Comprehensive had the second most improved Key Stage Four results in Wales, 2002 and was also the most improved school in the South Wales region. The school was one of several chosen to pilot the Welsh Baccalaureate. The School have introduced an innovative numeracy mentoring scheme with staff from the local chemical plant

Dow Corning Dow Corning Corporation, was an American multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States, and was originally established as a joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Inc., Corning Incorporated. In 20 ...

working with Year 8 boys. Barry Comprehensive has twinned with De Soysa Vidyalaya Moratuwa of

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. In September 2012, Mr. Gerard McNamara took over as head teacher.

As a filming location

The

S4C S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speakin ...

television series

Gwaith/Cartref ''Gwaith/Cartref'' (English: ''Home/Work'') is a Welsh language television series that in set in the comprehensive school of Bro Taf, broadcast on S4C. The show was set in the Welsh valley Rhondda Cynon Taf from series one until the end of serie ...

uses Barry Comprehensive regularly as the location for its fictional school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Taf. The '' Being Human'' spin-off series ''

Becoming Human ''Becoming Human'' is a British supernatural comedy-drama web series and a spin-off from the TV series '' Being Human''. Created by Toby Whithouse, it was directed by Alex Kalymnios, written by Brian Dooley, Jamie Mathieson and John Jackson, ...

'' used Barry Comprehensive for various scenes, and most recently, Spanish director

Isabel Coixet Isabel Coixet Castillo (; born 9 April 1960) is a Spanish film director. She is one of the most prolific film directors of contemporary Spain, having directed twelve feature-length films since the beginning of her film career in 1988, in addition ...

filmed various scenes on the school grounds for her latest feature that is due to be released in 2013. The film stars Sophie Turner (actress),

Gregg Sulkin Gregg Sulkin (born 29 May 1992) is an English actor. He made his television debut in the 2002 miniseries ''Doctor Zhivago (TV series), Doctor Zhivago'', and his film debut in the 2006 comedy ''Sixty Six (film), Sixty Six'', before gaining early ...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor. He is known for his roles in the films '' Michael Collins'' (1996), '' Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus'' (1999), ''Bend It Like Beckham'' (2002), ' ...

and

Ivana Baquero Ivana Baquero Macías (born 11 June 1994) is a Spanish actress. At the age of 11, she was chosen to star as Ofelia in '' Pan's Labyrinth'', for which she won critical acclaim and the Goya Award for Best New Actress. In 2015, she was cast as ...

, all of which featuring in scenes filmed in the school. Casualty was also filmed in this school in early 2016

Sport

2004–05 was the inaugural year of a football development partnership between Barry Comprehensive School and Barry Town Football Club."Trophies presented"
Barry and District News, 26 May 2005

Notable former pupils

Ronald Atkins Ronald Henry Atkins (13 June 1916 – 30 December 2020) was a British Labour politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Preston North for two terms: from 1966 until 1970, and from February 1974 until 1979. His career in British p ...

– former MP *

Derek Brockway Derek Clifford Brockway (born 29 October 1967) is a Welsh meteorologist. He joined the BBC in 1995. Brockway is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, Wales and presents weather forecasts on radio, television and online as well as appearing in ot ...

–

BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcasting, public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, ...

Meteorologist and TV presenter *

Gerran Howell Gerran Howell is a Welsh actor from Barry, Wales. He is best known for playing the titular character in ''Young Dracula'', a CBBC television series that initially aired in 2006, and Dennis Whitaker in the medical drama ''The Pitt'', which premi ...

– actor *

Kayne McLaggon Kayne Simeon McLaggon (born 21 September 1990) is a Welsh semi-professional footballer who plays as a striker for Cymru Premier club Barry Town United and the Wales 'C' National Team. Club career Southampton McLaggon was born in Barry, Val ...

–

Southampton FC Southampton Football Club is a professional football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, England. The club competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Their home ground since 2001 has been St Mary's Stadium, befor ...

Barry Town United F.C. Footballer * Lee Selby – boxer *

Owen Smith Owen Smith (born 2 May 1970) is a British lobbyist and former Labour Party (UK), Labour Party politician. Smith was Member of Parliament (United Kingdom), Member of Parliament (MP) for Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency), Pontypridd from 2 ...

- MP *

Robert Tear Robert Tear, CBE (8 March 1939 – 29 March 2011) was a Welsh tenor singer, teacher and conductor. He first became known singing in the operas of Benjamin Britten in the mid-1960s. From the 1970s until his retirement in 1999 his main operati ...

– operatic tenor Royal Opera House *

Barnett Janner, Baron Janner Barnett Janner, Baron Janner (20 June 1892 – 4 May 1982), was a British politician who was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) and later as a Labour MP. Early life Janner was born ברוך אהרון בן יהושע (Baruch A ...

– politician *

Gwynfor Evans Gwynfor Richard Evans (1 September 1912 – 21 April 2005) was a Welsh politician, lawyer and author. He was President of the Welsh political party Plaid Cymru for thirty-six years and was the first member of Parliament to represent it at West ...

– politician *

Alan Evans (academic) Alan Charles Evans is a Welsh-born Canadian neuroscientist who is a James McGill Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering, and holds the Victor Dahdaleh Chair in Neurosciences at McGill University. He is als ...

– neuroscientist * Gareth Jones – journalist *

Mike Bubbins Mike Bubbins (born 18 April 1972) is a Welsh stand-up comedian, writer, actor, presenter, and podcaster. Originally a P.E. teacher and part-time Elvis impersonator, Bubbins co-writes and stars in his own BBC sitcom, ''Mammoth''. He also co-hos ...

- comedian and broadcaster

References

External links

Official site
{{authority control Secondary schools in the Vale of Glamorgan Buildings and structures in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan Educational institutions established in 1966 Boys' schools in Wales 1966 establishments in Wales