Tonyrefail School was an 11-18 mixed comprehensive school of approximately 1050 students that served the town of Tonyrefail and the surrounding areas. The school was situated on the north side of the town of

Tonyrefail Tonyrefail () is a village and community in the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough, Wales. It is situated at the head of the River Ely; northwest of Llantrisant, about from Trebanog and about from Williamstown. During the second half of the ...

, on the B4278 near Bryngolau, around three miles south of

Tonypandy Tonypandy (, ) is a town, community and electoral ward located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, the to ...

and about four miles west of

Pontypridd Pontypridd ( , ), Colloquialism, colloquially referred to as ''Ponty'', is a town and a Community (Wales), community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, approximately 10 miles north west of Cardiff city centre. Geography Pontypridd comprises the ...

. It took its pupils from a cluster of six primary schools, Abercerdin, Cwmlai, Hendreforgan, Tonyrefail, Tref-y-Rhyg, and Williamstown, and worked with other schools in

Rhondda Cynon Taf Rhondda Cynon Taf (; RCT; also spelt as Rhondda Cynon Taff) is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South East Wales, south-east of Wales. It consists of five valleys: the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff () and Ely valleys, ...

to offer a range of post-16 courses at its Sixth Form Centre. The school was closed in April 2019.

History

Tonyrefail School opened as a new mixed comprehensive in September 1973, replacing a school on the site known as Tonyrefail Grammar School, which had closed in July 1973. The school was closed as a result of the

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council () is the governing body for Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council headquarters are at the Llys Cadwyn development in Pontypridd. History The council was established on 1 Ap ...

21st Century Schools Reorganisation, which aimed to take a radically different approach to education in the area, by sharing both primary and secondary sector resources. At the end of the summer term, 2018, Tonyrefail School and Tonyrefail Primary School were both planned to close, and in September 2018 a new Tonyrefail Community School, for local children aged from three to nineteen, would open in new buildings which had been built at a cost of some £44 million on the school‘s site, including a Sixth Form Centre of Excellence. In the event, the new school was delayed and the outgoing schools did not close until the spring term of 2019.Lydia Stevens
“First look inside the £44m super school in Tonyrefail open to pupils next week”
walesonline.co.uk, 24 April 2019

Notable former students

Tonyrefail Grammar School

Boyd Clack Boyd Daniel Clack (born 7 March 1951) is a Canadian-born Welsh writer, actor, and musician. He was born in Vancouver, Canada to Welsh parents. At a young age, he emigrated with his family to Wales, where he grew up in Tonyrefail, where his fam ...

(born 1951), actor *

Jeffrey John Jeffrey Philip Hywel John (born 10 February 1953) is a Church of England priest, who served as the Dean of St Albans from 2004 until 2021. He made headlines in 2003 when he was the first person to have openly been in a same-sex relationsh ...

(born 1953), clergyman, Dean of St Albans *

Cliff Morgan Clifford Isaac Morgan, (7 April 1930 – 29 August 2013) was a Welsh rugby union player who played for Cardiff RFC and earned 29 caps for Wales between 1951 and 1958. After his playing career ended, Morgan made a successful career in broadca ...

(1930–2013), BBC broadcaster, Head of BBC Television Sport 1976-87 *

Trefor Richard Morgan Trefor Richard Morgan (28 January 1914 – 3 January 1970) was a Welsh nationalist activist. He was a businessman who set up an insurance company and also supported efforts around Welsh language schooling. Early life Born in Tonyrefail, Glamorgan ...

(1914–1970), Welsh nationalist

Tonyrefail School

Matthew Rees Matthew Rees (born 9 December 1980) is a Welsh former professional rugby union footballer who played as a hooker. After beginning his career with Tonyrefail RFC and Merthyr RFC, he made his professional debut for Pontypridd RFC in 2001. With t ...

(born 1980), professional rugby player, hooker for Welsh national team and the British & Irish Lions

References

External links

Tonyrefail School
{{authority control Secondary schools in Rhondda Cynon Taf