Barry Comprehensive School ( cy, Ysgol Gyfun y Barri) was a secondary school for boys aged 11–16, situated opposite Highlight Park 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. 19 ...

, in

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

Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School Pencoedtre High School, formerly called the Bryn Hafren Comprehensive School, is located in Merthyr Dyfan on the outskirts of the town of Barry near Cardiff in Wales. It was opened in 1971 (Pencoedtre High School in 2018). Bryn Hafren Comprehen ...

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. History Wh ...

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 England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

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, in June 2003, from the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

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 ''estyn'' meaning "to reach (out), stretch or extend". Its function is to provide an independent inspection and advice service on quality ...

, Her 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. Originally established as a joint venture between The Dow Chemical Company and Corning Incorporated, Dow bought out Corning and ...

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

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

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

As a filming location

The S4C 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 ser ...

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 webisode 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 Jackso ...

'' 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 additio ...

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 a British actor. He made his film debut in the 2002 ''Doctor Zhivago (miniseries), Doctor Zhivago'' mini-series. He later starred in the 2006 British release ''Sixty Six (film), Sixty Six'', and subsequently ap ...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers Jonathan Rhys Meyers (born Jonathan Michael Francis O'Keeffe; 27 July 1977) is an Irish actor, model and musician. He is known for his roles in the films ''Michael Collins (film), Michael Collins'' (1996), ''Velvet Goldmine'' (1998), ''Titus (f ...

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 Ere ...

, 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 poli ...

– oldest living former MP *

Derek Brockway Derek Clifford Brockway (born 29 October 1967) is a Welsh meteorologist. After 30 years of being employed by the Met Office he joined the BBC in October 2016. Brockway is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, Wales and presents weather forecasts ...

–

BBC Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main 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, BBC Cymru Wales is ...

Meteorologist and TV presenter *

Gerran Howell Gerran Lyn Howell (born 25 February 1991) is a Welsh actor, director and writer of short films, best known for playing "Vladimir Dracula" in ''Young Dracula'', a CBBC television series that initially aired in 2006. Early life Howell was born in ...

– actor *

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

–

Southampton FC Southampton Football Club () is an English professional football club based in Southampton, Hampshire, which competes in the . Their home ground since 2001 has been St Mary's Stadium, before which they were based at The Dell. The club play in ...

Barry Town United F.C. Footballer *

Lee Selby Lee Selby (born 14 February 1987) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 2008 to 2022. He held the IBF featherweight title from 2015 to 2018, and previously the British, Commonwealth, and European featherweight titles between 2 ...

– boxer *

Owen Smith Owen Smith (born 2 May 1970) is a former Labour Party politician and subsequently a British lobbyist, who has been the UK government relations director for pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb since 2020. Smith was Member of Parliamen ...

- MP *

Robert Tear Robert Tear (pronounced to rhyme with "beer"), 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 r ...

– 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 to a Litvak family in Luokė in the Kovno Governo ...

– 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 Westmi ...

– politician * Alan Evans (academic) – neuroscientist * Gareth Jones – journalist *

Mike Bubbins Mike Bubbins (born 18 April 1972) is a Welsh comedian, writer and actor. He has appeared in various TV projects as himself and acted in several BBC sitcoms. Bubbins makes regular appearances on radio as a character, a professional superfan for hi ...

- 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