Olchfa School
Secondary school in Swansea, Wales From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Olchfa School (Welsh: Ysgol Gyfun yr Olchfa) is the largest secondary school in Swansea, South Wales, with approximately 1,700 pupils, including 357 in the Sixth Form.[1] Situated in Sketty Park to the west of Sketty, it provides secondary education for GCSE and A-Level qualifications. Olchfa (part of the Sketty Swansea suburb) means 'washing place' in the English language.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2011) |
| Olchfa School | |
|---|---|
.jpg){kind=logo} | |
| Address | |
 | |
Gower Road , , SA2 7AB | |
| Information | |
| Type | Secondary School |
| Motto | Dysg, Dawn, Daioni (Learning, Talent, Goodness) |
| Opened | 3 September 1969 |
| Local authority | Swansea |
| Headmaster | Julian Kennedy (2023–Present) |
| Age | 11 to 19 |
| Enrolment | 1,700 - February 2018 |
| Colour(s) | Blue and red |
| Website | https://www.olchfa.org.uk |
Around 12% of pupils have a special educational need and 1.7% have a statement of special educational needs. Both of these figures are below the Welsh averages of 21.5% and 2% respectively. Nearly a quarter of pupils come from an ethnic minority background and just over 20% speak English as an additional language.[1]
The school is currently under the leadership of Julian Kennedy, who became headmaster in 2023. The Welsh Government has selected the school as a Pioneer School to participate in the development of its curriculum.[2]
Academic performance
In its most recent Estyn inspection in 2018, Olchfa School received the highest possible judgement, 'Excellent' in all five inspection areas.[1] In the same year, the school reported a GCSE pass rate of 85% (based on 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C), placing it among the top five schools in Wales, and top three for the percentage of A*-A grades.[3] It ranked 74th in the UK in 2018, based on combined A-level (A*-B) and GCSE (A*-C) performance.[4] In 2023, 33.7% of A-level results at Olchfa were awarded A*-A grades.[5] The school was named the second-best state secondary in Wales by the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide in both 2023 and 2024.[6][7]
Facilities
The school consists of different sections - the main building, a south block, P.E. department as well as a maths and science block. The school also consists of smaller demountable classrooms throughout the plot that teach a variety of subjects, an on-site swimming pool and numerous Tennis, Rugby, Football, Netball and Cricket pitches. A £1.6m investment is underway for a full-size, all-weather 3G pitch.[8] There is also an on-site specialist facility supporting the needs of hearing impaired pupils.
Notable former pupils
 | This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (October 2024) |
Sports
- Daniel Alfei, Welsh U21 International and former Swansea City footballer.
- Simon Davey, former Swansea City footballer and football manager
- Aaron Lewis, Welsh U21 International and Newport County footballer
- Mark Harris, Welsh International and Cardiff City footballer
- David Hemp, Bermudan International Cricketer
- Charles Lowen, English International Cricketer
- Richie Rees, Rugby Player
- Ellie Simmonds OBE, Paralympian Gold Medalist Swimmer
- Robert Folland, Football Player
Other
- Richard Barrett, Composer
- Russell T Davies, screenwriter and television producer
- Sir Andrew Dilnot, Economist
- Joe Dunthorne, poet and author[9]
- Liz Fuller, actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder
- Stephen Harris, rock musician with stage name "Kid Chaos"
- Georgia Henshaw, Actress
- Nerys Jefford, High Court judge[citation needed]
- Andrew Jones, Film producer
- Heather Nicholson, animal rights activist
List of Headteachers
- Mr Curtis Grove; 1969 - tbd
- Mr John Booth; tbd- 1993
- Mr Hugh Davies; tbd - Feb 2025
- Mr Julian Kennedy; Feb 2025 - present
References
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.