New Term, New Start For New Rhyl High School

A special milestone has been reached in the history of the brand new high school in Rhyl – with the doors having officially opened to pupils today (Wednesday). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The £25 million brand new high school has been built on Rhyl High’s school playing fields and will accommodate 1,200 pupils as well as providing a base for 45 pupils from the nearby community special school, Ysgol Tir Morfa. The project is being funded by Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools and Education programme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As well as the usual academic facilities, the school also boasts a café bar, construction yard and hairdressing salon. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Claire Armitstead, Head of Rhyl High School said: ”It’s an end of an era for the old Rhyl High school, but the beginning of a brand new exciting chapter as we look forward to the future in our brand new school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The old high school building has provided an education for generations of pupils and some former pupils took the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and came to see the school before it closed. Many people will have extremely fond memories that they will treasure forever. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We will miss it, it has been part of our lives for so long, but we are well and truly ready to get started in the new building. The reaction from the pupils has been fantastic – it has certainly been a day to remember as it now really feels like a school with the pupils now having arrived. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our young people can now access the best possible facilities as part of their academic and vocational studies which will provide them with the best possible start for their future education and careers. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Phil Thomas, Assistant Headteacher of Ysgol Tir Morfa, said: “Those pupils and staff from Tir Morfa moving across from our Ffordd Derwen site are delighted to be moving into the satellite base in the new building, complete with state of the art facilities that will benefit our pupils and future generations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Not many pupils have such a great opportunity to move into a brand new school and our pupils are delighted to be joining their counterparts from Rhyl High for this momentous time in our history. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Today really is a dream come true for us all”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​