Frequently Asked Questions
- When did Whitchurch High School begin?
The first documented school in Whitchurch was on the Old Church Road adjacent to The Fox and Hounds pub.
It was therefore known as a Fox School Room due to its location.
It was started in late nineteenth century and was then joined by a few small privately run schools to help cater for the increasing number of affluent middle-class boys in north Cardiff.
- Was Whitchurch High ever a Grammar School?
Yes. The Upper School site became known as Whitchurch Grammar School in 1937. Lower School site was known as Whitchurch County Secondary School in 1937 and then became Whitchurch Secondary Modern from 1944.
Both schools merged in 1968 to become a new Comprehensive. Despite this though the School maintained an internal "banding system" for academic subjects. The Grammar Stream was known as Top Band, the new Secondary Modern Stream was known as Middle Band, and those with special educational needs or needing extra remedial support being placed in the Bottom Band. The School site was also segregated, not only academically with Top Band pupils in the Lower School being educated in The Tower Block, but also by age with children aged 11 to 13 at Lower School and children aged 14 to 16 at Upper School - Sixth Formers aged 17 to 18 had own special area and Common Room on the Upper School site.
In 2011 Whitchurch High School became Foundation School. Foundation Schools were known as the Grant Maintained Schools under Margaret Thatcher in the 1980s. As a result Foundation Status is rather rare within Wales with only four primary schools and eight secondary schools granted it up to today.
- What is it about Whitchurch High and blazers?
A black school blazer was compulsory from 1968 to 1983 - it was then made optional. A grey school blazer was compulsory from 2018 until 2021. It was then made all optional again with shorts added to the dress code for hot days. From 1983 onwards you were also expected to wear a black jumper. This became a grey jumper from 2018.
- What is it about Whitchurch High and its ties?
The blue and yellow tie was compulsory for all pupils from 1968 until 2018. From 2018 only pupils on Lower School site have to wear a blue and yellow tie. Pupils on the Upper School site must wear a maroon and yellow tie. And this includes Sixth Formers. Interestingly from 1968 onwards pupils in Sixth Form could wear a very unique distinct black tie. Wearing white shirt with whatever tie has been compulsory from 1968. Wearing light blue shirt was also allowed in past.
- Is Whitchurch School still under threat?
No. Foundation Status will help protect the School from political activism. Especially a scheme to reduce the School's intake in order to help justify the expansion of Welsh medium education.
It is worth noting here that a small number of local campaigners have openly spoken of their desire to reduce the percentage of people who speak English only in Cardiff. This could be achieved by limiting the expansion of all English medium schools - even though demand is now increasing due to the fact your child is more likely to get into an elite university like Oxford.
Indeed a more recent proposal put forward by Welsh language activists would have seen the Upper School site kept as an English medium school but the Lower School site turned into Welsh medium school. Interestingly this plan was only put forward after the Lower School site had completed a substantial investment in its sporting facilities. A pure coincidence of course. It is also worth noting that funding per pupil at Whitchurch High has been reduced since it voted for Foundation Status. Another pure coincidence of course.