Cyfarthfa Castle Municipal Secondary School for Girls

(Motto :-Rhinwedd o Flaen Clod)

PROSPECTUS 1910

This is a Free School, no charge being made for tuition, books, stationery or games.  Season tickets are provided for pupils who are obliged to travel by train to reach the School.   Number of Pupils, about 300. 

Entrance: Pupils desiring to enter the School must sit the entrance examination held annually in June, unless they have attended a Secondary School outside the Borough, when they will be examined by the Head Mistress.

Pupils whose parents are not ratepayers, or resident in the Borough, may be admitted on payment of fees to be fixed by the Governing Body.

Pupils admitted to the School are expected to remain for Four Years, and parents are required to sign an agreement to that effect.

Each pupil must wear the School-hatband, and provide herself with a gymnasium dress, slippers, and indoor shoes.

Hours: 9.30 to 12.45;    2.30 to 4.45. Saturday is a whole holiday

Terms: The School year begins in September, and is divided into three terms averaging about thirteen weeks in length. 

School Premises: The School is situated in a large park.  The premises consist of twelve commodious Classrooms, Laboratories, Art Room, Lecture Room, Gymnasium and Dressing Room, Laundry, Typing Room, Dining Room and Assembly Hall.  The whole building has polished floors, and is lighted by electricity and heated by means of hot water pipes and radiators.   Each pupil has a separate desk and ample Cloakroom accommodation.  Adjoining the School there is an asphalt playground, a covered playground, a playing field and a large School garden.

Aim and Curriculum: The object of the School is to provide a liberal and useful education for girls between the ages of 12 and 18.   The School is not intended for girls who wish to leave before the age of sixteen.  During the first two years every pupil must follow a general course of study.  In the third year a pupil may begin to specialise and can pursue one of the following courses:-

Academic Course: to prepare for entering the Universities or Training Colleges, or for taking up one of the professions. An Examination of Matriculation standard may be taken at the end of the fourth year. Special facilities are given for the preliminary training of teachers.

Commercial Course: to prepare for becoming secretaries, clerks, or for entering certain branches of the Civil Service, or business life. This course includes Shorthand, Typewriting, Book-keeping, &c.

Domestic Course: to prepare for becoming teachers of Domestic Subjects, cooks, matrons, housekeepers, dressmakers, &c.

Instruction is given in the following subjects:-    English Language and Literature, History, Geography, French, Welsh, Latin, Mathematics, General Elementary Science, Nature Study (with Gardening), Chemistry, Botany, Drawing, Painting, Physical  Exercises, Class Singing, Theory of Music, Cookery, Laundry, Housewifery, Plain Needlework (including Dressmaking) Hygiene, Scripture (subject to the Conscience Clause), Book-keeping, Shorthand, Typewriting, Business Methods.

Games: form part of the School time-table, provision being made for Hockey and Netball in Winter, and Netball and Tennis in Summer.

School Sports are held annually.

Dinners: Hot dinners consisting of two courses are provided at the School for 1/3 per week, payable in advance.   Milk or cocoa can be obtained during recreation time or the dinner hour.

Institutions: The School has a Debating Society , an Expedition Club, Games Club, Magazine, Library, and on Old Girl’s Association.

Parents are asked to sign each week a homework time slip.  As progress depends largely on regular attendance parents are urged not to allow their children to absent themselves from School except in cases of necessity when a letter, signed by a parent, should be sent to the Head Mistress explaining the absence.  A Medical Certificate must be sent to the Head Mistress for an absence of more than three days on account of illness.