Wales High School - Traditions

Traditions

Wales High is seen as a school with traditional values, with procedures which take place each year. The following are important aspects of the school:

• Sponsored Walk: Every four years the school holds a sponsored walk to try to raise money for the school. The last two walks have financed refurbishment of the more dilapidated areas of the school and installed a flag pole at the entrance to the school which flies the school's own standard proudly. The flag pole displays different flags for different occasions; for example, national days such as St. George's Day, St. Andrew's Day, St. David's Day will show their respective flags and flags will be flown for visitors from partner schools such as the Tricoleur for the French partner school; Lycée D'Artois. However it has since been removed, for the likely reason of more space in the area.

• Full School Assembly: affectionately known as the 'Full School Squash' by students and staff alike. The assembly takes place four times a year with yearly opening and closing assemblies, where the bell is rung by the youngest pupil(s) to mark the beginning and ending of a school year, as well as an Easter assembly in April and a Christmas assembly. Every member of the school is expected at these formal assemblies, in which important news is delivered, certificates and awards are presented, and special guests are invited. Musical items are often delivered throughout the course of these assemblies.

• The Plough: a model plough held in a glass case, representing Year 7 diligence. Each term, the tutor with the highest diligence score are presented with the plough.

• Houses and the Dragon: Busli (Blue), Mortain (Black), Rollo (White) and Warenne (Yellow). Busli after Roger de Busli, Warenne after William de Warenne, Mortain after another of William the Conqueror's Knights, and Rollo was his family name. Each student is assigned a house upon entering the school, which is an important part of the school's community. Students are provided with sports kit with their specific house colours, which is to be worn in P.E. lessons and house sporting events. Numerous house events are competed in, such as football, rugby, tennis, cross country and netball, as well as other non-sporting activities such as chess, drama and art. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the Dragon, a golden dragon statue in a glass case. The dragon is then engraved with the year and the winning house respectively.

• The Sixth Form Rugby Match: Each year, the sixth form compete for The Headmaster's Trophy. Year 12 play Year 13 annually in a match that is watched by all the school on a Wednesday afternoon during the 2nd term. The 2011 match took place in March 2011, and was won by the Year 12s; a victory which broke the long-standing win record of the Year 13s.

• Sixth Form Committee: Every year, pupils in the final weeks of Year 12 apply for positions of responsibility in the school's student committee. The committee consists of around 25 pupils and is made up of a Head Boy, Head Girl, Deputy Head Prefects and Senior Prefects. Pupils interested in becoming part of the committee must formally apply via an application form and are invited to make presentations to a panel of senior members of staff and the lower school council. Once shortlisted, successful applicants are automatically appointed as Senior Prefects, however, students wanting to be considered for the roles of Deputy Head Prefects and Head Boy and Girl must make a further presentation to the Headteacher and Directors of Sixth Form. Students begin their terms of office in the September of Year 13 and remain in office until July of the following year. The committee is involved in discussions about how the school can be changed and is a vital part of the Student Voice within the school's infrastructure. In the 2011/12 academic year, the committee was involved in the appointment of the school's new Headteacher; Giuseppe Di'Iasio who succeeded John Day in September 2012. Badges of office, shaped in the style of the school logo, are presented in the opening Full School Assembly in September to the Senior Prefects, Deputy Head Prefects and Head Boy and Girl and are coloured bronze, silver and gold, respectively.