Headteacher’s Welcome

I warmly welcome you to Porthcawl Comprehensive School. I hope this website gives you a clear indication of our values and the rich, wide-ranging opportunities available at our school. We provide a caring and disciplined learning environment based on mutual respect in which all pupils develop their talents to the full. High quality learning alongside excellent care support and guidance is at the heart of our school.

We pride ourselves on being a caring, disciplined, and happy school with a tradition of hard work and lots of extra-curricular activities. The curriculum at Porthcawl Comprehensive School is driven by clearly mapped concepts, core learning and skills. Our curriculum vision underpins our work and this has been created by both staff and pupils.

“A curriculum that provides all pupils with the knowledge, skills, experiences and desire to thrive in the adult world”.

Learning is at the heart of everything we do and through working with our pupils we have created the ‘Porthcawl Purposes’. These are quite simply, the things we want our pupils to experience, achieve and become. They form the foundations of what we do. There is something for everyone at Porthcawl Comprehensive School and we aim to ensure that pupils of all abilities and interests achieve their potential in a safe, supportive, and friendly environment.

At Porthcawl Comprehensive School, we recognise how vitally important your child’s education is to succeed in an ever changing and challenging world. You can be confident that your son/daughter will settle in our school very quickly, be well supported and cared for, and receive one of the best educational experiences in the local area and across Wales. Your child’s education at the school will be truly comprehensive in the best sense of the word with something for everyone at the school no matter their ability, interest, and aspirations.

Our school is pleasantly located some fifty metres from the sea. The campus is large, pleasant, and attractive with outstanding facilities for study, sport, theatre arts, recreation, and a host of extra-curricular activities. Pupils are given valuable opportunities to shape the school’s curriculum and enrichment programme. Combined with the school’s provision for personal development, this work supports high levels of wellbeing. The school is a co-educational school with approximately 1250 pupils aged 11 to 18. More than 140 staff are employed at the school.

We are very proud of our thriving Sixth Form. It is a happy, vibrant, and exciting environment with a history of excellent academic success. We pride ourselves on the relationships our staff have with our pupils. Our provision is second to none in terms of choice, quality of learning and pastoral support. Year-on-year our pupils’ results at every level have continued to exceed new heights. Results are amongst the very best for secondary school sixth forms in Wales. Our curriculum is broad and balanced, and we offer an exciting variety of courses.

Of course, Sixth Form is more than just qualifications. Our aim is to provide rich opportunities and the best learning environment for every pupil. We want every pupil to reach their academic potential, build upon their skills for life, develop their independence and foster their sense of community.

A happy child is a successful child and happy school days depend on the especially important partnership between pupils, staff, and parents. A good relationship between home and school is vital to ensure a child’s success and happiness at school. The home-school agreement, features in the pupil’s planner for parents’ completion and information, underlines the important partnership between all the partners.

I look forward to strong partnerships between parents, carers, and the school. As you know this is particularly important in enabling children to achieve success and so I ask for your full support of school policies and for your continued proactive involvement in your child’s education.

We have the highest aspirations for all our pupils, we truly value every one of them.

Michael Stephens
Headteacher
NPQH, P Dip. Ed, BA (Hons)