Ysgol Dyffryn Aman (lit. transl. Amman Valley School) is a bilingual (Welsh and English) comprehensive school and sixth form in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is situated on Margaret Street in the north of Ammanford town centre. The school has approximately 1,400 students enrolled, of whom approximately 250 are in the sixth form.[2]
| Ysgol Dyffryn Aman | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Address | |
 | |
Margaret Street , , SA18 2NW Wales | |
| Coordinates | 51°47′45″N 3°59′09″W / 51.79596°N 3.98579°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive School |
| Motto | Parched Bob Byw Eich Orchwyl |
| Established | 1913, New school 1928[1] |
| Local authority | Carmarthenshire County Council |
| Department for Education URN | 401751 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | J. Durbridge |
| Staff | 100+ |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 1,436 |
| Houses | Amanwy – Llwyd – Nantlais – Watcyn – |
| Colour(s) | Green – top set, blue – 2nd set, white – middle, yellow – 4th set, red – 5th set |
| Website | https://dyffrynaman.org |
Admissions
editIt is a mixed-gender non-denominational secondary school.[3] At the time of the school's 2019 Estyn inspection, it had 1,436 pupils on roll, including 267 in the sixth form.[2] Approximately one third of students come from Welsh-speaking homes, 47% speak Welsh fluently, and more than half of the students study Welsh as their first language.[2]
History
editThe school was formerly known as Amman Valley Comprehensive School (AVCS), prior to which it was the Amman Valley Grammar School.[4] It originally opened as Amman Valley County School in 1913, while a new school was built, opening 19 January 1928.[5] In 1970, Amman Valley Grammar School and Amman Valley Secondary Modern School merged, becoming Amman Valley Comprehensive School. The school adopted a bilingual name, Ysgol Dyffryn Aman / Amman Valley School, prior to 2011. Following education reform in the Dinefwr area, the board of governors unanimously voted in favour of changing the name to Ysgol Dyffryn Aman. The school is now known by its Welsh name only and this is the form used on all official literature, signs and documents.[citation needed]
2024 stabbing
editOn 24 April 2024, the school was placed on lockdown after two teachers and a student were injured in a stabbing attack. A teenage girl was arrested by Dyfed–Powys Police on suspicion of attempted murder,[6] and two air ambulances and an ambulance were sent to the scene at 11:30 a.m. The police requested that footage of the incident on social media be "removed to avoid contempt of court and distress to those affected". Pupils of the school were released at 3:20 p.m. to their parents and guardians, many of whom had been waiting outside the school.[7] The three casualties were later discharged from hospital.[8]
Both the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, and the First Minister of Wales, Vaughan Gething, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that they were "shocked" to hear the news and thanked emergency services which had attended the scene.[9][10] The former leader of Plaid Cymru Adam Price, who was educated at the school, said that his "thoughts, like the rest of us, are with the school's community".[11]
Estyn reports
editThe school's most recent Estyn report was conducted in 2019.[2] The school was judged to be 'good' in its standards, teaching and learning experiences, pastoral care, and leadership and management. Its wellbeing and attitudes to learning were described as 'excellent'.[2] It was recommended that the school improves its students' spoken and written Welsh, provide a wider curriculum for Key Stage 4 and the sixth form, and improve ICT skills across all subjects.[2]
References
edit- ^ Amman Valley County School Magazine, volume III, No.1, Easter Term, 1928 No. 25
- ^ a b c d e f "A report on Ysgol Dyffryn Aman" (PDF). Estyn. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Carmarthenshire, Dyfed
- ^ Ammanford, Carmarthenshire web site
- ^ Amman Valley County School Magazine, volume III, No.1, Easter Term, 1928 No. 25
- ^ "Ammanford: Girl arrested after three injured in school stabbing". BBC News. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ "Ysgol Dyffryn Aman: Three injured and one arrested after reports of school stabbing in Ammanford". ITV News. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
- ^ "Ammanford school stabbing: Teacher's brother praises hero". BBC News. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
- ^ @RishiSunak (24 April 2024). "Shocked at the news emerging from Ammanford today" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ @PrifWeinidog (24 April 2024). "Shocked to hear news of serious incident in Rhydaman. Newyddion ofnadwy am ddigwyddiad difrifol yn Ysgol Dyffryn Aman" (Tweet) (in Welsh). Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ @Adamprice (24 April 2024). "Tra bod mwy o fanylion yn cael eu ryddhau, mae fy meddyliau, fel rwy'n siwr mae'n meddyliau ni ol gyda cymuned yr ysgol" (Tweet) (in Welsh). Retrieved 24 April 2024 – via Twitter.