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A Brief History, Our New Library, Our New Extension and Our Time Capsule by Headteacher, Rhian Thomas  The first school in Clydach was established in 1862. At that time the only existing school in the area was in Glais and this was restricted to the children of the workers of Ynispenllwch Tinplate Works. The first school was a ‘British’ School and was erected in Lower Twynybedw Road. It is now known as Clydach Infants School. In the same year, 1862, a ‘National’ school (Church of England) was built at Saint Johns to replace the works school at Glais. In 1875 both these schools were governed by the RhyndwyClydach School Board.
In 1879 attendance at school became compulsory for children aged 5 to 13 if they lived within 2 miles of a school. Around this time the first Attendance Officers were appointed. By 1893 the existing schools were bursting at the seams. Girls and Infants were housed in Lower Twynybedw Road and the Boys at Saint John’s Road. It was decided that a reorganisation was necessary. The Lower Twynybedw Road School was enlarged and a committee was formed to establish a new school in Clydach. Upper Twynybedw Road Boys’ School (which would later become Clydach Junior School) opened in October 1894. The build cost was £1,407. The first headteacher was George Gordon.
There have been some changes since 1894. In 1926 a new Boys School was erected at Gellionen Road, known as the Ty Gwyn Site. The boys moved out of Upper Twynybedw School and the school became a Girls’ School. Then in 1937 Gellionen Road School became a Senior Mixed School and Upper Twynybedw School became Clydach Junior Mixed School.
And so we reach the present day. Clydach Junior School has continued, since 1937, to be a school for both boys and girls. All evidence of the separation of boys from girls on the playground was recently erased when the large playground at the rear of the school was retarmaced.
There was a serious oversight when Upper Twynybedw School was built because the school was built without a hall. In 1994 two classrooms were combined to form a small hall. Finally the school had a space, though small, for assemblies, Physical Education and a general meeting place.
It would seem that pupils went home for lunch. Mrs Catherine Jones, a former pupil at the school, tells me that during the war pupils could walk to The Mond and could be supplied with a meal by the WRVS. After the war children from the school went to the Church Hall in Heol y Nant for meals. Approximately 50 years ago the canteen in Heol Eithrim was built. And so, for many a long year, staff and pupils of the school have trudged, in all weathers, up Twynybedw Road at lunchtime to receive their meals at Heol Eithrim. The last walk there took place on Friday February 17th 2006.
I took up my headship in 1995 and long before that there was a campaign to establish a canteen on the premises of Clydach Junior school. Numerous Governors and parents of the school have joined this campaign – David Davies, Wyn Jones, Jonathan Bull and more recently Chair of Governors Allen Jones and Governor David Henry, to name but a few. Numerous politicians, including Edwina Hart, joined the campaign. In April 2005 Midas Construction Ltd. finally began building work at the school to erect a multi purpose building to provide a hall, a gymnasium and a canteen. This extension which has been added on to the side and rear of the school was organised by the Local Education Authority and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government at a cost of £650,000 – a far cry from the £1047 it cost to build the entire school in1894!
The additional space afforded by the new hall has allowed us to make other alterations within the “old” building including new offices. One addition we are very proud of is our new library. We are indebted to Mrs Penny Barker for a generous donation which allowed us to convert a cloakroom area into a lovely space for our pupils to work and to enjoy books. Pupils also love using the newly purchased computerised library system. The Library has been named the “Roger Barker Library” in memory of Penny Barker’s late husband who was a native of Clydach and a former pupil of the school. We were delighted that Mrs Barker and Roger’s parents from Kelvin Road were able to join us last December for an informal opening of the library and to unveil the plaque.
To commemorate the building it was decided to bury a Time Capsule. The final resting place of this capsule is in the wall, to the rear of the hall, which forms part of the ramped exit from the building. It was buried on December 9th 2005 and is marked with a plaque. We are indebted to the International Nickel Company in Clydach - Dr Adrian Gale for the sponsorship of the capsule and plaque and Paul Davies for organising the making of the capsule and plaque. The plaque states:-
This Time Capsule was placed by Clydach Junior School
in the Year 2005
supported by INCO working in harmony with the community.
The time capsule was purpose made of sandcast lead and measures 18 x 6 x 4.75 inches. All items were carefully chosen by the pupils and include current newspapers, school newsletters, a DVD with a tour of the school recorded by the children, articles including A Day in the Life of a Pupil, Fashion, Transport, small items of interest e.g. toys, stamps, etc. and a plan of the school before and after the extension. All the items were very carefully placed into the capsule. They were wrapped in acid-free tissue and sealed in anti-corrosion bags. The lid of the capsule was then welded.
We decided that the Time Capsule should be opened 50 years after its burial ie in 2055. This would be during the lifetime of the pupils at the school. A permanent record of the Time Capsule has been registered with the International Time Capsule Society and the British Museum.
On Thursday May 18th 2006 his Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of the City and County of Swansea, Cllr Christopher Holley, attended an assembly at the school to officially open the extension. This was a very proud day for the staff and pupils of the school.
Any former pupil or interested party who would like to visit the school to see the changes is very welcome to do so by prior arrangement – Tel. 01792 843231. Click here to view a timeline of education in Clydach. Click here to view the Archives Network Wales records.
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