Mr Noel Jones - Long-serving headteacher.

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My Memories of Rhos Street School

Although I was not a pupil at Rhos Street School, I had a close connection with the school from an early age, because my father John Albert Jones was the head teacher there for some years.

I became the head teacher, myself at the school in 1961. At that time there were two schools under one roof, a 4 to 7-year-old infant school and a 7 to 11 school. I was the head teacher at the older school. Miss Gwyneth Owen was the Headteacher at the infants' school. 'We worked well together. I became Head Teacher of both schools in 1984 when Miss Owen left.

Initially I was teaching full time and there were about 80 pupils, but the numbers went up to 200 at one point. The numbers went down with the establishment of Ysgol Penbarras.

When I went to school the teachers were Dilys Jones, Annie James and Manon Davies. As time went on, there was a change and Emyr Gwyn Jones and Mr Humphries came to join the team.

The classes were bilingual. Geraint Lloyd Jones, John Y Galchog, Ceri Thomas, Helen Williams, and Eurwen Carrington were members of the staff. Teaching Welsh as a second language was a particular challenge.

It was decided in time and after much persuasion to open a school where Welsh would be the first language. Ysgol Penbarras opened and was located next door to Rhos Street in temporary accommodation. I worked closely and practically with Alun Edwards the Headteacher. But I personally missed the Welsh pupils very much.

The old Rhos Street building was remodeled and extended. A new floor was placed in the center of the school. This meant that there was more room for classrooms and also a library and room for a staff room.

 I moved from the school house. My parents had lived there, like every headmaster and his family, before me.
Over the years my role as Headteacher changed from being a full-time teacher to more administrative work, assisting teachers and filling in when one of them was absent or on some other duty.

I was fortunate to have good support from parents, managers and County officials. We had a good relationship with the inspectors.

Rhos Street School was a very happy one throughout my time there.

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Noel Jones                                                                                                July 2019