Caerphilly Tech Association ~ Scholarship

Scholarship

The following are the years in which passing a 'Scholarship' was the necessary qualification to attend in the form of an entrance examination.
Apart from Caerphilly the escarpment area from which entrants were drawn included Llanbradach, Nelson, Synghenydd, Abertridwr, Taffs Well and Whitchurch areas of Cardiff.
During the 'Scholarship' years another qualifying factor was family income and indeed places in the early years were reportedly acquired not necessary by ability but by purchasing a place, fee-payers, usually colliery officials, ministers of religion and shopkeepers . It 's difficult to resolve when this practice ended. There were those that passed the scholarship but whose family were unable to afford sending them there.
In 1973 the Comprehensive system took effect a 'scholarship' was now not necessary.

Years

School

Established

1912 - 1920 * Coed.

Caerphilly Higher Elementary School

9 year

1921 - 1947 * Coed.

Caerphilly Secondary School

27 years

1930 - 1953

Caerphilly Boys Technical School (Hillside)

23 years

1930 - 1947

Caerphilly Secondary School (Hillside)

17 years

1948 - 1953

Caerphilly Boys Grammar School (Hillside)

5 years

1953 - 1972

Caerphilly Boys Grammar Technical School (Hillside)

20 years

1948 - 1972

Caerphilly Girls Grammar School (Crescent Road)

25 years

* Education during these years were co-educational with the exception of the Caerphilly Technical School which was established and remained a boys school.
Both schools were constructed in 1928-29 and from an eye witness account the Boys Technical School being the first completed and occupied.
From 1948 the Girls who attending the Secondary School, Hillside, Caerphilly were now able to attend their own and separate Caerphilly Girls Grammar School, Crescent Road, Caerphilly.
Boys who already attending the Secondary School, Hillside, Caerphilly from 1930 to 1947 were then able to remain in their present school at Hillside, Caerphilly and have their own separate education similar to that enjoyed from 1930's by the Boys of the adjacent Caerphilly Technical School, Hillside, Caerphilly.

In 1973 the school became St. Martins Comprehensive School a co-educational school now accepting both boys and girls. The necessity of obtaining a 'scholarship' was now not necessary, acceptance into the school became those students living in the near locality combined with parental choice subject to acceptance by the school management.

We wish to accredit Mr Dennis G. Sellwood whose excellent books covering local history was of great assistance in our research when compiling the above overview.

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