Wales High School is an academy school for 11- to 19-year-olds, in Kiveton, near Rotherham, South Yorkshire, England.
Opened in 1970, the school provides education for nearby villages, including Kiveton Park, Harthill, Todwick, Wales, Thurcroft and South Anston. The school is situated in Kiveton Park, not in the small neighbouring village of Wales less than a mile away.
The school is a specialist school in Business and Enterprise.
The school was asked to become an academy under new government policy in 2012.
Since the school opened in 1970, the headteachers have been:
Mr Phillip Timothy, September 1970–December 1989
Mr Lawrence Morton, January 1990–December 2007
Mr Lawrence Morton (chief executive) and Mr John Day (head of school), January 2008–August 2012
Mr Lawrence Morton (chief executive) and Mr Giuseppe Di'Iasio (head of school), September 2012–present
Sponsored walk: every four years the school holds a sponsored walk with the intention of raising money for the school. Previous walks have contributed to the ongoing improvement of the school environment.
Full school formal assemblies: known as the 'Full School Squash' by pupils and staff, take place four times a year, at Easter, and Christmas, and at the beginning and end of the school year at which the school bell is rung by the youngest pupil/s. Every member of the school is expected to attend. At assemblies special guests are invited, news is given, certificates and awards are presented, and musical items often performed.
Houses and the Dragon: Busli (Blue), Mortain (Black), Rollo (White) and Warenne (Yellow). Busli is named after Roger de Busli and Warenne after William de Warenne, two of William the Conqueror's knights, Mortain after his half-brother, and Rollo was one of his ancestors. Each pupil is assigned a house when joining the school. Pupils are provided with sports kit in their specific house colours, to be worn in P.E. lessons and house sporting events. Houses compete in events such as football, rugby, tennis, cross country and netball, and non-sporting activities such as chess, drama and art. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the 'Dragon', a golden dragon statue in a glass case. The dragon is engraved with the year and winning house.
The Headmaster's Challenge: each year on an afternoon during the 2nd term the sixth form compete in the annual Headmaster's Challenge, a rugby match where Lower Sixth play Upper Sixth. The match continues to be a highlight of the school calendar and is enthusiastically supported by the staff and student body, as well as by the wider community that the school serves.
Darren Bennett – dancer on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing who partnered Lynda Bellingham.
Dean Downing – racing cyclist, former British National Circuit Race (2002 and 2008) and British National Madison Champion (2003).
Edward Hogg – English actor
Ryan Sampson – TV actor in a 2008 Doctor Who two part story, and ITV's Roman comedy Plebs
James Toseland – motorcycle racer, winning the Superbike World championship title in both 2004 and 2007
Craig McKay – 377th Master Cutler
Stacey Sampson – TV actress and writer most recently famed for This is England '88 mini series. Has also appeared in Coronation street amongst others.
Rebecca Taylor, musician and one half of Slow Club
