Bishop Hedley was established in 1967 due to the growing need to cater to the large populace of Catholic youth aged 11–18 in the Merthyr Tydfil and Heads of the Valleys area. The school was named after John Cuthbert Hedley, Bishop of Newport, who opened the first Roman Catholic Church (St. Illtyd’s) in the Merthyr Valley in 1863. The school was expanded to a second phase in 1973.
The vast majority of the pupils of the school stem from the Heads of the Valleys area, serving parishes from Aberdare, Hirwaun, Merthyr Tydfil, Merthyr Vale, Gurnos, Dowlais, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, and Rhymney. As of September 2018, the school has 510 pupils on roll from the ages of 11-16.
Bishop Hedley has a main hall, dance and drama studio, gymnasium, two sports halls, football/rugby field, three schoolyards, three design, and technology rooms, learning resources center, music rehearsal room, three new 21st-century science suites, 5 I.C.T. resources rooms and an I.C.T. “room of the future”. There is also a specific SEN and EAL area. The school has also recently refurbished a sports hall and installed a 3G indoor football and rugby surface.
Some of you may have visited the School already and know of its facilities. We would emphasize that these facilities will only benefit your child if they are used properly. Your child will be entering a five-year course of Secondary Education and, so that he/she may fully benefit from all we have to offer, full co-operation between School and home is necessary throughout the whole five years. This is particularly the case in matters such as homework, conduct, regularity, and punctuality of attendance.
The Governing Body of Bishop Hedley Catholic High School is made up of a wide-ranging cross-section of representatives, including parents, teachers, parish priests, Local Authority representatives, and elected representatives from the community. The Headteacher is also a member of the Governing Body. The Governing Body is keen to foster all aspects of School life and is particularly interested in maintaining high standards of work and personal behavior set in the context of our Catholic Faith.
