Rougemont School

Rougemont School was founded in a house named 'Rougemont' in Clevedon Road, Newport in 1925. Mr and Mrs Evans bought it in 1931 and, expanding to the house next door, the school gained a reputation for sound teaching in the 3Rs and was directed towards grammar school entrance. In 1948 Nant Coch House, Risca Road, was purchased for the school. The number of pupils increased to around two hundred and, as the grammar schools started to close, the emphasis moved towards obtaining places in independent senior schools. When Mr and Mrs Evans retired in 1974, a group of parents raised a loan to buy the school and a board of nine governors was elected. The Stow Hill buildings, formerly housing the Convent of St Joseph, were purchased and provision was extended first to Common Entrance level, then to O levels. Finally, the first A levels were taken in 1983 under the leadership of Mr Frank Edwards. The strength and reputation of the school was continuing to grow with the Headmasters Mr Richard Ham (1988 - 1991) and Mr Graham Sims (1991 - 1995), when Llantarnam Hall, a large Victorian mansion set in 50 acres of parkland on the outskirts of Newport, became available. Mr Ian Burge, who was Chair of Governors at the time, saw an opportunity to establish the long-term future of the school, and together with the other governors, purchased the Hall and moved in the junior section in September 1992. Mr Ian Brown - formerly Bursar and Development Manager - took the helm in 1995 and by the end of the same year all the pupils had been moved to the present site. Since then, we have seen non-stop development of permanent purpose-built accommodation, and the school now houses around 550 pupils, with competition for places growing all the time. Following the retirement of Mr Brown, Dr Jonathan Tribbick was appointed Headmaster from September 2002. After 12 years' service and outstanding achievements, Dr Tribbick retired in 2014, succeeded by Mr Robert Carnevale.