THIS week we have chosen photographs from the digital archives of Pontypool Museum looking back at former schools across the borough.

The Welsh Government recently announced the colour-coded bandings for all the schools across the country and establishments across Torfaen found out their rating for the coming year.

In one of the photos are the schoolchildren of a class at the Garndiffaith Junior School.

Taken in 1922, the school was closed after it merged with the nearby Varteg Primary School, which in turn created Garnteg.

The amalgamated school opened in 1995.

In the other photo are the schoolgirls at the St Alban’s Convent in Pontypool, playing netball on the pitches which were found in the park.

Located in Pontypool House, it was used as a convent from 1915 until it became the site of a comprehensive school – St Alban’s RC High School, which still exists to the day.

These images were donated by the Pontypool Museum as part of its digital archive, which aims to preserve historic documents, images and records from the area.

To find out more about the digital archive, contact the museum at pontypoolmuseum@hotmail.co.uk or call 01495 752036.

The Free Press thanks Pontypool Museum for allowing the paper to use these images.