Radyr Comprehensive School, Cardiff

Radyr Comprehensive School is an English-medium school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 1437 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

12% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 5% have additional learning needs (13% in 2020/21); 2% are learning English as an additional language; and 22% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 111 pupils (Year 13) to 240 (Year 7).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £4,724 per pupil, against £4,598 in 2021-22. It ended 2024-25 with a deficit of £470k.

Estyn's report on its February 2024 inspection summarises Radyr Comprehensive School like this:

"Leaders in Radyr Comprehensive School place improving teaching at the centre of all of their work. This, along with the high priority they place on pupils’ well-being and developing their sense of belonging, means that most pupils enjoy being at school, engage effectively during lessons and feel safe and valued as part of the school community. The impact of professional learning on the quality of teaching is a notable strength of the school. Leaders have focused closely on developing teaching as the core element of their approach to implementing Curriculum for Wales. This work has had a positive impact, for example on improving the quality of questioning in lessons. Staff foster positive relationships with their pupils that help them to feel safe and ready to learn. In many instances, strong teaching helps pupils make good progress in their learning."

"In a minority of lessons, inspirational teaching supports pupils to make particularly rapid progress. The school has taken a measured approach to developing the provision for pupils’ skills. This has ensured a well-understood whole-school approach where opportunities for pupils to apply their reading, writing and speaking skills are plentiful and their ability to read and understand a broad range of complex texts is a strength. The opportunities for pupils to helpfully apply their numeracy and digital skills are planned carefully. The headteacher and his senior team have developed a clear vision for the school which is rooted in providing high-quality learning experiences and developing a coherent approach to their Curriculum for Wales. They have secured a generally broad and balanced curriculum, although this narrows in Year 9 when pupils begin their option choices. Leaders carry out an extensive range of evaluation activities and know their school well."

"However, their evaluation of learning, including the progress that pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) make, is not always rigorous enough. This means that improvement planning is sometimes not sufficiently precise. Leaders have established a positive safeguarding culture where staff understand their roles and most pupils know where to turn to when they require support. Most pupils feel free from bullying and that staff deal with any issues or poor behaviour effectively. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school and show respect for staff visitors and their peers. Pupils embrace the extensive range of leadership opportunities and have successfully supported the school to celebrate diversity and create a culture where most pupils feel included as part of the whole school community."

Estyn made 2 recommendations: (1) Refine self-evaluation activities so that they focus precisely on pupils’ learning and skills, including those of pupils with additional learning needs; (2) Ensure that pupils have access to the full range of learning experiences until the end of Year 9.

Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, rugby, hockey, drama, coding and debating.

The nearest other state secondary schools to Radyr Comprehensive School are Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr (0.8 miles), Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (1.1 miles), Whitchurch High School (1.1 miles) and The Bishop Of Llandaff C.I.W. High School (1.1 miles).

The nearest railway station is Radur Rail Station, about 810 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).

7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Heol Isaf (opp 122), 220 metres away.