Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, Aberystwyth

Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig is a Welsh-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 577 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

5% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 8% have additional learning needs (38% in 2020/21); and 7% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 38 pupils (Year 13) to 106 (Year 11).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £6,730 per pupil, against £5,238 in 2021-22. It carried forward £88k of reserves at the end of 2024-25.

Estyn's report on its October 2024 inspection summarises Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig like this:

"Caring for pupils’ well-being is given a prominent place at Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig. As a result, many pupils demonstrate respect for each other and positive attitudes to learning. Sixth-form pupils are an asset to the school and model very positive behaviours and attitudes for younger pupils. Robust arrangements for monitoring and promoting pupils’ attendance have led to significant improvements. In many cases, teachers ensure that pupils develop a good understanding of their subject and make sound progress. A few teachers do this particularly effectively, inspiring pupils and planning carefully to respond to their needs."

"In the few cases where teaching is not effective, neither the expectations or the level of challenge for pupils are suitable, therefore they do not make as much progress and they tend to lose focus on their work. Overall, many pupils make satisfactory progress in their literacy, numeracy and digital competence skills over time. However, provision across the curriculum is not co-ordinated well enough to ensure that there are appropriate opportunities to develop these skills progressively. Despite the period of instability in leadership over recent years, senior leaders, through their loyalty and perseverance, have succeeded in maintaining pupils’ standards of attainment and well-being. This has provided the new headteacher with a solid foundation on which to begin his work. The headteacher’s vision of nurturing respect, Welshness and effort permeates all the school’s work."

"In a short period, he has succeeded in forging beneficial links with parents, building the staff’s confidence and ensuring that senior leaders are visible to pupils. Leaders identify the school’s main strengths and areas for improvement appropriately based on beneficial activities to evaluate provision. However, leaders at all levels do not evaluate their work sufficiently by its effect on pupils’ standards and achievement. As a result, they are unable to measure success in full or, in turn, plan for improvement in sufficient detail."

Estyn made 3 recommendations: (1) Improve aspects of teaching to raise expectations and the level of challenge and meet the needs of all pupils; (2) Co-ordinate provision to develop pupils’ skills across the curriculum so that pupils make continuous progress; (3) Ensure that leaders evaluate the school’s work by its effect on pupils’ standards.

The nearest tram or metro stop is Llanbadarn (Vale of Rheidol Railway), about 540 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).

10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Penweddig School (outside), 70 metres away.