Ysgol San Sior, Conwy

Ysgol San Sior is a bilingual (Welsh and English) school in Wales. Welsh schools are inspected by Estyn rather than Ofsted, and its latest report is published on Estyn's website.

It had 231 pupils in the 2025/26 school census.

6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals (three-year average).

Of its pupils, 5% have additional learning needs (14% in 2020/21); 7% are learning English as an additional language; and 24% are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Year groups range from 24 pupils (Reception) to 32 (Year 5).

Its delegated budget for 2026-27 works out at £4,186 per pupil, against £3,533 in 2021-22. It ended 2024-25 with a deficit of £15k.

Estyn's report on its September 2024 inspection summarises Ysgol San Sior like this:

"Ysgol San Sior is a happy and caring community. The headteacher has shared a clear vision based on ‘Calon San Sior’ and works purposefully with staff, governors and pupils to ensure a safe and inclusive environment where pupils feel valued and supported. Pupils know that adults in the school care for them and that they can turn to them when they face challenges or have difficulties. As a result, nearly all pupils attend regularly, behave well and work and play together happily. The school’s curriculum broadly meets the requirements of the Curriculum for Wales and is underpinned by the school’s strong values and ethos. Teachers and support staff plan engaging learning experiences that help to ensure that many pupils engage positively and make suitable progress with their skills during lessons and over time."

"Classrooms and outdoor spaces are productive, active learning environments. This ensures that most pupils focus well during lessons and develop positive attitudes to learning. Most teaching is purposeful; however, teachers do not consistently challenge all pupils to develop their independent learning skills well enough. Over time, many pupils, including those with additional learning needs (ALN), make suitable progress over time. Most pupils make good progress in developing their English literacy and digital skills and use these well to support their learning in other subjects. However, although most pupils make suitable progress in developing their numeracy skills, opportunities to apply these skills across the curriculum are limited."

"The majority of pupils make limited progress in their Welsh language skills during their time at the school. The headteacher provides effective and thoughtful leadership, which ensures that the school has a clear strategic direction. He is well supported by a committed team of dedicated and caring staff. Evaluation processes accurately identify areas for improvement, for example the need for teachers to provide pupils with more specific feedback to help them improve their work."

Estyn made 3 recommendations: (1) Ensure that teaching consistently provides appropriate challenge for all pupils to develop as effective independent learners; (2) Ensure that teachers’ feedback supports pupils to improve their work consistently; (3) Provide a systematic whole-school approach to the development of pupils’ Welsh language skills.

The nearest other state primary schools to Ysgol San Sior are Ysgol Tudno (0.5 miles), Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn (0.6 miles), Ysgol Morfa Rhiannedd (0.8 miles) and Blessed William Davies School (1.1 miles).

The nearest tram or metro stop is Victoria Station (Great Orme Tramway), about 490 metres away (roughly a 6-minute walk).

4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Oval (after), 200 metres away.