Ysgol Penglais School

Ysgol Penglais
Rear entrance of the school
Location
Waunfawr

Aberystwyth
,
Ceredigion
,
SY23 3AW

Wales

52°24′58″N 4°03′32″W / 52.416°N 4.059°W / 52.416; -4.059
Information
TypeComprehensive school
MottoDewrder. Cryfder. Calon.
(Courage. Strength. Heart.)
Established1973; 53 years ago (1973)
Head teacher
Mair Hughes
Age range11–18
Enrollment1,092 (2022)
Sixth form students
261 (2022)
LanguageEnglish
Colour     
Websitepenglais.org.uk Edit this at Wikidata

Ysgol Penglais (Welsh for 'Penglais School') is a comprehensive school in the town of Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, West Wales, with about 1,100 pupils aged 11 to 18. The school was established in 1973 and teaches mainly through the medium of English.

History

Built in 1954, Penglais was formerly a secondary modern school, opening as Ysgol Eilradd Dinas / Dinas Secondary Modern School in 1955. The Aberystwyth senior school section at Alexandra Road school was relocated there. The school re-opened as the comprehensive, Ysgol Penglais, in 1973. Expansions took place from 1973 to 1975 to merge the school with the Ardwyn grammar school, with Ardwyn becoming the Welsh medium comprehensive school, Ysgol Penweddig. In 2023, the school celebrated its half-centenary, and launched a local history project.

Estyn reports

An Estyn report following an inspection in March 2019 stated "Ysgol Penglais is judged to have made sufficient progress in relation to the recommendations following the most recent core inspection." "As a result, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales is removing the school from the list of schools requiring significant improvement." The previous Estyn report in 2018 had judged the school to be "in need of significant improvement". The 2022 Estyn report states that "Effective leadership and a culture of trust has strengthened the teaching and learning experiences at the school over time", although recommendations stated opportunities for students to use Welsh needed to be improved.

Around 14% of pupils speak Welsh as the predominant language at home, and 21% speak Welsh fluently.

Charity events

The school has supported many charities in the past, including long-standing support for the Sudan appeal.[citation needed] In April 2007, there was a huge event in which the entire student body collected on the main playing field to form a map of the world. This event raised money for the Send my friend to school charity and aimed to increase awareness for the Global Campaign for Education. The event was photographed by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. In 2026, the school aimed to raise over £10,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust and Latch Wales in support of two students fighting cancer.

Notable former pupils

References

  1. 1 2 "Inspection report Ysgol Penglais" (PDF). Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. 2022. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  2. ↑ Lloyd, Thomas; Orbach, Julian; Scourfield, Robert (1 January 2006). Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion (Buildings of Wales). Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-10179-9.
  3. ↑ School, Llywn yr Eos Primary; Penparcau (8 January 2013). "Dinas School opening 1955 | People's Collection Wales". www.peoplescollection.wales. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  4. ↑ "School Records: County Schools | Archifdy Ceredigion - Ceredigion Archives". archifdy-ceredigion.org.uk. Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Summer fair to celebrate Penglais school's 50th anniversary". Cambrian News. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
  6. ↑ Davies, Dylan (29 September 2022). "Appeal to help Penglais celebrate 50th anniversary". Cambrian News. Retrieved 14 September 2026.
  7. 1 2 "Monitoring report Ysgol Penglais" (PDF). Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Monitoring report Ysgol Penglais" (PDF). Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  9. ↑ "Ysgol Penglais Estyn Report 2022" (PDF). Ysgol Penglais. Retrieved 26 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Inspection Report Penglais School" (PDF). Estyn, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  11. ↑ "1,400 Pupils Form World Map Demo". BBC News. 19 April 2007.
  12. ↑ "1,400 Pupils Form World Map (Enlarged picture captioned by RCAHMW)". BBC News. 19 April 2007.
  13. ↑ "Penglais aims to raise £10,000 for cancer charities". The Cambrian News. 10 July 2026. Retrieved 27 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Pedwar o glybiau Cymru'n chwarae heno" [Four Welsh clubs playing tonight] (in Welsh). Golwg 360. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "Professor Martin Conway honoured as Fellow of Aberystwyth University". Aberystwyth University. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  16. ↑ "Aber actor Taron Egerton shortlisted for 'rising star' Bafta award". Cambrian News. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  17. ↑ Halliday, Dylan (24 February 2023). "Josh Hathaway up against old mates as England take on Wales". Cambrian News. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  18. ↑ Morrell, Anna (17 November 2008). "New Bishop of Bangor elected". Church in Wales. Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  19. ↑ "New Archbishop of Wales elected". Church in Wales. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021.
  20. ↑ Jones, Dai (12 January 2018). Dai Jones Llanilar: A Life to Die For. Y Lolfa. ISBN 978-1-78461-519-2.
  21. ↑ "Aber's Norrington-Davies: 'We were the dominant side for the majority of the game'". Cambrian News. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  22. ↑ Owen, Rhodri (15 May 2013). "Malcolm Pryce: Aberystwyth noir creator pens BBC Radio 4 play". BBC News. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  23. ↑ McNicholls Vale, Julie (4 February 2018). "How Aberystwyth inspired multi-talented Jane". Cambrian News. Archived from the original on 4 February 2018.