Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf (English: Glantaf Welsh Language Comprehensive School) is the largest Welsh-medium school in Wales. It is located on Bridge Road, Llandaff North, Cardiff, on the banks of the river Taff. The name 'Glantaf' means 'The bank of the river Taf' in Welsh. Of the two Welsh-medium secondary schools serving Cardiff, it was the first to be established (the other being Ysgol Gymraeg Plasmawr). Although all students speak Welsh and most have received Welsh-language primary education, 68% (as of 2005) come from homes where Welsh is not the first language.^[1]

History

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf was founded in 1978, initially sharing premises with the English-language Glantaf High School, before expanding to occupy the entire building. Its first Headmaster was Mr. J E Malcolm Thomas, who was succeeded upon his retirement in 1995 by Mr. Huw S Thomas, and then by the current Headmistress Mrs. Rhiannon Lloyd.

Pupil numbers at the school increased into four figures during the mid-1880s, necessitating the annexing of the buildings of the old Waterhall School in Fairwater to form the Ysgol Isaf (Lower School), which housed the First and Second forms (later Years 7 and 8) of the school from 1986. This split-site arrangement continued until the opening of Cardiff's second Welsh-medium Comprehensive School, Ysgol Gymraeg Plasmawr, in 1988, from which point the Llandaff North site again housed the entirety of Glantaf's pupils.

Welsh-medium education

Education in Wales differs in certain respects from the systems used elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf is a Welsh-medium school, which means that all lessons and all conversations within the school should take place in the Welsh language, and the speaking of English is frowned upon (though English lessons are taught mainly though the medium of English, where it is acceptable to speak the language).

Ethos

The school's motto is Coron Gwlad Ei Mamiaith, which translates to 'A Country's Crown is Her Mother Tongue'. The school colours of light and dark blue reflect Glantaf's Cardiff location, as they are also the official colours of Cardiff Blues Rugby Club, Cardiff City Football Club and Celtic Warriors Rugby Club (RIP).

Houses

The school's four houses are named after Welsh saints: Dewi (house colour: yellow), Dyfrig (green), Illtud (red) and Teilo (blue). The four houses annually compete in the "Gŵyl Glantaf" (Glantaf Festival), in which there is a day of sports and a day of singing, playing instruments, reciting and numerous other events in the theme of the Eisteddfod.

Results

In 2008, 76% of pupils at GSCE (or equivalent) (ages 15 to 16) year achieved 5 or more A* - C grades at GCSE^[2], and 76% of pupils at A/AS level (or equivalent) (ages 17 to 18) achieved two or more A - C grades^[2].

Alumni

Acting, music and literature

• Ioan Gruffudd Actor
• Matthew Rhys Actor
• Matthew Pritchard Television presenter
• Llwyd Owen Welsh-language author
• Huw Bunford Member of the Super Furry Animals
• Guto Pryce Member of the Super Furry Animals
• Ceiri Torjussen Hollywood film score composer and orchestrator
• Gethin Jones Television presenter and former Blue Peter presenter
• Huw Stephens BBC Radio One DJ
• Gwenno Saunders Pop singer (The Pipettes)
• Jeremy Huw Williams Opera singer
• Dyfed Wyn-Evans Opera singer
• Anthony Stuart Lloyd Opera singer
• Paul Carey Jones Opera singer

Sport

• Nicky Robinson Rugby Union player, Cardiff Blues & Wales
• Jamie Robinson Rugby Union player, Cardiff Blues & Wales
• Jamie Roberts Rugby Union player, Cardiff Blues & Wales
• Lee Thomas (rugby player) Rugby Union player
• Thomas Rhys Courtenay Evans Aussie Rules, Wales

Politics

• Eluned Morgan Member of the European Parliament

Other

• Ffion Jenkins Wife of William Hague MP

References

1. ^ 2005 inspection
2. ^ ^{a b} http://www.npd-wales.gov.uk/pagecontent/shared/PublicDocs/681/SEC/6814071E.pdf

External links

• Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf web site (Welsh)
• 2005 inspection report (.pdf)

Coordinates: 51°30′04″N 3°13′34″W / 51.50120°N 3.22605°W / 51.50120; -3.22605

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