Ysgol Garth Olwg
Catchment Area, Reviews and Key Information

Middle
PUPILS
1208
AGES
3 - 19
GENDER
Not Available
TYPE
Middle (ages 3-19)
SCHOOL GUIDE RATING
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Can I Get My Child Into This School?

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This pupil heat map shows where pupils currently attending the school live.
The concentration of pupils shows likelihood of admission based on distance criteria

Source: All attending pupils Pupil Level Annual School Census

This School Guide heat map has been plotted using official pupil data taken from the Pupil Level Annual School Census collected by the Welsh Government. The data tells us where pupils lived at the time of the last Pupil Census.

Our heat maps use groups of postcodes, not individual postcodes, and have naturally soft edges. All pupils are included in the mapping (i.e. children with siblings already at the school, high priority pupils and selective and/or religious admissions) but we may have removed statistical ‘outliers’ with more remote postcodes that do not reflect majority admissions.

For some schools, the heat map may be a useful indicator of the catchment area but our heat maps are not the same as catchment area maps. Catchment area maps, published by the school or local authority, are based on geographical admissions criteria and show actual cut-off distances and pre-defined catchment areas for a single admission year.

This information is provided as a guide only. The areas from which pupils are admitted to a school can change from year to year to reflect the number of siblings and pupils admitted under high priority admissions criteria.

3 steps to help parents gather catchment information for a school:

  1. Look at our school catchment area guide for more information on heat maps. They give a useful indicator of the general areas that admit pupils to the school. This visualisation is based on all attending pupils present at the time of the annual School Census.
  2. Use the link to the Local Authority Contact (above) to find catchment area information based on a single admission year. This is very important if you are considering applying to a school.
  3. On each school page, use the link to visit the school website and find information on individual school admissions criteria. Geographical criteria are only applied after pupils have been admitted on higher priority criteria such as Looked After Children, SEN, siblings, etc.

How Does The School Perform?

Full Report
NATIONAL AVG. 2.17
Estyn Report
(01/03/2023)
Full Report - All Reports
370.0
GCSE average points
score (capped 9)
NATIONAL AVERAGE 358.1



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How School Guide Rates Secondary Schools

For secondary schools in Wales, schools are rated on key performance indicators for pupils up to the age of 16 (GCSE only) due to the fact the government did not publish A level data for the last academic year.
Ysgol Garth Olwg
St Illtyd's Road
Church Village
Pontypridd
CF38 1DX
01443 570057

School Description

As they move through the school, many pupils make strong progress in their Welsh communication skills. Only a few of the school’s youngest pupils speak Welsh fluently on entry to the nursery or reception class. Over time, they develop a sound vocabulary and understanding of the language and its syntax and this enables them to express themselves clearly both orally and in writing. Most pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and treat each other, teachers and visitors to the school with respect. However, a very few pupils, mainly in Years 9-11, do not behave well and show negative attitudes to learning and towards others. Although many pupils feel safe at school, they note that the behaviour of some pupils during break times and lunchtimes causes them distress. Attendance rates, including the attendance of pupils who are eligible for free school meals, have remained low since the pandemic. There is a wide variety of opportunities for pupils to take part in and contribute to school life through a large number of clubs, drama activities and discussion forums. These include sports and drama clubs, in addition to the ‘Siop Siarad’ sessions, the Welshness Forum and the Equality Forum. As a result, many pupils make strong development in their social skills and understanding of human rights and other important issues. Sixth-form pupils develop valuable personal skills by leading the forums and volunteering to help younger pupils in their physical education lessons and in sessions to reinforce learning. Learning experiences up to Year 8 are broad and balanced, on the whole. A rich range of academic and vocational courses are provided for pupils in the sixth form. However, the curriculum for pupils in Years 9-11 is too limited, particularly for more able pupils in Year 9 and pupils with poor engagement in Years 10 and 11. The headteacher and his leadership team have prioritised Welshness and improving pupils’ well-being as a result of the challenges of the pandemic. This has had a positive effect on standards of Welsh and pupils’ attitudes to learning, particularly lower down the school. However, strategic leadership to improve a few other aspects of the school’s work is not robust enough. This includes provision to develop numeracy skills and digital skills, improving the standards of well-being of a very few older pupils and ensuring that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. Leaders provide a range of valuable opportunities for teachers to discuss, plan and research together to improve their practice. As a result, the quality of teaching across the school is good and this has a positive effect on pupils’ progress in their subject knowledge and literacy. Leaders set appropriate improvement priorities for the whole school and for individual areas of learning and experience. However, they do not give enough consideration to expected outcomes when devising actions. As a result, they do not evaluate the success of any actions according to their effect on pupils’ standards and progress.

Ysgol Garth Olwg Parent Reviews



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