Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Garth Olwg is a designated Welsh-medium school located in a modern building in Church Village, about four miles from Pontypridd. The building shares a campus with Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg, Garth Olwg Lifelong Learning Centre and a privately managed nursery. The school was built as part of the Private Finance Initiative scheme. The school serves an area that includes the surrounding community and neighbouring areas. The school states that, in general, the school’s catchment area is comparatively prosperous. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is 6.3% which is substantially below the national percentage. The school has 12 classes, of which two are mixed age classes. One class is located in the secondary school building. At the time of the inspection, there were 330 pupils aged 3-11 years on the school register, compared with 271 during the previous inspection in 2005. One pupil has a statement of special educational needs and 54 other pupils are on the school’s additional learning needs register. Eight per cent of pupils come from homes in which Welsh is the main language. Welsh is used as the medium of teaching throughout the school, with English added as a subject in key stage 2, with the aim that pupils will be bilingual by the end of their period in the school. Five members of staff have joined the school since the previous inspection, including the headteacher who has been in post since September 2010. At the time of the inspection, three teachers were absent either through illness or maternity leave. The individual school budget for Ysgol Gymraeg Garth Olwg for 2010-2011 is £2,605 per pupil which compares with a maximum of £9,064 and a minimum of £2,553 for primary schools in Rhondda Cynon Taff. The school has the 114th highest budget of the 116 primary schools in Rhondda Cynon Taff. When reading the above school budget statement, it should be borne in mind that Ysgol Gymraeg Garth Olwg is financed as a Private Finance Initiative school.