Cwmtawe Community School (in

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

: ''Ysgol Gymunedol Cwmtawe'') Formerly known as Pontardawe Technical School and Cwmtawe Comprehensive School, is a modern

English-medium An English-medium education system is one that uses English as the primary medium of instruction—particularly where English is not the mother tongue of the students. Initially this is associated with the expansion of English from its homeland i ...

education comprehensive school in

Pontardawe Pontardawe () is a town and a community in the Swansea Valley (Welsh: ''Cwmtawe'') in Wales. With a population of 6,832, it comprises the electoral wards of Pontardawe and Trebanos. A town council is elected. Pontardawe forms part of the county ...

, South Wales. The school moved to newly built premises in 1996. Its old building was used by the local Welsh-language primary school, Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pontardawe, until it was demolished in 2010. Cwmtawe recently won an award for environmentally friendly schools, based on school improvements, community and curriculum links, saving money, and raising environmental awareness. Although Cwmtawe is not a Welsh-medium school,

is taught at second-language level, as it is mandatory under the

National Curriculum A national curriculum is a common programme of study in schools that is designed to ensure nationwide uniformity of content and standards in education. It is usually legislated by the national government, possibly in consultation with state or other ...

that all Welsh school children up to age 16 be taught the language. Cwmtawe has very good Key Stage 3 and GCSE results exceeding the targets set in Wales's national standards. In 2000, it was in 113th place in

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

for GCSE passes (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A*-C). Since then, examination results have improved dramatically; according to the latest inspection report by

Estyn Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb ''estyn'' meaning "to reach (out), stretch or extend". Its function is to provide an independent inspection and advice service on quality ...

, the school has a GCSE pass rate of 73%, putting it in 12th place and within the top 10% of all schools in

Feeder primary schools

The feeder

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

s for Cwmtawe are: * Alltwen Primary School * Godre'r Graig Primary School * Llangiwg Primary School *

Rhos Primary School Rhos or Rhôs may refer to these places in Wales: Settlements *Rhos, Neath Port Talbot, South Wales Valleys * Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos, links=no), Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough *Rhosllannerchrugog, Wrexham County Borough, northeast ...

* Rhydyfro Primary School * Tairgwaith Primary School

Notable former pupils

Bleddyn Bowen Bleddyn Bowen (born 16 July 1961) is a former international Wales rugby union player. Bleddyn Bowen played club rugby for South Wales Police and Swansea RFC. His first international game was in 1983, along with five other first caps, against Ro ...

, rugby union player *

Aled Brew Aled Brew (born 9 August 1986) is a former Wales international rugby union player who played as a winger. He made his debut for the Wales national rugby union team against Ireland in the 2007 Six Nations Championship. In his career, as well a ...

, rugby union player *

Loren Dykes Loren Dykes (born 5 February 1988) is a football coach and player who is the assistant coach for Bristol City and a player for Cardiff City and the Wales women's national football team. Dykes began her playing career as a winger or forward befo ...

, football player *

Gareth Edwards Sir Gareth Owen Edwards CBE (born 12 July 1947) is a Welsh former rugby union player who played scrum-half and has been described by the BBC as "arguably the greatest player ever to don a Welsh jersey". In 2003, in a poll of international ...

, rugby union player * James Griffiths, rugby union player * Robert Jones, rugby union player * Sir Clive Lewis, Court of Appeal Judge * Elgan Rees, rugby union player *

Arwel Thomas Arwel Camber Thomas (born 8 November 1974) is a native of Trebanos in Swansea Valley. He is a former Wales international rugby union player. An outside-half, he played his club rugby for Swansea RFC. Career Arwel Thomas won his first of his 23 ...

, rugby union player *

Justin Tipuric Justin Tipuric ( ; born 6 August 1989) is a Welsh people, Welsh international rugby union player who plays for Wales national rugby union team, Wales as an Flanker (rugby union), openside flanker. Early life Tipuric is of Croats, Croatian desce ...

, rugby union player *

Lewy Williams Lewis “Lewy” Williams (born 18 January 2002 in Swansea) is a Welsh professional darts player who currently plays in the Professional Darts Corporation events. Born in Swansea, Williams moved to Liverpool, where he has trained as a barber. H ...

, professional darts player

External links

Cwmtawe Community School's websiteNeath Port Talbot County Borough Council Education Page

References

{{authority control Secondary schools in Neath Port Talbot Educational institutions established in 1969 1969 establishments in Wales