Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni facts for kids

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni is a school in Wales where lessons are taught in Welsh. It is located in the village of Fleur-de-Lys in the Rhymney Valley. The school started in 1981 with only about 150 students. By 2023, it had grown to 1,821 students across its two main sites.

The school's motto is "Tua'r Goleuni," which means "Towards the Light." Its badge features a dragon standing on its hind legs, which is called a "rampant" dragon. The school's traditional colours are red and black.

A second campus for Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni opened in the Caerphilly area in 2013. This new site, called Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni – Safle'r Gwyndy, was built because more families wanted their children to learn in Welsh. The original school is now known as Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni – Safle Gellihaf to avoid confusion. Before 2002, the school was split between two older buildings in Aberbargoed and Bargoed.

School History and Growth

Picture of the school from outside the front entrance

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni first operated from two separate locations. There was a Lower school for younger students (years 7 and 8) in Aberbargoed. An Upper school for older students (years 9 to 13) was in Bargoed. By the late 1990s, these buildings were in poor condition. After a lot of effort, the school received permission to build a brand new, modern building. This new, single-site school in Fleur-de-Lys opened its doors in 2002.

School Leaders Over Time

The first Headteacher of Cwm Rhymni was Mr Huw Thomas, who led the school from 1981 to 1995. Mr Hefin Mathias took over in 1995 and retired in 2008. Mr Owain ap Dafydd then became Headteacher until his retirement in April 2020. Since April 2020, Mr Matthew Webb has been the Headteacher.

• 1981–1995: Mr Huw Thomas
• 1995–2008: Mr Hefin Mathias
• 2008–2020: Mr Owain ap Dafydd
• 2020–present: Mr Matthew Webb

School Life and Community

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni is well-known for its success in sports, especially rugby and athletics. The school has also done very well over the years in the Urdd Eisteddfod, which is a big Welsh festival for young people.

The school serves a very large area, stretching from Rhymney at the top of the valley down to Caerphilly. The names of the three main hallways at the Gellihaf campus show how wide this area is: Ebwy, Sirhywi, and Rhymni. These are three nearby valleys in South Wales that send students to Cwm Rhymni.

School Houses

The school has four houses, named after Welsh saints. These houses help create teams for competitions and activities.

• Mabon (house colour: yellow)
• Cadog (house colour: green)
• Tudful (house colour: purple)
• Sannan (house colour: blue)

Tudful was added later as the number of students grew in the early 1990s.

Primary Schools That Feed Cwm Rhymni

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni is the only Welsh-medium comprehensive school in the Caerphilly area. It receives students from 11 primary schools that also teach in Welsh:

• Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Allta
• Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Sannan
• Ysgol Gymraeg Cwm Derwen
• Ysgol Gymraeg Cwm Gwyddon
• Ysgol Gymraeg Caerffili
• Ysgol Gymraeg Gilfach Fargod
• Ysgol Gymraeg Ifor Bach
• Ysgol Gymraeg Penalltau
• Ysgol Gymraeg Trelyn
• Ysgol Gymraeg Y Castell
• Ysgol Gymraeg Y Lawnt

School Partnerships

Cwm Rhymni works together with Ysgol Gymraeg Gwynllyw in Pontypool. This partnership, called "Partneriaeth 6," allows students at both schools to access more courses. Teachers sometimes travel between the schools or teach lessons using video calls. The school is also looking to expand this partnership to include Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun.

Famous Former Students

Many talented people have attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni. Here are a few:

• Morgan Evans, a rugby league player for Gloucestershire All Golds
• Natasha Harding, a footballer who played for Bristol Academy and Wales
• Sali Hughes, a well-known journalist, writer, and broadcaster
• Delyth Jewell, a politician from the Plaid Cymru party
• Steffan Jones (rugby union), a rugby player for Newport Gwent Dragons
• Rhodri Lloyd, a Welsh international rugby league player for Wigan and Swinton
• David Probert, a professional jockey
• Aaron Ramsey, a famous footballer who played for Cardiff City and Wales