Ysgol Bryn Elian is an 11-18 school with approximately 850 pupils on roll, 110 of whom are 6th formers. The school serves the community to the East of Colwyn Bay, comprising Old Colwyn, Llanddulas, Llysfaen and surrounding areas. In addition, a significant number of pupils travel to the school from outside its immediate catchment area. The overwhelming majority of pupils come from English-speaking homes.
Ysgol Bryn Elian is renowned for the care and individual support provided for pupils. Examination results are normally above the national average in all Key Stages.
Ysgol Bryn Elian is served by a dedicated and highly professional teaching staff, numbering approximately 50. The school has close ITT links with the University College North Wales, Bangor, providing a very highly regarded training for those students placed at the school.
A wide range of extra-curricular activities is available in the school including a full sporting and musical programme, school productions and concerts and a variety of lunchtime activities. The school is renowned for its Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme. In lower school a scheme called the Ysgol Bryn Elian Challenge encourages pupils to involve themselves in the wider community and take advantage of the opportunities presented.
A wide variety of trips and visits supports the curriculum in all subject areas; pastoral trips are also arranged.
The curriculum is organised on a 30 period cycle. In Key Stage 3, pupils study Art, English, French or German, Geography, History, ICT, Mathematics, Music, Physical Education, Religious Education, Science, Technology, PSHE and Welsh.
At Key Stage 4 all pupils study English, Mathematics, Science, Personal and Social Education, Religious Education, Physical Education, Information Technology and Welsh. There is a wide selection of options in three option columns.
Currently 18 A-levels are offered, and arrangements have been made with other local schools to extend the range available for students.
The Welsh Baccalaureate is taught in the Sixth Form alongside the traditional A level subjects. A review of the programme has taken place and it has been very highly rated by the assessors. As a result the school is now piloting the WBQ in Key Stage 4, the only North Wales School to be chosen.
Ysgol Bryn Elian occupies one of the finest sites in the whole of Wales with unequalled views across the Irish Sea to the coast of Cumbria. The school was a grant-maintained school until becoming a foundation school in September 1999. We have an excellent Learning Resource Centre. The school is light and airy providing a pleasant working environment and offering high level facilities for all.
The school is well provided with ICT equipment and boasts a network which allows access to the Internet at more than 90 points in the school. There are more than 300 modern PCs installed throughout the school. |