Gwynedd is a county council in North-west Wales, covering the second largest area, and is the second most sparsely populated (after Powys). The area includes the Llŷn Peninsula and most of Snowdonia National Park—the major towns are Bangor, Caernarfon, Bethesda, Ffestiniog, Porthmadog, Pwllheli and Tywyn.

Gwynedd is one of the six local authorities in GwE, the fully bilingual School Effectiveness and Improvement Service for North Wales.

The school population numbers over 16,000, and the authority is responsible for 163 schools. 

There are 85 primary schools with an average population of 107 pupils (the lowest average in Wales). These schools range from Ysgol Gynradd Llanaelhaearn with c.11 pupils to Ysgol Yr Hendre in Caernarfon with over 400 pupils.

There are 13 secondary schools, seven of which have sixth forms. Gwynedd high schools have an average of 506 pupils—the lowest average size in Wales.

There are two through schools, one of which has a sixth form.

Gwynedd has two special schools, both of which have post-16 provision.

Every primary school except one (Ysgol Ein Harglywyddes) is Welsh medium. All the secondary schools are bilingual except Ysgol Friars which is English medium. One through school is Bilingual and one is Welsh medium.


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