Powys is the largest and most sparsely populated county in Wales, bordering England for much of its length, and including the towns of Welshpool, Newtown, Brecon, Llandrindod Wells, Crickhowell, Hay, Llanfyllin, Rhayader, Knighton, Llanidloes and Machynlleth.
Powys is one of the six authorities in the Education for Regional Working (ERW) Joint Education Service.
The school population numbers just over 16,000 and the authority is responsible for 93 schools.
There are 79 primary schools with an average population of 113 pupils (third smallest), ranging from the soon-to-be-merged Banw CP School with c. 22 students, to Ysgol Gymraeg Dyffryn y Glowyr with over 320 pupils.
There are ten secondary schools including two spilt-site schools—Newtown and Ysgol Calon Cymru. All the secondary schools have sixth forms. Powys secondary schools have an average size of 661 pupils—the second lowest average in Wales.
There is one through school in Machynlleth which also has a sixth form.
There are three special schools, all of which have post-16 provision.
There are 11 Welsh medium primary schools and nine dual-stream primary schools. There are Bilingual secondary schools. The through school Bro Hyddgen is also Bilingual.