A Welsh-medium school in Neath Port Talbot is set to be split into two separate schools to accommodate a "significant increase in pupils" accessing Welsh education. If taken forward, it could eventually see the closure of the county's Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur in its current form, with two separate Welsh-medium schools established in its place.
While currently operating as a single entity, the school is spread over two separate campuses: one in Sandfields Port Talbot and another in the Swansea Valley village of Ystalyfera. Altogether, the school has 1,591 pupils, with the Ystalyfera campus providing education from nursery to sixth form and the Bro Dur campus providing secondary education for pupils aged 11 to 16.
Proposal discussed by council officials
The proposal to split the sites as part of the council's Strategic School Improvement Programme was discussed by council officials at an education scrutiny committee on October 1, 2026. A report given to members said the overall improvement programme would "most likely" result in substantial change to education facilities across the borough, with the opening of new schools and the closure, merger, or amalgamation of others.
The report said: "When Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur was established over two campuses, it was intended that the school would operate as a single school until such time as pupil numbers across both sites were sufficient to support separate school budgets. In light of the significant increase in pupils accessing Welsh-medium education, together with projected future growth, it is anticipated that both sites will be able to operate independently from September 2028."
Benefits and projected growth
The report added: "The proposal would deliver a range of benefits that support the effective, sustainable and long-term development of Welsh-medium education across the County Borough. Establishing two separate Welsh-medium schools would provide clearer and more effective governance arrangements, with each school having its own governing body, leadership structure, budget and strategic priorities."
Figures supporting the plans said that learners in years 7-11 at Bro Dur were projected to increase from 522 in 2026 to around 708 in 2031. They also showed an increase in the overall number of Welsh learners across Neath Port Talbot over the last six years, jumping from 3,422 in 2020 to 3,666 in 2026.
Next steps
Councillors at the scrutiny meeting were generally supportive of the plans, which officers said would give more capacity for the schools to grow and succeed while meeting the demand for Welsh education in the borough. The proposals will now go to the council's cabinet on October 21 for a decision on whether or not to go out to consultation.
This came alongside another separate proposal to develop a new 16-place learning support centre for additional learning needs at Llangatwg Community Comprehensive School and another at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Rhosafan.
