Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni’s Y Gwyndy campus in Caerphilly town will have sixth form provision from September this year – but for just one day a week.
Around 30 pupils and parents attended a public meeting held on Monday, January 29, at Caerphilly Rugby Club to voice their frustration over the lack of a full sixth form on the site.
The campus, on Pontygwindy Road, was redeveloped at a cost of £20 million and is also home to Ysgol Gymraeg Caerffili.
Its creation was to meet increasing demand for Welsh language education in the Caerphilly basin for children aged between three and 16.
Post-16 education was to be provided at Cwm Rhymni’s Gellihaf site near Fleur-De-Lis – although there was always the intention to develop some sixth form provision at Y Gwyndy – as outlined in Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Welsh medium education strategy published in 2014.
Parents were told in November last year that there was not enough demand to provide a sixth form at Y Gwyndy.
However, a campaign led by parents has had a limited result with the school now stating students studying for the Welsh Baccalaureate will be based at Y Gwyndy for one day a week from September.
Those at the meeting agreed to keep the pressure on and will ask the school to send out a questionnaire to pupils and parents of Year 11 to assess pupil demand for Y Gwyndy.
The previous questionnaire did not have Y Gwyndy as an option for a sixth form.
Parents and pupils are focusing on making the case for more subjects at Y Gwyndy for September.
No governors of the school attended, despite being invited by organisers.
The meeting was chaired by Cllr James Pritchard, who represents the Morgan Jones ward for Labour.
He said: “Parents and pupils were absolutely clear at the public meeting.
“They will continue to campaign for a Welsh Language sixth form at Y Gwyndy. There should be an enhanced sixth form offer at Y Gwyndy to enable the Welsh Language to flourish in Caerphilly and we will continue to make the case to the school.”
A spokesman for Caerphilly County Borough Council said: “The school is currently considering options for post 16 Welsh medium education at the Y Gwyndy site in line with the provision available in other schools across the county borough.”