Ysgol Friars

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Ysgol Friars is a bi-lingual 11-18 mixed comprehensive school maintained by Gwynedd local authority. There are 1,234 pupils on roll compared with 1,328 pupils when the school was last inspected in September 2011. There are 211 pupils in the sixth form.

The school serves the university city of Bangor and the surrounding area. Around 11% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived areas of Wales. Just over 12% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is lower than the Welsh average for secondary schools of 17%.

Most pupils come from English-speaking homes. However, almost 70% of pupils can speak Welsh to some degreeand about 16% of pupils are fluent in Welsh. Fourteen per cent of pupils currently learn English as an a...dditional language.

The school's intake represents the full range of ability. Twenty-one per cent of pupils have additional learning needs and two per cent of pupils have statements of special educational needs. Both these figures are close to the national averages.

The headteacher took up his post in 1997. The senior leadership team comprises the headteacher, two deputy headteachers and three assistant headteachers. The school is currently a pioneer school and is working with the Welsh Government and other schools to take forward developments relating to the curriculum.