A ceremony has been held at Ysgol Bro Idris to celebrate a year since the all-through area school which serves pupils between the ages of three and 16 from the wider Dolgellau area opened its doors for the first time.

Gwynedd Council chair, Councillor Annwen Hughes was joined by the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams AM as part of the ceremony to note Ysgol Bro Idris’ successful first year.

Ysgol Bro Idris opened in September 2017 following £4.3 million investment from Gwynedd Council and the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme. The area school is located on sites in Rhydymain, Dinas Mawddwy, Llanelltyd, Y Friog and Dolgellau (primary and secondary sites).

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: “I am delighted to attend this event to celebrate a year since this fantastic new school has opened.

“Through the 21st Century Schools and Education Programme we have invested alongside local authorities to create buildings that are well-designed, safe and energy-efficient, that meet the needs of learners, teachers and the wider community and are truly befitting of the 21st Century.”

Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for Education, Councillor Gareth Thomas added: “Our aim here in Gwynedd is to ensure that children in communities right across the county can make the most of first-rate modern learning environments so that they can realise their full potential.

“The work carried out at Ysgol Bro Idris is a fine example of this vision. We have invested to improve school buildings and developed an innovative model which we believe has secured education in this rural area of Gwynedd for many years to come.

“During its first full year, Ysgol Bro Idris has shown it is a school that is eager to innovate and develop new and exciting educational opportunities for its pupils. The ceremony shows that dedicated staff across the school’s sites are making the most of its modern facilities and working together as one team to share experiences and ensure that all the school’s pupils benefit from truly enriching educational experiences.”

Jano Owen, Ysgol Bro Idris Headteacher said: “We were proud to welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Education and representatives from Gwynedd Council to Ysgol Bro Idris.

“Along with the pupils, our school staff and governors have worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this innovative education model in the Dolgellau area. We are very proud of what we have achieved in our first 12 months where teachers across the school sites work together and share work that is presented to pupils to ensure high standards are maintained across all the school’s sites.

“The ceremony also provided an opportunity to celebrate the successful first year of the school and to discuss the innovative work being undertaken at Ysgol Bro Idris. As part of the all-through school model, year 6 pupils attend the Ysgol Bro Idris secondary site on a weekly basis where they attend lessons in the science labs, design and technology lessons as well as regular French lessons. We look forward to building on these innovative examples of best practice as we continue to develop as a school.”