Ysgol Tryfan

Story

Ysgol Tryfan is a Welsh-medium comprehensive school in Bangor, Gwynedd. 483 pupils were enrolled at the school as of September 2016, with 90 of those in the sixth form. The school was formed in 1978 by demerging the Welsh language medium from Ysgol Friars.Pupils come from further afield than Bangor to Ysgol Tryfan due to its high performance, with pupils from the surrounding villages and towns of Llanfairfechan, Bethesda, Y Felinheli and Menai Bridge attending the school. On average, around 34% of pupils from primary schools situated in Bangor transfer to Ysgol Tryfan.According to the Welsh Government, Ysgol Tryfan was the best Secondary School in Wales in January 2012 excelling in all of the 12 ranking criteria.Welsh is the school’s administrative and official language. According to the latest Estyn inspection report carried out in 2013, 64% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking homes. As of 2015, 72% of pupils aged 11–15 were fluent in Welsh.Jazz bandThe school has an accomplished resident Jazz Band, formed in 2008 and growing in success during the following years. The band have had great success in the Urdd National Eisteddfod, winning the Band/Orchestra under 25 category for three years running (2008–2010), including playing at the Wales Millennium Centre in 2009. The band were also finalists in the School Jazz Band category at the Music for Youth Festival in 2009, followed by a tour of Paris in the same year, playing at the Luxembourg Gardens, Champs de Mars and Disneyland Paris.