Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf is a Welsh-medium coeducational secondary school in Llandaff North, a district in the north of Cardiff, Wales; it is the largest of its kind in the country. Of the three Welsh-medium secondary schools serving Cardiff, it was the first to be established; the others are Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern. As of 2025, 49% of pupils came from Welsh-speaking homes.
Contents
History
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf opened in September 1978. This was one month after the 1978 National Eisteddfod of Wales, held in Cardiff and, when a winner for the Bardic Chair could not be found, the chair was donated to Ysgol Glantaf.
While on the one hand the opening of Cardiff's first Welsh language secondary school was seen as a major step, on the other hand there were protests outside the school, with protesters waving placards saying "Welsh Go Home".
The school initially shared premises with the English-language Glantaf High School, but later expanded to occupy the whole building. Its first headmaster was J E Malcolm Thomas, who was succeeded upon his retirement in 1995 by Huw S Thomas, and then by headmistress Rhiannon Lloyd from Rhydywaun School. In early 2010, the board of governors announced that from September 2010, the former head of Rhydywaun School would take over from Rhiannon Lloyd. From September 2010, Alun Davies was headmaster prior to Mathew Evans joining the school in September 2020 as headteacher from Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur.
Pupil numbers at the school increased into four figures during the mid-1980s, necessitating the annexing of the buildings of the old Waterhall School in Fairwater to form the Ysgol Isaf (Lower School), which housed the first and second forms (later years 7 and 8) of the school from 1986. This split-site arrangement continued until the opening of Cardiff's second Welsh-medium comprehensive school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, in 1998, from which point the Llandaff North site again housed the entirety of Glantaf's pupils.
Welsh-medium education
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf is a Welsh-medium school, which means that all lessons except English language and literature should take place in the Welsh language. Ysgol Glantaf presents sixth form students for the Welsh Baccalaureate examination.
Results
In 2008, 76% of pupils at GCSE (or equivalent) (ages 15 to 16) year achieved five or more A* - C grades at GCSE, and 76% of pupils at A/AS level (or equivalent) (ages 17 to 18) achieved two or more A - C grades.
Awards
In 2019, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf was named Welsh Secondary School of the year by the Sunday Times.
Notable alumni
Arts and media
Huw Bunford, musician, member of Super Furry Animals
Siân Grigg, BAFTA winner and Oscar nominated Hollywood make up artist
Ioan Gruffudd, actor
Ffion Hague, broadcaster and author, wife of Lord William Hague
Mali Harries, actress
Gethin Jones, television presenter and former Blue Peter presenter
Paul Carey Jones, opera singer
Llwyd Owen, Welsh-language author
Owen Powell, musician, former member of Catatonia
Guto Pryce, musician, member of the Super Furry Animals
Iwan Rheon, actor
Matthew Rhys, actor
Huw Stephens, radio presenter and DJ
Jeremy Huw Williams, opera singer
Rhodri Williams, sports journalist and television presenter
Dyfed Wyn-Evans, opera singer
Siôn Daniel Young, actor
Sport
Theo Cabango, rugby union, Cardiff Rugby
Seb Davies, rugby union, Cardiff Rugby & Wales