Church of St Luke · Photo: Lewis Hulbert · CC BY-SA 3.0State schools in Abercarn
Of the schools in Abercarn, 33% teach through Welsh, above both Gwent’s towns (0%) and Wales’s schools (22%). 3 state-funded schools are located in Abercarn’s built-up area, 1 of them teaching in Welsh. Wales doesn’t publish school-level results comparable with England’s Key Stage 2 and GCSE tables, so Welsh towns have no School Grade; Abercarn’s overall grade uses its other subjects.
What stands out about Abercarn’s schools
About the Welsh mix
33% of Abercarn’s mainstream schools teach mainly in Welsh, against 29% across Wales. Families choose either, whatever language they speak at home. Welsh and English ↓
Written from the Welsh Government’s list of schools and DfE’s register on this page.
Where Abercarn’s 3 state schools are
Each school at its address, coloured by its teaching language and sized by pupils. Open a school for its own page. The dashed shape is Abercarn’s built-up area.
Most schools give places by distance once siblings are in, so the schools nearest a home matter more than any league table.
Which language Abercarn’s schools teach in
Mainstream state schools by the Welsh Government’s language category. The black tick is the share across Wales.
1 Welsh-medium primary in Abercarn. Welsh-medium schools teach mainly in Welsh and bring pupils to fluency in both languages; English-medium schools teach Welsh as a subject; dual-language schools teach in both.
How school places work in Abercarn
Caerphilly Council handles applications for every state school in Abercarn. You apply to the council where you live, even for a school in another area.
When a school is full
Every school publishes its admissions rules. Children in care come first, then, at most schools, brothers and sisters of current pupils, then those who live nearest. Infant classes are limited to 30 by law. If you’re refused a place, you can appeal to an independent panel.
3 state schools in Abercarn
Every state school in Abercarn, from DfE’s register of schools (GIAS) and the Welsh Government’s list of schools (pupils, language). Wales publishes no school-level results. Each school has its own page.
Pupils: Welsh Government school census, as in its April 2026 list of schools.
Abercarn and the places around it
State schools and Welsh-medium schools in the built-up areas around Abercarn.
| Town | Schools | Welsh-medium |
|---|---|---|
| Abercarn 3 schools | 3 | 1 |
| Newbridge 4 schools · 1.6 mi | 4 | 0 |
| Swffryd 1 school · 2.4 mi | 1 | 0 |
| Pontllanfraith 3 schools · 2.6 mi | 3 | 0 |
| Oakdale 3 schools · 2.8 mi | 3 | 1 |
| Risca 6 schools · 2.8 mi | 6 | 0 |
| Cwmfelinfach 1 school · 2.9 mi | 1 | 0 |
| Blackwood 4 schools · 3.4 mi | 4 | 0 |
Wales doesn’t publish school-level results
- Not published in Wales. England publishes each school’s Key Stage 2 and GCSE results; Wales publishes no school-level results tables comparable with them. Estyn inspects Welsh schools and publishes a report on each, without a one-word judgement. So we list Abercarn’s schools and leave the School Grade out, rather than grade Welsh towns on a different measure.
- Estyn. Each school’s latest inspection report is on Estyn’s website: search by the school’s name. estyn.gov.wales ↗
Questions about schools in Abercarn
Are schools in Abercarn good?
Wales doesn’t publish school-level results, so Welsh towns, Abercarn among them, have no School Grade. The overall grade uses the other subjects.
How many state schools are in Abercarn?
3 open state-funded schools are located in Abercarn’s built-up area: 3 primary, 0 secondary and 0 other.
Are there Welsh-medium schools in Abercarn?
Yes: 1 of 3 mainstream schools teach mainly in Welsh, including Y.G. Cwm Gwyddon.
How do I apply for a school place in Abercarn?
Through Caerphilly Council, which sets its own closing dates for primary and secondary places.
Why do Abercarn’s schools have no grades?
Wales doesn’t publish school-level results comparable with England’s tests and GCSE tables, so we don’t grade Welsh schools or towns on schools. Estyn publishes an inspection report on each school.
Sources: DfE Get Information about Schools (16 October 2026), Welsh establishments; Welsh Government address list of schools in Wales (April 2026: language, sector, pupils). All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.