The old school has undergone a �4m transformation

Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe has been built on the site of the former Penlan Boys School which has undergone a �4m transformation.

It is the first new school in Swansea for a decade and comes in response to the growing demand locally for Welsh medium education - as in other parts of the country.

Pupils will be drawn from a catchment area stretching from Clydach in the Swansea Valley to Langland in Gower.

In common with other new schools Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe will start with an intake of Year 7 pupils alone.

We hope that we do the local community and the whole of Swansea proud. Head teacher David Williams

Initially, the school will have just 96 pupils and 11 teaching posts - for which 138 people applied.

Funding for the school has come from both Swansea Council and the Welsh assembly.

"The school is a credit to the enthusiasm from everyone who has fought for a second Welsh medium school and Swansea Council and the assembly for responding to that," said the school's head teacher David Williams.

"We hope that we do the local community and the whole of Swansea proud."

Mother and toddlers

In the new school, classrooms have been made 50% bigger, new specialist teaching areas and laboratories have been created and each section of the school has a gallery for pupils work.

One of the key aims of the school is to promote the Welsh language.

Partnerships have already started with Welsh youth organisations.

The regional officer of the youth movement, the Urdd, is to have an office in the school and future initiatives include day and evening Welsh lessons and a mothers' and toddlers' group.