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‘A Community Focused School is one that provides a range of services and activities, often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of its pupils, their families and the wider community’ (Community Focused Schools, Circular No 34/2003, National Assembly for Wales, which can be downloaded from the Welsh Assembly Government website).

Children and young people learn better and are in a better position to fulfil their potential if they are happy and healthy. Research shows that there is a range of factors outside schools which impact on children and young people’s well-being and their ability to effectively learn and achieve in school. The community focused schools approach is a way of working where schools, in partnership with councils and others, can address these factors to meet the needs of children and young people as well as supporting the core role of schools in improving learning and well-being and, through working in this way, the needs of families and communities.

‘Mae ysgol sy’n canolbwyntio ar y gymuned yn ysgol sy’n darparu amrywiaeth o wasanaethau a gweithgareddau, yn aml y tu hwnt i’r diwrnod ysgol, i helpu i ddiwallu anghenion ei disgyblion, eu teuluoedd a’r gymuned ehangach.’ (Ysgolion Bro, Cylchlythyr rhif 34/2003, Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru wefan)

Mae plant a phobl ifanc yn dysgu’n well ac maen nhw mewn lle gwell i gyflawni eu potensial os ydyn nhw’n hapus ac yn iach. Mae ymchwil yn dangos y gall nifer o wahanol ffactorau’r tu allan i’r ysgol effeithio ar les plant a phobl ifanc, ac ar eu gallu i ddysgu a chyflawni’n effeithiol yn yr ysgol. Mae dull gweithredu sy’n canolbwyntio ar y gymuned yn golygu bod ysgolion yn gweithio mewn partneriaethau gyda chynghorau a phobl eraill i roi sylw i’r ffactorau hyn ac i helpu i ddiwallu anghenion plant a phobl ifanc. Mae gweithredu fel hyn yn tanlinellu rôl graidd ysgolion i wella dysgu a lles, yn ogystal â helpu i roi sylw i anghenion teuluoedd a chymunedau.

Find out more on the ContinYou Cymru website