A north Powys secondary school was oversubscribed by the largest number of pupils in the school’s history.

Llanidloes High School has seen an increase by 20 per cent during the last three years, and demand for places in Year 7 significantly outstripped the maximum admission number.

"It’s a lovely problem to have and there are various reasons for our popularity with pupils and parents," Chair of Governors Margot Jones said.

"Possibly the greatest appeal for many parents is the culture and ethos of the school. Everyone who visits the school comments on the peaceful, calm atmosphere, strong sense of discipline and the courtesy of our wonderful pupils. We are not only committed to academic excellence, but also to supporting pupils to develop integrity, compassion and humility.”

The school attracts pupils from a large catchment area which includes Llanbrynmair, Carno, Newtown and Rhayader.

It was awarded Green Category status, the highest level under the Welsh Government's school performance rating system, marking it as one of the best performing secondary schools in mid Wales.

In September, the secondary school also welcomed its largest ever cohort of Welsh-medium students. The school now has six tutor groups in Year 7, two of which are Welsh-medium.

Deputy Headteacher, Catrin Taylor said: “We are delighted to see our Welsh-medium stream flourishing. It is especially exciting to see how many of our Welsh stream pupils come from English speaking families who want to give their children the opportunity to become fluent in Welsh.”

Llanidloes High School headteacher Daniel Owen said it is a privilege to work alongside such a "gifted, caring and committed team".

He said: “It must be noted that these wonderful milestones and successes are very much a team effort.

"In addition to the pupils, parents, staff, governors and primary feeder schools, I am also thankful for the support we receive from colleagues in other Powys secondary schools. The days of competition and rivalry between schools are thankfully a distant memory. The relationship between each and every secondary school in Powys is now characterised by collegiality and a readiness to freely share advice, resources and support.

"No-one enters the teaching profession to engage in one-upmanship, but to make a positive difference to the lives of as many children as possible.”