Ysgol Gynradd Betws-y-Coed

The building is a single-storey primary school, constructed in the 20th century. It consists of a long main range with a short advanced wing to the east. The roof is hipped, with a stepped reduction over the cloakroom block to the west and a flat roof extending over the bay windows and entrance on the main elevation. The walls are rough-rendered, featuring a smooth rendered continuous string course and panels within the gable apexes. The roof is slate, with tiled cresting and projecting rafter ends.

The main elevation is divided into four bays, articulated by pilasters that support the flat roof over recessed, shallow, canted bay windows with small-paned glazing between mullions. The entrance is recessed between pilasters, with glazed panels in the door, and a tripartite small-pane sash window in the return elevation. The advanced gabled wing to the right has two paired 12-pane sash windows, with a main entrance situated in the re-entrant wall. The rear elevation is characterised by a series of gables, primarily dormers to emphasise the windows. A shallow advanced gable on the left contains a stepped tripartite window, incorporating paired central 12-pane sashes flanked by 8-pane sashes. Further bays to the right include paired 8-pane sash windows, and a symmetrical arrangement with paired gables over paired 12-pane sashes, with blank upper panels suggesting that the windows were originally taller. At each end, a further gable breaks the eaves over paired 8-pane sashes, also with blind upper panels, flanked by single sashes. The return elevation on the left features an advanced gable over the hall, with a tripartite sash window.

The building’s plan incorporates cloakrooms adjacent to each entrance, a small office and hall at the east end, followed by a range of classrooms facing north. A broad ‘marching corridor’ runs the length of the building to the south, lit by the canted bay windows that create a near-continuous band of rippling fenestration. The bay windows were designed to fold back fully, allowing the corridor to open to the outside. The corridor is separated from the classrooms by a series of partitions, also designed to fold back. These have light panelling at the bottom and small-paned windows above, set in moulded architraves. Similar partitions exist between the classrooms, enabling the whole internal space to be opened out. Dado panelling is found throughout the corridor, hall, and classrooms, with parquet floors throughout.