The school is a mixed 11 - 18 mixed four form entry comprehensive school, Group 5, providing secondary education for the whole range of abilities from primary transfer up to Sixth-form level. It was established in September 1984 upon the reorganisation of secondary education in the lower Teifi Valley and is located on a pleasant campus overlooking the town of Newcastle Emlyn.The school complements the Dyffryn Teifi Bilingual Comprehensive simultaneously established in Llandysul 8 miles further up the valley and shares the same extended catchment area serving both Carmarthen and Ceredigion districts on either side of the Teifi Valley. It draws pupils from a number of primary schools extending from Glynarthen and Pontsian in the North and East, to Pencader, Capel Iwan and Cenarth in the South and West.The school caters for the educational needs of pupils wishing to receive instruction primarily through the medium of the English language. A significant number of home language Welsh speakers and advanced learners from the locality however choose to attend Emlyn school. All pupils at the school study Welsh as a subject to GCSE level up to 16 and from September 1998 some foundation subjects are now taught through the medium of Welsh to some pupils in Key Stage 3. Welsh is also used informally throughout the school and plays a significant role in the life of the school and all activities, reflecting the cultural background of the area.The school consistently achieves results above county and national averages. Normally, over 60% of Year 11 pupils obtain 5 or more A* to C's and at 'A' Level pupils go on to all the major universities including Oxbridge.The new block built at the school at reorganisation provides excellent teaching facilities for Mathematics, Science, Geography, Modern Languages, Special Needs, Music, Art and Food Technology. In the main block, which housed the former Secondary Modern School, are located the administrative offices, main hall and canteen, Gymnasium, Library and Information Technology suite, with classrooms for teaching English, Welsh, Resistant Material Technology and Textiles, together with a fourth Science Laboratory. The main hall is equipped with a high quality stage and lighting and sound system.A fifth Science Laboratory, Dyslexia Unit, History, Religious Education and English/Dramsa are housed in adjacent mobile classrooms.The school has excellent facilites for sport with adjacent pitches for rugby, soccer, hockey and netball, and four tennis courts.The Newcastle Emlyn Swimming Pool, and separate local Leisure Centre are also located on the campus. The school has full access to these during term-time and school hours enabling swimming, squash badminton and the use of a fitness suite to be included in the physical education programme.