First Minister Signals Start Of Replacement School Scheme

The First Minister joined pupils from two primary schools in the Upper Rhymney Valley this week to help start construction work on a new state-of-the-art replacement school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

First Minister Carwyn Jones was invited to ‘cut the first sod’ at a special groundbreaking ceremony on the site of a brand new replacement school for Abertysswg and Pontlottyn Primary Schools. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The £8million development has been jointly funded by Caerphilly Council and Welsh Government, through its 21st Century Schools and Education Programme, and will provide pupils with a modern facility which is expected to open in January 2018.
Contractor Willmott Dixon have commenced work at the site, which is located adjacent to Rhymney Comprehensive School near Abertysswg. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The single storey development will consist of a Primary School, a Nursery and a Flying Start unit. The school will also benefit from an external grassed area for infants and juniors with play equipment, a gravelled zone including a planting area for a garden club and an amphitheatre for outdoor teaching and events. The school will also boast an ‘Integrated Children’s Centre’ offering childcare provision. This is expected to support Flying Start part time places, as well as deliver ‘wraparound’ and after-school provision for working parents and to help support economically inactive parents to return to work. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “I am pleased to see construction get underway at the new primary school in the Upper Rhymney Valley. This significant investment will provide pupils with a range of cutting-edge facilities that will boost their school experience. The new state-of-the-art school will provide modern classrooms and facilities to be enjoyed by pupils and their teachers. The school’s new integrated children centre will also offer wraparound childcare and after-school provision to help working parents and those looking to return to work.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Derek Havard, Caerphilly Council’s Cabinet Member for Education said, “The project will see vibrant, modern teaching and learning spaces, both internal and external, to benefit pupils from both primary schools and teaching staff alike.This authority has delivered massive investment in new school projects over recent years and this is the latest addition to our proud track record. Today was a very exciting day for the communities of Abertysswg and Pontlottyn and we now look forward to seeing work progress on this ambitious new project over the coming months”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Andrew Dobbs, Preconstruction Director at Willmott Dixon added, “We were delighted to be appointed by Caerphilly Council to construct this modern school building for the local community and look forward to leaving a lasting legacy to which we can all be immensely proud”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​