Green Light For State-Of-The-Art Primary School

Caerphilly county borough council’s ambitious plan to develop a brand new replacement school for pupils from Abertysswg and Pontlottyn Primary Schools has been given the go-ahead by Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Full Business Case for the proposal has been approved and an allocation of £8million, of which Welsh Government will contribute £4,000,000, has also been agreed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new school development will be built on land within the existing Rhymney Comprehensive School site near Abertysswg. A state-of-the-art, single storey development will consist of a Primary School, Nursery and a Flying Start unit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Derek Havard, Cabinet Member for Education said, “Pupils across the Caerphilly county borough are benefitting from unprecedented investment to deliver educational facilities that are fit for the 21st Century. This latest announcement will see the creation of a modern, fit for purpose school in the heart of the Upper Rhymney Valley.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We are already seeing the positive results from similar investment in Caerphilly and Oakdale and I’m sure the whole community will join me in welcoming this news,” he added. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new Abertysswg and Pontlottyn Primary School scheme forms part of a wider ‘21st Century Schools’ initiative being led by Caerphilly Council. In total more than £53.5m has been committed to three ambitious school schemes, as follows: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

· Y Gwyndy Welsh language school in Caerphilly – £20m
· Islwyn High School – £24million & £1.5m extension
· Abertysswg/Pontlottyn Primary School – £8m ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​