21st Century Schools

Update on 21^st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme

In March 2010 the Welsh Government launched the 21^st Schools Programme to support large scale capital building projects across Wales with the aim of enhancing school buildings to meet 21^st century educational needs. Projects would receive up to 70% grant funding across four three year bands starting in April 2012. A Strategic Outline Programme was submitted to the Welsh Government in December 2010 setting the context for development of schools in the Vale from 2012 to 2023.

Due to reduced levels of capital funding available to the Welsh Government, in July 2011 it was announced that Local Authorities would be required to fund 50% of the capital costs required to meet the proposed 21^st century schools programme. In addition the start date of the programme was deferred to April 2014 and the first band of funding extended to six years. The priorities of the revised programme are to reduce the number of surplus school places and to improve building stock that is in a poor condition.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council submitted a revised Strategic Outline Programme in November 2011 in line with the revised priorities and the increased level of funding required from Local Authorities. The Welsh Government confirmed in December that the full programme submitted by the Vale had been approved in principle subject to final approval of the business case to be submitted for each project when requested by the Welsh Government.

The revised 21^st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme includes four projects:

1. Completion of Ysgol Nant Talwg to meet increased parental demand for Welsh-medium primary education in Barry.
2. Completion of Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant to meet increased parental demand for Welsh-medium primary education in Llantwit Major.
3. Remodelling of Llantwit Major Comprehensive school to resolve existing car parking and bus drop off problems, renew or upgrade external cladding and roofing to three buildings, internal redesign of four buildings to meet curriculum needs, upgrading of heating, ventilation and electrical systems to meet current needs, improvements to energy efficiency to reduce CO₂ emissions arising from the use of the buildings, enhanced sporting facilities and site wide adaptations to improve disabled access. This project is to be completed in two phases.
4. Remodel two primary schools in the Barry cluster and reorganise schools to reduce surplus capacity and increase welsh medium provision to meet continued increasing parental demand.

For more details on the revised 21^st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme please contact Mark Haynes, School Organisation and Access Manager (Tel. 01446 709373).

School Investment Programme

To consolidate the recent history of Welsh Government and Vale of Glamorgan Council funding in schools and the planned capital investment for large scale new build / remodelling projects in to a single document the School Investment Programme has been developed. The document highlights the major projects already completed within the programme and the evolving funding streams available to the Vale of Glamorgan Council to undertake major capital projects culminating in the proposed 21^st Century schools programme, due to start in 2014 with the Band A schemes listed above.