21st Century Schools
Investment for the future of Education in the Vale of Glamorgan
The 21st Century Schools Programme is a long term strategic investment in educational estate throughout Wales. It is a unique collaboration between Welsh Government, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), local authorities, colleges and diocesan authorities.
Band A of the 21st Century Schools Programme will conclude in 2019. The Council's Strategic Outline Programme for the transformation and enhancement of a number of schools under Band A of the 21st Century Schools Programme was approved by Welsh Government in December 2012. The funding envelope for the programme was £31.849m of which £17.752m was funded by the Council and £14.097m was funded from Welsh Government.
The second wave of investment, Band B, commences in April 2019 and requires the Council to meet the following investment objectives:
- addressing growth in demand for Welsh medium education;
- reductions of surplus capacity and inefficiency in the system;
- expansion of schools in areas of increased demand for educational services;
- address condition of educational assets; and
- making assets available for community use where demand exists.
The Council presented its Strategic Outline Programme (SOP) to Welsh Government on 31 July 2017. This document proposed an investment of £142.417m, £83.8245m of which would be funded by Welsh Government.
Strategic Outline Programme
On 10 November 2017, the Education Secretary Kirsty Williams announced that the Council's proposals met Welsh Governments investment objectives and subject to approval of the individual Business Cases, Welsh Government is committed to supporting all of the projects presented. This was confirmed in writing on 6 December 2017.
Current Band B Projects
Completed Band A Projects
The Council has completed six projects as part of its Strategic Outline Programme:
Penarth Learning Community
A £ 50.34 million investment for the creation of two new schools in a single building on the site of St Cyres School in Penarth. As well as providing new facilities for St Cyres, the mainstream comprehensive school, the project will create a new SEN school, Ysgol y Deri.
Penarth Learning Community
Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Talwg
A £2.77 million investment for a new 210 place Welsh-medium primary school, completed in 2014, to meet the increased demand for Welsh medium education in Barry.
Ysgol Gymraeg Nant Talwg
Ysgol Gymraeg Gwaun Y Nant and Oak Field Primary School
A £3.79 million investment to remodel two primary schools in the Barry cluster. The project will build a new two storey school for Oak Field, providing innovative learning areas whilst reducing the potential for surplus capacity within the school.
The expanded 420 place Welsh medium school will utilise the existing school buildings. A remodelled and refurbished school will support the increase in demand for Welsh medium primary teaching in Barry.
Ysgol Gwaun Y Nant and Oak Field Primary
Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant
A £3.04 million investment for a new build 210 place Welsh medium primary school in Llantwit Major. This project is due to be completed in September 2015 and will meet the increased demand for Welsh medium primary education in Llantwit Major and the surrounding area.
Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant
Llantwit Learning Community
A £20.7 million investment in a 3 to 19 campus in the heart of Llantwit Major comprised of a newly built 420 place primary school, Ysgol Y Ddraig, created through the reorganisation of Eagleswell and Llaniltud Fawr primary schools.
This first phase is due to be completed in October 2016. The remodelling of Llantwit Major secondary school will upgrade facilities for the school and community and reduce the number of surplus school places. It will see a number of poor condition buildings replaced with new buildings and see a refurbishment at the front of the school.
Llantwit Learning Community
Colcot Primary School
A £500 ,000 investment in Barry to refurbish and improve facilities. Completed in 2017
Optimum Build Design
The Council has adopted an Optimum Build design model approach for the building of new schools across the Vale of Glamorgan. The quality of the environment where we learn has a very strong impact on the educational outcomes achieved by pupils at the school.
The optimised design approach puts the learning environment at the heart of the building whilst providing flexible solutions to classroom design and layout.
The school design meets BREEAM Excellent requirements. The design of low carbon buildings minimises energy consumption through improved performance of the building envelope as well as maximising the use of natural daylighting and ventilation adds to the wider integration of a range of low and zero carbon technologies.
The optimised design has the flexibility in design to create learning environments which not only supports and enhances learning experience and outcomes but is a cost effective solution to 21st Century school design.
Background Papers
Further details of the 21st Century School Programme can be found through the 21st Century Schools and Welsh Government websites.