£8 million boost for education in Gwynedd

Gwynedd Council is today celebrating confirmation that its bid for £5.3 million of Assembly Government funding to build a new £8m state-of-the-art school to replace Ysgol yr Hendre, in one of the most deprived communities in Wales has been given the green light. The funding also includes support to drive the primary school reorganisation process forward across the county.

The project, in the Peblig area of Caernarfon, forms the first part of a county-wide initiative to provide modern school buildings ready for the 21st century across Gwynedd. It is one of only 10 out of 60 project bids across Wales to be granted funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Strategic Capital Improvement Fund.

The project involves:

• demolishing the existing school building and putting the land on the open market (the site is suitable for housing and can accommodate 50 residential units)
• build a new school with a capacity for 450 children, on a nearby site which is owned by Gwynedd Council
• incorporating the latest green technology in the design of the new building
• ensuring that the new school provides a focus for community activities and services – it is estimated that over 1,500 people from the Peblig Ward (a Community First area) will make use of the new school.

Gwynedd Council Leader, Councillor Dyfed Edwards, said:

“We are all absolutely delighted that the Minister and the ‘One Wales’ Government have given their full support to this vital flagship project.

“The new Ysgol yr Hendre is the result of a concerted team Gwynedd effort with school staff, parents and governors, Council and local Assembly Member Alun Ffred Jones all working together behind the scenes to present a compelling case for the children of Peblig.”

Councillor Liz Saville Roberts, who leads on Education on Gwynedd Council, said:

I am absolutely delighted – this is going to have a real long-term, positive impact on the quality of education for children at Ysgol yr Hendre.

“I’m sure it will help raise teachers’ morale and children’s aspirations. It will also improve capacity in the primary schools’ reorganisation process.”

Harry Thomas, Gwynedd Council’s Chief Executive, added:

“To have two of the 10 successful bids from this national fund is a tremendous result for the Gwynedd area. We have worked closely with our partners at the University to support the Da Vinci Arts and Innovation Centre. Regarding the Ysgol yr Hendre development, I am convinced that the comprehensive behind the scenes lobbying by the Council Leader, Dyfed Edwards and Corporate Director, Iwan Trefor Jones, is what has made the difference.”

Gwynedd Council Corporate Director Iwan Trefor Jones who is responsible for submitting the successful bid said:

“When it opens in 2011, the new Ysgol yr Hendre will deliver a state-of-the art learning environment which will provide the young people of the Pebig area with the best possible opportunities to succeed.

“The new school will provide high quality and truly integrated support for children and their families. To this end, we are exploring ways in which the Council, health sector, the police and others can use the new school as a base from which to deliver a seamless support service for young people and the wider community.

“Crucially, the grant also includes funding to establish a dedicated technical project team to drive the work of developing a network of similar schools throughout the county that will be capable of meeting the needs of Gwynedd’s young people for the 21st century.”

The head teacher of Ysgol yr Hendre, Arwel Jones, said:

“The school staff and governors have worked tirelessly over the years to maintain a high standard of education and care in the school despite the obvious failings of the building.

“This has placed a great strain on the staff as they have strived to achieve ever higher standards. The new school building is just reward for their continued effort for the pupils.

“The fact that the new school is to be a community resource is also an exciting prospect.

“This is a far-reaching decision for the school and shows clearly what can be achieved when governors, councillors and education officers work together.”