Modernising Schools Update Febuaray 2008

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Modernising Schools Update Febuaray 2008

Recent Improvements

Significant improvements have been made to a number of schools over the past year. In September, Coety Primary benefited from the completion of an extension which enabled the removal of temporary accommodation and the start of the current school year also saw the opening of a £2 million scheme at Maes-yr-Haul Primary School.

This has provided eight additional classrooms and a school hall, removing temporary classroom provision at the site.

Other improvements made this year include a covered walkway at Tremains Infants
School and new nursery accommodation at Brynmenyn Primary School.Tremains Infants School Covered Way

Brynmenyn Nursery School Improvements

The provision of a new hall, rebound therapy room and hydro-therapy pool at Heronsbridge Special School is also close to completion. This work has been partly funded through a contribution of funds from the ‘Friends of Heronsbridge’.

Other funding for this work, and the other improvement schemes, has come from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Special Educational Needs Regional Grant and Schools Building Improvement Grant, as well as from the Council’s own capital programme.

Next year (2007-2008)

New Home for Maesteg Comprehensive School.

Next year, Maesteg Comprehensive School will move to newly built premises paid for through the Private Finance Initiative.

Opening of the new Welsh-Medium Comprehensive School, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd.

The county borough’s first Welsh-medium comprehensive school will be based at the former Maesteg Comprehensive (Upper) School site which is being extensively refurbished and will eventually cater for the 750 or so children who currently attend Welsh-medium primary schools in Bridgend. This is an exciting development which is being widely welcomed as an important step forward in the educational journey of Bridgend.

For Younger Children.

In the primary sector, Public Notices have been issued to take forward proposals to create three primary schools at Brackla, Oldcastle and Pencoed through the amalgamation of their existing infant and junior schools. These amalgamations support the Council’s aim of delivering the benefits of all-through primary provision in all areas. The new schools are planned to be open for business in September 2008. A programme of works is being developed to adapt and modernise the premises at Brackla and Oldcastle. Consideration is being given to building a new school to accommodate the newly created Pencoed Primary School when funding becomes available.

Planned for 2008-2009.

Two further amalgamations of existing infant and junior schools are proposed for 2009 at Tremains and Litchard which will be subject to consultation and statutory procedures.

Two new-build primary schools are planned and these are waiting upon the outcomes of compulsory purchase orders to acquire the land. These 2 projects are:

Ø a replacement school for Pen-y-Fai Church in Wales Primary;;.

Ø a new primary school at Caerau which will replace Blaencaerau Junior, Blaenllynfi Infant and Caerau Nursery schools.

An impression of how the new school planned for Pen-Y-Fai might look.

An impression of how the planned Caerau Community School might look.

Further Reviews.

A review of 11-18 provision in the Gateway to the Valleys area, which serves the Garw Valley, Ogmore Valley, Aberkenfig, Bryncethin, Brynmenyn, Pen-y-Fai, Tondu and Sarn, is underway and a review of provision of 3 -18 education in the area of Cefn Cribwr, Cornelly, Kenfig Hill and Pyle will be commencing shortly.

Consultation.

Full and appropriate consultation on each element of the programme is an integral part of the planning process. The Council will continue to keep you informed of progress in future editions of the Bulletin and at www.bridgend.gov.uk.

Bridgend Schools Asset Management Plan

The authority is in the final stages of completing an asset management plan reporting on the present state of repair and fitness for purpose of Bridgend school buildings.

The plan will be subject to regular review and update to reflect the impact of maintenance/refurbishment/remodelling and new build work, as well as reflecting any amendments required to meet any changing educational needs.

The development of an asset management plan is a key requirement of the Welsh Assembly Government and necessary to ensure that the authority can demonstrate a clear understanding of the needs and priorities of its modernisation programme.

Heronsbridge Extension - Completed

The hall, hydro therapy and rebound therapy extension at Heronsbridge school was completed in December 2007. Other projects are scheduled to be completed as shown in the following tables.

Other projects are currently on course for completion.

Major Milestones 2007-2008 Modernising Bridgend schools	Current Forecast
Cwmfelin Primary Early Years Nursery Unit (funded by WAG Early Years grant)	March 2008
Maesteg Comprehensive PFI opening	September 2008
YGG Llangynwyd opening	September 2008

Phase 1 Projects

An important stage in the formation of the new schools involved in this part of the modernising schools programme has seen the appointment of head teachers for the newly amalgamated schools. They will be in their new posts in September 2008 at the start of the new school year.

The amalgamated Brackla Infant and Brackla Junior schools will have Mr Peter Jones as the head teacher. Mr Jones was previously the head teacher of the former Brackla Junior School.

The amalgamated Pencoed Infant and Pencoed Junior schools will have Mr Robert Lewis as headteacher. Mr Lewis was previously the head of the former Pencoed Junior School.

On January 29^th 2008 Cabinet agreed to implement the proposal to amalgamate Oldcastle Infant and Oldcastle Junior school to create the new Oldcastle Primary School. Mrs Lynne Larcombe will take up the post of head teacher of the new school. This proposal had been subject to a review by the WAG Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills because of an objection.

Major Milestones 2008-2011 Modernising Bridgend schools	Current Forecast
Brackla Primary opening (amalgamation of infant & junior school)	September 2008
Oldcastle Primary opening (amalgamation of infant & junior school) building work to be scheduled	September 2008
Pencoed Primary opening (amalgamation of infant & junior school)	September 2008
Litchard Primary opening (amalgamation of infant & junior school)	September 2009
Tremains Primary (amalgamation of infant & junior school)	September 2009

All amalgamations of existing infant and junior schools are subject to consultation and statutory processes.

Amalgamations scheduled for 2009

Mr Terry Williams who has recently returned from a two year secondment with ESTYN has been appointed as the head teacher of the new Litchard Primary School with effect from September 2009. The new Litchard Primary School has been created by the amalgamation of the former Litchard Infant and Litchard Junior schools. Mr Williams was formerly the head teacher of Litchard Junior School.

Other Major Milestones 2009-2010

Major Milestones 2009-2010

Modernising Bridgend schools

Current

Forecast

Pen-y-Fai School opening

This opening date has had to be re-scheduled because the public enquiry has been re-opened

September 2010

Caerau School opening

September 2009

Feasibility Studies

Work has commenced on feasibility studies being undertaken by the council looking at projects in these areas:

Major Milestones

Feasibility Studies 2008