12 million investment for our childrens future
Pupils at two schools in Torfaen have started the new term learning in some great new buildings after a £12 million investment. Abersychan and West Mon Schools have each had £6 million spent on them.
Abersychan School now has seven new classrooms, an ICT resources area, a sports laboratory, modern changing facilities and a new dining hall. The project also included refurbishing existing buildings, a floodlit astro-turf pitch and a football/ rugby pitch. The school has an impressive entrance in a new location which makes it easier for pupils and visitors.
West Mon School now has a Vocational Resource Centre which will be used by both the school and the community. It means the pupils will be able to study a wider variety of courses including GNVQs and new style GCSEs, which have a vocational element.
There is also a new IT computer room and library. Pupils now have lunch in a new dining room and have cookery lessons in a new kitchen classroom. The toilets have been refurbished and the car park and entrance from College Road has been improved.
The Council was recently praised in The Times Educational Supplement for the way its Education service worked with the affected schools to ensure the ‘seamless transfer’ of pupils from Trevethin to Abersychan and West Mon schools.
Councillor John Turner, Executive Member for Children and Young People, said: “This £12 million investment was part of the promise we made to parents, pupils and teachers of Trevethin community school, during its closure. The investment demonstrates our commitment to our Corporate Plan to focus education spending where it is most needed. We promised pupils at Trevethin school that we would invest heavily in West Mon school and Abersychan school to transform the learning opportunities and be able to cope with the extra pupils.”
Councillor Bob Wellington, Leader of Torfaen Council, said: “I am delighted to see these state of the art, modern school buildings open with the sort of 21st century facilities that our young people deserve. This is the standard of educational facilities we intend to build in Blaenavon.”
The work was funded by £9m from the Welsh Assembly Government, a £2 million regional School Buildings Improvement Grant, and £1 million from the Council’s core capital programme.
A new RC primary school
A new £3 million 210 pupil Roman Catholic primary school is due to open in September 2008 to replace St Albans RC School and St Francis RC School. It is being built on Conway Road in Pontypool.
Blaenavon - The future
A brand new nursery and primary school is planned for Blaenavon to give the town’s children the best possible start in life. The vision is for the school to combine with a new community leisure facility, a health care centre, and a base for council services, police and community safety officers. This £15 million building will transform the current facilities in the town and show how public organisations can work together to improve services.
The key facilities envisaged are:
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Leisure - It will include community use of the school hall (for badminton, short tennis etc.), a fitness suite, an all weather floodlit outdoor pitch, and a studio room for activities like dance, aerobics and martial arts.
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Health & Well-being - The centre will accommodate a GP surgery, a chemist, a dental practice, and community nursing base for services such as physiotherapy and chiropody.
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Education - The brand new primary and nursery school will replace St Peters and Hillside primary schools.
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Community - A customer care centre will give instant access to Council services, provide a base for the community safety team (police and police community support officers) and have meeting rooms for community groups.
The detailed design, location and the final make-up of services will be subject to further consultation and planning as the scheme progresses.
Make sure you keep an eye on Torfaen Talks for future updates on the Blaenavon project.