Leighton Andrews, AM, Minister for Children, Education, and Lifelong Learning, opened the new Welsh-medium primary Ysgol Santes Tudful in Merthyr Tydfil yesterday (9 February). This new £6.3m school has been funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council as part of their shared vision to make all schools fit for purpose.
Designed by Willdig Lammie Partnership and built by WRW Ltd, this new school makes the most of natural light and ventilation and includes a number of sustainable features which include geothermal heating and rainwater harvesting. The early years area includes access to the outdoors and flexibility to enable the different classes to work together to deliver the Foundation Phase curriculum. As well as providing two halls to offer the maximum flexibility for curriculum use, the Authority has also invested in additional resource areas such as a teaching kitchen, ICT suite and music room all of which will enhance the teaching and learning capabilities of this facility.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews said: “This new Welsh medium school in Merthyr represents our commitment to ensuring that schools in Wales are fit to deliver our modern and exciting curriculum. Ysgol Santes Tudfil is a school which Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, governors, teachers, parents and most importantly the children can be proud of.”
Cllr Richard Thomas, Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services said; “The strategic development of Welsh medium education is a priority for this Authority and central to this commitment is the fundamental element that ensures pupils and students are provided with the educational stimulus to promote their language skills leading to bilingualism, and the appropriate proficiency in Welsh and English to meet the needs of the communities served by our schools”.
Cllr Paul Brown, Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services stated; “This scheme, together with the re-location of Ysgol Rhyd y Grug to refurbished premises later this year will see all Welsh-medium schools within the County Borough being housed in buildings that are fit for teaching and learning in the 21st Century. The authority is excited by the prospects of the forthcoming launch of the 21st Century Schools Programme and we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government to deliver a modernisation agenda that places the interests of learners first”.
