It was a very special day for pupils attending Williamstown Primary School as they witnessed the Topping Out of their brand new school at Penrhiwfer.
Development work on the £9.5m community primary school for Williamstown at Penrhiwfer is now well under way. Councillor Eudine Hanagan, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, attended the topping out ceremony along with MP Owen Smith, current pupils and various friends of the school.
This community primary school is the latest in a series of multi-million-pound investments to ensure younger generations receive the education they deserve in modern, sustainable and inspiring buildings.
Made possible thanks to investment from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and the Welsh Assembly Government, the new school will also bring benefits for the wider community.
Boasting 12 classrooms, a special educational needs unit, hall, community room, IT facilities, library soft play and even an outdoors environmental studies area, the new school will follow in the footsteps of outstanding developments such as those at Dolau and Ynyshir.
It will also bring community facilities including a new football field, multi-use games area and changing rooms.
The scheme also includes a new access road from the south end of the site and on-site parking.
As with all new school buildings, the Council and its contractors are working to secure the environmental BREEAM rating of Excellent and an energy performance rating of A.
This will be achieved with the use of eco-measures such as rainwater harvesting and biomass heating. Fifteen per cent of materials used in construction will be recycled and the school will have an Eco Lab environmental teaching facility for pupils to learn more about solar and wind power, energy usage and more.
Cllr Eudine Hanagan, said: “I was very pleased to attend the topping out ceremony and it is great to be a part of the project from the very beginning, from planning the project to the actual school opening and seeing the positive effect that investments like these have on the children. You can certainly see the tangible proof of our commitment to make every penny we receive count.
“It shows we are delivering investment in modern school buildings that meets the needs of many generations to come – especially those in areas that are experiencing increased demand for places due to population changes..
“Schools are fast returning to their rightful place at the heart of the community and we want to ensure we invest in turning them into centres of excellence for the wider population.”
“The Council is committed to working with school governors and head teachers to deliver the best provision for children by building new and refurbishing existing buildings, and providing classroom teachers with the resources they need.”
“Delivering the best possible education of our children is crucial to a strong future for Rhondda Cynon Taf and we will continue to do all we can to improve and invest in our schools. Our commitment is evidenced by the major capital investment in many of our schools in recent years, including Maesgwyn Special School, Tonyrefail Primary, Dolau Primary, new schools for Ynyshir and Penderyn and, of course, this new school for Williamstown and Penrhiwfer.”
If you would like further information on the project taking place in Williamstown or any schools within Rhondda Cynon Taf, please call 01443 744227 or email [email protected]
