The new multi-million pound Ysgol yr Hendre in Caernarfon has been officially opened by First Minister Carwyn Jones and Gwynedd Council Chairman, Councillor Selwyn Griffiths.
Ysgol yr Hendre which provides places for up to 450 children – is one of the most environmentally friendly schools in the country. The £9.3 million primary school will provide a first-class educational environment for pupils in Caernarfon as well as a fantastic resource for the local community.
Speaking at the official opening, the First Minister said: “It is a real pleasure to be here today to officially open Ysgol yr Hendre and see the results of £4.3 million capital funding.
“The facilities here are excellent and both the pupils and community are benefiting from what is available here. It is an example of how capital investment makes a real difference. It is very much a school that is part of the community, and the fact that it will be used for community events and activities reinforces that. The new Ysgol yr Hendre shows the positive impact of delivering on investing in our schools.”
Gwynedd Council Leader, Councillor Dyfed Edwards noted:
“Ensuring that all Gwynedd’s children and young people have the best start in life is a key priority for us as a Council. Ysgol yr Hendre is a great example of a real team effort between Gwynedd Council, the Welsh Government, the school itself, its governors and the wider community to achieve this aim.
“The construction of this fantastic new school has also played an important role in assisting the local economy and we worked closely with the main contractors Wynne Construction to ensure the project delivered benefits for the local community.
“We made it clear from the outset that making the most of the local economy was vitally important and employment and recruitment days were held in Caernarfon as well as events to link the main contractor with potential suppliers in the area. As a Council, we are very pleased that a number of local people have benefitted from the building work on this flagship school project.”
Over 90% of the construction work on the project was carried out by workers from the north Wales area. Also, 79% of the budget was spent with companies based in Wales, with 92% of this figure – or £4.5 million – spent with small or medium sized businesses in Wales.
Councillor Roy Owen, Chairman of Ysgol yr Hendre Governors, added:
“The new Ysgol yr Hendre is a school that all the pupils, staff, and the wider community can be really proud of and we are delighted to see the school officially opened.
“The new Ysgol yr Hendre is much more than a school and the fact that the building is also home to facilities that provide adult education, health and social welfare initiatives as well as cultural and sporting activities means that it really is the heart of the local community.”
The innovative design of the new school gives the building a spacious feel with maximum use of natural light throughout, delivering a learning and working environment that is second to none in Wales.
As well as providing pupils and teachers with the modern learning and working environment they deserve, the new school building will achieve the BREEAM excellent standard which means that the school is one of the greenest schools in the country.
The construction methods used means that the building keeps warm in the winter and cool in the summer, reducing heating costs and leads to a 60% reduction in carbon emissions during the building’s lifetime and boasts such credentials as being able to recycle rainwater.
