Christ the Word Catholic School Update

Progress on the new 3-16 Catholic school in Rhyl is gathering pace with the new name of the school confirmed and the construction of the new school commencing.

At the end of June the Bishop of Wrexham, Rt Rev’d Peter M. Brignall, invited guests to a turf cutting ceremony at the site of the development which will replace Ysgol Mair primary school and Blessed Edward Jones Catholic High School. At the event the Bishop announced the new name of the 3-16 school- Christ the Word Catholic School.

The site is next door to both existing schools and work is well under way with pupils returning from the summer holidays to see the steel frame going up. Kier Construction has been appointed by the Council as the main contractor for the new school which will be delivered for the Diocese of Wrexham.

To celebrate the progress a beam signing ceremony was held recently where guests were invited to sign a column. Pupils and staff at both schools were given a beam the previous week to sign and this was on display in the structure at the event.

The new building is set to open in autumn 2019, with the demolition of the existing school buildings and the remaining external works to the sports/play areas starting once the school building is finished with completion set for summer 2020. The new school will be for 420 full time pupils aged 3-11 and 500 pupils aged 11-16.

The project is funded in partnership by the Council and the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools Programme.

Council heralds Welsh Language Centre investment as a major boost

The Council has hailed the Welsh Government’s decision to invest in a Welsh language centre in the north of the county as a major boost to the Welsh language.

The Council had submitted a proposal to create a Language Centre on the Ysgol Glan Clwyd site in St Asaph, will provide provision for pre-school pupils, support for latecomers to Welsh Medium education in Key Stage 2 and 3 through a “trochi” (immersion) programme, a facility for the development of Welsh Language resources and a potential base for Welsh Language delivery partners in addition to a small increase in capacity for Ysgol Glan Clwyd. 

This facility could also be utilised for adult learning outside of school hours.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Cabinet Lead Member for Children, Young People and the Welsh Language, said: “This is a significant investment by the Welsh Government in Welsh medium provision in Denbighshire and is needed to help meet the increase in demand for Welsh medium places county-wide.

“In Denbighshire, we have a clear vision to develop the Welsh language in our communities, including our schools and colleagues have worked tirelessly on putting together a significant, ambitious and compelling bid for funding.  This high quality submission has evidently impressed the Welsh Government who had no hesitation in accepting our proposal in full.

“The Council has also made a firm commitment to enhancing Welsh medium education and providing opportunities for children and young people in its own Corporate Plan and this key project will play an important part in working towards this ambition.

“We will now work with partners to make this dream become a reality.

“This is a good news story for Denbighshire and we look forward to seeing this centre develop as our efforts to play our part in meeting the national target for Welsh speakers by 2050 continue”.

 

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Work progresses at two schools in Denbighshire

Pupils have been putting their mark on two new schools in Denbighshire, which will see nearly £10million invested in rural education in the county.

Students from Ysgol Carreg Emlyn and Ysgol Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd have taken part in panel signing ceremonies as work on both schools progresses.

They have had the chance to sign panels which make up the structure for their new school buildings.

A new bilingual church school, in partnership with the Diocese of St Asaph, is being built on land opposite Bryn y Clwyd, Llanfair while in Clocaenog a new single site school for Ysgol Carreg Emlyn is being built.

Both schools are being funded through the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools programme, in partnership with investment from the Council.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, lead member for Education, Children and Young People, said: “It has been encouraging to see pupils at both schools take such an interest in their new school buildings.

“Supporting our young people and making sure they have modern school facilities that further enhance their education is a priority for the Council and these new facilities are part of a £90m investment in Denbighshire schools.

“Work is progressing well at both sites and both schools are expected to be open by the summer of next year.”

Pictured above:  Elected members, Denbighshire County Council officers and representatives from the Diocese of St Asaph, along with children, teachers and governors from Ysgol Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd with local dignitaries and staff from Wynne Construction

Pictured above:  Carreg Emlyn - Elected members and Denbighshire County Council officers along with children, teachers and governors from Ysgol Carreg Emlyn with local dignitaries and staff from Wynne Construction