New Rhyl High and Ysgol Tir Morfa building officially opened
The new Rhyl High and Ysgol Tir Morfa building was officially opened by the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams on Friday, 21 October.
The £25 million brand new high school has been built on Rhyl High’s school playing fields and can accommodate 1,200 pupils as well as providing a base for 45 pupils from the nearby community special school, Ysgol Tir Morfa. The project has been funded by Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools and Education programme.
As well as the usual academic facilities, the school also boasts a café bar, construction yard and hairdressing salon.
Councillor Eryl Williams, Denbighshire’s Cabinet Lead Member for Education, said: “This really is an exciting chapter in the history of Rhyl High School. Many generations of pupils have been educated at the school, with future generations now benefitting from top class facilities that are fit for the 21st Century. This is a prime example of how the school has worked closely with the Council, Welsh Government and contractors Willmott Dixon to realise the dream of having a brand new high school in Rhyl”.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Kirsty Williams said, “Our children deserve to be taught in the best buildings we can deliver, and this is what our 21st Century Schools programme aims to achieve. Rhyl High School is a fantastic example of what we can achieve working in partnership with local government and our schools, to provide learners from the area with a fitting setting to inspire their ambitions and help reach their goals.”
Claire Armitstead, Headteacher of Rhyl High School, said: “Our children can now access the best possible facilities as part of their academic and vocational studies which will provide them with the best possible start for their future education and careers. They now have the building they deserve and I cannot wait to see, how in future years, it develops and grows to meet their needs. We are extremely grateful to Welsh Government, Denbighshire County Council and Wilmott Dixon for their support to enable our educational vision to be fulfilled within this amazing building.”
Phil Thomas, Assistant Headteacher of Ysgol Tir Morfa, said: “Those pupils and staff from Tir Morfa moving across from our Ffordd Derwen site have been delighted to move into the satellite base in the new building, complete with its state of the art facilities that will benefit our pupils and future generations.”
Turf cutting ceremony marks commencement of works at £10.5million investment
The first turf has been cut at the site of a brand new development for Ysgol Pen Barras and Rhos Street School in Ruthin, signifying an important milestone in the project’s history.
Councillor Eryl Williams, Deputy Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Education, said “This is an important day in the development of the brand new school facilities at Glasdir.”
“These projects have come as a result of the review of education provision in Ruthin and surrounding areas and it is great to realise the ambition of providing better facilities for pupils. Both Ysgol Pen Barras and Rhos Street School buildings are currently on the same site in another part of town and the buildings are in desperate need of being replaced.”
“Our preferred option has been to locate both schools in brand new, state of the art buildings on the Glasdir site and plans were drawn up and shared with the public at drop-in consultation events. We are committed to providing fit for purpose education facilities for our children and young people and are delighted to see the first turf being cut on site, marking the start of the flagship project.”
The new development will deliver two new school buildings joined by a shared kitchen space. Each school will have its own hall, classbases, external play spaces including outdoor classrooms and playing fields. In addition there will be a larger shared playing field and all-weather pitch.
New school meal menus goes down a treat
Schoolchildren are enjoying a fresh look to lunchtimes, as the Council’s new menus have been rolled out across the county.
With an emphasis on quality ingredients, all school meals are cooked freshly on a daily basis.
In a landmark development, the cost of this award winning service has been frozen in Primary schools for the fifth year in succession.
With unique ‘fun days’, there is always something new to try and children are encouraged to sample a wide range of tastes and flavours, whilst all the new menus are nutritionally balanced to improve learning and development.
Lead member for Finance, Corporate Plan and Performance, Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill said: “The council currently serves 7600 meals every day, across 50 primary schools, and seven secondary schools.
“For less than the price of a coffee on the high street, our primary school children can enjoy a healthy, balanced two course lunch, prepared by our 180 professionally trained staff, who are also happy to understand those pupils with differing nutritional needs.
More information and the new menu choices can be found at the council’s dedicated website.
Ysgol Glan Clwyd: The countdown begins!
The countdown to the completion of phase one and the handover of the new extension at Ysgol Glan Clwyd is now just weeks away. The keys for the new extension are scheduled to be handed over in time for the Christmas holidays, with pupils starting to use the new extension once they return from the Christmas break.
Willmott Dixon, the contractors of the development, have released the next series of time lapse footage to showcase the construction of the new teaching accommodation.
The footage, captures the completion of the brickwork, landscaping around the new teaching block and provides a look inside the new extension as it takes shape.
You can view the time lapse footage here:
The next stage of the project which will start in January, will see the refurbishment of the existing school buildings and the demolition of the poorest areas of present accommodation with the completion set for September 2017.
The £15.9 million development is being jointly funded on a 50% basis by Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, through its 21st Century Schools and Education Capital Programme.