Welsh school building projects receive fresh government funding

The Welsh government has allocated additional funding to two building projects that aim to improve the infrastructure and facilities at local schools.

A injection of £15 million has been greenlit to aid the construction of new buildings for Croesyceiliog School in Cwmbran, with the revamped premises to accommodate 1,200 pupils living mainly on the eastern side of Cwmbran.

The project will cost £30 million in total - with Torfaen Council providing the rest of the funding - and comes as part of a wider £86 million investment earmarked for school building improvement in Torfaen through the government's £1.4 billion 21st Century Schools and Education Programme.

With the additional spending, it is hoped that staff and pupils at Croesyceiliog School will be able to benefit from cutting-edge modern facilities that provide the best possible environment in which to learn.

Meanwhile, it has also been announced that £4.075 million of new funding is also being committed to help relocate Brynmenyn Primary School, helping it to move into better facilities that will double the number of nursery places it can offer.

At present, the school is attended by 172 children and 29 nursery pupils, but the latter figure will be upped to 60 by the relocation. Overall, the project will cost £8.15 million, with Bridgend Council providing the remainder.

Moreover, the fact that the school's original building was built in 1913 means it lacks many of the facilities expected of a modern primary educational establishment, including a playing field. Relocating to new purpose-built premises will help to rectify this problem.

Education secretary Kirsty Williams said: "We will continue to raise school standards and invest in our school buildings to the best environment possible for our children."