New £10.2m building for Hirwaun Primary School ready for use

Hirwaun Primary School will benefit from 21st Century Schools facilities from next week as its brand new £10.2m building is ready to welcome staff and pupils – and anyone can now take a look around via an online Virtual Tour.

Contractor Morgan Sindall has made excellent progress since the construction phase started in September 2019, despite challenges of severe weather last winter and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The school’s aging buildings at Glanant Street have been replaced with a modern and exciting learning environment which the school and the wider community can be proud of.

Staff will begin moving into the building after the half term break from Monday, November 2 – with pupils joining them by the end of the week.

A 360-degree Virtual Tour has been added to the Council’s website here, so staff, pupils and the wider community can view the new facilities.

The Hirwaun development is the latest education project in Rhondda Cynon Taf to benefit from targeted funding from the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme. A 62% contribution was secured for Hirwaun Primary School, to complement the Council’s own significant funding via #RCTinvest.

The contractor will now begin focusing on completing the wider development which will be delivered during 2021. It will require the demolition of the existing school buildings and creating two Multi Use Games Areas, a staff car park, an ecological habitat area, grass sports pitches and external learning spaces.

This phase of work will be completed with minimal disruption to the school, and workers will continue to adhere to the latest social distancing guidance.

Councillor Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services, said: “I’m delighted the exciting £10.2m Hirwaun Primary School development has progressed so the new building can welcome pupils and staff after half term. I recently visited the site to see the contractor’s excellent progress with the very impressive building – which is what we’ve become accustomed to across our 21st Century Schools projects.

“The Council welcomed a substantial contribution from Welsh Government to deliver this project, following on from significant recent investment in 21st Century Schools facilities across the County Borough. Four brand new schools were delivered across the Rhondda, Tonyrefail and Cwmaman for the 2018/19 academic year, while improvement schemes in Treorchy and Ferndale were completed earlier this year. Further projects in Cwmdare and Penywaun will be delivered by 2022 in the latest wave of Welsh Government investment.

“The £10.2m investment for Hirwaun has replaced old school buildings in need of repair or replacement with a modern building which will be at the heart of the community for years to come – and is ultimately aimed at improving education outcomes for our young people. I look forward to visiting when the circumstances allow in the future due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while progress can now be made on external elements of the wider development.”