Helping young people reach full potential
THIS week saw children return to classrooms across the county borough, and there was extra excitement in Betws where the brand new primary school opened its doors and pupils are settling into wonderful state-of-the-art surroundings.
Now that the Betws pupils have moved in, their old school is being knocked down and rebuilt into a sparkling new YGG Cwm Garw, which will relocate from its ageing premises in nearby Pontycymer.
For the YGG Cwm Garw pupils, the move also means far better outdoor spaces compared to their current school and, for the first time, on-site sports pitches. The exciting development will leave a lasting legacy for both the Ogmore and Garw valleys.
Elsewhere, Brynmenyn pupils are counting down the days until they move into their new primary school next month. It’s being built next to Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen only a mile away from the old school on Bryn Road, but it’s going to be a million miles away in terms of facilities as it will be surrounded by sports pitches and green spaces.
I’m also looking to forward to seeing the new Pencoed Primary take shape. Pupils there will begin the September term in their new £10.8m school which will be on a single site for the first time in its history.
The new school will cater for up to 510 pupils aged between four and eleven, and will include sports and leisure facilities that can be shared with the wider community.
I’d like to thank the Welsh Government for providing funding from their 21st Century Schools Programme towards these schemes, and many others that have been completed in recent years to provide first class learning environments.
We’re extremely proud of the progress being made to give current and future generations the best possible opportunities to excel and achieve their full potential.