£4.35m to be invested in three schools

MORE than £4.35m will be invested into developments at three local schools in Bridgend, it was announced this month. Bryntirion Comprehensive School, Coety Primary School, and Pencoed Primary School will all receive a share of the funding that is a part of a wider £9.9m investment into local services in Bridgend.

The funding would look to address the growing need for places at all three of the schools, with an increased demand due to a number of housing developments in each area, a council cabinet meeting heard on June 14.

At Bryntirion Comprehensive a £1.8m block of six new classrooms has been proposed by the council in response to planned housing developments which are under construction within the school’s catchment area. This came after a feasibility study showed that the school is currently at capacity and additional places would be required in the form of a six classroom block in order to meet the increasing demand.

In Coety Primary School a new £1.65m four-classroom extension has also been proposed after a review of pupil yield rates from new housing developments took place nearby showing there was a need.

The report stated: “There continues to be significant demand for places at Coety Primary School and the need for four additional teaching spaces to be provided has been identified.”

Similarly, a £900,000 two-classroom extension could be built at Pencoed Primary School, after the facility was described as “significantly oversubscribed,” due to its popularity. An additional £500,000 will also be given to the council’s children’s playground refurbishment programme, which provides communities with new modern play facilities at more than 100 different sites throughout the county borough.