Member Article

Open day gives parents preview of new special education school

Families were invited to find out more about a new school in Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd recently.

More than 50 parents and children visited an open day at the new Ysgol Hafod Lon Newydd building, hosted by the new school’s contractors Wynne Construction.

The £13m project will replace the existing Ysgol Hafod Lon school in Y Ffor, near Pwllheli, and offer places for pupils with special educational needs from the Meirionnydd and Dwyfor areas of the county.

The open day gave families an opportunity to find out how the project is progressing, and gave some of the pupils a valuable opportunity to familiarise themselves with the new school building.

Representatives from Wynne Construction were also on hand to share details on remaining work before the school’s scheduled completion later this autumn.

The new school will feature modern, well-equipped classrooms, as well as a hydrotherapy pool, therapy rooms, sensory equipment, and outdoor play and learning facilities. A garden and café will also be built, providing an environment for older children to develop entrepreneurial skills.

The project includes a six-bed residential unit providing respite services for pupils at the school and their families, enabling them to receive elements of their care and education closer to their homes in Gwynedd.

Chwilog resident Sian Hughes, a governor at Ysgol Hafod Lon whose son Huw is a pupil at the school, attended the open day with her husband John.

Sian said: “We really enjoyed having a chance to look around the school and see how it’s progressing. The open day really brought the plans we’ve seen to life.

“The new school will provide some fantastic facilities that will make a big difference to a lot of families in Gwynedd.

“The residential unit is particularly exciting, considering a lot of the pupils have to travel from South Gwynedd to get to school, and it was great to see things like the hydrotherapy pool and entrepreneurial facilities coming together.”

Chris Wynne, managing director of Wynne Construction was also on hand and, said: “The Ysgol Hafod Lon Newydd project is our fourth special needs school. It is extremely pleasing and gives us immense pride to be able to deliver such specialist educational buildings.

“Ysgol Hafod Lon is being built in a fantastic location that I’m sure the children will enjoy, and we’re pleased to see work progressing as planned.

“It was a pleasure to meet some of the families that will directly benefit from the improved facilities the new school will offer.”

Donna Rees Roberts, headteacher at Ysgol Hafod Lon, said: “We are very excited to see how well the new school is developing.

“The pupils through the school council have been a very important part of the planning process right from the beginning and they visit the site regularly to see the progress.

“It is lovely to see their reaction when they see how their ideas for the building such as the stage in the hall are taking shape.”

The school is being developed to BREEAM Excellent standards, meaning it adheres to the highest standards in sustainable building design, construction and operation, as well as an outstanding environmental performance.

The school has been partly funded by the Welsh Government through the 21st Century Schools Programme, and is part of the Welsh Government’s £200 million Schools and Public Buildings Contractor Framework for North Wales.

For more information about Wynne Construction visit www.wynneconstruction.co.uk.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .