Pupils can look forward to state-of-the-art education after plans for a £21 million revamp of a city school were unveiled.
Swansea Council has landed a £15 million Welsh Assembly grant, which it says will revitalise Morriston Comprehensive School and make it fit for the 21st Century.
The funding means that the building work on the project, which is part-funded by the council, will kick off next year.
Wayne Newton, head teacher at the 1,100-pupil school, said he was thrilled by the news.
"Everyone at and associated with the school is absolutely delighted that we are going to get this funding," he said. "It is a considerable sum and will make a dramatic difference.
"It will give the young people of Morriston the opportunity to be educated in first-class facilities, allowing them to access a 21st Century curriculum and facilities which will enable them to reach their full potential.
"It builds upon the new science block which was opened a couple of years ago."
Some of the key features include a new library and learning resource centre, as well as a central courtyard that will link the school together, including dining and informal social areas.
Mr Newton added: "We are now very much looking forward to the next exciting stages in the project. We will be listening to the views of everyone from pupils, staff and governors to parents and the community as we take the project forward.
"A feasibility study has already been completed, and we are now ready and waiting for work to begin. We could not have reached this stage without the tremendous amount of work undertaken by officers of Swansea Council."
Building work will take around two years to complete and will involve the rebuilding of some existing substandard blocks and the refurbishing and remodelling of others.
The bid to the Welsh Assembly Government was prioritised due to the significant backlog of maintenance requirements at the school that have resulted in a major business continuity risk.
Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Education Mike Day said it was the biggest grant for a single school improvement there had ever been in Swansea.
"This is a terrific result for Morriston, the communities of East Swansea and the authority's QEd 2020 programme," he said.
"Children come first in Swansea, and the Welsh Assembly Government's backing for the revitalisation of Morriston comprehensive is hugely welcome.
"I also see it as an endorsement of the way the council is managing the issues around the backlog of maintenance at our schools.
"It's well-known that children and young people's learning environment has an impact on their performance, so this announcement is a major investment in our children's futures — and the city's future, too."
New School for Furnace
Meanwhile, in Carmarthenshire, education chiefs are celebrating a £10.2 million windfall for a new state-of-the-art school in Furnace.
Carmarthenshire County Council has successfully secured money for the ambitious project.
It means that a brand new Welsh medium primary school and nursery will be built in Llanelli.
The flagship school, which will feature the very latest developments in technology and sustainability, will be developed on land next to Denham Avenue.
It will cater for 420 pupils, with another 52 nursery places, and help to address the growing demand for Welsh language education in the town.
The funding has been awarded from the Welsh Assembly’s Twenty First Century Schools Programme, as part of a £144 million package of grants announced by Education Minister Leighton Andrews.
Only 13 Welsh authorities were successful in their bids, with Carmarthenshire securing £10.2m towards the £14m school.
Council Leader Meryl Gravell said she was delighted with the news.
She said: “This is wonderful news and builds on the huge investment in education in Carmarthenshire in recent years.
“Children must be able to access the support and facilities they need, and we have already developed some of the most modern facilities in Wales.
“This new school at Furnace will bring benefits for generations of pupils.”
The location of the school will offer a unique opportunity for pupils to make use of nearby sporting facilities and clubs, including the West Wales Sports Academy at Coleg Sir Gar.
Interactive boards and Apple Mac computers will be installed in classrooms, and a special website will be created to give access to online lessons and a homework network.
The community will have access to I.T and meeting rooms, along with the school hall and an internal amphitheatre for performing arts.
There will also be a dedicated community police room to foster links with the pupils and allow easy access for the community.
Education Executive Board Member cllr Gwynne Wooldridge said: “We are absolutely delighted that our funding bid for a new school at Furnace has been successful.
“This will be a flagship project and the benefits for pupils will be far reaching.
“It will also relieve the pressure on Dewi Sant and Brynsierfel schools which have been oversubscribed in recent years, and unable to meet the huge increase in demand for Welsh education.”
The new school is the latest stage of a huge investment in Carmarthenshire schools, as part of the council’s Modernising Education Programme.
New schools, classroom extensions and refurbishments are being carried out all over the county.
Council Chief Executive Mark James said: “The project at Furnace will radically transform and increase significantly the opportunities for a considerable number of young learners, to have access to Welsh medium primary education for the first time.
“The council is committed to developing schools as centres of learning within their communities, and this new project will build on the innovative work we have driven forward in other areas of the county.”
15th July, 2010 South Wales Evening Post
