Milestone reached for new Welsh medium primary school in Swansea

The steel frame for the £9.9m development for Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tan-y-lan has been completed.

Contractor Kier has made great progress on the school since moving on site last summer while working within strict coronavirus safety measures.

Usually pupils are invited to a ‘topping-out’ ceremony to mark such an occasion but due to the current restrictions this has not been possible.

The development is being jointly funded by Swansea Council and the Welsh Government under the 21st Century Schools and Colleges programme and is part of a £150m investment in school buildings and facilities currently taking place in Swansea.

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning and Skills, Jennifer Raynor, said: “I’d like to thank and congratulate Kier on the progress they are making and now that the frame is in place people we will have a much better idea of what pupils, staff and the wider community can look forward to when it opens next year.

“It is unfortunate but necessary that pupils have not been able to make the visits they would usually do during the construction of such a project but the team from Swansea Council and Kier have been working closely with the school to keep everyone updated on progress.

“I’m hopeful that as this year progresses life will become a little easier with less restrictions and that pupils will be able to see for themselves what awaits them.”

The school is being built on land at Hill View Crescent in Clase and once completed it will have an increased capacity of 290 places that will help meet additional demand for Welsh medium education in the future.

Wales Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams said: “I am delighted that our 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme is supporting Welsh medium education delivery in Swansea with funding for the new Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tan-y-Ian.

“It is so important that we give our children the opportunity to learn through the medium of Welsh.  This is why investment now, at the beginning of our children’s education, is pivotal to successful language development, key to providing the building blocks for the growth of confident Welsh speakers, and supporting our aim of a million Welsh speakers by 2050. I look forward with interest to see this school project progress.”‘

Jason Taylor, Operations Director for Kier Regional Building Western & Wales, said: “We are delighted to have completed the steel frame for the new Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Tan-y-lan.

“This is an important milestone as we work collaboratively with Swansea Council, teaching staff and our local supply chain partners to deliver a new building with first-class facilities for the Swansea community.”

Work is also progressing well on four other major school projects currently taking place in Swansea at Bishopston Comprehensive, the new Pupil Referral Unit (Maes Derw) in Cockett, Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr and at YGG Tirdeunaw.