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New era begins for Ysgol Robert Owen

A new era has begun for a special school in north Powys after pupils and staff moved into their new building this week.

The new school building for Newtown’s Ysgol Robert Owen (formerly Ysgol Cedewain) is the latest project that has been completed by Powys County Council under its Transforming Education Programme.

As part of the programme, the council has already built one new high school and 10 primary schools and also carried out remodelling works at a primary and a high school.

The brand-new building has been built for pupils with additional learning needs by Wynne Construction on behalf of the council. 75% of the funding for the project is being provided by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, with the remaining 25% of funding being provided by the council.

The state-of-the-art new building has replaced the very poor accommodation at the school’s current building, and includes facilities for very vulnerable learners, including a hydrotherapy pool, sensory and physiotherapy rooms and garden as well as a community café.

Outdoor sports facilities will now be developed on the grounds on the site of the former school buildings now they have been vacated.

Staff are now able to teach in a learning environment that is fit-for-purpose, and for parents they have confidence that their children are being supported within the best facilities and accommodation.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “I’m delighted that pupils and staff of Ysgol Robert Owen have moved into their fantastic new school building.

“I would like to thank the school community for their patience while this facility was being built. I would also like to acknowledge the school’s input into this scheme to ensure that it was built to minimise the design impact on pupils.

“This project has seen the council provide a world-class facility for the county’s most vulnerable learners.

“This new building is an important part of our Strategy to Transform Education in Powys and will provide an environment where teaching staff and thrive and give vulnerable learners the facilities that meets their needs, they benefit from and enables them to enjoy learning.”

To read the council’s Strategy for Transforming Education 2020-2032 and details of the Transforming Education Programme – Wave 2 (2022 – 2027) visit Transforming Education

Source: Powys County Council

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Government to take new approach to education infrastructure

Michelle Davies, DPP Consulting’s Director and Education Lead, explores the Labour government’s approach to education infrastructure.

Shortly after Labour took office, its new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced plans to reform the planning system, focusing on unlocking “stalled sites” and prioritising economic benefits in planning decisions. This includes support for local authorities with the appointment of an additional 300 new planning officers.

The government is now also consulting on a new NPPF which now places “significant weight” on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded public infrastructure, including educational buildings. Despite this backdrop, there has been limited information on how the new government will be improving school infrastructure.

The School Rebuilding Programme

The School Rebuilding Programme (SRP) remains active, with no indications from the government that it will be halted. The SRP is a key initiative aimed at addressing the condition of school buildings across England, with plans to rebuild or refurbish over 500 schools in poor condition over a decade.

The importance of this programme is underscored by the National Audit Office (NAO) report from June 2023, which highlighted that approximately 700,000 pupils are learning in schools that require significant rebuilding or refurbishment.

The issue of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) further complicates matters, with 234 education settings in England confirmed as having RAAC and 119 of these schools needing major rebuilding or refurbishment. It remains to be seen how the government will approach this pressing issue.

The government’s primary focus so far has been on other educational reforms, such as increasing teacher recruitment, introducing free breakfast clubs, and pledging to create 3,000 new nurseries within existing primary schools. While it seems unlikely that it would reduce funding on educational infrastructure, there is still no clear commitment at this stage.

A new emphasis on public infrastructure

One area where we see more immediate and tangible changes is in the proposed updates to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). These updates could provide much-needed support for planning applications related to education infrastructure projects.

In the draft NPPF, paragraphs 96 and 97 have been expanded to encourage not only the provision school places, but also the development of early years and post-16 education infrastructure. This broader scope is significant as it suggests a more holistic approach to supporting educational needs, encompassing nurseries, special education needs (SEN), and further and higher education institutions. 

Moreover, paragraph 98 of the draft NPPF has been revised to place “significant weight” on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded public service infrastructure, including education buildings, in planning decisions. This revision is helpful because planning applications, including for new educational facilities, often involve balancing multiple competing interests. The added emphasis on the importance of educational infrastructure could tip the scales in favour of approval, particularly where there is clear need for improved facilities. As a planner, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in real situations and applications.

The explicit support for a wider range of educational facilities and the greater value placed on these projects within NPPF should be helpful when seeking approval for projects that address not just immediate school place shortages or improvements but also broader educational needs within communities.

Consultation on the new NPPF closes on 24 September 2024 and is expected to be formally in place shortly after. However, when it comes to spending commitments there are a lot of ifs, buts and ‘possibilities’ in all of these statements, and as a fundamental sector in the economic development of the UK, our educators and educational planners could do with more certainty.

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Belhaven Hill School’s new classroom building plan approved

A bid for a new classroom building at a Dunbar school has been given pass marks by East Lothian Council.

Belhaven Hill School approached the local authority’s planning department last summer about creating a new classroom building. Permission was granted and approval has now been given to a second application.

The revised plans, which attracted no objections from members of the public, show two classrooms, a plant and storage room, office, lobby, bathroom and storage room.

The planning officer’s report said: “The proposed building would be of a contemporary design; however, given its siting within the grounds of Belhaven School and the high stone wall boundary treatment to the north of the proposed building, it would be relatively well contained from public views.

“Furthermore, when viewed in the context of the size and scale of the existing buildings within the grounds of the school, the proposed building would appear subservient in height, scale and massing, and would not result in the over development of the area of land on which it would be sited.”

The scheme is part of a three-phase planned development at the school, off Dunbar’s Belhaven Road, which last year celebrated its centenary.

Phase two focuses on the extension and enhancement of sporting facilities, while the final phase looks to replace temporary structures with 21st-century classroom space.

The school counts artist Hugh Buchanan and journalist Magnus Linklater among its former pupils.

Source: East Lothian Courier

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Wolverhampton sees completion of new Passivhaus school

Tilbury Douglas have completed construction of a school on behalf of the Department for Education (DfE), built to Passivhaus standards, near Wolverhampton.

The school, named Wednesfield Technology Primary School, has been completed on the brownfield site of the original Edward the Elder school to Passivhaus standards.

The school has been built to Passivhaus standards, maximising comfort while minimising carbon emissions.

The most important objectives for both the City of Wolverhampton Council and DfE was improving air quality and reducing energy use.

The Passivhaus classic design lent itself to this, as it prioritises building performance and low carbon materials.

Tilbury Douglas far exceeded requirements for air quality, as while they needed to achieve 0.6 Air Changes per Hour (ACH), they ended up with 0.48 ACH, meaning the air within the school will be high quality.

The demolition of the old abandoned school building did not include the caretaker’s lodge building, which was left alone in order to comply with the Grade II listed status of the nearby pub, the Vine Inn.

The technology nature of the school, however, provides students with technology-rich learning opportunities, with a digital skills framework to teach children digital skills and responsibility.

The CEO of Shireland Collegiate Academy Trust, Sir Mark Grundy, said: “We are thrilled to see the completion of Wednesfield Technology Primary School, a beacon of sustainable and innovative education within the Black Country. This Passivhaus-certified facility represents a significant step forward in our commitment to providing state-of-the-art learning environments. The advanced energy efficiency and superior air quality achieved in this building align perfectly with our goal to foster a healthy and stimulating atmosphere for our students.

“Our collaboration with Tilbury Douglas and the Department for Education has resulted in a pioneering project that not only meets the highest environmental standards but also paves the way for future educational advancements. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this school will have on our community and the exceptional learning experiences it will provide to pupils.”

Source: PBC Today

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£4m –JUST A DROP IN A BUCKET

Nearly £4million has been confirmed as part of a Moray schools investment package to patch-up crumbling buildings that are ranked as being in the worst condition in Scotland.

The council cash will be spent across 14 sites during the next financial year to fix issues electrical wiring, ageing heating systems, roof repairs and drainage.

Meanwhile, a further £5million has been confirmed for new-build projects – including kick-starting preparations for construction to begin on another primary school in Elgin in 2022.

However, critics say the latest Moray schools investment package is just a “drop in the bucket” amid a repair backlog that stretches to £150million.

Concerns surrounding the state of the region’s learning estate were raised in a damning Accounts Commission report this year, which blamed a reluctance of councillors to make “difficult decisions” for the decline.

Sonya Warren, chairwoman of the council’s children and young person’s committee, said: “We know there are significant improvements needed to our learning estate to provide the best possible learning environments.

“Wide-scale and meaningful engagement is planned on how this looks in 10 to 20 years from now as part of our aspirational and investment-driven £300million strategy.

“Meanwhile, it’s hugely important we continue to invest in our school buildings so that, for our current learners, they are as close to the right standard for suitability and condition as we can achieve within the resources we have available.”

Council bosses have already admitted the £300million long-term vision to overhaul Moray’s schools could prove “controversial” among communities.

 

 

Refurbishments, new-builds, mergers and a combination of options have been highlighted as possible solutions.

Next year’s Moray schools investment package includes £340,000 being allocated to begin design work on the new Findrassie Primary School, which is planned for the north of Elgin.

Cash has been pledged to complete work on the new Lossiemouth High School, which is due to open to pupils next year.

Existing classrooms in the town are currently nearing capacity while housebuilding continues to put pressure on facilities.

Meanwhile, cash is due to spent on completing the Lossiemouth High School project, including building artificial sports pitches on the site of the existing school, and at Linkwood Primary in the south of Elgin.

Former council leader George Alexander, who represents Forres as an independent, said: “This money is just a drop in the bucket for what is needed, but these are the financial constraints the council is operating with.

“We’ve got to be careful where we spend the money though before we take decisions about the future of the estate though because I’m fairly convinced it will not remain in its present form.”

Source: The Press and Journal

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