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Pupils take part in ground-breaking ceremony

Published: 25/02/2015

An official turf-cutting ceremony has taken place at the site of the £30 million Holywell Learning Campus. This project is being match funded by the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools and Education Programme, a unique collaboration with local authorities to create educational communities fit for the 21st Century in Wales. Work began recently on the site, which will see new primary and secondary schools co-located on the site of the existing High School. One new primary school will replace Ysgol Perth y Terfyn Infants and Ysgol y Fron Junior school and will cater for learners up to the age of 11. This will be on the same site as the new facility for Holywell High School, which will be built to provide for the education of 11 to 16 year olds. Pupils from the three schools performed an official turf cutting ceremony on Tuesday 24 February, which was also attended by councillors, officials, representatives of the company building the school, Galliford Try, and from the High Schools feeder schools. The new schools are due to be open from September 2016 with the existing facilities remaining in use until that time to ensure no disruption for learners. The proposed new three storey secondary school will have 600 places and the single storey primary school will have 315 places. Primary children and secondary age students will be educated in the latest state of the art accommodation with all modern IT facilities to assist with learning. Details of the proposals, including a 3D virtual tour, can be found on the Council website. Minister for Education and Skills, Huw Lewis, AM, said: “This impressive new facility will provide Holywell with a much needed state-of-the-art learning environment that will inspire teachers, pupils and the wider community for many years to come. “Our 21st Century Schools and Education programme, with its unique collaboration with local authorities, is a real statement of our belief in our young people and our commitment to providing them with facilities that are environmentally responsible and technologically advanced; an environment that inspires learners of all ages and all abilities. “I hope everyone involved in the turf-cutting ceremony enjoyed the day. Councillor Chris Bithell, Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: This exciting new learning campus in Holywell will be built to a high standard, to provide modern, first class facilities and the best learning opportunities for our children, young people and the wider community. These schemes form part of Flintshire’s planned investment in their schools under Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education Programme. I look forward to seeing the new building when it opens in 2016.” Ian Evans, Assistant Head Teacher at Holywell High School, said: This is an important day. Not just for Holywell High School, Ysgol y Fron and Ysgol Perth y Terfyn, who will be moving to the new build, but for all of the primary partner schools that will be sending pupils to the Holywell Learning Campus site. We have welcomed representatives from all the schools to take part in the turf cutting ceremony today. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the personnel from our architects, Lovelock Mitchell, our construction company, Galliford Try and our Local Authority who have worked so hard and so effectively to make this day a reality. Peter Davies, Head teacher of Ysgol y Fron and Yvonne Barker, Head teacher of Ysgol Perth y Terfyn, said: The Schools Modernisation Programme will provide Holywell with the facilities to deliver effective 21st century education at a time when it is most needed. All stakeholders at Ysgol Perth y Terfyn and Ysgol y Fron are very excited as the project, now well underway and on schedule, unfolds. Galliford Try Managing Director, Bob Merriman said: We are delighted to be celebrating the launch of this exciting scheme. We look forward to working with Flintshire County Council to deliver a high quality building for the school, as well as enhancing the facilities for education in the region. Images: Pupils Emma Jade Williams from Ysgol y Fron and Cameron Daly from Ysgol Perth y Terfyn perform the turf cutting ceremony at the site of the Holywell Learning Campus, with representatives from the three schools, Flintshire County Council, Galliford Try, and from the High Schools feeder schools, looking on.