£11.1m new school hopes for south Powys

Plans that could transform education for south Powys learners move a step closer if the council’s cabinet give the go-ahead to submit plans for an £11.1m school to the Welsh Government.

Powys County Council is planning to build a new 150-place dual stream primary school to replace Sennybridge C P School’s current building.

The council’s strategic outline case for the new school was approved earlier this year by the Welsh Government.

As part of the next stage of the project, the council has prepared an outline business case, which will be considered by cabinet on Tuesday, September 27.

“Sennybridge C P School’s existing building is not suitable to meet the needs of a 21st Century curriculum or meet the well-being needs of pupils,” said Cllr Pete Roberts, cabinet member for a learning Powys.

“The new school for Sennybridge would provide facilities that the children deserves and will enable the curriculum to be delivered in a continuous and coherent way from the Foundation Stage through to the end of Key Stage 2.

“It will allow the continuation of Welsh medium education in the area while early years childcare provision can be co-located onto one site.

“If the outline business case is approved by both Cabinet and Welsh Government, this would represent another huge investment in our school infrastructure.”

£11.1m needed

The investment plans will help the council deliver its Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys, which has been updated following the county council elections that took place in May.

Cabinet will be told that the funding required for the replacement school would be £11.1m with 65% of funding coming from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme (formerly the 21st Century Schools Programme). The remaining 35% would be funded by the council.

If the Outline Business Case is approved by cabinet, it will be submitted to the Welsh Government for approval.