New specialist school unit set to open after flooding and asbestos issues

Nicholas Thomas, Local democracy reporter

A new specialist school for vulnerable children is “on track” to open  in September after being hit by lengthy delays.

The Centre for Skills and Learning in Pontllanfraith, will welcome some pupils from Ty Gilfach – Caerphilly County Borough Council’s unit for secondary school-aged learners who have “significant emotional, social and behavioural needs”.

It was originally slated to open in September 2023, but the project has fallen foul of problems including flooding on the site, the council’s education committee heard on Tuesday March 10.

“When you’re doing a renovation project on the scale we have, sometimes you uncover some issues that weren’t foreseen,” said senior education officer Andrea West.

“Unfortunately in this instance there have been a number of issues that came to light – one of which was flooding in the basement as a result of the demolition that took place of buildings above.”

Asbestos was also found at the site after demolition took place, requiring specialist removal.

Cllr Charlotte Bishop asked how the council was planning to manage pupils’ transition to their new school.

“I think we would like to get the children across and settled as quick as possible,” replied education officer April Dent.

“We envisage lots of teething problems,” she said, adding “change is massive” for some pupils because of their level of vulnerability.

However, the council hopes the broad range of opportunities at the new centre will help its new pupils settle in.

These include “being able to play outside, as well as the facilities to do some PE – at the moment they don’t have those facilities, so it’ll be a breath of fresh air for many of our vulnerable children,” said Ms Dent.

Demolished

The new school – which was previously set to be named the Centre for Vulnerable Learners – has been built on the site of the demolished Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School.

The centre’s sports hall and outdoor multi-use games area (MUGA) are available for community use outside of school hours, replacing the facilities due to be lost under the council’s plans to permanently close Pontllanfraith Leisure Centre.

Critics of that plan have raised concerns the MUGA is smaller than the existing 3G pitch, however.