Plans to build a brand new special school in the grounds of Croesyceiliog secondary school have been approved by the cabinet of Torfaen County Borough Council.

The school will be purpose built for children aged between 3 and 19 and include specialist facilities including a hydrotherapy pool and a clinical area for professional support and a dedicated parents’ room.Coresyceiliog governors were told that an ‘independent living area’ could be a facility to be used by students at Croesyceiliog.

The school will also benefit from a £500,000 investment as the ‘host’ school.It is envisaged that a new access will be built from the County Hall roundabout, together with a large car parking facility for both schools.All of this is subject to the usual consultation and planning permission.If everything goes according to plan the building could start by April next year.

Croesyceiliog headteacher, Sarah Logan, expressed excitement at the plans.  She is looking forward to working with the teachers and pupils of Crownbridge.

Llanyrafon concerns

There had been concern that reports regarding the Crownbridge development had been critical of Llanyrafon primary school, but governors had been mindful that proposed plans could ahve had a detrimental effect on the current school.  However, they had hoped that these concerns could have been ironed out.Nevertheless, the headteacher of Llanyrafon primary school is looking forward to working together with teachers and children from Crownbridge when they move to Croesyceiliog.