A brand-new Specialist Resource Base (SRB) has officially opened at Llanishen Fach Primary School in Rhiwbina, North Cardiff, marking a significant step forward in the city’s commitment to inclusive education.
The purpose-built facility delivered by Knox & Wells, will provide much-needed places for children with severe and complex learning needs, helping Cardiff address the increasing demand for specialist provision.
Funded by the Welsh Government’s Band B programme, with support from the Council’s capital programme, the £4.4m development known as Dosbarth Enfys meaning Rainbow Class, offers a nurturing, fully integrated environment where diversity is celebrated and every child is supported to thrive.
The new provision features bespoke classrooms with custom-designed furniture and layouts to support independence and accessibility, sensory rooms tailored to meet the diverse therapeutic and emotional needs of pupils, offering safe and calming spaces for regulation and wellbeing and occupational therapy spaces with swings and physical-sensory apparatus, enabling targeted interventions to develop motor skills, confidence, and resilience.
Integrated indoor-outdoor areas encourage movement, exploration, and connection with the wider school environment alongsideaccessible facilities, all designed to remove barriers and unlock potential for pupils with additional learning needs.
It brings together three classes into a central hub, enabling greater collaboration, flexible grouping, and truly personalised learning pathways. This innovative approach not only benefits children with additional needs but also strengthens the school’s inclusive ethos, ensuring all pupils learn and grow together.
A unique feature includes a 3.6m imitation oak tree which stands proudly in the centre of the SRB, representing how, with the right nurture and support, every child can grow, thrive, and flourish and just as each branch reaches out in its own direction, every pupil develops at their own pace, rooted in care and belonging.
Headteacher Sarah Coombes said: “At Llanishen Fach Primary School, inclusion is not just a policy, it is the heart of everything we do. We believe that every child belongs and every child has the right to thrive and flourish. Pupils with additional learning needs are fully integrated into the life of the school, taking part in outdoor learning, expressive arts, sports, clubs, and trips alongside their peers.
“Dosbarth Enfys embodies this ethos and is a place where diversity is not simply accepted but celebrated. It is more than a classroom – it’s a launchpad for confidence, achievement, and lifelong learning. It removes barriers, nurtures talents, and builds self-esteem. This is more than a building, it is about opportunity, inclusion, and developing every child’s love of learning.”
Cardiff’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: “This new facility is a testament to Cardiff’s commitment to meeting the needs of every learner. By investing in purpose-built, inclusive spaces like Dosbarth Enfys, we are ensuring that children with additional learning needs have the support and opportunities they deserve. By transforming provision, we are able to support the wider need for acceptance and celebrate neurodiversity, opening doors to new possibilities for families across the city.”
The opening event also provided an opportunity to thank and recognise Sarah Coombes for her outstanding leadership and dedication at Llanishen Fach Primary School. Since 2009, Sarah has driven major improvements, championed inclusion, and overseen the expansion of specialist provision for children with additional learning needs. Her influence has reached far beyond her own school, shaping policy and supporting schools across Cardiff and Wales.
Cllr Merry added: “As Sarah steps into her new role as Collaborative Partner for the Local Authority, the school community and the Council extend their heartfelt thanks for her lasting impact and unwavering commitment to children’s wellbeing, learning, and success.”
Reflecting on her time at the school Sarah Coombes said: “For the past sixteen years, I have had the immense privilege and pride of serving as Headteacher of this wonderful, vibrant learning community and it has been an honour to lead the most brilliant, hardworking, and creative staff, individuals who place the child at the heart of everything they do.
“Their innovative and imaginative approaches ensure that learning is not only meaningful but joyful. As a result, our children thrive, make excellent progress, and develop a lifelong love of learning.
“Leaving Llanishen Fach is not easy. This school has been my professional home, and its spirit of inclusion, creativity, and care will stay with me always. I am deeply grateful for the relationships, the memories, and the shared commitment to making every child feel valued and inspired.”
