Plans for major investment to transform education for thousands of pupils at two secondary schools in Swansea could take a big step forward this month.
Swansea Council’s Cabinet is being asked to take the next steps for huge improvements at Gowerton School and a new build for Bishop Vaughan Catholic School.
There are plans to replace outdated classrooms and other buildings at Gowerton and to refurbish and upgrade other areas of the school.
Pupils and staff would benefit from significantly better facilities for learning, sport, recreation and community use.
Cabinet members are being asked to commit funding for a detailed design and the pre-construction phase of the project.
Pupils, staff, governors and the wider community have already been asked about their initial ideas and contractors would work closely with them to ensure that the final plans meet their needs.
Separately there are plans to build a brand new school for Bishop Vaughan Catholic School on the site of the former Daniel James Community School in Mynydd-bach.
The existing buildings on the site including those previously occupied by YGG Tirdeunaw would be demolished and the site cleared ahead of the new build, with this element of the work expected to take place next year.
Bishop Vaughan would remain at its current location without any disruption to pupils and staff until the new school build is ready to be occupied potentially in around five years’ time.
Cabinet members are being asked to give their approval for a proposed land swap with the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia and potential changes to any relevant lease arrangements associated with the land.
The council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Robert Smith, said: “In Swansea we are seeing record investment in our school buildings with more than £400m earmarked to create state-of-the-art facilities to give pupils the best possible support to reach their full potential.
“Many of our secondary schools have already benefitted from investment and I’m pleased that our plans for Gowerton and Bishop Vaughan are progressing, as is investment at Ysgol Gyfun Bryn Tawe.
“Thousands more of pupils will benefit from these latest projects for many years to come.”
