The new campus has just gained planning permission allowing Leadbitter to start on its £39.5m construction contract.
Work will provide a new building for St Cyres School and a new school to accommodate Ysgol Erw’r Delyn, Ysgol Maes Dyfan and Ashgrove School.
Dr Jonathan Hicks, Headteacher of St Cyres School, said: “This news represents a significant milestone in the school’s history, and we can now all look forward to the construction of a superb new facility, which will be of huge benefit to the whole local community.
“The project will provide exciting learning opportunities in all areas of the curriculum as the construction develops, and we are already planning engaging curriculum activities with the appointed contractor, Leadbitter Group.”
Leadbitter has already been working with the Vale of Glamorgan Council over the summer to prepare St Cyres School to accommodate 270 additional pupils from its Dinas Powys site.
The contractor has installed four temporary classrooms and new toilets and converted the existing swimming pool into an examination facility and sports hall.
Rob Bradley, Regional Director of Leadbitter’s Western Construction division, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Council and the schools to bring the vision of Penarth Learning Community to life.
“Our extensive experience delivering state-of-the-art educational environments and BREEAM Excellent buildings throughout Wales will benefit this project greatly, and we look forward to leaving a legacy beyond the building itself by helping the schools use the construction project to support their curriculum and introduce pupils to the construction industry.”
Construction will happen in two phases to allow for the new building to be built on the existing playing fields during phase one.
Once complete, there will be a phased occupation of the two schools, with St Cyres School moving in during October 2014. The new SEN school will be occupied from December 2014.
Following this, phase two of the works will see the demolition of the old St Cyres School, Ashgrove School and Ysgol Erw’r Delyn and construction of new sporting facilities.
The modern, flexible building will provide a total of 21,000 square metres of space for the two schools to cater for approximately 1,270 pupils in St Cyres School and 205 pupils in the new SEN school.
Sporting facilities at St Cyres School will include two multi-use gymnasiums and a third generation all weather artificial turf pitch.
The building features concrete flat slab construction and recessed windows to promote natural cooling. Natural ventilation and plentiful daylight have also been incorporated into the design.
Materials are being responsibly sourced, with approximately 20% of materials used coming from recycled content.
Project and cost management, along with CDM services, are being provided by Davis Langdon.
The design team working with Leadbitter includes HLM Architects and Arup.
