New home in Bettws for the former Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw

Pupils and staff are settling in at the brand new Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon Y Cymoedd which has opened its doors in Bettws.

The old Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw, which was one of four Welsh medium primaries in Bridgend County Borough, has been renamed and relocated from Pontycymer to its new home next door to Betws Primary School, which itself opened last January.

The development of the two schools represents a £10.8m educational investment into the southern part of the Garw valley which has been funded by Bridgend County Borough Council and the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme.

Both new schools share the same design which has been created by the council’s own in-house team and constructed by Andrew Scott Ltd. Both schools have a central ‘street’ running through the heart of them which gives access to cloakrooms, toilets and well-equipped classrooms featuring large interactive screens. The external areas include soft play facilities, an astro-turf pitch for each school, and more.

Head teacher Ceri Llewellyn said: “It’s been an extremely exciting and historic last couple of years for everyone involved with the school. Since construction began in February 2017 we’ve watched closely as the new Betws School took shape. I think the fact that both schools have the same design has helped us to settle in quickly at our school because we were already familiar with the layout from our visits to Betws.

“Everyone is particularly excited to have a lot more outdoor space and on-site sports pitches for the first time. Our school badge has also been re-designed so that it now incorporates a heart to reflect our name change to Calon Y Cymoedd – heart of the valley. It’s wonderful to see the council investing in Welsh medium provision which will benefit our pupils and community.”

We are thrilled to have been able to relocate the former Ysgol Cwm Garw to a new modern home and enhance our Welsh medium provision.

We are extremely proud of our school modernisation programme which is providing first class learning environments that will enable current and future generations of pupils to excel and achieve their full potential. I would like to thank Welsh Government for providing funding from their 21st century schools programme.

Councillor Charles Smith, the council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration

Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Calon Y Cymoedd joins Coety Primary School, Brynmenyn Primary School, Pencoed Primary School, Betws Primary School and the Bryncethin Campus as new schools that have been built thanks to Band A of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme.

Funded on a 50:50 basis by Bridgend County Borough Council and Welsh Government, the programme has also enabled the creation of two new additional learning spaces at Heronsbridge School.