These are the first pictures of Barry’s new waterfront low carbon Welsh medium primary. St Baruc pupils from moved from old Victorian premises in St Paul’s Avenue into the new ultra modern building this week.
The new St Baruc school has solar panels, onsite battery storage and air sourced heat pumps which use outdoor air to heat the building. It also comes with underfloor heating and electric vehicle charging points in the car park.
Mechanical ventilation, rather than an air conditioning unit, has been fitted while outside there are extensive outdoor spaces, some just off the classrooms, which can be used for teaching. The grounds include a multiuse games area, two grass pitches, a small training field and habitat areas to develop wildlife and encourage biodiversity.
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The large food technology space includes a full catering kitchen built in consultation with the Council’s Big Fresh Catering Company. The 420-place state of the art school replaces old Victorian premises, which offered only half the capacity.
Vale of Glamorgan Council said its the latest investment in Welsh medium education and follows the expansion of Ysgol Bro Morgannwg in 2021. Before that, Ysgol Dewi Sant opened in Llantwit Major, with a new cylch meithrin nursery added last year.The council said these efforts have helped the Vale become one of only four local authorities in Wales where numbers of Welsh speakers are increasing.
Cllr Rhiannon Birch, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language said: “The new St Baruc school building is a fantastic facility that provides pupils, teachers and staff with the perfect platform for success.
“The school is low carbon, in keeping with our Project Zero commitment, and is the latest piece of work in our sustainable communities for learning programme.
“In the Vale, more and more people are now speaking Welsh and we want those numbers to rise further. School buildings like this, which provide first-class learning environments, with lessons delivered in Welsh, can play a big part in helping achieve that.” To get our free daily briefing on the biggest issues affection the nation, Wales Matters, click here
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