About the 21st Century Schools Programme - The Vision for Caerphilly

Here in Caerphilly we have bold ambitions to provide every learner with the best life chances and we are committed to doing this through the provision of high quality teaching, learning and leadership across our school settings.

The Council has listed Improving education opportunities for all as the first of its Wellbeing Objectives and has committed to an ambitious 21st Century Schools investment programme.  In some cases, schools can be modernised, repaired, refurbished, extended, or partially rebuilt to meet the standards needed for contemporary teaching and learning. However some existing schools are no longer in the right place, or meeting pupil demand. In such cases we might propose new schools or changes to existing schools.

21st Century Schools Programme

The 21st Century Schools programme is a collaboration between the Welsh Government and Local Councils in Wales. It is a significant, long-term and strategic capital investment programme with the aim of creating a generation of 21st Century Schools in Wales.
 

Note: Further to the Minister’s announcement of 2 November 2021, the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme has been renamed to Sustainable Communities for Learning

The main priorities of the investment programme are to:

• Match the supply of and demand for places
• Invest in new schools and refurbish existing schools
• Meet demand for education in both English and Welsh
• Create ‘all-through' primary schools
• Create a nursery provision on primary school sites
• Improve ICT facilities

Other benefits include: -

• Reduce surplus places at Primary schools
• Reduce surplus places at Secondary schools
• Reduce annual running costs eg heating, lighting and building maintenance
• More effective asset management, including improved condition factors, reduced 25 year maintenance liabilities and releasing surplus sites
• Improved energy efficiency
• Meet increased demand for Welsh Medium education
• Modernisation of ICT infrastructure
• Develop shared and co-located facilities eg community rooms, pre-school integrated childrens centres
• Increased compliance re sufficiency and suitability

Band A Programme '2014 to 2019'

The Welsh Government (WG) 21st Century Schools Band A programme has resulted in an investment of £56.5m in education within the county borough. This has been funded 50% by WG and 50% by the Authority.

Find out more about the 21st Century Schools Programme Achievements.

Band B Programme '2019 to 2026'

The Authority has recently submitted to WG their bid in relation to the 21st Century Schools Band B programme which will run from 2019 for a 7 year period and will focus on the improvement of the condition of school buildings and maximising community usage. This will be funded 65% by WG and 35% by the Authority for maintained school proposals and 75% WG and 25% by the Authority for proposals linked to Special Schools and Pupil Referral Units.

The key aims of the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Band B investment programme, outlined by Welsh Government are to:

• Reduce the number of poor condition schools.
• Ensure that we have the right size schools in the right location, providing enough places to deliver Welsh and English medium education.
• Ensure the effective and efficient use of the educational estate for use by both Schools and the wider Community.

Find out more about the 21st Century Schools Programme Developments, Proposals and Consultations.

21st Century Schools Team Caerphilly

In order to ensure we deliver a quality service to all our customers, we have a dedicated 21st Century Schools Team in Caerphilly to:

• Ensure robust procedures are in place to ensure timely submission of Business Cases to Welsh Government
• Ensure all requirements of the School Organisations Code are met when implementing the programme
• Effectively manage the procurement and planning of projects to ensure value for money and best use of resources
• Effectively manage our Capital resources to ensure it is targeted at areas of most need
• Ensure the right schools are in the right places to meet current and future demand
• Ensure all learners have equality of opportunity and high quality education through listening to the pupil voice and making sure this is reflected in the plannning and development process
• Ensure that proposals and decision making is based on the 'sustainable development prinicple' and delivers on the goals outlined in the Well-Being of Future Generation (Wales) Act 2015 

We welcome feedback on the 21st Century Schools programme so please contact us on 01443 864817 or email 21stcenturyschools@caerphilly.gov.uk.