PLANS for a multi-million pound re-build of Rhyl High School have taken a step closer.
Denbighshire’s Council’s cabinet has agreed to move into the ‘detailed design’ stage for the Grange Road school’s £24 million rebuild.
The design process for improvements at Bodnant Community School in Prestatyn has also been approved.
Claire Armitstead, headteacher at Rhyl High, said: “This is great news for the school, I’m delighted.
“My children deserve this, they have moved our school from where it was to where it is now.
“This stage is now an opportunity for everyone to get involved, the children are going to be involved as well.”
This design stage for both projects will cost £1.8 million.
The Bodnant project will see the construction of eight classrooms, a new school hall and supporting facilities on the current junior school site allowing the infant school site to be declared surplus to requirements.
The overall project cost is estimated to be £3.5 million and the council will carry out the feasibility/design work prior to formal approval of funding from the Welsh Government.
Cllr Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for finance, said: “Denbighshire has an agreed and ambitious 21st Century Schools Programme that will cost in the region of £74 million to deliver – we expect the Welsh Government will provide 50 per cent of this funding.
“On top of this, we aim to invest a further £23 million on implementing area reviews, refurbishments, and other improvements to schools to ensure we are providing the best learning environments for our children and young people.”
Rhyl High School has moved up two places and is now rated in the second band of Welsh Government banding based on performance in GCSE exam results, progress, amount of free school meals and absence levels.
It was placed in special measures in November, 2008, after Estyn inspectors exposed major failings but was removed in August 2010.
Vale of Clwyd AM Ann Jones said: “Whilst the quality of teaching at the school continues to go from strength to strength, the ambitious plans to overhaul the school buildings have evolved more gradually.
“I call on the council to accelerate progress so that a full business case can soon be prepared.”