WALES’ Cabinet Secretary for Education, AM Kirsty Williams, officially opened the new primary school for the Angle peninsula – Penrhyn Church in Wales VC School last Friday, March 9.

The new £3.9 million school, located in Hundleton, was constructed following the federation of Angle VC School, Stackpole VC School and Orielton CP School.

It was funded jointly by Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government as part of the 21st Century Schools and Education Programme.

It accommodates up to 120 full-time pupils plus an Early Years Unit and also provides community and playgroup facilities. The building opened its doors to pupils in January.

Mrs Williams was welcomed by the Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council Cllr Paul Harries, and Head teacher Clive Condon. Mr Condon said he was very pleased that the children had settled in so well, and said everyone was proud to be able to provide such fantastic facilities for them.

He shared a selection of the pupils’ thoughts about their new school in their own words, including: “I now know what I was missing out on because my old school was so much smaller”, “I’m looking forward to using the big field on a hot day,” and “I felt special when I walked through the automatic doors for the first time, and I was thinking that in a hundred years’ time lots of children will have been here, but we are the first”.

Rev Josh Maynard emphasised that everyone in the school – pupils and staff alike – were valued and important in contributing to a flourishing, vibrant school life.

Following a performance by the school choir, and a duet by Ossian and Iestyn on their ukuleles, Mrs Williams said: “The early years of learning are a key time for providing the building blocks to educational development for our children.

“That is why it is important that we work together to deliver the best and most inspiring learning environments we can.

“I understand that your new school is an amalgamation of three schools in the local area, and so I have to commend you today for coming together and pooling resources to provide a solid foundation for your children’s education.”

Mrs Williams was then given a guided tour of the school, where she met children from each class and spoke to them about their learning and what they liked about their new school.

The school was a design and build project by WRW Construction Ltd and Pembrokeshire County Council’s in-house design team supervised the construction on site.