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Cardiff’s £284m school investment: What it means for secondary schools

Cardiff Council has approved the detailed plans for the largest single investment in Cardiff schools. 

The £284m investment is jointly funded by the council and Welsh Government, as part of the next phase of the 21st Century Schools programme for Cardiff, starting in 2019. 

Schemes include new secondary schools, new English-medium and Welsh-medium primary schools, and new special schools.

In the first in a series, here’s a detailed breakdown of what the plans mean for secondary schools in the capital.
 

Cantonian High School

Cantonian High School will be rebuilt and expanded. It will be able to accommodate up to 1,200 students between the ages of 11 to 16 – up from the current 900 capacity. The sixth form will expand from 95 places to 150 places. 

Fitzalan High School

Fitzalan High School will be rebuilt, creating a brand new high school for 1,500 Year 7 to Year 11 students, plus sixth form. 

Willows High School

Willows High School rebuilt and expanded by 300 places, accommodating up to 1,200 Year 7 to Year 11 students. 

Cathays High School

Cathays High School rebuilt and expanded to accommodate up to 1,200 students in Year 7 to Year 11, up from the current 900 places, plus sixth form. 

Cardiff High School

Cardiff High School will be expanded by 300 places, taking its capacity to 1,500 Year 7 to Year 11 students, plus sixth form. 

The schemes chosen for the next phase of the 21st Century Schools programme have been identified following the results of an independent study looking at the condition, suitability and capacity of schools in Cardiff. 

This investment is in addition to the ongoing cost of maintaining the city’s schools.