New Horizons

Monday, 18th July, 2022 was a big day for Shufflebottom, and a big day for Rhydyfelin, Rhondda Cynon Taf. It marked the day when the construction phase began at Rhydyfelin for the brand-new, state-of-the-art Welsh Medium Primary School.

For Shufflebottom, it was the first time we have been commissioned by ISG, a globally dynamic construction specialist who deliver places where people and businesses thrive. ISG was appointed by RCTCBC in conjunction with Welsh Government, to deliver this education facility which will be at the heart of the community for years to come. We are justifiably proud to be part of the local supply chain, and have delivered 155-tonnes of hot-rolled steel and 10-tonnes of cold rolled steel, which will be at the core of this visionary new development.

The new community school is being built on the current site of Heol-y-Celyn Primary School, and when the new Rhydyfelin school opens its doors ready for the academic year, 2024-2025, it will take in pupils from Heol-y-Celyn as well as Ysgol Gynradd Cymraeg Pont Sion Norton, a total of 540 pupils. The school will therefore improve and expand on the current Welsh medium offering in the wider Pontypridd area, and will be tangible evidence of RCT’s Welsh in Education strategic plan and Welsh Government’s ‘Cymraeg 2050’ goal of having a million Welsh speakers in Wales by 2050.

To this end, this is a project of scale and scope, and part of the £72 million investment across greater Pontypridd for Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programmes. Rhydyfelin is not just for pupils; it is for everyone and will have: 2 storeys, 16 classrooms, multi-use rooms, shared areas and innovative technologies such as source heat pumps, rain water harvesting, photovoltaic cells on the roof utilising solar power energy. On the practical and community side it will have a multi-use games area, new playing fields, on-site bus drop offs and a staff car park.

Shufflebottom is thrilled to be part of this vision that has sustainability has sustainability as its driver – both environmental sustainability and a commitment to Net Zero Carbon emissions whilst in operation, and cultural sustainability and the long term health of the Welsh Language.

We look forward to seeing this project completed and to continue our relationship with ISG on future projects.