Education Minister Leighton Andrews has officially opened the new Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Santes Tudful, Welsh medium primary school, in Merthyr Tydfil.

The Welsh Assembly Government has provided £6.3 million to build the school which will provide modern 21st Century facilities for 380 pupils, aged between three and 11.

The school has been built with top green credentials including geothermal heating, solar panels, automatic ventilation and rainwater recycling facilities. With outdoor covered play areas and vibrant classrooms the school is also designed to deliver the Assembly Government's revolutionary early year's scheme, the Foundation Phase.


Mr Andrews said: "This new Welsh medium school in Merthyr represents our commitment to ensuring that schools in Wales are fit to deliver our modern and exciting curriculum.

"Ysgol Santes Tudfil is a school which Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, governors, teachers, parents and most importantly the children can be proud of.

"It's vitally important that we need to make sure that the funding which we make available for education in Wales reaches the front lines.

"I have recently announced a major review of the cost of administering the education system in Wales. This review is key to finding out how we can make spending on education both smarter and simpler so schools like Ysgol Santes Tudfil can see more money going into their classrooms."

(CD/GK)