School celebrates (From Penarth Times)

School celebrates

A LOCAL school is getting nearly £2m for a massive refurbishment that will provide it with state-of-the-art facilities.

St Richard Gwyn RC School has been given more than £1.8 million from the Welsh Assembly to update and improve the school.

There will be a new science and humanities building as well as refurbishment of existing buildings.

The new buildings have been designed by award winning architects Boyes-Reese.

Delighted Headmaster Michael Clinch said: "It is an unprecedented amount of money which will help to provide excellent facilities for the school."

The school has had other grants given to it such as a £40,000 for upgrading the information technology department.

But they are dwarfed by this cash which will basically fund the rebuilding of half the school, including new laboratories for physics, chemistry, biology and general science, two science preparation areas, a geography room and history suite.

There will also be three further new classrooms incorporating the RE department and a staff room.

And the plans have a lift to allow access for disabled students to all areas of the school.

A further £10,000 has been donated by the trustees of the Davies' Sisters, who were the daughters of David Davies (the creator of Barry Docks).

This money will be spent on the history suite which appropriately links the room with Barry's history.

Project work will begin in January 2003 and is expected to be finished by autumn 2003. Once this is finished other parts of the school can be closed to be refurbished.

A new drama studio, language studio, textile workshop and renovation of the design and technology resistant materials area will be carried out.

When the work is complete a planned memorial garden to the Mochrie family from Barry will be established in a quiet area.