A brand new award has been presented to our primary building after judges believed it deserved special recognition.
The judges for the Grenfell Baines Award for Outstanding Design Quality were so impressed with the site, that they came up with an award especially for the school buildings. Facing stiff competition the building design just missed out on the Outstanding Design Quality accolade.
But instead, judges came up with the Best Designed Place award especially for the building, which hosts the primary phase of Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, Pen-y-Cwm Special School and the Integrated Children’s Centre.
Judges praised the “excellent facility” and said it was “clear that both staff and pupils are very happy with their new building”.
They added:
“There is no doubt that the facilities provided in these new buildings, in combination with the dedication of the staff, have made and are making an enormous difference to the quality of their lives.”
In a joint statement, Graeme Harkness, the director at Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, and Darya Brill Williams, headteacher of Pen-y-Cwm Special School, said:
“The buildings have transformed the facilities for teaching and learning from the previous sites, our pupils and staff now have the very latest designs and technologies available to them, pupils in both schools certainly enjoy their learning here.”
The GGB Award is awarded by Building Design Partnership – a major international practice of architects, designers, engineers and urbanists – to one of the many projects they have worked on.
Lynette Jones, corporate director of education in Blaenau Gwent, said:
“The Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, Pen-y-Cwm Special Schools and the ICC are an integral part of the council’s vision to provide modern 21st century environments fit for learners of all ages, including early years.
“We continue apace with our 21st Century Schools programme with support from the Welsh Government. I would like to congratulate everyone involved on achieving this special award.”