An exciting development is underway in Cardiff as Cardiff Council has awarded the contract for a new £60m-plus school building. The construction will be carried out by Morgan Sindall Construction, with the main build set to accommodate the new Willows High School. The current school, located in Willows Avenue in Tremorfa, will transition to the new premises situated 1km away, on the former site of Splott Market at the base of Lewis Road.
Anticipated to be completed by the 2026-27 academic year, the new school will boast state-of-the-art facilities such as a sports hall, gym, drama studio, and grass pitches that will be open for public use outside school hours. A council report highlighted that the existing school has accumulated a maintenance backlog exceeding £3.8m, necessitating the move to a new building.
Constructed 50 years ago but designed for a shorter lifespan, the current Willows school has long been in disrepair. With approximately 44% of its students eligible for free school meals, well above the national average of 17%, and 68% residing in Wales’ 20% most deprived areas, the new school is expected to greatly benefit the community.
Under the Band B Sustainable Communities for Learning programme by Cardiff Council and Welsh Government, the new school will have a capacity for 900 pupils aged 11 to 16, along with a 30-place special resource base catering to students with complex learning needs. Following approval in May by Cardiff Council’s planning committee, groundwork has begun on the site off Lewis Road in Splott, involving the removal of contaminated material and the demolition of existing structures.
Headteacher Chris Norman expressed enthusiasm for the project, affirming the school’s commitment to collaborating with the council and Morgan Sindall to create a conducive learning environment. The transformational initiative aims to deliver enhanced educational facilities while uplifting the communities served by Willows High School.