The Isle of Anglesey County Council hopes to move Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi pupils to a new building of the highest standard.

Later this month, the Executive will consider a proposal paper from Officers and a request to proceed with a statutory consultation for a new building for Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi.

Approval from Members would be the first step on the journey to re-locating learners at a new building near Holyhead Leisure Centre by September 2030 (dependent on successful procurement of the land).

The discovery of RAAC (‘reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete’) at the current Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi building had a significant effect on school processes and pupil education between September 2023 and January 2024. There is also a need for significant expenditure on maintaining the current building.

The main aims of the new building will be to ensure:

• specialist modern learning facilities of the highest standard and more open, green spaces
• that there are sufficient secondary school places to meet the current and future needs of 11-18 year old pupils.

Director of Education, Skills and Young People, Aaron C Evans, explained, “Officers have considered a number of different options for the provision of secondary education in the Holyhead area.”

“We’ve come to the conclusion that a new building for Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi is the best way forward. Creating a new modern building would be a significant investment in education in Holyhead and Holy Island and would also ensure the long-term sustainability of secondary education in the area.”

He added, “It would also be a big step towards providing the best possible educational standards and increasing the use of the Welsh language as well as achieving the aims of the County Council’s Modernising Learning Communities and Welsh Language Strategy.”

The Council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee will discuss the proposal paper on Wednesday 21 May before the Executive considers the proposal on Thursday 22 May.

If the proposal is approved by the Executive, a statutory consultation on building a new school will follow in June of this year. Statutory planning processes would follow if a decision to move ahead is made.

The proposed new building would meet the BREEAM standards as well as Welsh Government’s Sustainable Learning Communities programme standards. Achieving the proposed plan would be dependent on ensuring financial support from Welsh Government.

Ends 15 May 2025