Work starts on new £60m school in Cardiff

Work has begun on a new £60m school building being built in Cardiff. Construction began after contractors Morgan Sindall Construction were awarded the contract for the new Willows High School in Splott.

The project will see the existing high school in Tremorfa relocated to Splott and rebuilt to provide capacity for 900 learners aged 11 to 16 in addition to a 30-place special resource base for pupils with complex learning needs. The school is being constructed in Lewis Road on the land formerly used for Splott Market.

The new building will include features such as a sports hall, gym, drama studio, and grass pitches which will be available for public use outside of school hours. In May Cardiff Council confirmed the construction would go ahead and is due to be finished in the 2026-27 academic year.

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Head teacher Chris Norman said: "All of us at Willows are absolutely delighted to have reached this momentous milestone. This is a highly significant time for our community. Moving to a new school site will help us build on our successes and provide the outstanding facilities that our pupils, staff, and community deserve."

In 2017 the school was found to have a maintenance backlog of more than £3.8m and a council report earlier this year found the 50-year-old building had reached the end of its life. For the latest Cardiff news sign up to our newsletter here.

Deputy leader of Cardiff Council and cabinet member for education Cllr Sarah Merry attended the ground-breaking ceremony that marked the beginning of the construction. She said: "Upon completion the new Willows High School will offer outstanding educational resources, expertise, and teaching opportunities for both students and staff.

"This project reflects a substantial investment in the local area benefiting the entire community with enhanced facilities including sports fields accessible for public use. Breaking the ground at the site marks an exciting milestone in the school's development and I am eager to witness the progress as the new school comes to life."

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