Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Batch of Schools

Three new primary schools across Rhondda Cynon Taf demonstrate what can be achieved through thoughtful design, collaboration and a shared commitment to community outcomes. Delivered through the Welsh Government's Mutual Investment Model (MIM), the schools provide modern, inspiring learning environments while creating lasting social, economic and environmental benefits.

Key Stats

Three primary schools delivered as a coordinated programme for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Mutual Investment Model (MIM) funding
Over 44 hours of SME engagement across the three projects
Average Customer Recommended Score 9/10
All three schools achieved BREEAM Excellent
Average Considerate Constructors Scheme score of 44/45
Over 24 Community Initiatives delivered between the three projects

At a Glance

Client

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Budget

£51m+

Completion

•Llanilltud Faerdref: October 2024 •Penygawsi: February 2025 •Pontyclun: September 2025

Location

Rhonda Cynon Taf

Framework

Mutual Investment Model (MIM)

Sector

Primary, Education

Social value

Over £18 million

Sustainability

Over 334T of Co2e saved between all three projects

Investing in the Future of Education

As part of the Welsh Government's Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, significant investment is being made to create modern, sustainable learning environments that support the needs of future generations.

Within Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's wider Transforming RCT programme, three ageing primary schools in Church Village, Llantrisant and Pontyclun were identified for replacement to address increasing student demand and provide fit-for-purpose educational facilities.

Selected as some of the first education projects to be delivered through the Welsh Government's MIM, the projects helped demonstrate an innovative funding approach focused on long-term quality and whole-life value. The projects were delivered in partnership with the Welsh Education Partnership Company (WEPCo), the private sector delivery partner established to finance, deliver and maintain education infrastructure through the MIM programme.

The three schools delivered through the programme were:

Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School, Church Village
Penygawsi Primary School, Llantrisant
Pontyclun Primary School, Pontyclun

26CA11_M10_medium — Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School, Church Village

26CA12_M37_medium — Penygawsi Primary School, Llantrisant

26CA13_Pontyclun_M81_medium — Pontyclun Primary School, Pontyclun

Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School - £14.2m

Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School is a new one-form-entry school which accommodates 240 pupils and a 30-place nursery, providing modern teaching spaces, a central heartspace, multi-purpose hall and extensive outdoor learning and sports facilities.

Delivered alongside the live school site, the project required carefully phased construction to ensure learning continued uninterrupted. The investment also marked a significant milestone as the first school in Wales to be delivered through the Welsh Government's Mutual Investment Model (MIM).

Penygawsi Primary School - £16.1m

Penygawsi Primary School provides accommodation for 310 pupils and 45 nursery places within a contemporary two-storey building. Teaching spaces are arranged around a central heartspace, creating a flexible environment for learning and community use.

Following completion, the former school was removed to create enhanced external facilities, including sports pitches, MUGAs, cycle storage and improved parking, promoting wellbeing and sustainable travel.

Pontyclun Primary School - £21.3m

The final school delivered within the programme, Pontyclun Primary School provides a new two-form-entry facility for 480 pupils and 60 nursery places. Constructed on an existing school site within a constrained residential area, the two-storey school centres around a communal hub and hall, surrounded by adaptable learning spaces.

Landscaped play areas, sports facilities, cycle storage, dedicated parking and electric vehicle charging infrastructure complete a modern campus designed to support future generations of learners.

Delivering Quality Through the Mutual Investment Model

The Welsh Government’s MIM provides an innovative approach to funding major public infrastructure projects, enabling investment without the need for significant upfront capital expenditure. Through a 25-year design, build, finance and maintenance commitment, the model places quality and whole-life value at the heart of delivery.

By taking a long-term view, the MIM ensures schools remain high-quality, well-maintained environments long after construction is complete, providing lasting benefits for pupils, staff and the wider community. The model also requires rigorous standards in design, construction and quality assurance from the outset, creating confidence that each building will perform at its optimal best throughout its lifecycle.

These schools need to last for the next 25 years, so quality has been a really big focus for us.

Paul Poole, Project Manager, WEPCo

Consistency at Scale, Designed for Place

One of the programme's defining strengths was its ability to combine standardisation with sensitivity to local context.

Across all three projects, a common design approach established a consistent building form, construction methodology and material palette. This created efficiencies in design and delivery, strengthened quality assurance and allowed lessons learned on one project to be quickly transferred to the next.

While a shared framework underpinned the programme, each school was carefully tailored to its site. Building orientation, access arrangements and landscape designs were adapted to respond to local conditions, ensuring each development reflected its surroundings and operational requirements.

Detailed environmental modelling informed these decisions from the earliest stages, helping optimise building performance while supporting the wider ambition of achieving Net Zero Carbon in Operation.

The programme also benefited from a collaborative management structure, again, enabling expertise, resources and supply chain partners to be shared across all three schools, applying lessons learnt from each project.

Sustainability in Practice

Sustainability was embedded throughout the programme, from design and construction through to long-term operation.

A fabric-first approach, supported by detailed energy modelling, helped ensure each school was designed for efficiency, resilience and reduced environmental impact. As a result, all three schools achieved BREEAM Excellent certification while supporting Net Zero Carbon in Operation aspirations.

This commitment extended beyond the completed buildings. Through participation in the 10 Tonne Challenge, the projects collectively saved 334 tonnes of carbon through low-carbon construction practices, material efficiencies and ongoing monitoring during delivery. These savings included 194 tonnes at Pontyclun Primary School and 70 tonnes each at Penygawsi and Llanilltud Faerdref Primary Schools.

Environmental awareness was also integrated into the educational experience. Through activities linked to the Knowledge Quad, students explored topics including biodiversity, climate change and sustainable construction, helping connect the buildings around them with the environmental challenges of the future. At Penygawsi, this extended to planting initiatives that enhanced biodiversity across the school grounds while creating a lasting environmental legacy.

The Knowledge Quad: Connecting Education and Construction

Read about the Knowledge Quad - Here

At the heart of the programme was one of its most innovative features: the Knowledge Quad.

Created as a shared facility serving all three schools, the Knowledge Quad transformed the construction process into an engaging and accessible learning experience for pupils, trainees and local communities.

More than a training facility, it acted as a bridge between education and industry.

Full-scale construction details, room layouts and building elements were tested and refined within the facility before implementation on site, helping improve quality, consistency and understanding across project teams and supply chain partners.

At the same time, the Knowledge Quad hosted workshops, engagement events and training activities that provided practical experiences for pupils, jobseekers and local residents. Through direct exposure to live construction projects, participants gained valuable insight into careers, skills and modern methods of construction.

I do think its important to build that community sense around the project. So it’s not just coming to build and then leaving – they’re actually part of it. The Knowledge Quad has played a big part in this as it's bridging the learning within the classroom and actually taking it down to real life experience.

Sam Logan, Year 6 Teacher, Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School

Creating Opportunity and Lasting Value

The programme delivered benefits far beyond the construction of three new schools, generating more than £18 million in Social and Local Economic Value across Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Working with local partners, the projects created 24 new entrant jobs, supported 32 apprenticeships and four graduate positions, helping local people develop skills and access employment opportunities within the construction sector. More than 5,600 pupil interactions were delivered through 445 hours of educational engagement, including STEM activities and careers events designed to inspire future generations.