Turf‑cutting ceremony marks major milestone for new Brynllywarch Hall School

Last week, we were delighted to host a turf-cutting ceremony marking the official start of our project with Powys County Council delivering the new school building for Brynllywarch Hall School in Kerry.

The ceremony took place on Monday 11th May at the school’s site in Kerry, near Newtown, bringing together our staff, pupils and staff from the school and council representatives to mark the start of work on a modern, purpose‑built facility designed to meet the complex needs of its learners.

The new facility will provide a high‑quality learning environment tailored to support learners aged 8 to 19, whose needs include complex emotional, behavioural and social challenges.

Cllr James Gibson‑Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “This turf‑cutting ceremony marks a hugely important milestone for Brynllywarch Hall School and, most importantly, for the young people it supports. Seeing work begin on site is a powerful step forward in delivering the right environment for some of our most vulnerable learners.”

Mike Sambrook, Managing Director at SJ Roberts Construction Ltd, added: “We are excited to see work commence on this hugely important project that will transform the provision of education for vulnerable learners in Powys. As a school that is located near to our own headquarters, we’re acutely aware of the important role this new facility will have in the local community. The whole SJ Roberts Construction team is committed to delivering a high-quality, future-proofed learning environment and we’ll be charting progress on site over the coming months.”

Speaking on behalf of Brynllywarch Hall School, Chair of Governors Kath-Roberts Jones and Headteacher Gavin Randell said: “This turf‑cutting marks a hugely significant moment for our school community. This investment represents more than just a new building – it is a commitment to meeting the complex needs of our learners and giving them the safe, nurturing environment they deserve to succeed.

“We are proud to see plans become reality for a purpose‑built school that has been designed with our young people at its heart, supporting their wellbeing, engagement and aspirations. We look forward to working with our partners to bring this vision to life, creating a facility that will make a lasting difference to the lives of current and future learners, as well as the wider community.”

The Welsh Government is funding 75% of the construction costs, and an additional £700,000 to support Net Zero Carbon elements of the build. The remaining 25% of construction costs are being funded by the Council.