Ysgol Harri Tudur

Ysgol Harri Tudur provides 21st Century School facilities in this new 11-18 secondary school and integrated Autistic Unit. This complex project is a shining example of construction and excellence; demonstrating great teamwork and governance with our client and our entire supply chain. The project was delivered under budget, before the programmed completion date, to an extraordinary standard and exceeding all expectation, all whilst delivering the highest social value results ever recorded on a project of this size.

This outstanding new learning environment has:

• enabled the school to reduce its recurrent costs, whilst providing 21st Century educational facilities for the pupils in Pembrokeshire
• enabled the successful implementation of strategies for improvement and better educational outcomes
• provided greater efficiency through better use of resources
• achieved high sustainability credentials
• reduced carbon footprint
• re-energised the local community

The integrated Autistic Unit provides a sensory space, therapy rooms, interview/conference rooms, group and individual teaching spaces, many of which have their own dedicated external space, allowing the site’s rich ecology to be used as a valuable learning resource.

Ysgol Harri Tudur, a complex £34.5 million project, is a shining example of construction and its excellence; it demonstrates great teamwork and governance between client and whole supply chain. Delivered under budget, before programmed completion date, to an extraordinary standard, exceeding all expectation, whilst delivering the highest social value results ever recorded on a project of this size.

With the former Pembroke Secondary School beyond repair and no longer fit for purpose, this project, the largest ever undertaken by Pembrokeshire County Council to date, presented a large number of major challenges. These were extensively due to the new school being located on an existing rural school site that had to remain operational 24/7 ensuring safety throughout construction.

The team develop an in-depth phasing strategy that would minimise disruption to the existing school and site stakeholder operations, whilst also minimising potential increases in construction costs due to complexities of the build and logistics. During the design review a cost effective construction strategy and structural solution was developed and value-engineering opportunities were highlighted to benefit the end-user client without compromising functionality or quality.

Following the project being shortlisted for Constructing Excellence in Wales’ ‘Buildings Project of the Year’ Award 2020, Cllr Bob Kilmister, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for the 21st Century Schools and Education programme, said:

We’re delighted to have been shortlisted for a CEW award, which are recognised across the Welsh construction environment as the most significant celebration of best practice.

Ysgol Harri Tudur/ Henry Tudor School is an outstanding example of our successful 21st Century Schools & Colleges programme, which is continuing to create first-class learning environments for pupils across Pembrokeshire and enabling them to achieve better educational outcomes.

Cllr Bob Kilmister

Social Value

Bouygues UK placed added value at the head of this project, taking time to engage with the local community and understand expectations. Great results were achieved against the three pillars of sustainability:

• 92% of the budget was spent in Wales
• 86% of the labour was based in Wales
• National Skills Academy achieved 104%, delivering a combined total of people undertaking 3,942 person weeks
• Created 264 unemployed and training opportunity for Pembrokeshire
• 318 people from the local area worked on the project
• 49 trainees worked on the project
• 35 apprentices worked on the project
• 11 school work experience placements

Our ‘Student Ambassadors’ programme took place during the construction phases of the new school, following on from successes at schools in Margam, Port Talbot and Penarth. As part of the programmes, a group of students were chosen to undertake regular visits on-site to oversee progress and report back to their fellow students by delivering assemblies and workshops.

Participating in the national Open Doors scheme the project entered into the record books as the most attended construction site in the UK at the time, with a staggering 163 people visiting over two days. Our school ambassadors provided support on this event and thoroughly enjoyed, showing visitors around ‘their’ site.

In my interactions with Bouygues UK, it is clear that they are highly experienced in building schools and they have a good appreciation of the complexities of working on a live school site. I am confident that we will develop a close working relationship to deliver this important project.

Frank Ciccotti, Former Headteacher – Ysgol Harri Tudor