New home for Eastern High School and Cardiff and Vale College now open

Eastern Community Campus, a new home for Eastern High school and Cardiff and Vale College opened today.

The campus can accommodate up to 1,200 Eastern High and 320 Cardiff and Vale College students. It includes flexible learning spaces that can be configured for a variety of uses, and the very latest in science and IT facilities.

The culmination of a three year, £26m project, Eastern Community Campus has been jointly funded by Cardiff Council and Welsh Government, through the 21^st Century Schools programme.

Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, said: “Cardiff Council and Cardiff and Vale College, together with Welsh Government, have created a truly innovative campus, offering a learning environment fit for the 21^st Century, with state-of-the-art facilities also available for the wider community to enjoy.

“The shared campus will bring significant opportunities for students to progress to further education and training.

“This is a hugely significant moment for the children and young people of east Cardiff, and for the city as a whole.”

Eastern High school moved from its old site over the Christmas holidays.

Headteacher, Mr Armando Di-Finizio, said: “To see our new school become a reality is incredible. I’ve been visiting the site throughout construction, and to be here now, with all the students and staff in the new building, is unbelievable.

“Everyone has worked so hard to make sure we are ready. Moving a school in a couple of weeks over the Christmas holidays is a massive achievement. It was a really tight schedule, and everyone involved can take a huge amount of credit for what they’ve managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time.

“We just can’t wait to get on with new term now. Only a few weeks ago we had the great news from Estyn, taking us out of special measures. Now we can start making use of our fantastic new home, knowing that Eastern High really is on the up, and that we’re going places in more ways than one!”

Cardiff Council and Cardiff and Vale College have worked in partnership over a number of years, but this is the first time they have worked together to create a shared campus.

Mike James, Chief Executive of Cardiff and Vale College, said: “It is truly exciting to be able to welcome the first pupils and students to this landmark project that is bringing much wider choice in training and education to young people in East Cardiff.

“Eastern Community Campus is an inspirational facility for both young people and the local community. Cardiff and Vale College has a long history of working with the people of East Cardiff and it is a pleasure to see this new shared campus open and helping young people to realise their potential.”

Kay Martin, Principal of Cardiff and Vale College, said: “I am delighted to see this new campus open and ready to inspire future generations to learn, achieve and progress. It’s a perfect showcase for vocational and wider post 16 learning.

“Not only are we bringing post 16 options back to East Cardiff, we are also bringing new opportunities and new career routes to motivate and encourage even more people.”