NEW specialist facilities at Portfield School in Haverfordwest have officially opened as part of a major £28.8m redevelopment aimed at transforming education for pupils with additional learning needs in Pembrokeshire.

Representatives from Pembrokeshire County Council, Portfield School and contractors gathered to mark the completion of the first main phase of the project, which will eventually deliver a fully modernised specialist education campus.

The redevelopment, supported through the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme and Pembrokeshire County Council, has created a carbon net zero in operation school building designed to meet the growing demand for specialist education provision.

The new facilities include therapy rooms, sensory spaces, treatment rooms and a main hall equipped with a retractable trampoline. Outdoor improvements include a new multi-use games area and redesigned spaces intended to support pupils’ wellbeing and development.

A former bus lay-by has also been converted into a car park with more than 100 spaces, including ten accessible bays.

The first phase of the scheme involved refurbishing the existing school building to create a more joined-up, campus-style environment for pupils and staff.

The building has been designed to achieve net zero carbon in operation through the installation of solar panels, air source heat pumps, improved insulation and energy-efficient lighting.

Construction firm Morgan Sindall, which delivered the works through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework alongside engineering consultants AtkinsRéalis, said it had also exceeded its carbon reduction target during the build process.

The contractor said 95 per cent of the supply chain budget was spent locally, while 86 per cent of subcontractors used were based in the local area. Two graduates and two Pembrokeshire College work placement students were also involved in the project.

Cllr Jon Harvey, Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, described completion of the first phase as an important milestone for both the school and the wider community.

Headteacher Sarah Hartley said: “We are delighted with the new provision for our pupils at Portfield School.

“It represents a significant step forward in ensuring every pupil has access to an inclusive, supportive and inspiring learning environment where they can thrive.

“As Headteacher, I am incredibly proud of how well the pupils have transitioned into the new site and adapted so quickly to their new learning environment.”

Morgan Sindall’s Area Director for Wales, Robert Williams, said the facilities would make “a lasting difference” to children, staff and families needing specialist education support.

The second phase of works is expected to be completed in early 2027 and will include the demolition and replacement of the respite block as well as remodelling of the SEN Sixth Form facilities.

The project follows previous collaboration between Pembrokeshire County Council and Morgan Sindall on Haverfordwest High VC School and Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro.

Figures show 87% of UK graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduation

GRADUATE outcomes have remained resilient despite a challenging economy and a cautious jobs market, new figures show.

The National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) said 87% of graduates with permanent residence in the UK were in employment or further study 15 months after graduation.

The data reflects a cohort entering the labour market during a period of subdued economic growth. UK GDP grew by just 0.3% in 2023 and 1.0% in 2024, while business investment and hiring remained cautious.

However, the figures also show that graduate unemployment has increased slightly, although it still rounds to 5%.

There were also significant differences between subject areas. Unemployment reached 10% among Computing graduates and 8% among Business and Management graduates.

The figures also showed that 67% of postgraduate Physical Sciences graduates were in full-time employment, compared with 47% of undergraduates in the same field.

Despite the tougher labour market, graduate satisfaction remained high, with 73% of graduates saying they felt satisfied or very satisfied with their lives 15 months after graduating.

Dr Joe Marshall, Chief Executive of NCUB, said the figures showed universities and employers had adapted to changing labour market needs.

He said: “We know that this is a challenging time for the economy and a changing time for the labour market. Against that backdrop, it is encouraging to see that graduate outcomes remain resilient, with the overwhelming majority of graduates progressing into employment or further study.

“This resilience has not happened by accident. Universities have worked hard, alongside employers and other partners, to adapt to changing labour market needs and develop new and innovative ways to prepare students for the world of work.

“Across the sector, we have seen growing employer partnerships, placements, work-based learning and other opportunities that help students build the skills and experience they need to succeed.”

Dr Marshall said the figures should not lead to complacency, particularly as some graduates are finding the transition into work harder than in previous years.

He added: “Graduate success reflects the strength of the wider economy, the opportunities available to young people, and how effectively universities, employers and policymakers work together to develop and deploy talent.

“If the UK wants stronger growth, higher productivity and greater competitiveness, helping graduates succeed remains a critical part of the answer.

“No university can achieve this alone. Creating more opportunities for graduates and ensuring their skills are fully utilised requires genuine collaboration between universities, employers, government and other education providers.”

The NCUB said institutions with the strongest outcomes were often those embedded within strong networks of partnership between universities, employers and other education providers.

FURTHER discussion are to take place about where pupils from a Pembrokeshire school will go while its roof is rebuilt after failing when it was less than 10 years old.

Tenby VC School, a 3–11 English-medium primary school with an additional Learning Resource Centre (LRC) provision, was built in 2016.

Just a few years after its build, there were reports of water ingress.

In November 2024, a £75,000 feasibility budget to look at ways of tackling roof leaks at Tenby’s VC school, including a complete new roof, was backed by members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet.

The council implemented a series of urgent health and safety measures to mitigate immediate risks, including the installation of 510 ‘acro’ props to support vulnerable roof areas and the full closure of the Early Years/Playgroup wing, along with regular inspections.

At the November 2025 Cabinet meeting, members received a report detailing the findings of the feasibility study, with a favoured option of the replacement of entire roof, backing tenders for the works being sought.

It was warned there would need to be a “a comprehensive decant strategy” for pupils to go elsewhere while the works took place.

At the June 2026 Cabinet meeting, in a report presented by Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration Cllr Paul Miller, members were asked to approve the award of a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) for Stage 1 of the Tenby VC School Roof Replacement Project following tendering; Morgan Sindall Construction the most successful applicant.

Stage 2 construction contract will only proceed following a separate formal approval based on market tested packages, validated cost plans, and an assessment of value for money, a report for members said.

Members were also asked to consider which decant strategies are to be considered for detailed feasibility, in order to enable the roof replacement works to take place.

Seven initial options have now been narrowed down to five the report said.

Options include: decanting the whole school to Saundersfoot CP and Stepaside Schools while retaining Tenby VC as a separate entity at a cost of some £0.5m a year; distribute Tenby VC pupils across multiple local schools across the wider Tenby cluster; decant to nearby comprehensive Greenhill School which currently has 302 surplus places; establish a modular village at the northern boundary of Greenhill School, a self-contained modular village adjacent to Heywood Lane, comprising nine classrooms and associated facilities for Tenby VC; and a hybrid model combining the modular village and Greenhill accommodation.

Two earlier options of a modular village on alternative council owned land in Tenby and a modular village on the Tenby VC site have been discounted.

Members agreed to further consideration on the ‘decant’ strategy, subject to a more detailed feasibility exercise, a final decant proposal be brought to Cabinet for consideration, along with the setting aside of up to £75,000 to support the final proposal; Cllr Miller saying there were, in effect, two options for the building: to replace the roof “or don’t, and effectively abandon that site”.

“A roof completely failing on a 10-year-old building is completely bad news, but we have 180 children being educated in a building that is no longer fit for purpose, and we have to get on with it.”

A further report will be brought to Cabinet at the conclusion of Stage 1 to seek approval for entering the Stage 2 construction contract.