The campus at Priory ValeTHIS is the first glimpse of a state of the art new learning campus in Swindon.

The campus at Priory Vale will feature a new primary school and secondary school.

Two special schools Brimble Hill and Uplands will also be moved to the site, which will feature a host of additional community facilities.

It has been funded through a Private Finance Initiative between Swindon Council and the developers Equion who will manage the project while Laing O'Rourke construct it.

A new primary school in Haydon End is also being built as part of the project.

Building work has already started and will be completed by 2006 with the exception of the new secondary school which will be built in 2007.

John Cann is the project director from Equion. He said: "The schools and Learning Campus promise a wealth of exceptional facilities.

"The Learning Campus will also play host to many amenities for pupils and the community, including sports fields, meeting rooms and halls, a youth centre hydrotherapy pool and therapy centre. Every need is catered for.

"For example the mainstream secondary school will feature separate wings for a wide variety of subjects.

"The primary schools will benefit from spacious indoor and outdoor classrooms and sports areas, while the special schools will sport an array of cutting edge facilities designed to satisfy students' health and educational requirements."

According to Mr Cann there is a strong emphasis on the design of the buildings.

"The Learning campus will complement Priory Vale's traditional feel with striking contemporary designs, such as a dramatic circular drum entrance.

"Pupils and visitors will also enjoy a pleasant natural setting with open spaces, works of art and covered walkways to different campus locations.

Garry Perkins, cabinet member for children's services, said he is excited about the plans.

"These schools are going to be some of the best in the country," he said.

"They will be a real asset to the local community and I can't wait until they are complete."

But Phil Baker, Swindon branch secretary for the ATL teaching union has concerns about there being surplus school places in the future.

He said: "I welcome the investment in good quality education provisions in the borough.

"But I hope that the borough's figures of pupil numbers are correct.

"With the Priory Vale development there will be a big influx of children of school age coming into the area.

"But when they grow up they will not necessarily be replaced by other families.

"So there could be a problem with surplus places."

Future is bright

THE mainstream secondary school on the learning campus will cater for 1,200 pupils.

It will be the campus' main building and is planned to have separate wings for different subjects.

The new Uplands Special School building will cater for 11 to 19-year-olds and will contain an independent living area for young adults.

Brimble Hill Special School building will cater for two to 11-year-olds and will feature creative spaces, community technologies, landscaped play areas, an adventure playground and sensory rooms.

The learning campus primary school will provide facilities such as a dining area, library, computer area, art and food technology classrooms and outdoor classrooms.

Children at the new one-form entry Haydon End primary school will have spacious indoor and outdoor classrooms, sports areas, and a nursery with excellent facilities.

The learning campus will have a unit for special school pupils with a hydrotherapy pool, physiotherapy and speech therapy.

There will also be a sports hall, playing pitches and a youth centre.

Diana Milne