New £36m Caldicot school opens next to old site

A £36.5m 1,500-pupil school has opened in Monmouthshire.

The new Caldicot comprehensive school is built next to its predecessor, which opened in 1958 and was officially inaugurated by the Duke of Edinburgh.

Monmouthshire council said 70% of the workforce involved in building the new school were living in the area.

Headteacher Susan Gwyer-Roberts said she was looking forward to welcoming pupils into a 21st Century school.

Monmouthshire council said the school has a "mixture of theatre-style areas, a large hall and studio spaces" for children to study with "cinema quality projectors" and interactive technology for teachers.

Caldicot school is built with self-cooling technology for warm weather or heat release in the winter instead of traditional heating.

It has a dance studio and a hall for community meetings and groups.

It also has a stage area for local choirs and community drama groups.