BRYNHYFRYD: Pupils to get new £2.5m dining hall and kitchen by spring

Work has started on the Welsh Government-funded project at the primary school's junior site, which Swansea Council says will give it room to keep serving free meals to every pupil.

Alastair Isaac
4 Min Read
Four primary pupils in red hard hats and hi-vis vests with a spade and wheelbarrow, standing with adults in hard hats on a school building site
Pupils break ground on the new dining hall at Brynhyfryd Primary with council, school and contractor staff (Image: Swansea Council)

Pupils at Brynhyfryd Primary School will be eating in a new dining hall by next spring, as work starts on a £2.5m upgrade of the school’s kitchen and dining facilities.

The project at the school’s junior site, also known as its East site, adds a new modular dining hall and refurbishes and reconfigures the existing kitchen.

It is being paid for by the Welsh Government and delivered by Swansea Council, which says it will give the school the capacity to keep serving free meals to every pupil.

Every primary pupil in Swansea has been offered a free school meal since September 2024.

New dining hall, bigger kitchen and more power

Alongside the dining hall, the kitchen gets better storage, and the school’s electrics are being upgraded to run the extra catering equipment.

The council says the work will make the best use of space on the site, with fixtures and fittings to suit the new facilities.

Swansea-based John Weaver Contractors is doing the work, which is due to finish in spring 2027.

Four primary pupils in hard hats holding a John Weaver Contractors sign, with a group of adults in hi-vis behind them outside a stone school building
Pupils and guests in hard hats at the start of work on the £2.5m project (Image: Swansea Council)

‘A modern and inviting space’ for Brynhyfryd pupils

Headteacher Julie Dunn said: “We are delighted to see work underway on our new dining hall and upgraded kitchen facilities.”

“This will make a real difference to daily life at the school, providing a modern and inviting space where pupils can come together, enjoy healthy meals and spend time with their friends.”

Cllr Robert Smith, Swansea Council’s cabinet member for education improvement, learning and skills, said universal free school meals were “making a real difference to pupils and families across Swansea”.

“This investment at Brynhyfryd Primary School will provide modern kitchen and dining facilities that are fit for the future, helping ensure pupils can enjoy healthy meals in an environment that meets the needs of a growing number of learners,” he said.

Alison Rees, head of business development at John Weaver, said the firm was “incredibly proud” to be creating a space that would “leave a lasting legacy for the school and wider community”.

Part of a wider push to upgrade Swansea school kitchens

The work is part of the council’s wider programme of investment in school catering since the Welsh Government committed to a free school meal for every primary pupil in Wales.

In March, work began on a £4.9m upgrade at Townhill Community Primary School, which also includes a new dining hall.

Before the full rollout in 2024, the council said it had already spent more than £4m improving and equipping school kitchens across the city.

Author

Alastair Isaac

Reporter for Swansea Bay News


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