WALES’ education minister was in Cwmbran yesterday, to open a multimillion- pound newspecial school.

Pupils settled into the £8.7million Crownbridge Additional Needs School at the start of the summer term, but it was officially opened by Leighton Andrews yesterday.

Parents, governors and councillors attended a special assembly to mark the occasion, followed by a tour of the new building, created within the grounds of Croesyceiliog Comprehensive School.

The new state-of-the-art school building houses a variety of health and medical services, providing pupils aged three to 19 with a firstclass learning environment to help them reach their full potential.

The new facilities include a sports hall, kitchen, parents interviewroom, as well as ten linked teaching areas, areas for physio and speech therapists, a quiet room and a hydrotherapy pool. It also has a life skills apartment, to help older students learn to become more independent.

Pupils with a range of learning and physical disabilities aged between three and 19 moved there from Crownbridge’s former premises in Greenhill Road, Sebastopol, which was deemed unfit for purpose.

Mr Andrews said: “Crownbridge now provides an outstanding special education needs teaching and learning facility which is second to none.

“I’m sure that the school will continue to inspire and engage teachers, pupils and the wider community for many years to come.”

The long-awaited project comes years after the old school was deemed unsuitable and was delayed by several financial stumbling blocks.