New childcare facility in Pontypool set to open next month

A new building at Ysgol Panteg in Griffithstown will cater for up to 40 children to provide Welsh-medium childcare.

The building will provide registered day care for two to 11-year-olds. It will also provide a breakfast club, wrap-around care, after school club and a holiday club

The contract start date is September 6, for a period of two years. 

However, the winning contractor – which has not been named – will have to register with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).

The building is set to be handed over this month, however it can take 16 weeks for registration with CIW to be approved.

Torfaen County Borough Council, has raised this with CIW and said they are working with them to “minimise this timescale”.

Families eligible for the childcare offer, and on approval of a place, will have it funded for three to four year olds. 

The building itself was given the green light last year for planning consent and sits in the grounds of Ysgol Panteg.

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It will share the facilities of the school, including access and parking.

The planning application said the childcare facility would have room for 20 children aged 0 to three, and 20 children aged three to 11.

The service would operate before and after school hours, and during school hours for the younger age bracket. The facility would be open weekdays from 7.30am to 6pm.

Up to 10 staff could be employed as part of the new facility.

The site was formerly a steelworks, and had been used as an outside space.

The planning report at the time said: “The proposed use is considered complimentary to the existing school and it would provide important childcare facilities before and after school, and for non-school aged children.

“There are no restrictions on the operating hours of the existing school, nor the number of pupils that can attend.

“Therefore, there is a strong fall-back position where a wrap-around childcare facility could be offered within the existing school building without the need for planning permission (i.e. breakfast club).”