A turf cutting ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on a £22 million replacement for Brecon High School.
Education secretary Kirsty Williams, who is also the Liberal Democrat AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, joined Powys council leader Rosemarie Harris and pupils from the school for the ceremony which was performed with a specially engraved shovel.
The new state-of-the art campus is due to open in September 2019 and is being funded by nearly £22 million investment from the Welsh Government and Powys County Council.
Once complete the new facility will boast excellent teaching and learning resources and has a proposed capacity for 750 pupils, with 600 places for 11-16 year old and 150 places for post-16.
Representatives from BAM UK Construction, which is carrying out the works, also attended the ceremony.
Speaking at the event Ms Williams said: “It is great to see progress being made on this new state-of-the art facility, which is benefitting from around £10 million Welsh Government funding via our 21st Century Schools Programme.
“Our national mission is to raise standards, reduce the attainment gap and deliver an education system that is a source of national pride and confidence. Our 21st Century Schools and Education Programme plays a key part in this and is the largest investment in our schools and colleges since the 1960s.
“The design of this new facility will create a 21st Century learning environment and includes learning spaces that can be easily and quickly adapted, which will also help the school to be able to meet the changing and evolving needs of its pupils and staff.”
Powys council’s cabinet member for schools, Councillor Myfanwy Alexander said: “This is a major step forward in the process of giving Brecon the High School its learners deserve. All of us who have been fortunate enough to see the plans for the new building will appreciate that as well as providing excellent facilities for teaching and learning, it will be an enhancement to the built environment of the area."