Hundreds of thousands of pounds is being spent on fire safety improvements at schools across Ceredigion.

Ceredigion County Council has allocated £425,000 towards work during 2025/26, with a further £150,000 identified for the current financial year. The £575,000 programme includes replacing fire doors and carrying out work intended to prevent fire and smoke spreading through school buildings.

Councillors were told that fire door replacement work has already been completed at Ysgol Henry Richard in Tregaron.

Similar work was under way at Ysgol Penglais in Aberystwyth when the council’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee received an update in September, while work was due to begin at Ysgol Bro Pedr in Lampeter.

Compartmentation surveys have also been completed at all of the county’s secondary schools.

These surveys examine how effectively buildings are divided into sections designed to restrict the spread of fire and smoke.

Tenders for work identified through those inspections have been received and were being evaluated by the authority.

The council said improvements are also being made at primary schools, including replacing fire doors in areas judged to present a higher risk and commissioning further compartmentation surveys.

The programme forms part of a wider review of fire safety across council-owned buildings.

Members were told that significant progress had been made during the past two years at both schools and residential care homes, although further work remained.

A forward programme is continuing to be developed to tackle identified risks as funding becomes available.

Council officers said fire safety inspections had highlighted issues requiring action, helping determine where improvements should be prioritised.

The authority described its approach across the education estate as strategic and risk-based, with work being targeted according to identified fire safety needs.

Further works will be scheduled as surveys identify additional priorities across the county’s school estate.