Brynmawr Foundation School April 2019 Newsletter...

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Brynmawr Foundation School April 2019 Newsletter

Brynmawr

Foundation School Ysgol Sylfaenol Brynmawr

April 2019 Newsletter

Dear Parents/Carers, I was delighted to be appointed as the permanent headteacher of Brynmawr Foundation School. Since September, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with governors, staff, pupils and parents/carers. Together, we share very high aspirations of success and the wellbeing of our school community. We have reached the end of a very exciting and busy term. Our Y11 and Y10 pupils and all staff have worked incredibly hard in preparation for their GCSE exams which begin on 7th May 2019. Pupils have been arriving early to school and staying after school in order to complete revision. Over the Easter holiday we have designated revision days on Tuesday and Wednesday of each week to help support the pupils with their revision – please check the revision timetable for these details. Pupils in Y7, Y8 & Y9 have national English and maths tests (NRTs) on their return to school and resources to support pupils in these tests are available on our website. We encourage all of our pupils to take a measured and organised approach to their revision as these are very important moments in their lives. It is just as important that pupils do not feel worried about upcoming exams. Please encourage our pupils to have a balanced plan of short periods (1 or 2 sets of 45 mins) of daily concentration focusing on aspects of work that need to be revised, this is key to effective revision. Please enjoy a restful break and family time over the Easter celebrations. School reopens on 29 April 2019. Regards,

Gerard McNamara Headteacher Easter Revision Dates

Morning Session 9:00 – 12:00 Afternoon Session 12:30 – 15:30

Tuesday

16th April

Maths Intermediate – LD

English Lit: Y10(10:00-12:00) TP/NA

Construction/Product Design – EJ

ICT Unit 2 (from 10.30) - DH Child Development – LM

English Lang: Y11(12:30 – 2:30) TP/NA

Construction/Product Design – EJ

ICT Unit 2 - DH

Child Development - LM

Wednesday

17th April

ICT Unit 2 – DH & PE BTEC L1/2 –

LJ/WW

ICT Unit 2 – DH & GCSE PE – LJ

Tuesday

23rd April

English Lang Y11 (10:00 – 12:00) – VP/DJ

Maths Intermediate – AWH

Biology - & ICT (unit 4) & WBQ - JT

English Lit Y10 (12:30 – 2:30) VP/DJ

ICT (unit 4) & Chemistry - & WBQ - JT

Wednesday

24th April

Physics – & ICT (unit 4) – DH

PE BTEC L1/2 - LJ

Applied Science – & ICT (unit 4) – DH

GCSE PE - LJ



Social Media Don’t forget to follow our departmental Facebook and Twitter accounts for up-to-date information, learning activities and recommended educational links:

@BrynmawrFoundationSchool

@PhysicalEducationBFS

@BrynmawrEnglish

@Cymraeg Ysgol Brynmawr

@Brynmawr_school

@Brynmawrmaths

@Drama_PA_BFS

@BrynmawrEnglish

@brynmawrlitkit

@PE_BFS

@CymraegBrynmawr

@science_bfs

@Brynmawrmaths

Dates for your Diary

April 12th – End of Term 29th – Start of Summer Term

May 6th – May Day 16th – Y7 Parents Evening 27th – 31st – Half Term

June 3rd – 14th – KS3 Exams 24th – 28th – Transition Week

July 5th – Sports Day 19th – End of Term

CRUCIAL GCSE EXAMS DATES MAY Tues 7th AM – Maths - Num Non Calc U1 Thurs 9th AM – Maths Calc U1 Mon 13th AM – ICT U1 Tues 14th PM – Biology U1/App Sci Single U2 Weds 15th AM – PE Unit 1 PM – English Lit Unit1 Thurs 16th AM – Chemistry U2 PM – ICT Unit 3 Mon 20th PM – Sociology Tues 21st AM – Maths Non Calc U1 PM – Geography Unit 1 Weds 22nd AM – Spanish List/Read PM – Physics Unit 2 Thurs 23rd AM – Eng Lit Unit 2A Fri 24th PM – Prod Des Unit 1/Sociology JUNE Tues 4th AM – English Lang Unit 2 Weds 5th AM – Construction - Spanish Writing Unit 4 PM – Geography Unit 2 Thurs 6th AM – Maths U2 Calc PM – History Unit 2D Fri 7th AM – English Lang Unit 3 PM – Biology Unit 1/ - App Sci Single Unit 1/ Double Sci Unit 1 Mon 10th PM – Child Development Weds 12th AM – Chemistry U1/Double Sci U2 Fri 14th AM – Physics U1/Double Sci U3



STEM

Digital Literacy Day Raising our profile of our Digital Champions!

On the 29th March, 14 of our Year 8 students accompanied a selection of Year 5 and Year 6 students from our primary feeder schools, to the University of South Wales, Cardiff. The students’ role was to mentor allocated groups through a Digital Literacy Workshop, hosted by First Campus. This initial workshop will then lead to a transition project.

First Campus is the South East Wales Reaching Wider partnership. The aim of which is to raise awareness of and aspirations towards Higher Education through a range of activities and workshops at schools, university campuses and community settings. This event involves collaboration with the National Cyber Security Academy and National Digital Exploitation Centre (NDEC) a Welsh Government and Thales initiative.

Time Capsule On the 21st January, three of our students presented our Time Capsule to the Deputy Minister of Transport, at the unveiling of the Jack Williams Bridge. The students selected were our Head Boy, Scott O’Neill, Alex Sturdy, STEM Award Winner (2018) and Thomas

Snell of Year 8 (Digital Champion). Teaching staff worked closely with our students to collect as many artefacts of interest for the time capsule. Items included: Year 8 Diary Entry for the 18th January; school tie; PE kit; a montage of photos; school newsletters; DVD of the recent school show; School roll of students and teachers; and even a price list and menu from a fast food chain.

Prior to the unveiling, Mr McNamara accompanied the students to the

A465 Phase 2 site office in Gilwern where they met

with other Welsh Government

officials, the family of the late Jack Williams, senior engineers and the Project Director, Bruce Richards.



ENTERPRISE & SKILLS Huge Congratulations to Miss Flyng’s year 9 Enterprise SCC group. They worked extremely hard to raise £135.52 profit from their break time sale, which will be donated to Cancer Research Wales.

These pupils have had first-hand experience of creating a business idea, working in teams to develop ideas to make a profit. Loans, floats, working out budgets, marketing, advertising selling and pitching ideas, which many of them have not previously experienced.

ART GCSE Fine Art pupils from year 9 and 10 attended workshops provided by Coleg Gwent at the Ebbw Vale campus. Pupils worked with lecturer Sam Wall in the Apple Mac suites using Adobe Photoshop techniques to create layered photomontages. Pupils also worked with the art lecturers Cerys and Grace, to create fantasy robot designs. These were developed them into mono printed outcomes within the studios. Year 10 GCSE Music also attended a music workshop and composed music in the recording studios at Coleg Gwent.



DRAMA AND PERFORMING ARTS The School production of the iconic show “ Grease” took place in February with over 100 pupils participating in the production as performers, backstage and front of house. Pupils performed to full audiences and all excelled every evening. A celebration evening took place where pupils received awards for best performer and numerous others. Our next production will be “ West Side Story”.

MATHEMATICS Another hard working term has come and gone, with lots going on in the mathematics department. Years 9, 10 and 11 have all sat the UK Mathematics Intermediate Challenge with some fantastic results, including 5 pupils achieving the Bronze certificate. Years 7 and 8 are preparing to sit the Junior Challenge on the 30th of April 2019. We want to wish them all the best and to remind everyone to read the question carefully before you write anything down. For some questions marks will be deducted for incorrect answers – so only answer if you are sure you are right! Year 11 have been working hard in preparation for their GCSE examinations, not only working hard in lessons but giving up their time after school to attend revision sessions every Monday evening. Their hard work and perseverance is something to be admired, as though the work may get tough, it takes a lot to stop them from trying. While Year 11 revision is going on in the mathematics corridor, Mrs Powell is running the Computer and Calculator club, in which all pupils are welcome to attend. They are invited to log onto mathswatch VLE, to complete homework or to revise problem topics. Pupils that attend the club regularly are showing increased confidence in class and are more resilient learners as a result. A gentle reminder that Year 7, 8 and 9 will be sitting their national numeracy tests after Easter, and the year 11 exams are getting closer, so keep up all the hard work!



WELSH Wel, am dymor prysur! Mae blwyddyn deg wedi bod yn paratoi tuag at eu harholiad Uned 1 drwy sefyll Arholiad Rhagbaratoadol, gwella eu sgiliau gwrando, ac yna sefyll Uned 1 ddiwedd mis Ebrill. Fel adran, hoffen ni longyfarch y disgyblion hynny a wnaeth ymdrechu i wella eu graddau drwy ganolbwyntio mewn gwersi, gwrando ar eu hathrawon, a chwblhau bob darn o waith dosbarth a chartref – da iawn ichi. Iddyn nhw, mae Uned 2 rhwng 27-29 Ebrill 2020, Uned 3 ddydd Mercher 6 Mai 2020, am (agored i newid), ac Uned 4 ddydd Gwener 8 Mai 2020, am (agored i newid). Beth am ichi ddechrau ar eich adolygu geirfa drwy ddefnyddio Quizlet?! Well, what a busy term! Year ten have been preparing for their Unit 1 exam by sitting a PPE, improving their listening skills, and then sitting the actual Unit 1 exam at the end of April. As a department, we’d like to congratulate those pupils who stove to improve their grades by focusing in class, listening to their teacher, and completing every piece of homework and class work – da iawn! For them, Unit 2 is between 27-29 April 2020, Unit 3 is Wednesday 6 May 2020, am (subject to change), and Unit 4 is 8 May 2020, am (subject to change). How about starting your vocabulary revision now by using Quizlet? Mae blwyddyn saith, wyth, a naw wedi bod yn gweithio’n solet ar yr amser gorffennol,

dyfodol, ac amodol er mwyn gallu siarad mewn gwahanol amseroedd y ferf, sy’n bwysig bwysig i gyrraedd lefel 5 a 6, gyda llawer ohonyn nhw yn eu cyrraedd yn barod! Cofiwch i ddefyddio Duolingo i wella eich sgiliau. Year seven, eight, and nine have been working tirelessly on the conditional, future, and past tense in order to speak in different verb tenses, which is all-important to reach level 5 and level 6, with a lot achieving those strands already! Remember to use Duolingo to keep improving your skills.

THE BACK PAGES Dance Ours girls have worked extremely hard throughout the term in preparation for their performance at the UDOIT! School Dance Championship which took place at the end of March. The girls showed a huge amount of courage to perform in front of hundreds of spectators at the National Sports Centre for Wales in Sophia Gardens and did themselves and our school proud during their routine – a fantastic experience for all involved!



Netball It has been a very busy term for all our netball players throughout years 7-11 who have taken part in fixtures against other schools and competed at the

District Tournaments for Year 7 & 8. We have seen an increase in players especially in the lower year groups and it has been wonderful to watch them develop their skills and team play throughout the year. Well done to everyone that has represented the school, we are very much looking forward to another successful season next year.

Sportshall Athletics With the athletics season fast approaching, many of our Year 7-10 pupils took part in the

annual District Sportshall Competition at Newbridge Leisure Centre. It was a very successful day for our pupils with many participating in athletics for the very first time. Some notable results from the day:

Caitlin Madden - second in the 2 lap final and first in the long jump

In his debut for the school, Seth Hearne placed first in the vertical jump competition

Ben Targett who placed second in the 2 lap final

Connor Palmer came third in the speed bounce event

Tom Snell – third in the shot

Shakira Hillman who placed second in the vertical jump and shot

Alex Penman who placed third in the 2 lap final and first in the triple jump

Cameron Holmes who came first in the 4 lap race and third in the speed bounce event

Kynan Bridgeman – second place in the long jump Well done to all pupils that took part and represented the school so well throughout the day, we are very much looking forward to a busy athletics season ahead. Rugby It’s been another busy half term here at Brynmawr for both our girl’s and boy’s rugby teams. Our Year 7 team had their first taste of rugby 7s when they hosted a festival which saw over 50 pupils involved. During the festival our boys played

games against, Tredegar, Abertillery & West Mon losing the first two games

but showing huge improvement to draw the last, 3 tries all.Our Year 8 & 9s have also been busy in preparation for their upcoming 7s tournament by running internal games against each other. Again the skills and understanding shown in these games shows

just how much our boys are willing to learn and retain information, in readiness to perform to the best of their abilities at these tournaments.



Along with Year 10 making big strides focusing on core skills in core PE lessons, the rugby team played a full 15s fixture against a strong West Mon school side. In a physical game that saw some big tackles along with some lovely tries being scored. The result ended in a 22 all draw. Our GCSE pupils also played a moderation game against Abertillery which was a great for them to experience what their moderation day will consist of next year. It has also been a very busy term for our girl’s rugby within the school with girl’s rugby being enjoyed by all during curriculum lessons. The girl’s rugby team have also participated in competitive games. The first of which saw our girls play in a round robin festival at Abersychan school, where they played Tredegar drawing 15-15 and Abersychan winning by 15 points to 5. They then competed in the Welsh qualifiers at Ystrad Mynach where they scored an outstanding 15 tries throughout 3 games and went unbeaten for the day. Throughout the day they played games against Bassaleg A & B teams along with St Julians, Newport.

Unfortunately, the girls did not qualify due to try count by a difference of just 6 tries. This term saw our Year 11 rugby 7s team compete in the biggest school’s rugby tournament The Rosslyn Park National 7s. With over 350 schools competing in such a high profile event it was an honour for our boys to represent not only our school but our community at the tournament. During the day the boys came up against some tough opposition but the character, skill and team work shown throughout the day

brought huge praise from opposition coaches and parents. The boys played games against Ysgol Cwm Rhymni losing 33-0, Bromsgrove College losing 26-7, Pilkington School losing 33-24. The boys showed massive improvement throughout the day and during their final game they produced their best performance beating Worksop College 43-17. This was a fitting way to thank our Year 11 pupils for their contribution not only to their rugby team but with their help to develop our younger year groups also.

I would like to thank all our pupils for another successful half term and look forward to seeing you all back after the Easter break and ready for our 7s season. Other news: It has been an exceptionally busy term for our Year 11 GCSE pupils who have been preparing for their practical moderation that took place on 15th March and worth 50% of their overall grade. We were very pleased with all the hard work, enthusiasm and manner in which our pupils conducted themselves and gave some very good performances in very challenging weather conditions! Both our GCSE and Sport Award pupils are nearing the end of their studies and in order to get the best from their last month there will be a planned catch up and revision sessions over Easter – please see our Twitter and Facebook accounts for confirmation of the specific days.

Don’t forget to follow our accounts on:

@PhysicalEducationBFS @PE_BFS

Brynmawr Foundation School April 2019 Newsletter...

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