11 Apr 2003 - Bryngwyn Matters 28 (Easter 2003)
Last Lap
Next term will represent the end of an era for two long-standing members of staff. Counting down the days, if not the hours, to their retirement, Dr Huw Davies and Mrs Katrina Jones are actively working out how to make the most of Monday 1 September 2003, particularly, when all the other members of staff will be in school preparing for the year ahead as usual.
Oxford Day Dream
A day amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford and its university colleges was a reality for twenty gifted Year 9 pupils in late March.
Invited to the University by Paul Musselwhite, former Bryngwyn Head Boy, the cleverly crafted day began with an introduction 'What is university all about?', followed by an informative Higher Education Quiz.
Next came a walk across the park to Oxford's Natural History Museum - in reality a giant university classroom. There, amongst the fossil bones of dinosaurs and myriads of insects, was Oliver Brown, a genial genius with a David Bellamy style of delivery who had Lucy Jenkins, Kathryn Lloyd and Lewis Davies holding the largest live cockroaches that anyone had ever seen!
A good lunch in an oak panelled refectory was followed by a scavenger hunt across the city where pupils toured colleges, photographing selected features. A truly memorable day that surely sowed the seeds of future applications to Oxford University by some Bryngwyn pupils.
Early GCSE Success
There were plenty of smiling faces in Mrs Karen Taylor's Year 11 Maths set when they received the results in January of their GCSE maths exam that they sat in November 2002. With all achieving at least a C grade, they now have one less exam to worry about in the summer term and can concentrate on their other subjects.
Sporting Digest
Medals Galore
Eleanor Young, Year 10, has had a very successful Spring term. Representing Dyfed at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in Brecon, Eleanor picked up a gold medal in the relay and a bronze medal in the two lap event. A further two bronze medals were won at the National Club Championships in Cardiff in the 60m and long jump. Later this month Eleanor will represent Wales at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
West Wales Cap
Jonathan Kearney, Year 10, was selected to play for the victorious West Wales U'15 rugby team against South West Wales (Swansea/ Swansea Valley/Neath and Aberavon) on 2 April, winning 26 -20.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Following her selection for the British Championships in December, Sally Davies, Year 7, has now been invited to join the U'12 British Squad as part of their 'World Class Start' programme. This involves attending four 5 day training camps over the next 6 months with a view to preparation for international competition.
U'19 Welsh Squad
Sophie Davies, Year 11, a mere 'pup' at sixteen, has been selected for the Welsh U'19 Elite Netball squad. Being eligible for the next two years, this gives Sophie plenty of time to hone her skills to perfection.
Swimming
Six swimmers qualified for the finals of the National Urdd competition in Bangor on 25 January. Scott Thomas (Year 11) Carley Hughes, Chris Smith, (Year 8) and Rhys Jones (Year 7) did very well in their individual events, but the highlight was our lower school relay team consisting of Tom Simms, Chris Smith and Carwyn and Rhys Jones who came second in both the medley and freestyle relay events.
It's Good To Talk
Representing Bryngwyn at this year's Youth Speaks debating competition were Anne Marie Brookes, Carly Rees and Cerith Jones. Competing against the rest of the Llanelli schools our team debated the motion - 'Genetic engineering is a curse not a cure-all.' Chairman of the judges Mr Byron Samuel stated that the quality of all the debating was first class again this year.
Oxbridge Success
What is now becoming an annual event, the School was once again delighted to hear that two of its former pupils have been offered a place to study at one of the 'Big Two'. Hannah Roberts is currently studying at Coleg Sir Gār and has been offered a place to read History at Jesus College, Oxford and Andrew Lawler has been offered a place at Fitzwilliam College, Oxford to read Archaeology and Anthropology.
Maths Revision
Thirty Year 11 pupils resisted the temptation to stay at home and watch the Welsh rugby team taking on France and the Welsh football team dispatching Azerbaijan, in favour of 8½ hours intensive maths revision. Seven staff from the maths department also gave of their time to deliver the tuition free of charge on the Pibwrlwyd campus of Coleg Sir Gār.
Army Challenge
Miss Helen Dagless took a team of ten Year 10 pupils to the show ground in Carmarthen to participate in an army 'Motivation Day' in March. Made up of a series of team building activities, organised and run on an 'It's a Knockout' basis, our team, with plenty of good ideas from Alec Thomas, came a creditable third out of the nine competing schools, and just missed out on representing Carmarthenshire in the next round by one place.
Dydd Gwyl Dewi
Unfortunately the school celebrations of our patron saint were much reduced this year. But this didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the participating pupils as they performed in front of their Year group audiences in the drama hall. Sophie Nurse (Year 11), won the English Chair and Nathan Mullock (Year 10), the Welsh Chair and two teams and one individual went on to represent the School in the Urdd district dance Eisteddfod and soloists and duets from Years 7 and 10 competed in the Urdd district music Eisteddfod at Ysgol y Strade on 6 and 7 March respectively.
World Book Day
World book day was celebrated on 6 March by two separate events in school. In the learning support department, pupils from Years 7 and 8 made a giant bookworm and miniature books of their own as well as reading and sharing their favourite books.
The English department distributed £1 book tokens to pupils. At lunch time pupils dressed up as their favourite characters from literature and held a fun-packed book quiz, with specialist rounds based on the 'Harry Potter' series and 'Lord of the Rings'. The overall winner being Gareth Richards of Year 8.
Year 11 Prom
The School Prom this year took place in the grand setting of Craig Y Nos castle in the upper reaches of the Swansea Valley. Nearly 150 pupils were immaculately turned out in their finery to enjoy a thoroughly good evening with their respective form tutors, Head of Year, Mr Kelly, and senior staff. The 'Prom King and Queen 2003' were chosen and crowned during the evening.
(See pics on calendar)
Boungiorno Italia
For the first time in over 10 years, Bryngwyn is running a skiing trip. Departing on 12 April Mr Terry Jones, together with Mr Goronwy Owen, Mrs Sharon Griffiths and Miss Helen Dagless will be taking a party of 41 pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 to Tonale in the Italian Dolomites. Buon vacanze.
Winners at Last
After 3 years as runners up in the Coleg Sir Gār Llanelli Schools' inter-school quiz, Bryngwyn finally ran out winners on 8 April. The team of Molly Jones, Year7, Gareth Richards, Year 8, Kate Edwards, Year 9 and Tom Platt, Year 10, won convincingly after an impressive 10 rounds.
and finally :
Happy Easter Everyone
Next term will represent the end of an era for two long-standing members of staff. Counting down the days, if not the hours, to their retirement, Dr Huw Davies and Mrs Katrina Jones are actively working out how to make the most of Monday 1 September 2003, particularly, when all the other members of staff will be in school preparing for the year ahead as usual.
Oxford Day Dream
A day amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford and its university colleges was a reality for twenty gifted Year 9 pupils in late March.
Invited to the University by Paul Musselwhite, former Bryngwyn Head Boy, the cleverly crafted day began with an introduction 'What is university all about?', followed by an informative Higher Education Quiz.
Next came a walk across the park to Oxford's Natural History Museum - in reality a giant university classroom. There, amongst the fossil bones of dinosaurs and myriads of insects, was Oliver Brown, a genial genius with a David Bellamy style of delivery who had Lucy Jenkins, Kathryn Lloyd and Lewis Davies holding the largest live cockroaches that anyone had ever seen!
A good lunch in an oak panelled refectory was followed by a scavenger hunt across the city where pupils toured colleges, photographing selected features. A truly memorable day that surely sowed the seeds of future applications to Oxford University by some Bryngwyn pupils.
Early GCSE Success
There were plenty of smiling faces in Mrs Karen Taylor's Year 11 Maths set when they received the results in January of their GCSE maths exam that they sat in November 2002. With all achieving at least a C grade, they now have one less exam to worry about in the summer term and can concentrate on their other subjects.
Sporting Digest
Medals Galore
Eleanor Young, Year 10, has had a very successful Spring term. Representing Dyfed at the National Indoor Athletics Championships in Brecon, Eleanor picked up a gold medal in the relay and a bronze medal in the two lap event. A further two bronze medals were won at the National Club Championships in Cardiff in the 60m and long jump. Later this month Eleanor will represent Wales at the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham.
West Wales Cap
Jonathan Kearney, Year 10, was selected to play for the victorious West Wales U'15 rugby team against South West Wales (Swansea/ Swansea Valley/Neath and Aberavon) on 2 April, winning 26 -20.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Following her selection for the British Championships in December, Sally Davies, Year 7, has now been invited to join the U'12 British Squad as part of their 'World Class Start' programme. This involves attending four 5 day training camps over the next 6 months with a view to preparation for international competition.
U'19 Welsh Squad
Sophie Davies, Year 11, a mere 'pup' at sixteen, has been selected for the Welsh U'19 Elite Netball squad. Being eligible for the next two years, this gives Sophie plenty of time to hone her skills to perfection.
Swimming
Six swimmers qualified for the finals of the National Urdd competition in Bangor on 25 January. Scott Thomas (Year 11) Carley Hughes, Chris Smith, (Year 8) and Rhys Jones (Year 7) did very well in their individual events, but the highlight was our lower school relay team consisting of Tom Simms, Chris Smith and Carwyn and Rhys Jones who came second in both the medley and freestyle relay events.
It's Good To Talk
Representing Bryngwyn at this year's Youth Speaks debating competition were Anne Marie Brookes, Carly Rees and Cerith Jones. Competing against the rest of the Llanelli schools our team debated the motion - 'Genetic engineering is a curse not a cure-all.' Chairman of the judges Mr Byron Samuel stated that the quality of all the debating was first class again this year.
Oxbridge Success
What is now becoming an annual event, the School was once again delighted to hear that two of its former pupils have been offered a place to study at one of the 'Big Two'. Hannah Roberts is currently studying at Coleg Sir Gār and has been offered a place to read History at Jesus College, Oxford and Andrew Lawler has been offered a place at Fitzwilliam College, Oxford to read Archaeology and Anthropology.
Maths Revision
Thirty Year 11 pupils resisted the temptation to stay at home and watch the Welsh rugby team taking on France and the Welsh football team dispatching Azerbaijan, in favour of 8½ hours intensive maths revision. Seven staff from the maths department also gave of their time to deliver the tuition free of charge on the Pibwrlwyd campus of Coleg Sir Gār.
Army Challenge
Miss Helen Dagless took a team of ten Year 10 pupils to the show ground in Carmarthen to participate in an army 'Motivation Day' in March. Made up of a series of team building activities, organised and run on an 'It's a Knockout' basis, our team, with plenty of good ideas from Alec Thomas, came a creditable third out of the nine competing schools, and just missed out on representing Carmarthenshire in the next round by one place.
Dydd Gwyl Dewi
Unfortunately the school celebrations of our patron saint were much reduced this year. But this didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the participating pupils as they performed in front of their Year group audiences in the drama hall. Sophie Nurse (Year 11), won the English Chair and Nathan Mullock (Year 10), the Welsh Chair and two teams and one individual went on to represent the School in the Urdd district dance Eisteddfod and soloists and duets from Years 7 and 10 competed in the Urdd district music Eisteddfod at Ysgol y Strade on 6 and 7 March respectively.
World Book Day
World book day was celebrated on 6 March by two separate events in school. In the learning support department, pupils from Years 7 and 8 made a giant bookworm and miniature books of their own as well as reading and sharing their favourite books.
The English department distributed £1 book tokens to pupils. At lunch time pupils dressed up as their favourite characters from literature and held a fun-packed book quiz, with specialist rounds based on the 'Harry Potter' series and 'Lord of the Rings'. The overall winner being Gareth Richards of Year 8.
Year 11 Prom
The School Prom this year took place in the grand setting of Craig Y Nos castle in the upper reaches of the Swansea Valley. Nearly 150 pupils were immaculately turned out in their finery to enjoy a thoroughly good evening with their respective form tutors, Head of Year, Mr Kelly, and senior staff. The 'Prom King and Queen 2003' were chosen and crowned during the evening.
(See pics on calendar)
Boungiorno Italia
For the first time in over 10 years, Bryngwyn is running a skiing trip. Departing on 12 April Mr Terry Jones, together with Mr Goronwy Owen, Mrs Sharon Griffiths and Miss Helen Dagless will be taking a party of 41 pupils from Years 7, 8 and 9 to Tonale in the Italian Dolomites. Buon vacanze.
Winners at Last
After 3 years as runners up in the Coleg Sir Gār Llanelli Schools' inter-school quiz, Bryngwyn finally ran out winners on 8 April. The team of Molly Jones, Year7, Gareth Richards, Year 8, Kate Edwards, Year 9 and Tom Platt, Year 10, won convincingly after an impressive 10 rounds.
and finally :
Happy Easter Everyone