18 Jul 2003 - Bryngwyn Matters 29 (Summer 2003)
Good Luck, Health and Happiness
As the school year reaches its close it is time to bid a fond farewell to seven members of the teaching staff.
Miss Kären Haynes who joined us last September as a part time member of the maths/science department has secured a full time job at Glan Afan school, Port Talbot.
Mrs Elizabeth Atkinson who was appointed to the technology department last year in a temporary capacity is also leaving us after a year at Bryngwyn.
Mr Alan Marshall, after two years in the maths department, has decided to leave teaching, at least for the moment, and concentrate on 'travelling the 'world'.
Mrs Glenys Jones, who came out of a previous retirement three years ago to assist us, on a part-time basis, in the English department, has decided to try again. We hope she has greater success this time around.
Now for the three 'old timers'! Dr. Huw Davies, Mr Haydn Jones and Mrs Katrina Jones, who between them, have spent nearly 75 years at Bryngwyn (with the latter two being ever present since the school's inception in 1977), have decided that there is life beyond educating generations of Llanelli children. They are sure to take many fond memories with them and rumour has it that all three will be spending much of their free time compiling a three volume tome entitled 'The life and times at Bryngwyn'. Whether they find a brave enough publisher for their literary masterpiece remains to be seen.
All it remains for us to repeat is Good Luck, Health and Happiness to you all in whatever takes your fancy.
Congratulations
As Mrs Katrina Jones stands down as Head of House we congratulate Miss Angharad Rhisiart on her appointment as the new Head of Lliedi House.
Pupils in Government
Emma Williams and Christopher Cottingham, Year 10, became instant celebrities when they joined sixty other young people from across the county for the inaugural meeting of the County Youth Council.
Carmarthenshire County Council leader Mrs Meryl Gravelle hosted the event, joined by the County Chief Executive Officer, the Lifelong Learning councillor and other Youth Liaison officers from across Wales.
Our County Council is determined to listen to the views of young people and the Bryngwyn duo are just the ones to carry your message forward.
They will attend a residential training course and visit the Welsh Assembly, Houses of Parliament and the EU offices in Strasbourg!
This really is citizenship in action! Democratic Government needs people to be involved at every level and that includes people like us.
Saying No to Smoking
The Tobacco Action Group (TAG) in School has held a Health Awareness event to finish off a successful year of 'Kicking the Habit'.
There were stands giving sun safety advice, no-smoking advice, quizzes, word searches and many prizes to pupils willing to take up a challenge.
The clear message from Bryngwyn pupils to Bryngwyn pupils is that SMOKING KILLS. It's expensive, dangerous and dirty - so why bother?
Charity Appeal
The pupils at the School continue with their excellent record of raising funds for deserving causes. This time around we were presented with a certificate, thanking us for our contribution of £300 for S4C's 2003 Charity Appeal in aid of the two hospices in Wales, Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith.
Aim Higher Roadshow
This roadshow achieved its aim of encouraging pupils to consider higher education and training as an option when it set up shop in Bryngwyn School grounds this term.
A professional travelling trailer was provided by the Welsh Assembly and Nat West Bank and eighty Year 9 pupils started to think about their future in a positive and productive way.
A well informed presenter and cleverly designed video clearly outlined the benefits that gaining further qualifications bring to youngsters entering the job market.
Particularly popular were the laptop computers used to access the interactive web site and the amazing big bean cushions the pupils sat on!
Sporting Digest
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Sally Davies, Year 7, continues to excel in her chosen sport. At the British National Open Individual Championships held in May, Sally walked away with two gold medals. Llanelli's first ever individual title on the national stage in the Free competition was repeated when Sally also claimed the gold medal in the Rope competition.
Rugby
After gaining his county cap this year Jonathan Kearney, Year 10, has been invited to attend the Welsh U'16 training camp this summer.
Swimming
At the West Wales Championships there were some notable performances by our pupils. Rhys Jones (Year 7) won five individual gold medals in the 100 and 200m freestyle, the 200 and 400m Individual Medley and the 100m breaststroke. Christopher Smith (Year 8) won two silver medals in the 200 and 400m backstroke and Tom Simms (Year 8) picked up two relay gold medals.
Athletics
At the Llanelli Schools Championships there were some promising achievements from the following pupils who all went on to represent the area in the Dyfed finals:
Year 7 - Jordon Simmonite (1st-100m ), Luke Lewis (2nd-Javelin).
Year 8 - Daniel Thomas (1st-1500m), Tom Simms (1st-400m), Ben Collard (3rd-javelin)
Year 9 - Tom James (2nd-200m).
Year 10 - Aaron Alldrit (1st High Jump)
Triathlete of the Future
Amy Westcott (Year 8) seems to have all the talent required to become a first class triathlete. After winning the Taff/Ely Aquathon which involved a swim and a run she was second in the Welsh Championship Duathlon which involved a run-cycle-run.
Rock Band of the Future?
Four Year 11 pupils hit the high notes after coming second at the Urdd National Eisteddfod held in Margam Park. The quartet of Phillip Lewis, Andrew Harries, Andrew Evans and Sam Clifton managed to get some practice done between their GCSE revision and performed their own composition in the 14-25 year old Rock Band Ensemble.
Competition and standards were high on the day of competition and the band did exceptionally well to gain the second spot as they competed against musicians from across the principality.
Maths Challenge
The U.K. Mathematics Trust provided their annual challenge in the way of a one hour written paper. Over 300,000 enter the challenge nationally at three levels of entry. Junior (Year 8), Intermediate (Year 11) and Senior. Gold, Silver and Bronze Certificates are awarded for the best performances and the most successful participants are encouraged to enter follow-up competitions.
Set 1 in Year 10 and 11 entered the Intermediate and Set 1 in Year 8 entered the Junior. The number of pupils achieving certificates was an improvement on last year.
Twelve pupils achieved bronze awards, two achieved silver awards and one pupil, Kate Elliot achieved a gold award in the Junior competition. There were thirteen bronze awards, five silver and five gold awards in the intermediate competition with Adam Wilson, Year 11, qualifying for the next round.
SATS Results
The National Key Stage 3 Test Results saw the School once again excelling with all three core subjects being above the National average. In English, 62% of the cohort achieved a level 5 or better. In Science the figure was 66% and new records were set in Maths where 71% of pupils achieved this level.
As the school year reaches its close it is time to bid a fond farewell to seven members of the teaching staff.
Miss Kären Haynes who joined us last September as a part time member of the maths/science department has secured a full time job at Glan Afan school, Port Talbot.
Mrs Elizabeth Atkinson who was appointed to the technology department last year in a temporary capacity is also leaving us after a year at Bryngwyn.
Mr Alan Marshall, after two years in the maths department, has decided to leave teaching, at least for the moment, and concentrate on 'travelling the 'world'.
Mrs Glenys Jones, who came out of a previous retirement three years ago to assist us, on a part-time basis, in the English department, has decided to try again. We hope she has greater success this time around.
Now for the three 'old timers'! Dr. Huw Davies, Mr Haydn Jones and Mrs Katrina Jones, who between them, have spent nearly 75 years at Bryngwyn (with the latter two being ever present since the school's inception in 1977), have decided that there is life beyond educating generations of Llanelli children. They are sure to take many fond memories with them and rumour has it that all three will be spending much of their free time compiling a three volume tome entitled 'The life and times at Bryngwyn'. Whether they find a brave enough publisher for their literary masterpiece remains to be seen.
All it remains for us to repeat is Good Luck, Health and Happiness to you all in whatever takes your fancy.
Congratulations
As Mrs Katrina Jones stands down as Head of House we congratulate Miss Angharad Rhisiart on her appointment as the new Head of Lliedi House.
Pupils in Government
Emma Williams and Christopher Cottingham, Year 10, became instant celebrities when they joined sixty other young people from across the county for the inaugural meeting of the County Youth Council.
Carmarthenshire County Council leader Mrs Meryl Gravelle hosted the event, joined by the County Chief Executive Officer, the Lifelong Learning councillor and other Youth Liaison officers from across Wales.
Our County Council is determined to listen to the views of young people and the Bryngwyn duo are just the ones to carry your message forward.
They will attend a residential training course and visit the Welsh Assembly, Houses of Parliament and the EU offices in Strasbourg!
This really is citizenship in action! Democratic Government needs people to be involved at every level and that includes people like us.
Saying No to Smoking
The Tobacco Action Group (TAG) in School has held a Health Awareness event to finish off a successful year of 'Kicking the Habit'.
There were stands giving sun safety advice, no-smoking advice, quizzes, word searches and many prizes to pupils willing to take up a challenge.
The clear message from Bryngwyn pupils to Bryngwyn pupils is that SMOKING KILLS. It's expensive, dangerous and dirty - so why bother?
Charity Appeal
The pupils at the School continue with their excellent record of raising funds for deserving causes. This time around we were presented with a certificate, thanking us for our contribution of £300 for S4C's 2003 Charity Appeal in aid of the two hospices in Wales, Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith.
Aim Higher Roadshow
This roadshow achieved its aim of encouraging pupils to consider higher education and training as an option when it set up shop in Bryngwyn School grounds this term.
A professional travelling trailer was provided by the Welsh Assembly and Nat West Bank and eighty Year 9 pupils started to think about their future in a positive and productive way.
A well informed presenter and cleverly designed video clearly outlined the benefits that gaining further qualifications bring to youngsters entering the job market.
Particularly popular were the laptop computers used to access the interactive web site and the amazing big bean cushions the pupils sat on!
Sporting Digest
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Sally Davies, Year 7, continues to excel in her chosen sport. At the British National Open Individual Championships held in May, Sally walked away with two gold medals. Llanelli's first ever individual title on the national stage in the Free competition was repeated when Sally also claimed the gold medal in the Rope competition.
Rugby
After gaining his county cap this year Jonathan Kearney, Year 10, has been invited to attend the Welsh U'16 training camp this summer.
Swimming
At the West Wales Championships there were some notable performances by our pupils. Rhys Jones (Year 7) won five individual gold medals in the 100 and 200m freestyle, the 200 and 400m Individual Medley and the 100m breaststroke. Christopher Smith (Year 8) won two silver medals in the 200 and 400m backstroke and Tom Simms (Year 8) picked up two relay gold medals.
Athletics
At the Llanelli Schools Championships there were some promising achievements from the following pupils who all went on to represent the area in the Dyfed finals:
Year 7 - Jordon Simmonite (1st-100m ), Luke Lewis (2nd-Javelin).
Year 8 - Daniel Thomas (1st-1500m), Tom Simms (1st-400m), Ben Collard (3rd-javelin)
Year 9 - Tom James (2nd-200m).
Year 10 - Aaron Alldrit (1st High Jump)
Triathlete of the Future
Amy Westcott (Year 8) seems to have all the talent required to become a first class triathlete. After winning the Taff/Ely Aquathon which involved a swim and a run she was second in the Welsh Championship Duathlon which involved a run-cycle-run.
Rock Band of the Future?
Four Year 11 pupils hit the high notes after coming second at the Urdd National Eisteddfod held in Margam Park. The quartet of Phillip Lewis, Andrew Harries, Andrew Evans and Sam Clifton managed to get some practice done between their GCSE revision and performed their own composition in the 14-25 year old Rock Band Ensemble.
Competition and standards were high on the day of competition and the band did exceptionally well to gain the second spot as they competed against musicians from across the principality.
Maths Challenge
The U.K. Mathematics Trust provided their annual challenge in the way of a one hour written paper. Over 300,000 enter the challenge nationally at three levels of entry. Junior (Year 8), Intermediate (Year 11) and Senior. Gold, Silver and Bronze Certificates are awarded for the best performances and the most successful participants are encouraged to enter follow-up competitions.
Set 1 in Year 10 and 11 entered the Intermediate and Set 1 in Year 8 entered the Junior. The number of pupils achieving certificates was an improvement on last year.
Twelve pupils achieved bronze awards, two achieved silver awards and one pupil, Kate Elliot achieved a gold award in the Junior competition. There were thirteen bronze awards, five silver and five gold awards in the intermediate competition with Adam Wilson, Year 11, qualifying for the next round.
SATS Results
The National Key Stage 3 Test Results saw the School once again excelling with all three core subjects being above the National average. In English, 62% of the cohort achieved a level 5 or better. In Science the figure was 66% and new records were set in Maths where 71% of pupils achieved this level.