Dyffryn School
Newsletter
May 2013 Year 7 Diversity Day On Friday 15th March, Year 7 took part in a Diversity Day organised through Swansea Bay Race Equality Council. Our pupils had the excellent opportunity to try the Brazilian martial art of Capoeira. As well as a range of exciting activities, the pupils had the chance to try some foods such as samosas, pakora, spring rolls and ...bara brith. Most importantly, in addition to trying new experiences, our pupils took part in an anti-discrimination workshop. They learnt how it is important not to discriminate against other people just because they may be different to us. It was heart warming to see Year 7 embrace different cultures with enthusiasm and openness – playing their part in building a peaceful society based on diversity and equality.
Dyffryn School Prom Friday 10th May 2013 Glynclydach Hotel, Neath We all had a fantastic time in the Glynclydach Hotel on Friday night. It was a chance to say goodbye and good luck to Year 11 as they begin their exams, embrace the next stage of their educational career and celebrate their fantastic five years with us. Everyone looked stunning! The venue was fantastic, the buffet delicious and we all had such an amazing time. The girls glistened, sparkled, dazzled and lit up the evening in their beautiful gowns in a rainbow of colours. The boys also adorned some of the latest fashions in smart suits, in a range of colours and styles. The staff looked pretty good as well! We danced all night and enjoyed the chocolate fountain, cup cakes and had our photographs taken. Awards were presented by the prom committee to pupils in the year group for a variety of things. For example; cutest couple, most likely to be Prime minister, most likely to be a model, teachers’ pet, the list goes on. Our Prom King and Queen were Jared Wilkinson and Ellie Morgan. They looked very regal. All pupils behaved impeccably and enjoyed themselves. There were smiles all round and there was a really happy atmosphere. Thank you Year 11.
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I would like to wish Year 11 all the luck in the world for their final examinations. I know that their hard work and revision over the next few weeks will pay off.
THIS IS IT YEAR 11 GO FOR IT FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS Mrs C E Harris Page 3
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Kenfig Nature Reserve On the 7th and 8th June Year 9 pupils visited Kenfig Nature Reserve. The trip was organised to support the pupils through their Nature Reserve project that they will complete this term. They were taken around by education officer, Graham Holmes who has worked there for 16 years! As we walked through the reserve we were shown many different species of plants and animals and discussed how they are adapted to live in each zone of the dune system. There are some clever plants living there including grasses that roll up (to save water) and plants with very hairy leaves (to maintain their temperature)! We all had a great day out!
Saving Energy Key Stage Three Science pupils have been busy creating model houses. The pupils have been studying energy conservation and were asked to design an eco-friendly house. Pupils had to research energy saving products and then calculate costs of insulation products and pay-back calculations.
Uniform Sales School Uniform will be on sale on the following dates: Monday 24th, Tuesday 25th, Wednesday 26th and Thursday 27th June from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Dyffryn Lower School and Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th July from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Dyffryn Upper School. School uniform will be available to pre-order and purchase until Wednesday 31st July. Uniform will NOT be available to purchase during August. However, pre-ordered items may be paid for and collected during August from the Upper School Office. Dyffryn School
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Geography Trip to Sorrento, Italy During the Easter holidays, the Geography department took pupils from the Upper and Lower school to Italy for a 5 day trip. Our adventure started on Monday, 8th April at 6.30 am when we all met up for the coach trip to the airport. After a break in the services (where a certain person fell asleep and was almost locked on the bus) and some duty free shopping at the airport, it was time to board our plane (not before Mrs. McCabe was frisked for a pair of scissors in the first aid kit). After a short flight we landed just in time for our evening meal at our hotel. Our second day was very busy and after an early start we climbed Mt Vesuvius to take a look at the steaming crater. In the afternoon we took a trip to Pompeii where we learnt about life in this settlement and the events that led up to the pyroclastic flow that destroyed everything in its path. We saw many of the ancient buildings (and bodies) preserved from that fateful day when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. It was a very interesting afternoon and we then enjoyed a browse around the stalls for souvenirs (some buying more than others!). After our evening meal we took a walk to the ice cream parlour and tried a range of delicious ice creams. We returned to the hotel for one of Mrs. Harris’ now famous quizzes where the teachers quickly took the lead in the first round. Day three was a trip along the Amalfi Coast. We stopped at Positano for photographs. What a lovely view! Once we Page 5
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arrived a the town of Amalfi we all went off exploring. The bravest of the group went on a boat trip to see the coast line and its features from a different angle. A very choppy sea meant that most of us had to hang on for dear life! In the afternoon, we went to do a spot of shopping in the town of Sorrento. Lots of souvenirs and pizzas were bought! Our evening meal and second round of quizzes got us settled and the teachers continued their admirable lead! On day four we had a fabulous day on the island of Capri. We all dressed up in our best clothes for a posh day out. We took a boat to the island and then small buses to the town which is filled with designers shops and cafes. We found it very hard not to spend too much money here! The chairlift took us up to the very top of the island where we could see all the natural coastal features such as stacks and stumps. After a very long day, it was back to the hotel for our evening meal and a trip to the ice-cream parlour. In the final quiz battle, the year 11 team took the lead and won. Much to the disgust of the teacher’s team. Our last day was another action packed day. We visited a working farm where we learned about how farmers make good use of a very small space. We saw how they made olive oil, mozzarella and Limoncello liqueur and we made pizzas of our own. In the afternoon we visited Solfatara Crater. This is a ground level crater where we saw hot mud puddles and steaming gases. The smell wasn’t great either! Our flight home was that evening and a lot of sleepy pupils and staff arrived back at Dyffryn at 4 am the following morning. We had a brilliant time and it was a once in a lifetime experience. All pupils were brilliantly behaved and a credit to the school. They were also very helpful to the injured member of the group! Thank you to Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Sims and Mrs. McCabe for all their help and hard work too!
Miss Weeks
Annie This year Dyffryn’s annual school production was Annie. In the depths of the 1930s, Annie is a fiery young orphan girl who must live in a miserable orphanage run by the tyrannical Miss Hannigan. Her seemingly hopeless situation changes dramatically when she is selected to spend a short time at the residence of the wealthy munitions industrialist, Oliver Warbucks. Quickly, she charms the hearts of the household staff and even the seemingly cold-hearted Warbucks cannot help but learn to love this wonderful girl. He decides to help Annie find her long lost parents by offering a reward if they would come to him and prove their identity. However, Miss Hannigan, her evil brother, Rooster, and a female accomplice, plan to impersonate those people to get the reward for themselves which put Annie in great danger.
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Being a part of the school productions has been a phenomenal experience that I will never forget. Being a part of such an amazing cast on more than one occasion has allowed me to increase my confidence and make new friends that I’ll never forget. Working with Miss Michael has definitely been a highlight of my time at Dyffryn. I will never forget her amazing attitude to the pupils within the school and the fantastic memories she’s given me that I will always truly cherish. Our times at Dan-y-Coed were memorable where all the pupils came together and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
Corie Haines 11X Dyffryn School
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The Living Rainforest Year 9 pupils enjoyed a snap shot visit to the Tropical Rainforest without having to travel to Brazil. We visited the Living Rainforest in Newbury. It is home to 700 species of plants and animals. Here we experienced the rain, heat, and humidity found in the real rainforest. We were all so excited to see birds, lizards, and butterflies roam freely, as well as a two toed sloth named Cinnamon. Amongst the trees and plants we saw monkeys, toucans, snakes, chameleon and many more creatures. We walked through the rainforest layers and saw plants such as banana, coffee, cocoa and ginger plants. We were able to identify lianas, which are the vines that hitch a ride up the trunk of another tree to get to the sun. We also saw Epiphytes which are plants that live off another plant. In addition to this we were amazed at the drip tips that allow the rainforest to get rid of its excess rainfall. An exciting time was had by all. We ended the trip with a visit to Cribs Causeway in Bristol to study out of town shopping! We finished off the day with some shopping and, of course, a McDonalds!
Mrs. C. Harris
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Past Pupil Takes the Sword of Honour A proud Cwmavon family attended The Royal Military Academy to witness the 171st Sovreign’s Parade when former Dyffryn pupil, Gethin Davies, received the highest accolade on 12th April 2013. The Sovereign’s representative on this occasion was General Sir Nick Parker, KCB., CBE., ADC., accompanied by the Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Major General T. P. Evans, CBE., DSO. Those gathered were entertained by precision marching and formations. This was followed by the Sovereign’s Banner and the Colours being presented. As the ceremonial events proceeded, the Adjutant, astride a white charger, gave the order for Senior Under Officer Gethin G. Davies, a former pupil of Cwmavon Primary School and Dyffryn School to invite and escort General Sir Nick Parker to inspect the parade. This was then followed by a march past and an address by General Sir Nick Parker who congratulated those amongst the parade receiving their commission as officers. It was then announced that the Auspicious Award, The Sword of Honour was to be awarded to SUO Gethin Davies. This is awarded to the Officer Cadet considered by the Commandant to be the best on the course. This is a great honour and a remarkable achievement. More so because, when he was a cadet with 499 (Port Talbot) Squadron, Gethin was awarded the prestigious Dacre Sword in 2009. The Dacre Sword is presented annually to the best male cadet in the Air Training Corps. To be the holder of two swords of honour is remarkable and an extremely unusual achievement. Gethin will be joining the Royal Regiment of Wales and we wish him every success.
News of Past Pupils We are always delighted to hear about the success of our past pupils. If you have any news about previous Dyffryn pupils, please let us know so we can include them in our Newsletters.
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Swansea University ACE Day
On Friday 3rd May 50 Year 9 pupils went to Swansea university to take a tour and gain an experience of further education. Whilst there, pupils took part in various activities such as creating posters for a new society and creating useful products for making students’ lives easier. We also visited the on-campus cinema, sports centre, lecture halls and library. We were guided by students from the Swansea University and Swansea Met. We had a lot of fun and learnt about making choices about further education. Hopefully, many of us will gain entry to a university when we are older. Today certainly encouraged and informed us.
Gethin Taylor and Matthew Sutcliffe, Year 9
Parent Governor Elections The school is looking to appoint two Parent Governors. More information in the Autumn Term.
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ESDGC Newsflash! Did you know that many of the activities going on in the school are linked to ESDGC? ESDGC stands for Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship. It’s all about being part of our community and living in a way that has a minimal impact on the environment. It is very important that we learn about our local and global environment and become good citizens in our community.
trip to the Living Rainforest in Newbury. The Science department have also looked at ways that we can save energy and pupils have had the opportunity to design and build their own ecofriendly houses. Pupils from Years 8 - 11 had a great experience in Italy where they soaked up the local culture and learnt about the tectonic forces and coastal formations in this beautiful part of the world.
Year 7 have had the opportunity to learn about other cultures through their Diversity Day where they participated in African drumming and Brazilian marshal arts! They also learned about understanding the differences between people through antidiscrimination workshops.
The School Production proved to be another hit again this year and was an excellent example of pupils being given the chance to perform for the wider community. These activities give our pupils great experiences and opportunities to learn about communities and sustainable living without even knowing about it!
Year 9 have had lots of opportunities to look at different environments at home and further afield through their Science trips to Kenfig Nature Reserve and their Geography
For more information on ESDGC, see the notice boards outside GR1 and GR2 in the Upper School.
Measles As you already know our area is experiencing the biggest outbreak of Measles in a decade. Some children have been seriously ill and we are afraid that it might only be a matter of time before we have cases with serious complications. There are now over 1,000 reported cases of Measles in our local area. Please be vigilant in monitoring any symptoms and seeking immediate medial advice. Please keep the school informed if you suspect your child has measles and notify us immediately should a case be confirmed. Measles is a serious illness that can kill. The only way to protect your child is with the MMR vaccination. If you know that your child did not have two MMRs in the past, make contact with your GP now and ask for your child to be immunised urgently. Please use the half term break to make sure your child is vaccinated and protected.
Dyffryn School
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Dyffryn School Newsletter Dyffryn Upper School, Bertha Road, Margam, Port Talbot. SA13 2AN Phone: 01639 760110 Fax: 01639 760111 Dyffryn Lower School, Talcennau Road, Port Talbot. SA13 1EP Phone: 01639 760112 Fax: 01639 760113
Headteacher’s Message
The exam season is now underway! As well as GCSEs for Years 10 and 11, there have also been the new Literacy and Numeracy tests for Years 7, 8 and 9. Everyone, it seems, is doing tests or exams. How refreshing, then, to read in this edition of all the other activities taking place that enrich the learning of our children. While we believe that exams are very important, we are also convinced that the best preparation must include a rich variety of experiences . I am delighted to see teachers in this school are working hard to provide these opportunities for all our children.
E-mail: dyffrynschool@npted.org Website: www.dyffrynschool.co.uk
Martin Grimes
Summer Term Diary Please note that Monday 3rd June is NOT an INSET Day and pupils should be in school as normal Monday 27th to Friday 31st May
HALF TERM HOLIDAY
Monday 3rd June
School re-starts for all pupils
Thursday 13th June
Year 8 Parents’ Evening
Wednesday 19th to Friday 21st June
Year 10 Examinations
Monday 24th to Friday 28th June
Year 10 Controlled Assessments
Monday 24th to Friday 28th June
Year 7, 8 and 9 Examinations
Tuesday 2nd July
Annual Summer Concert
Wednesday 3rd July
Year 10 Diversity Day
Monday 8th to Friday 19th July
Year 10 Work Experience
Monday 8th July
Year 9 Awards
Tuesday 9th July
Year 8 Awards
Wednesday 10th July
Year 7 Awards
Thursday 11th July
Sports Day
Monday 15th July
Year 7 and 8 Oakwood Trip
Monday 15th to Tuesday 23rd July
End of Term Activities
Friday 19th July
Eisteddfod
Monday 22nd July
End of Term
Tuesday 23rd July
INSET Day
Monday 2nd and Tuesday 3rd September
INSET Days
Wednesday 4th September
School re-starts for all pupils