School news from classrooms in Wrexham and Flintshire

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Children at Ysgol Y Waun with their conservation award.

Ysgol Y Waun, Gwernaffield

The Flintshire primary school scooped a top conservation award at Chester Zoo's annual Conservation Schools Awards, recognising those who go above and beyond to educate the next generation about conservation.

Ysgol Y Waun were winners of the 2023 Outstanding Conservation School - Primary School award, with a fantastic project titled 'Animals In Danger,' focusing on orangutans and sustainable palm oil. The school used the mantle of the expert methodology, with the pupils becoming explorers, making it their mission to research orangutans, their habitat and the threat to their environment.

The pupils were keen to understand how they could make a difference. Holding assemblies with the wider community, where the children shared their knowledge. The pupils felt so passionately about their topic that they raised funds and were able to adopt an orangutan at Chester Zoo and with WWF.

Ysgol Y Waun has fully embraced conservation at its heart. The nominating individual described the lasting impact their work has had on the the youngsters: "Pupils are now making conscious choices with regards to recycling and purchasing items containing palm oil."

Representatives from Ysgol Y Waun attended the event, held at The Square at Chester Zoo, and were thrilled to receive this recognition. Louise Ankers, headteacher expressed how thrilled she was of this achievement for the children and staff, adding: "The topic of conservation is such an important one and is in the news all the time. Our children are so passionate about it at a local and global level."

The school are committed to continue to educate their pupils about conservation and biodiversity with further projects planned in the future.

Ysgol Penygelli pupils with the school's recent report.

Ysgol Penygelli, Coedpoeth

Pupils and staff at the Wrexham primary school are really proud of the recent Estyn report they received from the inspection team who visited them in May. The happy, supportive ethos of the school and exemplary behaviour of the children was highlighted in the report. Da iawn Penygelli!

Holt CP School, Wrexham

The school has reason to celebrate, after winning the Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award.

Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award for Holt CP School.

The objective of the Siarter Iaith (Language Charter) is to provide a clear framework, which can be used to promote and increase the use of Welsh by children and staff in school.

The Charter's main aim is to promote a strong Welsh ethos in school and to provide a range of enriching activities so the children enjoy learning Welsh.

Headteacher Melanie Sturt said: "The Criw Cymraeg (Welsh Crew) are instrumental in leading and driving the Language Charter forward, and with support from teacher Sharon Piggott they have worked so hard.

"To achieve the bronze award we followed targets in connection with promoting the use of the Welsh language, and collected a range of evidence in a portfolio. We will now continue this by working towards the Silver Award!"

There was yet another cause for celebration after the school received a great competition result.

Holt CP School were the Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative competition winners.

With the Curriculum for Wales having a major focus on Cynefin (which translates into 'place' or 'habitat') staff felt it was very important for pupils to learn about some local history and the importance of their environment.

Made aware of the Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative competition, they decided to enter. Each year the Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative committee invites all schools in Wales to enter heritage projects in a nationwide competition, and the projects require research, analysis and evaluation and communication skills.

The whole school project was entitled 'It's Not Just Jam', and was based on the Bellis Brothers Farm Shop and Garden Centre in Holt, and their effort during the war.

Mrs Piggott worked closely with Bellis' and linked the learning to every area of the curriculum. Pupils created a beautiful display in the school hall and the children spoke with enthusiasm to the judge.

They went on to be awarded a prize and were invited to a ceremony in Llanberis slate quarry earlier this month. The 'It's Not Just Jam' project was the overall winner in the whole school category, with Henry, Florence and Heidi, who represented the school, being awarded £550.

Ysgol Rhiwabon, Wrexham

Earlier this month the school held its Eisteddfod, a celebration of Welsh culture through music, song, poetry and language.

The four competing houses, Wynnstay, Madoc, Offa and Glyndwr, entered both offstage and onstage competitions to win points to secure the house cup.

From left: Jemima Edwards (Offa House) - Eisteddfod Chair Winner; Jonah Jones (Offa House) - Y8 Welsh learner of the year; Emily Stephenson (Wynnstay House) - Challenge Solo Winner, Solo Winner.

Competitors took part in competitions as varied as Welsh poetry recital, challenge solo, piano solo, designing their own castles and recital of mathematics Pi!

The event was a display of the school's diverse range of talents, and a celebration of the hard work put in by all students this year. The day culminated in the chairing of the school Bard. The historic ceremony was undertaken with the school sword and chair, which date back well over 100 years, keeping school traditions alive.

Jemima Edwards, Year 7 of Offa house, won the Chair with a rousing poem created under the Eisteddfod theme 'Cynefin'.

From left: Noah Thomas (Wynnstay House) - Welsh Script recital winner, Drama Script Winner; Summer Evans (Glynd?r House - Y7 Welsh learner of the year: Coby Jones (Offa House) - Piano Solo Winner.

The house cup was secured by Wynnstay, and the event was closed with a rousing 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'.

The Curriculum Leader for Welsh, Miss R Williams said,

"The Eisteddfod was a fantastic experience for younger learners at the school who really embraced the Welsh language and the longstanding Eisteddfod traditions. It's important we grow these school cultural events and we look forward to building on the success of this year's Eisteddfod".

Dee Valley Federation

Ysgol Froncysyllte and Ysgol Y Garth, part of the Dee Valley Federation, have had some brilliant news to finish the end of the year.

Through a thorough verification process, both schools have achieved the Bronze Award for Cymraeg Campus.

Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award for Ysgol Froncysyllte.

Cymraeg Campus is a Language Charter which aims to inspire children and young people to use the Welsh language in all aspects of their lives.

Both pupils and staff were very proud of this achievement and will begin the process of achieving the Silver award in the new term in September.

Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award for Ysgol Y Garth.

Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award for Ysgol Froncysyllte.

Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award for Ysgol Y Garth.

Ysgol Clywedog, Wrexham

It was all hands on deck for the secondary school's performances of their show, Murdered To Death, a spoof homage of Agatha Christie-style whodunnits.

As well as directing and stage managing of the show, even subject leader for drama at the school, Stephen Witherden, had to tread the boards, standing in for an absent pupil, cram-learning lines in preparation from the night before.

The shows have been very well attended, and have been popularly received and acclaimed.

Taylor Hill went to the show and said: "Whilst it has been years since my children went to the school, I have lived on Bryn Offa for many years and it was only a short walk to attend.

"The drama department there have really excelled themselves yet again, as they produced some fabulous plays in the past (I saw their productions of Our Day Out and The Wizard of Oz). Much smaller cast this time, including two teachers but a smaller cast means each student has to work harder and these students were all young. Fantastic."

Full dress rehearsal staged as an afternoon reward for Year 9s with the best attendance at Ysgol Clywedog.

Another to enjoy the show was Megan Bywater, who added: "As a family friend of a parent of a cast member, I went along to support her.

"It was a fantastic night out and the kids had all of us in the audience in stitches. It was a funny play but it was made funnier by the outstanding acting and delivery of the lines from the kids."

Also enjoying the team's full dress and technical rehearsal, as a reward, were Year 9 students who had the best attendance.

As an unexpected bonus, the show also saw a profit for the school. Mr Witherden said: "As a school play, we're not massively interested in making a profit, we just want the show to pay for itself. However, the good thing about a profit, is that this will mean we can begin our next play for 2024, without having to first start fundraising, before we actually commence the drama side of the project."

St Mary's Brymbo

The robotics competition team from St Mary's Brymbo.

Pupils from the Wrexham primary school entered a robotics competition open to all primary and secondary schools in Wales.

St Mary's made it all the way to the final in Llandudno held at Venue Cymru, where they placed fourth. Well done all!