Dear Parent/Guardian,
At the end of another busy school year, it is a privilege to have the opportunity on behalf of my fellow governors to share some comments in this foreword. As governors we are fortunate to be able to see and experience all the improvements that are happening across the school. Indeed, it was a privilege, along with pride, to note the progress in many areas of the curriculum. As governors we have been involved in learning trips, scrutinizing books and listening to the voice of the pupils through the School Council, the Eco Council and in conversations with a cross section of pupils of all ages.
It goes without saying that there is more to the development of the confident pupil and extracurricular activities are an essential part of school life and to the development of every pupil. A number of the pupils competed in the Urdd eisteddfod and also in the world of sport where there was considerable success. Several pupils visited camps in Pentywyn, Llangrannog and at the Urdd center in Cardiff Bay - unforgettable experiences.
The pupils benefit greatly in the outside area, which now includes the teepee, the vegetable and flower garden and also the polytunnel. A special opportunity for the pupils to understand the work of nature and growth and how to nurture and care for the produce of the garden. During the year the "big food box" was launched which has been very successful where some of the produce from the garden has been sell them.
During the year the Headteacher, Mrs Clwyd Davies was allowed to take a period of secondment. Mrs Helen Garland, the Deputy Head was asked to step up as Acting Head, with the approval of the Governing Body. We must thank her for the commendable work she has done to ensure good leadership and maintain the expected standards. As a Governing Body we are proud of the quality, enthusiasm and dedication of all the teaching staff where the education and welfare of the children is a constant priority. Also to the assistants for their support and willingness to go the extra mile. Indeed, the success of a school depends on all its stakeholders and we are lucky in our caretaker, the cleaners and the kitchen staff.
The Governing Body is still fighting for a purpose built new building which has been promised by the County Council for many years. We are still pressing County officials for an update, but have not received any concrete news so far.
Looking ahead to the new academic year we are aware that the pressure on education services is increasing more and more and each school is responsible for keeping a close eye on the school's finances. Our main priority as Governors will be to ensure that this squeeze does not affect the standards and progress and that the welfare and safety of the children is paramount.
We look forward to seeing and experiencing the success of all the pupils to achieve their full potential within a happy school where respect for each individual is important.
Yours faithfully,
Michael Bassett
Chair of the Governing Body
There is a cross-section of the local community on the school's body of governors and the Chair is elected at the beginning of each new academic year. The full governing body meets once each term and the Headteacher prepares a detailed report for them.
When it is necessary to elect parent governors, digital election forms are distributed to all parents in the school and when there is more than one nomination an election is held. Parents nominate and elect parent governors and they represent parents' views on the body.
If you have any queries or comments that you would like to share with the governing body, please feel free to write to the Chair by letter or email admin@dewisant.ysgolccc.cymru We welcome your contribution at all times.
An annual parents' meeting is no longer held, unless parents wish to hold a meeting. Three meetings can be held each year by submitting a petition with 10% of the school's parents' signatures and an explanation as to why they want to hold a meeting.
Miss E Phelps
Miss R Evans
Miss S Johnson
Mrs E McAvoy
Miss K Necke
Miss A Jones
Miss E Roberts
Mr R Llewelyn
Mrs E Owen
Mrs C Davies
Mrs S McCue
Miss K Thompson
Mrs C Montinaro
Mrs L Ashford
Mrs G Rees
Miss M Fisher
Mrs S Arthur
Miss A Rees
Mrs G Griffiths
Mrs S Hanbury
Miss M Davies (A)
Mrs A Osbourne-Yip
Miss J Hopkins (A)
Miss A Morgan
Mrs R Peregrine
Mrs E Griffiths
Mrs K Hillier
Mrs B Pound
Mrs D Phillips
Mrs R Purdue
Miss C Arthur
Miss A James
Miss E Latham
Mrs H K Thomas
Mrs G Bowen
Mrs A James
Mr J Morgan
Miss S Rees
Mr P Shingler
Mr R Walters
Mrs G Conock-Evans
Mrs H Evans
Mrs S Hanbury
Miss J Hopkins (A)
Mrs A Osbourne-Yip
Miss M Davies(A)
Miss A Morgan
Mrs R Peregrine
Mrs K Hillier
Mrs B Pound
Mrs D Phillips
Mrs R Purdue
Miss C Arthur
Miss A James
Miss E Latham
Mrs H K Thomas
Miss M Fisher
Welsh is the official language of Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant. Pupils are taught entirely through the medium of Welsh until they start in year 3, when English is introduced as part of the Languages, Literacy and Communication area of learning and experience. Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant is a designated Welsh school and all assemblies, meetings or activities are held before, during and after school hours through the medium of Welsh for all pupils and staff. We aim to ensure that every child is fluently bilingual by the time they leave school and our pupils are expected to continue their education through the medium of Welsh after transferring to their secondary schools.
We are here to support children and young people with additional learning needs by promoting achievement and well-being for all. The system for supporting children and young people with additional educational needs and disability in Wales has changed. The Welsh Government has introduced a more flexible and responsive system of meeting the needs of children and young people with additional educational needs or disabilities and is striving to provide a fully inclusive education system for Welsh learners. The new Additional Learning Needs system has been gradually introduced from September 2021.
Our intention is to give every child the opportunity to develop to their full potential, bearing in mind the needs and abilities of the individual. For the majority of pupils, those needs are met in the classroom. However, we recognize that a small number of children need additional support. We believe that early identification and appropriate intervention improve the expectations of children with Additional Learning Needs. Our aim is to create a school environment that fosters encouragement, acceptance, respect and sensitivity so that all children with Additional Learning Needs can experience success in accordance with their own individual limitations. We have a number of support strategies that can be designed to meet the needs of an individual child, including the needs of Looked After Children. If necessary, we will seek professional support from external agencies in order to fully meet the child's needs.
Miss Elliw Roberts is the school's additional learning needs co-ordinator.
We follow tight security arrangements on a daily basis. The Local Authority's risk assessments were adopted and acted upon in order to comply with their guidelines. Health and safety meetings are occasionally attended. Annual surveys are made of equipment and of the site.
The school promotes the importance of a healthy lifestyle and it is included in the education within the classes. We have a Healthy School Council which includes elected pupils who meet regularly to discuss issues on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. We encourage children to bring a healthy packed lunch to school and fruit as a snack, and the school's lunch menu is in line with the Local Authority's healthy eating provision.
Our prospectus can be read on the school's website. The school's policies and strategies have been reviewed in response to changes in the curriculum.
The school has six blocks of toilets for the pupils and five toilets for staff which includes one disabled toilet. The facilities are cleaned daily by the Education Authority's cleaning service.
Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant is a happy, lively and welcoming school where everyone is seen working together to provide a variety of experiences and a range of opportunities with the aim of laying a solid foundation for each child's future.
We inspire our pupils by presenting a broad and exciting curriculum. Our aim is to encourage all pupils to build self-confidence in their personal ability: we have high expectations which place emphasis on everyone to try their very best.
Children learn best when they feel happy and safe so all the school staff are dedicated to supporting our pupils and their families to ensure they are ready and able to learn. We aim to ensure that the pupils' learning experiences are relevant, exciting and purposeful and are based on developing basic skills.
We promote a positive ethos and a friendly and welcoming atmosphere that encourages confident and healthy pupils. We develop lifelong learners who are curious and resourceful and value the moral values of our nation and the world. They will practice the core values of the School which is to be proud of their Welshness, show respect and be ambitious in order to develop into principled and informed citizens..
Our Values
Respect and Trust
Welfare and Care
Happiness and Enjoyment
Resilience and Confidence
Wales and Welshness
Community and Habitat
Risk taking and Innovation
Support and Collaboration
There are four purposes at the heart of all the school's activity in order to give every child the opportunity to develop into:
Ambitious, capable learners who are ready to learn throughout their lives.
Enterprising, creative contributors who are ready to play their full part in their life and work.
Principled, informed citizens who are ready to be citizens in Wales and the world.
Healthy, confident individuals who are ready to live life realizing their aspirations as valuable members of society.
Pupils are taught mainly through inquiries and questions, where pupils' literacy, numeracy and digital competence skills are developed, together with their understanding and knowledge, cross-curricularly. The welfare of the pupils is included in planning and the basis of the activity is the statements within the six areas of learning and experience, namely:
Expressive arts
Health and well being
Humanities (including Religious Education which should remain compulsory until age 16)
Languages, literacy and communication (including modern foreign languages in Wales, which should remain compulsory until the age of 16)
Mathematics and numeracy
Science and technology (including computer science).
We assess and track the pupils' progress in every aspect of their work and constructive feedback is provided to pupils on their attainment regarding purposeful opportunities for them to respond to the teachers' feedback in order to improve their work and their attainment.
Pupils of the school are taught per curricular year.
The development plan addresses the priorities arising from the school's self-evaluation procedures, national and local priorities together with an analysis of pupils' progress and standards. The school follows a robust self-evaluation system in order to identify strengths, areas of improvement and the way forward and the Governing Body is also part of monitoring the school's progress.
Refine teaching to enable pupils to be more inquisitive and independent in what they learn and how they learn.
Raising the standards of pupils' Digital Competence skills and their ability to use them across all areas of learning and experience at an appropriate challenge level.
Developing children's writing skills by extending and promoting their learning experiences across the curriculum by using oral and reading skills as a tool to develop writing skills.
The school has a child protection policy which is based on national guidelines. The designated staff members for child protection are: Mrs H Garland, Mrs S Davies and Mrs G Griffiths. There are also designated members of the governing body with responsibility for safeguarding and protecting children.
There is one secondary school within our catchment area where our pupils continue their education at the end of year 6, namely Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade. The pupils have transition sessions during year 6 in order to familiarise themselves with their new school. Parents are required to apply online for a secondary school place for their child. Full details can be found on the Carmarthenshire County Council website.
Opening of our 'Big Bocs Bwyd'
Presentations from 'Walk the Bible'
Monthly assemblies by Tabernacle
Year 10 Strade pupils on work experience at the school
Rugby sessions by the 'Scarlets'
Games and skill sessions by Coleg Sir Gar
Year 6 visits to Strade Comprehensive School
Visits to Llanelli Library
Pupils visiting Ty Mair home
Heol Goffa School pupils leading fitness sessions
Numerous trips to the Local area in order to enrich our class work
Governing Body termly meetings
Governing Body sub-committee meetings
Visits to the school by members of the Governing Body
Presence of governors in school activities
Reports presented by governors
Set individual targets for pupils
An opportunity for parents to see their child's school work
Discuss and report progress
Big Bocs Bwyd
Visits to Tŷ Mair Home
Rugby skills sessions by the Scarlets
HSBC - 'Money Matters'
Visits by PC Ali
Visits of the Fire brigade
Physical Sessions by Heol Goffa School
'Cwis Dim Clem'
Raising money for Children in Need, the Red Poppy Appeal and Red Nose Day
Collaboration with Llanelli Library - Create a Podcast
Junior Traders Project - Llanelli Town
Cross Country (Pembrey)
Football Tournament
Rugby Tournament
Cricket Competition
Rugby skills sessions by the Scarlets
Swimming lessons
School Sports
Cardiff
Pendine
Folly Farm
Techniquest
San Ffagan
Heatherton
Llandysul Paddlers
Hwyl Dewi club
'Mad Science'
Yr Urdd club
Sport and PE club
Harvest Service/assembly
Christmas show
Eisteddfod YrUrdd
Class assemblies
Year 6 leavers assembly/presentation
'Taith yr Iaith'
'The Little Green Man' show
It is a pleasure to contribute to this report, which is a summary of the highlights of the last year at the school. As you can see, a wide variety of different activities were held across the board in order to provide a range of rich experiences for our pupils. We are proud as a school and I extend my sincere thanks to all of the staff who have ensured that these experiences are possible. Thank you also to parents for your continued support for our pupils and their busyness. The close and successful collaboration between us all is key for us to succeed in doing what we do.
It was a busy year across the school once again. We further developed our external area and the launch of our Big Bocs Bwyd in order to further support our families. Year 6 pupils researched and filmed a documentary about the history of some of Llanelli's most historic locations with Mrs E Owen leading the project. We look forward to launch the document this year. Our connections in the wider community are very important to us and we appreciate each one especially the success of the Year 6 pupils in winning the first prize in this year's Llanelli Town Junior Traders Project.
It was also a busy year of performances again - on stages and on fields, locally and nationally. I am proud to think that so many pupils have represented the school with pride after preparing diligently, giving their very best in order to work together successfully, whether in sports, cooking, playing instruments, singing, dancing or performing. We showcased talents to various audiences in Llanelli and beyond, including the Urdd's national stage in Meifod. And we cannot forget the success of our creative dancers who came 3rd in the Eisteddfod. Great! We also took part in various sports competitions and festivals, again locally and nationally, showcasing the versatile talents of our pupils in different sports. Congratulations to all. I can assure you that it is always a pleasure to take our pupils anywhere, and we are all very proud of each one.
Many thanks to our governors and the PSC for their tireless support and commitment over the past year. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to you parents for your cooperation and support as always, and thank you to all our pupils for their beautiful and wonderful enthusiasm. We look forward to another year of working together for the benefit of all our pupils.
Best regards,
Helen Garland
Acting Head