Success in ski championships!

Two senior girls’ teams and one junior school team competed in the Central and South East Wales Schools’ Ski Championships recently. All did very well considering the ages of the girls. The two teams from the Senior School were the youngest teams we have ever entered, with all girls in Years 7, 8, and 9. Holly Cruickshank (Year 5) won the Gold Medal in the Junior Girls’ event and Phoebe John (also Year 5) won the Bronze Medal in the same event. The Junior School Team of Georgia Hawkins, Phoebe John, Holly Cruickshank and Harriett James are the Junior Schools’ Champions for the second year running. In the senior competition, Sam Maurice (Year 8) won the Gold Medal in her age group and came fifth overall in the girls’ competition. Rose Lubin (Year 9) won the Silver Medal in her age group and came third overall in the unregistered girls’ competition. The Senior School Team of Sam Maurice, Rose Lubin, Rebecca Harvey and Imogen Fallon came third in the girls’ competition. There was also some good skiing from newer members of the squad like Ffion Jenkins, Abigail Brierley and Selena Drake. Well done to everyone!

 22nd May 2008

The senior school teams

Take our Daughters to Work day

This is a day set aside nationally for Year 8 girls to learn more about the World of Work and the girls enjoyed finding out more about the career opportunities open to them, the role of women in the workplace and using key skills, such as working with others and communication, number and ICT skills. Amy Mathews went to Ton yr Ywen school. She concluded that ”This day really opened my eyes to the differences between school and work and how thoroughly exhausting it can be! There were only 3 male teachers on a staff of 16. Job-sharing occurs but there is not a policy of flexi-hours. I think there are great opportunities for women in teaching; the Head of the school was a woman.” Zoe Hall went to Welsh Water for the day where her father is a manager and works for RPS water. She concluded that “the work load seemed hectic and working in an office environment taught me that you have to be focused on your own task because there can be so much distraction from other workers”.  Zoe was actually shadowing the manager, a female who had gained a Masters’ degree in Civil Engineering at Exeter University, still a relatively unusual degree for women.

22nd May 2008

Sam working at Cardiff ski centre.

Howell’s welcomes Lesotho visitor

 Recently we had the pleasure of hosting Mrs Justina Ramollo from our twin school in Lesotho.  The aim of the link between the two schools is to help students understand and value diversity, mutual respect and social justice.  We hope to offer educational opportunities to both our students and the students of Likhakeng High in the future.  Mrs Ramollo spent time talking about her country and Likhakeng High School in the College, Senior School and Junior School.   She attended Science lessons, in which they investigated the use of water in different countries, and the class were able to discuss with Mrs Ramollo how water is used in Lesotho.  In Geography, Mrs Ramollo leant about Llandaff with Year 7 and was also able to talk about climate and vegetation in Lesotho with Year 9.  The Welsh department gave her a tremendous welcome and she thoroughly enjoyed pottery with Year 5.  She was also able to visit an English lesson to collect letters the girls had written for students at Likhakeng.  Mrs Ramollo thoroughly enjoyed the concert at the Cathedral and she was especially delighted to be treated to a repeat performance of Bridge Over Troubled Water, sung by the Senior Choir, as well as a Welsh recital from Angharad Thomas and a duet from Hannah Coakley (flute) and Eleri Davies (harp) in her farewell assembly.  Thanks to everyone for making Mrs Ramollo feel so welcome and also to Ysgol Pencae for their Twmpath.  We hope to continue the link with the school in Lesotho for years to come.

22nd May 2008

Mrs Ramollo from Likhakeng High School

Shreya is new Welsh Chess Champion

Shreya (Year 6) won best Welsh Player in her age group in the UK Land Chess Challenge which was held on 19th April in Swansea.   Shreya attends the new Chess Club in the Junior School but has been playing the game a little since before the club started.  There were around ninety competitors in the competition. This success has qualified her for the British Finals in Sheffield in July. Shreya, who is 10, was delighted with her win and commented, “I felt quite happy and proud when I won”. Well done, Shreya!

6th May 2008

Emily’s success in piano competition

Emily (Year 13) has come 2nd in the Senior Piano (Years 12-13) Competition at the South Glamorgan Festival for Young Musicians, and at the competition’s Gala Concert held at City United Reform Church in Cardiff last Saturday (10 May) was also awarded the R.N. Roberts 'Most Promising Pianist' Trophy. Well done, Emily!

6th May 2008

College students give concert at Nazareth House

A group of College students visited Nazareth House recently to give a musical lunch-time concert.  The residents at Nazareth House have both physical and mental disabilities and some are terminally ill.  The group of College students were accompanied by Mr Thomas and Mr Shewring performed a wide variety of musical numbers including Ivor the Engine and music composed by Simon and Garfunkel.  The staff at Nazareth House commented on how much the residents enjoyed the performance and how much they would like the performers to return again to entertain them for longer some time soon.

6th May 2008

The Rotary Interact Football Tournament

6th May 2008

Sports News Spring Term 2008

Hockey

Under 16 Team win the County Championships

6th May 2008

Welsh Heritage Competition

Twelve Year 9 girls led by Shahnaz Kahn and Katie Smith have made a fantastic video about the history and architecture of Insole Court.  The house, built in the 19th century, has been left empty and unused for a few years after closure by the council for health and safety reasons.  The video is to be used by the Friends of Insole Court as part of their National Lottery heritage bid to save the deteriorating estate and has also been this year’s school entry for the Welsh Heritage Competition.  We hope that the link the girls have created with the house and local community will continue in the future as the house is renovated and re-opened to the public.  They must be congratulated on a superb effort, with everyone making a substantial contribution to produce a professional-looking video that is likely to be used for years to come.

1st May 2008

Year 7 History Visit to Caerphilly and Cosmeston

On Friday, April 18^th, Year 7 students spent their day investigating how people lived in the Middle Ages. Despite the unseasonably cold weather, they thoroughly enjoyed their field trip to what was the largest concentric castle in Europe at Caerphilly, and to Cosmeston Village, which has been re-created exactly as it was in medieval times. The guides were informative and entertaining, and the girls especially enjoyed the more gruesome stories of peasants who had lived in Cosmeston, and the differences in their status and lifestyles. The pigs, lambs, goats and chickens also proved a popular attraction, and gave the girls an insight into medieval style self-sufficiency. Hopefully, the whole experience will make revising for their examination later this term much easier!

1st May 2008