The last few weeks have flown by. Years 10, 11 and 12 sat their GCSE and AS Level module examinations, Lik Cheung and Hoi Ming Chan were thrilled to find out that they had passed their iGCSE in English as a Second Language.

Several Netherwood pupils took part in the festive season swims at Tenby and Saundersfoot. Katharine Langford, Johnnie Delahunty, Josh and Harry Lewis are all commended for their brave efforts.

This term we welcomed Mrs. Lucy McIlroy to the English Department. Year 11 has been her priority, with GCSE's on the horizon. and she has proved herself to be very capable. She is also currently casting this year's School Play, 'The Wind in the Willows'.

The first whole school assembly of the term saw a very special presentation to Ele Scourfield. Last summer she entered a national postal competition for 10-metre air pistol. Ele won her class and was awarded a Gold Bar and a Plaquette for being the leading Junior of GB. Well done, Ele.

In the same assembly, Head Boy, Johnnie Delahunty, was congratulated on being awarded a scholarship to Millfield School for Sixth Form. Johnnie was also selected for the Welsh Swimming Squad to compete in the Celtic Nations event.

Another Netherwood pupil achieving national success was Josh Lewis, who together with the rest of his class entered a competition run by the Wales Environmental Link to design their Christmas e-card. Josh won the competition and his e-card was the one sent by WEL to many businesses in Wales and to the First Minister, Rhodri Morgan.

The recent snow was a novelty for several of students, who found the 'white stuff' great fun to play in, as the photographs show.

EISTEDDFOD

Last Friday saw this year's annual Netherwood Eisteddfod. We were again privileged to have Mrs. Trevena Vincent and Mrs. Janice Goodwin as our judges for the occasion. Miss Sian Evans had been busy organising for the last few weeks, ably assisted by Miss Jayne Edwards and Miss Helen Standing. Miss Standing also did a very good job compering the proceedings.

The event started with the traditional house choir competition, which was won this year by Harries House. This was followed by a new competition, 'Spelling Bee', where pupils selected from Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 to represent their houses, had been given lists of words to learn and which they then had to spell on the stage in front of the audience. Other competitions included traditional song and junior and senior poetry recitations and an inter-house geography and history quiz that resembled 'Who wants to be a Millionaire'.

A 'Dragon that had eaten one too many sheep' won this year's costume competition.

The afternoon finished with the final of 'Netherwood's Got Talent'. Since the start of term, pupils have been planning, rehearsing and finally auditioning for the talent show.

The finalists were Mashari Al Samra, who gave a dramatic poetry reading, Ka-Yau Lee, the Rubix Cube wizard, Katharine Langford with her monkey and Josh Lewis and Steven Good, as the mad professor with his robot.

Full results are given below:

Handwriting: Year 5/6 - 1. James Arkinstall, 2. Morgan Short, 3. Steven Good. Year 7 - 1. Alexis Raymond, 2. Mirza Mohammad, 3. Kieran Rees. Year 8 - 1. Chun Ho Chan, 2. Maziah Mohammad, 3. Andrea Chandy.

Poetry: Year 5/6 - 1. James Arkinstall, 2. Morgan Short, 3. Morgan Scourfield. Year 7 - 1. Nathan Short, 2. Ele Scourfield, 3. David Free. Year 8 - 1. Andrea Chandy, 2. Ka-Yau Lee, 3. Harry Lewis.

Story writing: Year 5/6 - 1. Morgan Short, 2. Steven Good, 3. Hector Martin-Davies. Year 7 - 1. Alexis Raymond, 2. Tallulah Ford, 3. Nathan Short. Year 8 - 1. Chun Ho Chan, 2. Katharine Langford, 3. Mashari Al Samra.

ICT: Year 5/6 - 1. Hector Martin-Davies, 2. Steven Good, 3. Morgan Scourfield. Year 7 - 1. Alexis Raymond, 2. Nathan Short, 3. Mirza Mohammad. Year 8 - 1. Katharine Langford, 2. Andrea Chandy, 3. Maziah Mohammad.

Art: Year 5/6 - 1. Morgan Scourfield, 2. James Arkinstall, 3. Steven Good. Year 7 - 1. Tallulah Ford, 2. Ele Scourfield, joint 3. Alexis Raymond and Nathan Short. Year 8 - 1. Harry Lewis, 2. Andrea Chandy, 3. Maziah Mohammad.

Costume competition: 1. Harry Lewis (Welsh dragon), 2. Tallulah Ford (traditional Welsh costume), 3. Samantha Barling (traditional Welsh costume).

Junior poetry: 1. Harries House, 2. Merthyr House.

Senior poetry: 1. Ele Scourfield, 2. Andrea Chandy, 3. Maziah Mohammad.

Traditional song: 1. Merthyr House, 2. Harries House.

Spelling Bee: Joint 1. James Arkinstall and Alexis Raymond, 2. Chun Ho Chan.

Netherwood's Got Talent: Joint 1. Mashari Al Samra and Ka-Yau Lee, 2. Josh Lewis and Steven Good, 3. Katharine Langford.

Overall House Cup winners: Harries House