COMPUTER COURSE
The partnership with Trinity College to provide a high quality self study computer course continues to develop at Dyffryn Taf. As well as providing a valuable learning opportunity for members of the public in the area, 24 staff and 34 Form Six students have so far enrolled. Trinity College provides an excellent self study CD Rom and textbook and progression through the one year course is very well organised.
Tutor support is available, though often not necessary, and the seven simple tests can be taken at Dyffryn Taf or Trinity College.
Trinity College is also supporting Dyffryn Taf in allowing more than 40 Year 12 students to obtain a qualification as an extension of their involvement in this year's production.
Anyone interested in the computer course should contact school in the first instance.
INTERNATIONAL
YOUTH CONFERENCE
Three Year 12 students travelled to Carmarthen on Friday, September 20, to participate in the International Youth Conference on migration.
They presented a picture of rural West Wales and many of its talented young people leaving for brighter prospects elsewhere.
Lucy Higgon, Collette Morgan and Debbie Roberts were the representatives of Dyffryn Taf and they heard from young people from across the world, some presenting similar pictures, others speaking of forced migration and movement caused by life threatening poverty.
Equador, Mexico, Belarus, Russia and Armenia were amongst those represented, and many called for action to alleviate the poverty causing mass migration.
THEATRE VISIT
On Tuesday, October 1, Arad Goch Theatre Company came to Ysgol Dyffryn Taf to perform sketches from four Welsh novels. The aim of the session was to promote Welsh novels and to encourage pupils to read. Pupils from 8H and 8E attended the session and thoroughly enjoyed the performances.
The sketches were taken from Sgnbls Hogan Flêr - Gwen Lasanis; Ddoe yn ôl - Menna Cravos; Bai Pwy - Gwen Redvers Jones; Sgôr - Bethan Gwanas.
CROSS COUNTRY LEAGUE
On Wednesday, September 25, many of the school's athletes took part in the Brianne Schools Cross Country League. These are the results:
Year 7: Boys - Duncan Evans 4th, Daniel Edwards 7th, Daniel Lewis 11th; Girls - Alex Pierce 5th, Charlotte Enoch 6th, Eleanor Stevens 7th, Emily Mitchell 8th.
Year 8: Boys - Stephen Owen 4th, Aron Keane 6th, Josh Laygell 7th; Girls - Sophie Heath 4th, Tanya Davies 11th, Rachel Cole 12th, Cathy Rodenhurst 13th.
Year 9/10: Boys - Alex Powell 2nd, Nathan Evans 4th, James Lewis 11th, Robbie Brooks 14th; Girls - Rebecca Evans 4th, Emily Nicholls 5th, Joely Davies 6th, Sarah Harries 9th.
These results represent an excellent start for Dyffryn Taf. Congratulations to all those pupils who took part.
The next fixture in the league is on October 15, at Ysgol Tregib.
SAIL TRAINING
Sam Spires, a Year 13 student, has recently returned from a voyage on the Sail Training Ship 'Royalist'. This gave him a good opportunity to get some valuable sailing experience. He got the chance to interact with other cadets and learned and improved many skills aboard 'Royalist'. Sam hopes to attend TS Royalist for a second time next year as staff, due to a fantastic report and the recommendation of many of the staff officers that sailed with him.
GERMAN DEPARTMENT
Dyffryn Taf's German Department is pleased to welcome Foreign Language assistant Katharina Eckharot to the department. Ms. Eckharot, from Halle in Eastern Germany, will spend nine months working with teachers and students, helping them with their spoken German and preparing for external examinations.
Ms. Eckharot is wished a successful and happy stay at Dyffryn Taf.
EUROPEAN DAY
OF LANGUAGES
September 26 was declared European Day of Languages by the European Council. To mark the event, Dyffryn Taf celebrated all the hard work by teachers and students by holding a special assembly and decorating the dining hall in a French and German theme; French and German specialities were also served.
Many thanks to those students in Year 13 who took part in the assembly, Angharad Davies, Ollie Ford, Georgina Careless and Mrs. Leri Phillips.
A big thank you is also extended to the ladies in the canteen for all their efforts.
READATHON
This week a sponsored readathon has been taking place in the English Department.
Years 7 and 8 have enjoyed a fun-packed week of reading their favourite novels, taking part in quizzes and watching educational films. The pupils have been working hard in order to raise sponsor money for the charity Sargent, which is a charity that deals with cancer care for children.
Two years ago a Readathon in Dyffryn Taf raised more money than any other school. The English Department are confident that a Readathon encourages pupils to develop a true enjoyment for reading.
GEOGRAPHY VISIT
On Tuesday, October 1, the Geography Department organised a field trip to Swansea for the Year 10 GSCE pupils. Pupils visited different types of residential areas in Swansea and the Marina, where they had to map the changes in land use.
The lower Swansea Valley used to be an area of industrial dereliction - the visit to the museum enabled the pupils to study old photos of this dereliction.
This trip was very worthwhile and the pupils thoroughly enjoyed it.
A LEVEL STUDENTS VISIT NORTH WALES
Students studying Welsh Second Language A Level enjoyed a day visit to North Wales on Tuesday, October 1. Mrs. S. Phillips, head of the Welsh Department and a North Walian herself, took her students to visit places of historical interest which are mentioned in the texts studied for the A Level Welsh examination, places such as Owain Glyndwr's Parliament House at Machynlleth, Tryweryn Reservoir near Bala, the Power Station at Trawsfynydd and especially the birth place of the famous Welsh poet killed at Pilkem Ridge in World War I - Hedd Wyn.
The group received a very warm welcome from Hedd Wyn's nephew, Mr. Gerald Williams, who now lives in Yr Ysgwrn, a small farm on the outskirts of the village of Trawsfynydd. They were taken into the tiny parlour and allowed to sit on the poet's Eisteddfodic chairs, but no-one was allowed to touch the most famous chair of all - Y Gadair Ddu (The Black Chair) - the chair that he won at the National Eisteddfod in 1917.
Sadly, he was killed in action before receiving the news of his victory, and never returned to be chaired at Birkenhead that year. The small living room remains unchanged since the poet's time, and the students enjoyed the many tales that Gerald had to tell, and had the opportunity to pore through old family albums and scrapbooks.
On a gloriously sunny day, the views from Yr Ysgwrn were exceedingly beautiful, just as they are shown in the Oscar-nominated film about the poet's life. Students and teacher had a very enjoyable and informative day and the visit should benefit them greatly in their studies.
INTER-HOUSE
CROSS COUNTRY
This year's Inter-House Cross Country Championships had a fantastic turnout. Dylan were this year's winners with 25 points. In second place came Becca with 26 and in third came Hywel with 23. The results were as follows:
Year 7: Girls - 1. Charlotte Enoch (Hywel), 2. Alex Pearce (Hywel), 3. Eleanor Stephens (Dylan); Boys - 1. Duncan Evans (Hywel), 2. Tony Evans (Dylan), 3. Daniel Lewis (Dylan).
Year 8: Girls - 1. Sophie Heath (Becca), 2. Tanya Davies (Dylan), 3. Cathy Rodenhurst (Dylan); Boys - 1. Steve Owen (Dylan), 2. Jon Seeley (Dylan), 3. Aaron Keene (Becca).
Year 9: Girls - 1. Rebecca Evans (Dylan), 2. Joely Davies (Dylan), 3. Sarah Harries (Hywel). Boys - 1. Paul Bennett (Becca), 2. Martin Owen (Becca), 3. Jamie Lewis (Becca).
Year 10: Girls - 1. Poppy Lewis (Dylan), 2. Carianne Kirkwood (Dylan), 3. Rachel Phillips (Becca); Boys - 1. Alex Powell (Dylan), 2. Nathan Evans (Hywel), 3. Tom Douglas (Becca).
Year 11: Girls - 1. Angharad Thomas (Dylan), 2 Rachel Thomas (Dylan), 3. Katherine Watkins (Hywel); Boys - 1. Ian Davies (Becca), 2. Nick Price (Dylan), 3. John Masson (Becca).
Year 12/13: Girls - 1. Emma Wilson (Becca), 2. Rachel Codd (Becca), 3. Sophie Lewis (Dylan). Boys - joint 1. Sam Ridge and Joe Robinson (Dylan), 3. Matthew Owens (Hywel).
Congratulations to all those who took part.