LLANGRANNOG VISIT

Scores of Year 7 students have this week been brushing up on their Welsh as they visited the Urdd Centre at Llangrannog with the Welsh Department. Starting on Tuesday, and coming home today (Friday), the students have been participating in a variety of activities designed to improve and develop their Welsh-language skills: compiling a magazine of the week's activities, role-play, postcard writing and so on, as well as enjoying the wonderful facilities in the scenic location: horse-riding, swimming, in-line skating, ski-ing, quad-biking and so on.

Despite the inclement weather, reports received from the camp so far have been very favourable, and we are sure that everybody will return with very fond memories of their week with the Urdd, as well as even better Welsh! Da iawn, wir!

SIXTH FORM NEWS

Year 13: Reports will be available on Monday, in advance of the Year 13 Parents' Evening next Wednesday, February 13. We look forward to seeing you there.

Year 12: Representatives from Oxford University will be visiting the school on Monday afternoon to encourage students in Year 12 to apply to the college. This will be followed on Thursday, March 14, by Access Cymru, a programme targeting Welsh students to apply to Oxford.

To date, four of our students have been accepted by Oxford and Cambridge. They are Andrew Cusworth and Rosie Putwain, who have been accepted by Cambridge to read Music and Mathematics, respectively, and Jemima Thomas and Megan Hollinger, who have both been accepted by Oxford University to read Chemistry.

We wish these students, and indeed all our Year 13 students well with their examinations in the summer and hope that they are all successful in securing a place at a college of their choice.

GOOD LUCK!

We were very sad to say goodbye on Tuesday to Franziska Kunze, a Year 12 student from Hamelin in Germany who has been at Greenhill since September, gaining valuable experience and making many new friends and contacts. She has performed particularly well in all her academic subjects, and made a valuable contribution to the Sixth Form since joining us, being a real pleasure to have.

A special presentation was made in Tuesday's assembly, Franziska being presented with a gift from the school as a token of our best wishes and good luck to her future. We wish her all the very best, and hope that she will keep in touch.

CREATIVE ARTS

Supporters of Greenhill Orchestra held their third meeting of this school year on Wednesday, January 23. It was very pleasing to welcome so many supporters, some of whom are parents of new orchestra students. These people, we hope, will be encouraged by our endeavours and continue the work done by some parents who have moved on. Julia Barnes, SOGO secretary, hopes to draw up a register of people willing to help at concerts, enabling some stalwarts to enjoy an evening without responsibilities!

The orchestra are to be very busy over the next term as on Thursday, March 7, they will entertain the Arts Club, then audition in Haverfordwest for the NFMY on Tuesday, March 26. The Easter Concert was scheduled for this date, but due to the audition, time for rehearsals and an impending school inspection, this has been cancelled for this year. Please note, the unscheduled meeting, for Monday, March 18, agreed at the last meeting, will not take place.

During Spring Bank Holiday week - actual date not yet confirmed - the orchestra will be travelling to Cardiff to participate in the annual Urdd Eisteddfod, cancelled from last year due to the Foot and Mouth outbreak. It is hoped to run a supporters bus to Cardiff.

Plans are being made for a concert in the De Valence on Thursday, June 27.

Watch this space for more orchestra news.

CONFUSIONS!

The long-awaited, much-anticipated school play takes to the stage Tuesday and Wednesday, February 26 and 27, so book your tickets now. Sure to be great fun, and demonstrating the very capable talents we have at the school, it surely is unmissable.

CROSS COUNTRY

Dyfed Cross-Country Championships: Despite Tuesday's atrocious weather conditions, the Dyfed Cross Country Championships took place at Ysgol Tre-Gib, Llandeilo. A number of Greenhill students had performed well in the Pembrokeshire heats to secure a place. These are the results, and the position they crossed the finishing line in:

Thomas Page (5), David Day (9), Josh Bevan (11), Jo Tranter (13), Matthew Birch (13), Harley Zblewski (14), Teresa Keight (16) and Katy Rees (18).

Each runner who finished in the top 10 will now have a chance of running for Dyfed in the Welsh Final at Brecon in the near future.

Congratulations to all our students for showing such grit and determination on Tuesday, and good luck to those that go through to the Welsh Finals.

RUGBY

Greenhill v Bryn Celynnog, Pontypridd: come along and support! Reserve a space in your diary for next Tuesday afternoon, February 12, when Greenhill's First XV takes on Bryn Celynnog, Pontypridd, at home. Hailed as one of the most important fixtures for Greenhill's rugby squad in years, a victory will ensure Greenhill a place in the last eight of the Welsh Cup Championships !

So, dig out your hats and scarves, and come along to support the team. Kick-off is at 1.30 on the school's rugby pitch, and admission is free! It is sure to be an exciting game with a brilliant atmosphere, so we look forward to seeing you there. Come on, Greenhill!

COACHING SESSION

We were delighted to welcome Keith Eton, former Dunvant and current Narberth RFC coach, and Simon Daniel, former Wales Under 21 outside-half, to the school on Tuesday night for a coaching session with our rugby teams. Both coaches and players enjoyed the experience enormously, with the players learning some useful new skills and gaining valuable insight into the tactical game.

REPORTS TO FOLLOW

On Wednesday night, the Year 8 rugby team, and Years 9 and 10 football teams were due to play Milford Haven away.

Yesterday (Thursday) Years 7, 9 and 10 were due to play rugby at home against Fishguard.

Also on Thursday, the basketball team were due to participate in the Under 17s basketball tournament at Milford Haven, and the Under 18s boys hockey team were to play against Whitland. Reports on all these fixtures will follow next week.

FIXTURES

Next Thursday, our rugby teams will play at home against Pembroke School. Times to be arranged.

POSITIVE BEHAVIOUR

First certificates: Jack Walker 7NJD; Lewis Milton 7NJD; Lydia Walker 8PAB; Zoe Jones 8BSS; Christopher WolstenHolme 8BSS.

Second certificates: Rebecca Harries 8PDJ; James Powell 8BSS; Frances O'Rourke 8PAB; Rebecca Nicholas 7NJD; Andy O'Donnell 7NJD; Robert Beynon 8PDJ; Karen Brock 8PDJ; William Evans 8PDJ; Harriet Griffin 8PDJ; Rhys Jenkins 8PDJ; Kathryn Williams 8PDJ; Emily Wilkins 8BSS; Jack Barritt 8SMR; David Jones 8PAB; Siobhan Harris 8PAB; Ashleigh Harris 7NJD; Lesley Prater 7NJD; Elizabeth Nicholas 8SMR; Lewis Milton 7NJD; Zoe Jones 8BSS.

Third certificates: Sarah Dunne 7NJD; Jamie Lewis 7SJE; Hannah Walters 8PAB; Rhys Davies 7SAR; Matthew Brown 7LJR; Grant Howells 7NJD; Gareth Howells 7NJD; Sean Harries 7NAM; Grace Challinor 7NJD; Rebecca Nicholas 7NJD; Andrew Stretton 7NAM; Joel Pendell 7NAM; Rebecca Hills 7NAM; Lucy Coleman 7NJD; Sophie Williams 7NJD; Ashleigh Harris 7NJD.

Fourth certificates: Rebecca James 7NJD; Sarah Dunne 7NJD; Richard Thomas 7NAM; Dickon Morris 7SAR; Rhys Davies 7SAR; Richard James 7RH; Sean Freeman 7JJP; Grant Howells 7NJD; Grace Challinor 7NJD.

Bronze certificates: Ann-Marie Dassen 7SAR; Sarah Jones 7SAR; Richard James 7RH.

Silver certificates: Lara Evans 7NJD; Ann-Marie Dassen 7SAR; Sarah Jones 7SAR; Matthew Watkins 7LJR.

Gold certificates: Lara Evans 7NJD; Ann-Marie Dassen 7SAR; Sarah Jones 7SAR.