Lead teacher: Gareth Jones

 

“Put your hand in mine and we will go to the mountain top”

The transition from primary to secondary school is an important and exciting stage of every school child’s life.  By co-operating and trusting in each other we aim to ensure that each pupil reaches the summit of their ability and talents. We shall do so by offering opportunity, support and guidance within a positive, safe and civilized society.

Curriculum

At Ysgol Bro Morgannwg the exciting curriculum serves to enable and ensure that every pupil progress to achieve their ambitions. As a school we play an active role in the developing of the new curriculum for Wales facilitating new and ambitions methods of teaching and inspiring our pupils. Every lesson is taught by an expert to the highest of standards and seeks to engage the pupils and equip them with the passion and skills to be independent learners.

Facilities

Our modern facilities aim to inspire and engage our pupils to learn and reach their full potential.  The recent building developments boast a 3G, floodlit sports field; new science labs and a new technology department. We believe that the environment in which our pupils learn is fundamentally important for them to develop their skills and therefore aim to provide a purposeful and exciting area for learning.

Extra Curricular

We pride ourselves in the clubs, events, competitions and activities available to all our pupils in order for them to develop their talents.  These range from choirs to football; debating to board games  - there is a warm welcome to every pupil even if they have never tried their hand at these activities before. Year 7 is an excellent opportunity for your child to try new and different clubs as well as being an opportunity to meet new friends in this fun environment.  Some clubs are during the lunch hour whilst others are after school.  For a full timetable and list of clubs see the section on extracurricular activities.

Classes

We want your child to be comfortable and confident from the beginning of their time in school therefore your child will have the opportunity to name a friend with whom they would enjoy being in a class with.

Your child will be in two classes: a pastoral class for registration and a teaching class for lessons. We believe that by having both these classes your child will have twice as much opportunity to make friends and to meet new teachers.

The pastoral class will meet for registration at the beginning of every school day.  The form tutor will play an important role in your school life until you leave as you will be in that pastoral class for your entire time at Bro Morgannwg.

The teaching class will be with a different group of children and will be taught in mixed ability classes, however some subjects will move pupils into bands or sets by Year 8. The main aim in Year 7 is to settle in to school life, enjoy the range of subjects and classes and to forge lasting friendships.

Uniform

We use YC Sports as our main supplier of school uniform and they are based in Cardiff, Canton.  They also provide an online service. The school uniform consists of black shoes, navy trousers or shorts, school polo shirt and jumper and there is the possibility of getting a school coat too. For PE you will need a Bro Morgannwg polo shirt and shorts, rugby shirt and blue rugby socks. More information can be found in the transition handbook.

Food

Bro Morgannwg have a canteen and a café with options to buy food during break time and lunchtime.  Snacks such as fruit and warm treats are available at breaktime and during lunchtime there are a whole host of different options.  The café specialises in sandwiches, baguettes and salads; whilst the canteen is for warm meals.

To purchase food your child will receive a tag which can be topped up online via ParentPay. It is not possible to purchase food with cash.  Dietary requirements can be catered for if you let us know in advance. More information can be found in the transition handbook.

First Day at School

This is an incredibly exciting day for your child and us as teachers too! The first day is open only for Year 7 and 12, this gives your child a chance to explore the school and feel at home before the rest of the school arrive.  Your child will mainly be in their pastoral classes as this is an excellent opportunity to get to know their form tutor and their registration class whilst settling in. Your child will also have a tour of the school and a brief ‘rehearsal’ of getting from one class to another before the start of term. Our aim is to make everybody feel comfortable and happy from the outset.

Contacting the School

There are various ways to communicate with the school and for teachers to communicate with parents. We believe that the coordination and collaboration between school and parents is essential for your child’s success in the school.

Firstly – your child’s homework diary is a valuable means of contact.  Teachers may write notes for parents and parents can write notes for teachers, ask questions and place your notes in the diary too.   The personal tutor will inspect the diary on a daily basis in order to help and answer any queries you may have.

Secondly, if you have a more pressing concern that requires a more detailed response it is possible to email the school on the school email which will be then sent to the relevant teacher.

Thirdly, if you have a major concern or an emergency it is possible to phone the school where it is possible to ask to speak to the form tutor or myself, the head of year.  Please bear in mind that we are engaged in classes during the day however and it can be difficult to speak to somebody immediately however we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Another helpful mode of communication in the Edulink app which can be downloaded onto your phone which the school uses to send messages and updates regarding your child’s progress.

Support

Year 7 can be challenging and some pupils may need some extra support.  The school has a range of ways in which extra support is offered.  Firstly, remember the first point of contact is the form tutor who is available and willing to offer advice on anything from homework to lost property. The form tutor also has set time during the week during which they will provide mentoring sessions; an opportunity to sit down, chat and listen to pupils. The head of year is also available to discuss more pressing problems or concerns that your child may have. Another way in which support is offered is through the Wellbeing department.  There are a range of clubs as well as sessions such as ELSA or one-on-one chats which enables your child to speak about their worries and provides a professional listening ear.  More information can be found on the Wellbeing page in the Our School section of the website.

We also have our Learning Support (Cynnal) department which is available for your child should they be struggling with some core skills such as English or Maths and need that little extra but of help. For example, we have Menter Maths in the mornings with our sixth formers who help them catch up or aid them with difficult skills and problems. More information can be found on the Learning Support page in the Our School section of the website.  Our sixth formers also put on activities for Year 7 and are around for help should they need any assistance.  Year 10 also join registration some mornings to read with Year 7 individually.  Providing these opportunities for Year 7 to meet some of the older members of the school is important to us. We believe that this makes Year 7 feel as though they have a ‘buddy’ looking out for them who is older and can provide reassurance and advice and adds to the ‘family feel’ of the school.