April / Ebrill 2021 LANGUAGES • IEITHOEDD Welsh Award • Gwobr Gymraeg ??????????????????? Feature article HealthHealth andand well-beingwell-being atat CathaysCathays HighHigh SchoolSchool ......p26 InIn thisthis IssueIssue MeetMeet thethe NewNew Headteacher...Headteacher...p2 VirtualVirtual Eisteddfod...Eisteddfod...p3 ChemistryChemistry Success...Success...p32 YSGOL UWCHRADD CATHAYS - CYFLEOEDD I BAWB 1 MARCH 2021 • MAWRTH 2021 Welcome • Croeso our systems for checking on engagement, manage your work, caring for unwell communicating with families and family members and supporting your supporting the wellbeing of our young children’s education at home. Through of people. We have also tried to make the all this your communication with us has most of our time together in school, been constructive, respectful and prioritising wellbeing, core knowledge and empathetic of the challenges we are key skills so that students feel well- trying to overcome together. It is much supported and do not fall behind in appreciated. learning. It seems like better times are on the Cathays High prides itself on being an horizon with the advent of mass adaptable community changing our offer vaccinations. I hope the process is to best meet the needs of children and worked through quickly so that we can families depending on the circumstances return to some degree of normality and and context in which we find ourselves. our children can return to school secure These are long-held and cherished values in the knowledge that there are unlikely and skills of staff at Cathays High and to be more lockdowns disrupting their they have allowed us to fulfil our mission education. to provide “Opportunities for All”. These I was honoured to be given the chance same values and skills have proved to be The last 12 months have been eventful to lead the school temporarily in incredibly useful in the current climate. and challenging for everyone around September 2020 and even more so to the world and that was no less the case In the last few weeks, Estyn (the national secure the permanent headship in at Cathays High School. However, in inspectorate) have identified several December. It has been an unusual start to the most difficult of circumstances elements of our wellbeing support, my tenure as headteacher but one which unity and togetherness is often teaching, learning and leadership during has enabled me to learn and develop lots strengthened and adversity gives the pandemic as examples of good of new skills and knowledge, which is people the chance to show the very practice that they want to share with what a school should be about. A place best of themselves. These qualities other schools. Cathays High School is where everyone grows and develops in have been present in great abundance always pleased to be able to share the response to new challenges every day. within our community since last March. strengths of our school to support Cathays High colleagues will continue to others and I am very pleased that the share with students the importance of Like all schools in Wales, 2020-21 has hard work of our pupils and colleagues being prepared, showing respect and been a very disrupted year for Cathays has been recognised by Estyn. They have having pride in themselves and their High School with year groups, half-year spoken to every secondary school in community as the key behaviours that groups and classes forced into periods of Wales over the last few months to find underpin our mission to provide self-isolation on top of the lockdowns out what they have put in place to “Opportunities for All” at Cathays High that the Welsh Government have put in mitigate the impact of the response to School. place to control the spread of the virus. Coronavirus and have identified our Students, families and colleagues though provision as being particularly effective. have not allowed it to stop us learning Mr Stuart Davies and looking after each other. Through the I want to say a huge thank you to our Headteacher / Prifathro different stages of lockdown and isolation families who have been incredibly we have learnt and applied lessons to supportive of colleagues and me over the what we teach, how we teach and when course of this academic year. It has been we teach students. We have developed a very challenging time for you trying to Cathays Eye is edited by Miss Lauren Davies and published by Cathays High School, Cardiff. Tel 029 2054 4400 Information in this magazine was accurate at the time of going to press, March 2021. Huish Design & Marketing Tel: 07925 921712 2 CATHAYS HIGH SCHOOL - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL LANGUAGES • IEITHOEDD Eisteddfod 2021 2021 Eisteddfod Points A big well done to everyone who How did the pupils find being able to participated on the day and who made the have an Eisteddfod from home? effort to submit an entry and congratulations to all the competition “I think the Eisteddfod went well and it winners - listed in the following pages. was an enjoyable and fun virtual event. However, it didn't have the same We spoke to some of our pupils atmosphere as our usual Eisteddfod – but about their views on this year’s I know that is impossible to do currently. “ virtual Eisteddfod……… This year’s winning House “I think that it is important to celebrate LLEWELYN with 328 points How does it feel not being able to hold the Eisteddfod every year because it the traditional St David's Day encourages the pupils to speak Welsh and The Eisteddfod is an annual unique celebrations in person? celebrate Welsh culture. Pupils are also festival that takes place in Wales. It is a very happy to take part so that they can “It was disappointing not to have the Eisteddfod cultural festival, held through the win points for their house. “ medium of Welsh, which provides a in person as it’s an opportunity to bring the national stage for music, dance, the school together to celebrate school talent and “I think that the Welsh language is visual arts, original performances, our culture. However, we did make the best of important because learning it means that family activities and all kinds of things by holding our Eisteddfod virtually and on you are able to communicate with more competitions, in a welcoming, fun and St David’s Day various competitions/quizzes people in your community. It also gives you unique environment. and activities had been organised.” more opportunities when it comes to jobs and makes you more appealing to This year’s Eisteddfod was a little Why is it so important to celebrate employers. “ different! Due to COVID, we took our Welsh culture and St David's Day? Eisteddfod online for the first time and “As a school it is extremely important to us to held a virtual celebration. We had celebrate the Welsh language and culture. As a welcomes and introductions from our multicultural school it is important for our Head Boy and Girl, a performance from pupils to feel a sense of pride in their identity. our staff choir and a solo from the very Celebrating St David’s day allows our pupils to talented Mr Evans, singing ‘Calon Lan’. We develop a deeper understanding of Welsh showed video performances of pupils who culture and tradition especially through our entered the music competition on the Eisteddfod. This event allows pupils to explore piano and drums as well as recitations of Welsh literature, songs, dance and the poetry by our Year 7 pupils. traditions of the Eisteddfod through the years.” CRIW CYMRAEG At Cathays High we are aiming to achieve the Bronze Award for the Cymraeg Campus - Siarter Iaith (Welsh Charter). The Siarter Iaith is for everyone; all members of the school community have a part to play - the school council, learners, workforce, parents, carers, governors and the wider community. This will ensure every school has full ownership of their Siarter Iaith. Together we will increase the social use of Welsh by children and young people. We will be sharing regular updates as we progress through the Bronze Award, about what we are doing and what the Criw Cymraeg are doing to help us. Pupils chosen to be part of the Criw Cymraeg, will act as Ambassadors and encourage the use of the Welsh language around school and in their community. YSGOL UWCHRADD CATHAYS - CYFLEOEDD I BAWB 3 LANGUAGES • IEITHOEDD Eisteddfod 2021 History The task for the History competition was to write a poem or news flash based on a Welsh icon or a historic Welsh event. 1ST PLACE - George L 2nd PLACE - Oliver B 3rd PLACE - Laialy A Spanish There were different tasks set across the three-year groups for our Spanish competition. In Year 7 pupils had to perform La Macarena, in Year 8 pupils had to cook a Spanish themed dish and in Year 9 pupils had to write a poem in Spanish. 1st PLACE YEAR 7 – Isaias B 1st PLACE YEAR 8 – Ebrima J 1st PLACE YEAR 9 – Prisha D Physical Education In PE we held two competitions involving Planks and Burpees! Pupils had to film themselves performing a ‘plank’ for as long as possible and complete as many burpees as they can in 60 seconds. There were some very impressive competitive entries and we loved the effort put in by everyone who entered. 1st PLACE YEAR 7 BOYS PLANK- Emad W – 9 Minutes 50 Seconds! 1st PLACE YEAR 7 GIRLS PLANK- Eleni C – 2 Minutes 50 Seconds 1st PLACE YEAR 7BOYS BURPEES - Emad W – 29 Burpees 1st PLACE YEAR 7 GIRLS BURPEES - Eleni C – 22 Burpees 1st PLACE YEAR 8 BOYS PLANK- Ebrima J – 37 Seconds 1st PLACE YEAR 8 GIRLS PLANK- Malak E – 55 Seconds 1st PLACE YEAR 8 BOYS BURPEES - Ebrima J – 16 Burpees 1st PLACE YEAR 9 GIRLS PLANK- Emily W – 54 Seconds 1st PLACE YEAR 9 GIRLS BURPEES - Emily W – 16 Burpees 4 CATHAYS HIGH SCHOOL - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL LANGUAGES • IEITHOEDD Eisteddfod 2021 Religious Education Pupils were asked to create a poster showing the work of Christian Aid and Islamic Relief and we received some really great posters that highlight the amazing work carried out by both charities in the UK and across the world.