Bridgend primary school’s success set to be featured on S4C

Submitted by Bridgend County Borough Council

Staff and pupils at Afon-y-Felin Primary School are celebrating after becoming the first primary school in the region to win the Cymraeg Campus Gold Award.

Afon-y-Felin Primary School in Bridgend received the award, which is run by the Language Charter, for their commitment to the Welsh language after pupils took part in a range of initiatives led by deputy headteacher Denise Jones.

As part of the journey to attaining the Gold Award, the school worked closely with a number of organisations including the Welsh Rugby Union, Bridgend College, Menter Bro Ogwr, Pîl Library and The Urdd.

They also collaborated with Ysgol Calon-y-Cymoedd and the first children’s laureate, Eloise Williams, to discuss and review her books in Welsh, and the Criw Cymraeg – pupils who lead on Welsh initiatives - held ‘Cymraeg â’r teulu’ lessons to help teach parents and the local community useful Welsh phrases.

Meanwhile, during lockdown, the school created a ‘Padlet’ as part of the Welsh Government’s target to achieve one million Welsh speakers by 2050 and a whole section of the school website is dedicated to all things Welsh, promoting and celebrating the language.

The school’s success is now set to be featured television after S4C spent the afternoon filming with staff and pupils for daily magazine programme, Heno. Film crews captured clips of nursery and Year 4 sessions as well as an interview with the Criw Cymraeg.

Headteacher, Nicola Williams, said: “We’re really proud of our pupils and staff for everything they have achieved.

“The Welsh in Education officers who carried out the verification were provided with a wonderful presentation from the Criw Cymraeg, detailing the school’s successes and celebrations.”

Bridgend County Borough Councillor Charles Smith, cabinet member for education and regeneration, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Afon-y-Felin Primary School on their success in receiving the Cymraeg Campus Gold Award.

“It is well deserved for all the hard work undertaken by the pupils and staff helping to promote the Welsh language.”

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