Category: Kids
School News
As always, school life is so busy and enjoyable.
St David’s Day was a wonderful celebration for us – the children looked fantastic in their Welsh national costumes, with a mixture of Welsh shirts and traditional dress. All pupils entered various competitions, including story writing and art. There was also a home competition to decorate a wooden spoon – there really were many wonderful and indeed, innovative entries- a massive well done and thank you to all the entrants. Our Bard was Georgia Iles – Georgia wrote a wonderful poem about The Blitz; congratulations, Georgia.
Children in Foundation Phase were also treated to a visit by Braces bakery, who demonstrated how Welsh cakes are made. Our infant pupils were all given a packet of Welsh cakes to take home – they were truly delicious!
Reception children are presently enjoying a series of African Drumming sessions; previously this term, Years 1 and 2 have also enjoyed learning to play the African drums.
Vicar Jon led us in school Eucharist and Year 5 pupils also visited St Mary’s Church for the Eucharist Service. Vicar Jon visits school every Wednesday and leads us in worship – the children (and staff) thoroughly enjoy his assemblies and hearing about Goldie’s (the puppet’s) adventures!
We are looking forward to another busy few weeks, with Easter fast approaching!
Up Coming Events for April
Wenvoe
We will be holding a night with Marcia Bassey Jones on Friday 5th May from 8 until late. Please see Events.
Advance notice. Nataly Churchill, Spiritulist Medium will be at the Village Hall Friday 23rd June. Doors open at 6pm for Cakes and Tea, then audience will start 7pm until 9pm
We will be naming the event ‘Cakes and Tea with Nataly’ There will be no alcohol at this event. Tickets will be £10 per person to include unlimited Tea, Coffee, Sandwiches and Cakes
These events are always popular, so buy your tickets early. Tickets available from Lisa Bellamy 07904 869001, Sandra Morgan 029 20594724 and playgroup 029 20597494
As I am writing this we are preparing for our Cheese and Wine event. Thank you must go to everyone who has purchased tickets for the event to support the Playgroup. We have sold over 90 tickets to date, so it’s sure to be a sociable event. I will update you in May What’s On.
As always the Spring Term is a busy time at Playgroup. The Children have been enjoying various activities to support their learning by celebrating Chinese New Year, Pancake Day, St Davids Day and World Book Day to mention a few. The children have been busy planting, cleaning the garden and practising their songs most recently in time for our Easter Concert on Thursday 6th April. The concert is open to Parents, extended family and friends only. It is not a public event. However, don’t dismay, we will be sending What’s On some photographs of the children for the May edition.
Our next Open Day for parents and children will be on the 29th June from 1:30pm at the playgroup. In the meantime if you would like more information on Playgroup life or to see up-dated photographs then please visit our website wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk All contact numbers and emails are on our website.
School News for March
There is a change to the usual writing of our school “Wenvoe What’s On” entry. Key Stage 2 pupils are in ‘Pupil Voice’ groups and the Communication Group have put their class news together.
Year 6 News has been compiled by Abbie Ringham and Lowri James.
This January, Year 6 have been learning about the Blitz and we have completed a lot of work about it. We went on an Evacuee Walk and Abbie’s nan (in Year 5) came in to tell us about her childhood memories of World War 2. We also went on a trip to Cardiff Museum with Year 5.
Year 5 News has been compiled Milly Jorna and Rhys Hill.
This term in Year 5 we have been learning about WW11. The Blitz and Anne Frank. We have been on a trip to Cardiff Story Museum. We also had an evacuee day where we dressed up and did activities. We went to St Mary’s Church and were put into groups to be ‘evacuated’. We did a class assembly about courage and Anne Frank, where some people readout prayers they had written. Later in the topic, Abbie’s nan came in to talk to us about her family being in WW11. We have now got a quiz for you:
Q1. Who was the Prime Minister at the start of World War 11?
Q2. Who were the 3 major countries who were axis powers?
Q3. In what Years did WW11 start and finish?
Q4. How did Adolf Hitler die?
The answers are below:
Year 4 News has been complied by Mali Robinson.
My name is Mali Robinson and I love reading and writing.
Mali has complied a quiz about their topic, Blood, Bones and Gory Bits!
Q1. How many bones do you have?
Q2. How big is a child’s heart?
Q3. How long is your oesophagus?
Q4. How many miles of blood vessels are in your brain?
The answers are below:
Year 3’s entry has been complied by Rosie Corcoran
On Saturday February 11th, Gwenfo Primary had a huge clean up, ready for Spring. Lots of pupils, teachers and carers came along to help. My mum and I cleared the leaves and weeded the Faith Garden. We then filled it with soil ready for the new plants. It was lovely that so many people came to help even though it was snowing! My favourite part of the day was Sian’s yummy bacon and sausage rolls!!! School is now ready for Spring.
Foundation Phase pupils have enjoyed learning about the orchestra and had a wonderful trip to St David’s Hall where they went to see an Orchestra Adventure. Ryan’s nan also came into Year 1 to talk to us about her cello. Years 1 and 2 have also enjoyed African drumming every Tuesday and have become quite accomplished!
Reception children enjoyed a pyjama party and fun was had by all!
THE GREAT GWENFÔ LEND A HAND
Many thanks to all the friends, families and staff who got together at Gwenfô school on Saturday 11th February. There was a huge list of jobs from weeding and painting to building flat pack furniture. Over 50 people came to help and it was such a joy to see members of the community lending a hand. We plan another session later in the summer so if you think you could lend a hand please watch out for our next date in the newsletter!
Nicola Starke (Acting Head)
NURSERY ADMISSIONS
Nursery Admissions are open. Please see the Vale of Glamorgan website for nursery admission forms. Our lovely new nursery has spaces for pupils the term after their third birthday. We are delighted to be able to work with Wenvoe Playgroup to provide wraparound care. Please pop in for a visit. We'd love to welcome you into our school.
Nicola Starke (Acting Head)
Gwenfô Church in Wales Primary School
AND THE ANSWERS TO THE QUIZ
Year 4
1. 206
2. The same size as your fist.
3. 25cm
4. 100,000
Year 5
1. Neville Chamberlain
2. Germany, Japan and Italy
3. 1939 – 1945
4. Committed suicide
Gwenfo School News
We would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
The children have settled back to school really well and we have a very busy and exciting term ahead of us, including Welsh Week and Arts Week.
Year 6 visited Cardiff Museum to learn more about their Blitz topic. They thoroughly enjoyed the day and learn lot – as evidence by the photograph on Twitter. They were a real credit to our school. Still on the topic of The Blitz, Years 5 and 5 are having an Evacuee Day next week!
Reception had a wonderful trip to Techniquest and enjoyed a presentation in the planetarium. As with Year 6, they were a credit to the school- well done, Reception!
Other classes have trips to come up, including Year 1 and 2 who will be visiting St David’s Hall for their topic on The Orchestra and Year 3 and 4 who will be visiting Techniquest.
We have had some super new equipment delivered for our Foundation Phase outdoor area and are eagerly awaiting our new Infant Writer Shed!
It will be half term before we know it!.
Shopping Online
Wenvoe
Do you shop online for you or your business? Did you know that you can support us from home if you shop online?
You can support us by just doing your normal weekly shop, booking your holidays or purchasing your insurance with easyfundraising.co.uk
Wenvoe Playgroup have registered with the site, where over 3,000 retailers and companies are registered. Every time you shop, it costs you nothing extra, however, the retailer makes a donation to our pot.
So next time you shop online, do it using this link and raise a free donation for Wenvoe Playgroup? In fact use it every time you shop!
https:// www.easyfundraising.org.uk/wenvoeplaygroup/.
A big thank you to those who are already supporting us.
Wenvoe Playgroup are operating 5 days per week from the Village Hall, working with Gwenfo Nursery in offering longer hours to support working parents.
Why not visit our website and view our Statement of Purpose and Operational Plan to see how we can help? There is also a link to our email from the site.
You can register your interest at any time. We care for children from the age of 2 years 4 months to 4 years 11 months and are registered with Care Standards and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).
We have a number of events planned throughout the year, so please keep a watchful eye on our section in the What’s On.
We have ‘Marcia Bassey Jones’ Drag Night planned for 5th May and an evening of Mediumship with Nataly Churchill planned for June. More details nearer the date.
Volunteers Needed
Can you lend a hand? 
Saturday Feb 11th 9-12am
Gwenfo School
Wear your old clothes and help us tackle a range of jobs around the school
From weeding and planting to painting and building equipment.
We would love your help. Bring the family!
Refreshments provided
Please let Miss Starke or Mrs Hazelton know if you can help.
Tel: 02920593225
Autumn Term Report
The Wenvoe Playgroup
We hope that everyone has had a peaceful Christmas and would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year.
Everyone at Playgroup would like to say thank you to Bellway for visiting us in the Autumn Term and for their kind donation. The monies donated allowed us to purchase a banner for the front of the hall, advertising our new opening times. A new sink and cooker for the children’s role play area was also purchased, so thank you Bellway.
Can we also take this opportunity to thank Gwenfo School for inviting us to the Foundation Phase Christmas Concert (dress rehearsal). We had a lovely time and were thrilled to see some of our past and present playgroup children together once more. Our little ones sat so beautifully throughout the performance, they were amazing. We would also like to say thank you for always making our staff and children feel welcome and part of the school.
Moving forward in 2017
Our ‘wrap around service’ is proving very popular with parents/families and we would recommend that if you are thinking of using the wrap around care in the Spring or Summer term that you contact us a.s.a.p.
Also, if you have a child who is aged 2 years and 4 months between now and May then please get in touch. We have waiting lists for some days and may
have to employ additional staff if demand is high.
You can contact us on 02920597494 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday, email us at wenvoeplay group@btinternet.com or contact us via our website wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk
Thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas Concert. The Children did us proud
First Term is Over
It is very hard to believe that we have now completed a full term in school!
The children all deserve to be congratulated on their wonderful Christmas performances – parents and grandparents really were incredibly well entertained in both the Infant and Junior concerts. We really must say a very big thank you to Mrs Sian Jones, who actually wrote and produced the KS2 performance – Mrs Jones is a truly talented lady.
The Infant children thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas trip to the Sherman 
Theatre to see “The Emperor’s New Clothes”. Junior pupils went to see “The Borrowers”, which they equally enjoyed.
Our school choir really did perform beautifully in the Community Carol Service in St Mary’s Church. Thank you to our school choir, to parents for their continued support and again, to Mrs Jones.
Thanks must also go to our PFTA who give tirelessly of their time throughout the year; their hard work in organising the door entries and raffles during our Christmas concert season has been greatly appreciated.
We would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and all good wishes for 2017!
Scout Post 2016 Report
So How did the Scout Post Go?
Happy New Year from 1st Wenvoe Scout Group. We hope that you had a wonderful time with family and friends, or perhaps just enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet and some better than usual telly. Here in the Williams residence as I type this, we are still waiting for our delivery scout elves to text us with confirmation that they have delivered their bags of post. We then have to report back to the main sorting office that all our mail has been delivered. So it’s all go here at the moment. By the time you read this it will be a distant memory and you will all be cursing through dry January or just about sticking to that diet. Keep at it!
I know we all grumble that scout post is so early but if you take a moment to think about what’s involved you might realise that we really do need that time to get the job done. Last posting day in 2016 was 5th December and we had already started sorting on the Saturday and Sunday. One person drives down to the main sort in Pontcanna scout hut where all the Cardiff and Vale groups meet to swap post for each other. We hand out post to each area – Barry, Rhiwbina, Grangetown etc and they hand us our Wenvoe post which is brought back to our sorters in the community centre. We sort this into streets, farms and so on and by Thursday of that week (so, Thursday 8th 2016) we finished sorting and handed out bags of mail to our deliverers. That mail has to be delivered by the following weekend – which is usually the weekend before Christmas. That’s the latest the mail should be delivered by so you can see I hope why we have to sell stamps so early and have such an early day for our last post. You’ll just have to be more organised if you missed it! And by the way, it is only stamps sold in Wenvoe which benefit our scout group – so don’t buy them from anyone else!. Oh, and another myth, last years stamps are just as valid as this years, they don’t go out of date!
This year we had the usual cards from optimistic senders, ie just names, no, and/or incorrect addresses. So if anyone recognises: Vicky Haines in Draenen Wen (no number); Mr & Mrs Pugh 53 Heol Draenen Wen (no such number exists); Julie & Ray & family, Culverhouse X; Nicola and Martin (no address at all) and the last one, John Burles or Burkes, (again, no address well I’m sorry but our scouting telepathy skills failed us and regretfully we were unable to deliver these cards. The 53 Heol Draenen Wen card is a serial offender each year – so if you do recognise it perhaps you might ask your friends and relatives if they have your correct address.
It’s just a thought.
I say this because we do have a report back from the scout post organisers in February each year and sometimes we hear the odd grumble that post was not delivered and whilst that is no doubt true for a very small amount of post for one reason or another, sometimes it’s because the address was simply wrong in the first place.
We also had a fair number of cards for further afield which we cannot deliver at all, for example, Sidcup, London, Welshpool to give you a few examples. We put most of these in the Royal Mail as we have no other way of delivering those. It would be nice to think that the recipients pointed this out to the senders – but I suspect that is wishful thinking. Of course, this year we have had a few more houses to deliver to with the developments at Redrow and Bellway at either end of the village. I apologise to our army of sorters who had to suffer the Husbands ‘witty’ nickname for each end of the village which I won’t share here, save to say that the word ‘end’ featured in both… I know, I know, I’m sorry and no offence is intended, honestly.
Moving swiftly on, of course the real reason for this article is to thank the army of sorters, sellers, deliverers, exchange swappers, Ian who is still the ‘main man’ despite what the Husband thinks, custodians of the post boxes and of course our treasurer who has to count up all the fiddling small change. We couldn’t do scout post without you, it would simply be an impossible task so we value your help more than you could ever know. We are always grateful for help with post – which is a lovely Christmassy thing to do, so if you fancy popping down next year please let us know.
Sue Williams
PS – We have a card for a Mr and Mrs K M Rees, Southlands, St Lythans, CF5 6BG. No house by this name is recognised in the area. Contact wenvoe scoutgroup@gmail.com if you wish to claim the card.
