Hello, and welcome to the Llantwit School Report webpage. The committee is made up of a group of Year 9 pupils, who enjoy the subject of English and are interested in the prospect of a pupil-run journalism committee, frequently reporting news, both local and afar to the site’s visitors. As part of this BBC-run scheme, we meet weekly to discuss recent articles and issues that matter to you. Using research and interviews, the committee aims to provide up to date and detailed insights of as many different types of stories, affecting areas and people both local and world-wide.
If you have any stories that you’d like us to report on, then e-mail us at schoolreport@llantwtschool.org.uk and we’ll do our best to share your story on our webpage.
School News
Llantwit Major School: The Upgrade it’s been Waiting For
Enviroment is an important part of the learning process. A suitable learning environment has been proven to improve attitudes towards learning. However in today’s economic climate finding the money to invest is becoming increasingly difficult. Llantwit Major School in particular has been waiting for a number of years for funding towards the refurbishments of school buildings, and now finally the school will receive the money it needs.
On March 13th Paula Ham, the head of service for strategic planning and performance and Jane Wade, the operations manager for the property section came to the school to talk about investing into the school.
They told reporters that plans are in place to invest £12 million in the school: “Very positive news “.
Very positive news indeed. Although the school has been slowly improving facilities for example the new toilets that were built earlier this year. Many staff and pupils feel an upgrade is well overdue.
We asked Paula and Jane what their jobs consisted of. Their reply was:
Paula
Oh it includes all sorts of things like planning and making sure we provide enough places for pupils but at the same time we don’t want to make too many place. I also cover catering which includes school meals. I am also responsible for transport of those with disabilities. I also help with funding. If a school is having trouble managing their money I step in and help.
Jane
Well I basically I look at buildings for older people as well as leisure centres and toilet blocks. I also issue the licenses for things like ice cream vans and renting a field if you have a horse. Things like that.
So investments are well on their way towards rebuilding the school and its facilities. So bring on 2015 as it will be a very exiting year.
Interview by: Kieran and Luke
Report by: Kathryn and Elen
View report on the Llantwit School premesis upgrade:
Vocational Courses report
Peter Hargrave: The Study of Stars and the Universe
On Tuesday March 13th Dr Peter Hargrave, a cosmologist from Cardiff University shed some light on the complicated topic of the formation of the universe and the study of stars. The head teacher, Dr Browne and two sixth form students studying cosmology for A level also attended the interview.
Due to recent expeditions and results Cardiff University has become one of the world’s leading departments in cosmology and the study of dark energy and matter.
Dr Hargrave had previously visited the school to explain cosmology in greater detail to the sixth formers studying it as well as Dr Browne.
One of Hargrave’s latest projects was BLAST. This was a Balloon-borne Large-Aperture Submillimeter Telescope. The balloon was launched in the Antarctic and the expedition began in 2006. It was sent up to a height of 120,000 feet above the earth’s atmosphere to examine wavelength in the distant universe that would otherwise be unattainable to measure from earth itself. The Balloon was carrying 1.5 tonnes of highly advanced, extremely expensive equipment to conduct the experiment, and by the time the balloon had left the earth’s atmosphere it was the size of the millennium stadium.
We wish Dr Hargrave luck with his future projects and expeditions, as well as his upcoming marriage that will take place in a weeks’ time. Good luck Peter.
Literacy Report:
Banana Sandwiches, Somersaults and Backflips
An insight into a gymnast’s life.
Reported by Anna and Kathryn
Llantwit Major School has a history of talented pupils going on to become successful sports personalities. It’s nice to know that, despite their success, they remember their roots.
Tom Roberts, a member of the Welsh gymnast team, is just one on the long list of the school’s sports success stories. He’s about to embark on an exciting multi-million pound project in Dubai, where he will be working as a project manager helping to prepare new gymnasts for the 2024 Olympics.
He returned to school, a day before heading out to Florida to compete for Wales. Before he left, he was interviewed about his future and also his past at the school.
“I took it literally and did a somersault over the vault…people bounce!”
Unlike most professional gymnasts, Tom’s gymnastic career didn’t start at a young age. He was in Year 8, watching a school gymnastic performance rehearsal when Mr Francis, a member of the PE department, asked him to step in for an absent student. He told Tom to “run at the vault and jump over it”. Tom “took it literally and did a somersault over the vault.” It was then that Tom realised he was quite good at gymnastics and joined the Barry YMCA Gym Club. He trained in the Top Squad for about seven years, and then decided to use his knowledge to teach gym.
Tom was asked if the first time he jumped over the vault was literally the first time he did gymnastics. He revealed: “Yeah, I didn’t know what I was doing! But I got back up and had another go.” He said “it doesn’t matter if you fall over, how you fall over, if you just forget about it and try to move on ... You just got to get up and have another go! And enjoy it! There is nothing to be scared of; people bounce!”
“It’s like riding a bike.”
When asked if he would miss competing and training he said, “I will miss competing and training… yeah, but I don’t think I’ll ever quit training it. It’s like riding a bike.” He thought it was great to do a backflip for the kids he teaches every now and then. But he did say “sharing the knowledge is enough to keep me going.”
“If you want something you’ll work at it.”
Unlike many professional gymnasts, Tom started at a much later stage. Asked if he had a lot of catching up to do, he answered: “Big time, yeah. Initially when I started…I was very, very behind.” Tom revealed that he wanted to be as good as them, so “I tried my best and worked really hard.” He encouraged that, “If you want something you’ll work at it…you’ll get there, you will get there.”
Questioned on his feelings about the upcoming project, Tom explained he thinks it is “very exciting” and he commented on how he was “very lucky” to be a part of it: “…very excited to see talent. I’m more bothered about people enjoying themselves and having opportunities, and giving people opportunities.”
Tom revealed that he would be searching for new talent “across the whole of Dubai...[In] one hundred and fifty schools and twelve gymnastic facilities.” He said the “best part of the job” was that he gets to work with “loads of nationalities”.
“I have a passion about the sport.”
The job is for twelve years. When asked if it would be a big commitment on his part he answered: “Even if I only do three years out there, those three years will be the best experience of my life…. I have a passion for gymnastics; I’m not doing it for money; I’m doing it because I have a passion about the sport.”
“You can’t experience it unless you’re actually doing it yourself.”
When asked what helped him to succeed in his career and reach this standard, Tom remarked that he “enjoyed throwing himself around”. He also admitted he liked “proving people... wrong, because a lot of people said [he] was never going to be a good gymnast because [he] started it too late.” He said he loved “that feeling of swinging around the bar, letting go and hoping that you land on your feet and not your head is an amazing feeling. You can’t experience it unless you’re actually doing it yourself.”
“Banana sandwiches, funnily enough”
When asked if he had problems with nerves Tom answered “no” he didn’t; he “enjoys being in the arena... and likes the challenge... [it] tests you as a person” But he did explain it “can be quite nerve-racking for someone who isn’t used to it.” Tom revealed some ways how he kept his nerves at an arm’s length; he said that “forgetting everything around you, taking things right back to the start, and beginning with the basics” is crucial. He also relied on “banana sandwiches, funnily enough, they were what controlled my nerves.” He said it “settled [him] right down and gave [him] lots of energy.”
“Everyone has their bad days…”
A lot of younger gymnasts aspiring to his standard would want to know what advice Tom would have for them. He said: “If you want something don’t care about what anybody else says, you just got to do it... You just got to know what you want and just go for it.... Everyone has their bad days... but the bad days make the good days even better!” He especially encouraged boys (who normally are teased more than girls) “How cool are you when you can do a back-flip and no one else in school can? It’s pretty cool!”
Tom’s enthusiasm and positivity is inspiring, and will ensure his success in Dubai. Llantwit School wish him the best and look forward to seeing his efforts in the 2024 Olympics.
Updated Friday 27th January 2012
Local News
Rare Breed of Turtle washes up Dead on Llantwit Coastline
Luke investigates news from the local area
A short while after Christmas a rare occurrence happened in the small coastal town of Llantwit Major. Two sea turtles had washed up dead on the welsh coast. The first turtle was found a day or two after Christmas and the second was found on Tuesday 3rd January by a woman who was walking her dog.
The marine conservation society warned people to keep an eye out for the two turtles and report any sightings of them. The endangered species which are Kemp ridley sea turtles are commonly found in and around the Gulf of Mexico. They were near extinction in the 1980’s due to hunting in large numbers and mass egg collection on the nesting sites.
Experts suggest that due to recent storms that have generated surface currents, the small turtles had been forced from the warmer waters where they inhabit into our colder seas which has resulted in their deaths.
The society said “These turtles could not have survived in our colder waters but they could have been rescued if we were notified earlier”.
“It is essential that if anyone sees any other breed of rare turtle, that you report it immediately,” said other experts.
Updated Friday 13th January 2012
Sports News
Clash of the Champions
Reported by Kieran
Llantwit Major under 14’s Football Team are gearing up for an epic first round clash in the Tesco Cup against St. Albans on Saturday 14th January 2012. The two sides have never met before and are both the reigning champions of their league, Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan league and St. Albans in the Cardiff league.
Llantwit have enjoyed relative success this season however they have not matched the success of their previous three seasons in which they have gone unbeaten. Llantwit defender Richard Dangerfield had this to say ahead of the game: ‘As current Cardiff champions St. Albans are definite to be challenging opponents, however we as a team are always looking to challenge ourselves and so are looking forward to what should be a competitive game.’ So good luck to Llantwit, we’re cheering you on!
BBC SCHOOL REPORT NEWS DAY
Thursday 15th March
Don't forget to check in and see what we've achieved!
Updated Friday 13th January
What's coming up in 2012
Reported by Kathryn
The hampers have been made, the carols have been sung, the holidays are over, and we’re back in school. It’s a new year and now we’re looking forward to the upcoming events for 2012.
The annual Eisteddfod is taking place on March 2nd this year. The celebrations for St. David’s day are also a chance for pupils to show what they can do. The festival usually creates great excitement; everyone is eager to see both the acts we’ve seen and enjoyed before, and also the new talented acts making their debut. The auditions will be taking place on Thursday the 2nd, 9th and 23rd of February at 3 o’clock in X11. Mrs Davies, who’s organising the event, said it will be a “huge mix of entertainment”.
On St David’s day itself, World Book Day is returning. This is a chance for both year 7 pupils and staff to enjoy the day dressed as their favourite book characters. It’s always interesting to see the array of colourful and creative costumes and try to predict the winner of the competition. “It will be a fun way to celebrate the fun of reading. I look forward to seeing the array of costumes this year,” said Miss Morris, the organiser of the day.
This year will also see a new occasion, which the school has not taken part in before: BBC News Day. During this day, pupils will get a chance to act like real journalists for a day, faced with the task of preparing, writing and editing a news story all before the 2pm deadline. This will be a fun and challenging day for all involved.
The school drama company will be returning with another summer show, ‘Guys and Dolls’. This will be the second show Mrs Richards (leader of the drama department ) will produce. Mrs Richards told us it will be a “fantastic evening of musical talent”, and after last year’s great performance of ‘Back to the 80’s’, expectations are high.
