Transition News July 2011
This summer term has been a very busy one for everyone at Abersychan School and our feeder primary schools.
Abersychan School have been working hard to make sure the Year 6 pupils feel relaxed and comfortable prior to transfer in September 2011. There have been many Transition Projects this year including:
· Visits to Primary Schools in September to show a promotional DVD and discuss Abersychan with Year 7 pupils
· A Transition Day for Years 5 and 6 for them to experience lessons at Abersychan School
· Abersychan School Open Evening
· Video Conferencing with the feeder primary schools
· The Art and Technology Project
· An ICT project at Penygarn Primary School
· A drama project with Cwmffrwdoer Primary School
· Pupils came up to Abersychan to watch our Christmas play
· The Moving On Project, which including a Beach Party at Abersychan School, climbing at Boulders Climbing Centre and a team building day
· Year 5 Sports Festival
· Year 4 European Culture Day
· Year 6 Roll Over Day and Roll Over Evening.
Video Conferencing
Year 7 pupils have spoken with their Year 6 teachers and the Year 6 pupils at their Primary Schools. We did this by using the Video Conferencing equipment in our state-of-the-art Learning Plaza.
Pupils at Abersychan discussed school life at Abersychan including uniform, extra-curricular clubs, homework, trips and the canteen.
All Year 6 and 7 pupils who took part had lots of fun using the Video Conferencing Systems.
Boulders Climbing Centre
Pupils on The Moving On Project enjoyed a fun-filled trip to Boulders Climbing Centre at Newport Road, Cardiff, on 16th June 2011. 45 pupils were able to try out the many activities at Boulders before enjoying a packed lunch and being taken back to their primary schools. Pupils climbed some tough climbing walls, the smaller harness-free walls and some team-building activities. The pupils and staff had a great day at Boulders and Abersychan School would like to thank all Year 6 pupils for their outstanding behaviour on the day.
Roll Over Day
All Year 6 pupils joining us at Abersychan School in September 2011 came up to meet their Form Tutors and fellow form peers on Wednesday 6th July 2011.
Roll Over Day takes place across Torfaen. At Abersychan, Year 6 pupils come to ‘The Big School’ in the morning and meet their Form Tutors. Next year our Year 7 tutors are:
Miss A. Hinchliffe,
Dr C. O’Connell,
Mrs P. Palmer,
Mrs. J. Gravell,
Mr. R. Howls and
Mr D. Saunders.
Year 7’s Progress Manager will be Miss. L. McCann.
This Year’s Roll Over Day was as successful as ever – all pupils had a fun day of getting-to-know-you games, performing a form ‘chant’ and musical bumps. Forms were awarded points during the games. A massive WELL DONE to 7DaS who won accumulated the most points and were awarded pens and chocolates.
The Roll Over Evening also went very well. Abersychan School were impressed by the high turn-out of parents and carers; this goes to show how well our future pupils are cared for.
Our school dance troupe, Dance Stars, performed a dance medley which has won them the county Eisteddfod, ‘Blaenvon’s Got Talent’, Torfaen’s ‘Got To Dance’ and many other competitions. All pupils, parents and staff were very impressed by the dancers and the high standard of the performance.
Some Year 7s modelled the Abersychan uniform and did a really good job! I think we have some budding models in Year 7.
Parents and carers then had the opportunity to discuss their child’s move to Abersychan with their Form Tutor, Progress Manager or the Transition Manager. Pretty Miss uniform suppliers from Cwmbran were also present for pupils to try on the Abersychan uniform if they wished.
The evening was a complete success and I hope parents, carers and pupils feel ready for their move to Abersychan School.
Year 5 Sports Fesitval
Despite the threat of rain (thanks to the Great British Summer!) Year 5 pupils enjoyed a day of sporting activities at Abersychan School on Thursday 7th July 2011.
Pupils had fun completing a range of activities including:
· Using the gym equipment in the Fitness Suite,
· Completing posters in the Learning Plaza,
· Dancing in the Dance Studio,
· Tennis on the astro-turf,
· Football on the astro-turf
· And bench ball in the Main Hall.
Year 5s enjoyed a hot lunch and took part in all activities. Pupils had lots of fun and were helped by very helpful Year 9 pupils.
Year 4 European Culture Day
Year 4 pupils from our seven feeder primary schools enjoyed a day of culture at Abersychan School on Wednesday 13th July 2011.
190 pupils enjoyed 7 activities in the Main Hall taught by our Modern Foreign Languages and Welsh departments.
Pupils learned some Welsh, Spanish, French, German and Italian. They also enjoyed tasting the food at our European tasting table. There were olives from Greece, Pepperoni from Italy, edam from Holland, sausage from Germany, croissants from France, waffles from Belgium and Welsh cakes from Wales. Pupils thought many of the foods were delicious but it’s a good job we had the ‘spit bin’ for those salty olives!
Staff at Abersychan would like to thank all Year 4 pupils for a wonderful day at Abersychan School’s European Culture Day. Their behaviour was excellent and everyone took part in the activities.
Abersychan staff would also like to thank the Year 8, 9 and 10 pupils who helped throughout the day.
Beach Party
The pupils in the Moving On Project enjoyed a ‘Beach Party’ on Abersychan’s School field on Thursday 14th July 2011.
The weather was beautifully sunny and perfect for a Beach Party. Pupils enjoyed lots of activities set up by the Youth Access and PlayScheme team from Torfaen’s LEA. There was a fire pit for roasting marshmallows and making pancakes, a jewellery making stall, face painting, a fruit kebab stall, dodge ball, football, parachute games and a Nintendo Wii in the back of a van!
All Year 6 pupils who took part had a wonderful time in the sunshine. The Year 10 pupils who helped out also had a great time. The marshmallows were especially popular and certainly delicious!
Thanks to all pupils and staff who took part.