Dining Room Schedule: /f/_Dining_Room_Schedule_Feb_2013.pdf

Junior Book Club (Mrs Cooney):
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J. K. Rowling.

Science Club (R11-R12), Mondays, 3.50-4.45pm, Rm 3.2 (Miss Sayce):
Volcanoes - this term we have made a papier maché volcano and tried out some chemical reactions to make our volcanoes explode.

Mandarin Chinese Club (R12-R14), Tuesdays, 1-1.30pm in the Old 6th Form Common Room (Miss Li).

Young Engineers Club (R14-R16), 3.5, Tuesdays at 12.45-1.20pm (Mr Moody).

French Cinema Club (R14-R16), Tuesdays, 12.55pm, Rm 1.8 (Mme Lhermitte):
Mon père, ce héros.

Middle School Book Club (R12-R13), Wednesdays, 12.50pm, Rm 2.5 (Miss Weaver):
Fire Spell, Laura Amy Schlitz.

KS4 Book Club (R14-R16), Wednesdays, 12.55pm, Rm 2.9 (Miss Staples):
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee.

Middle School Debating, Thursdays, 12.55pm, 1.7 (Miss Staples): /f/Senior_Debating_Motions_2013.pdf

Senior Debating, Thursdays, 12.55pm, Library (Mr J. Neville): /f/Senior_Debating_Motions_2013.pdf

Sixth Form Debating, Wednesdays, 12.55pm, Rm 1.7 (Mr J. Neville)

Upcoming Events

Mon 27 May - Fri 31 May - HALF TERM school closed (except for some revision classes)

Fri 21 June - R13 Latin Trip to Caerleon, 8.50am-1.15pm
Thurs 27 June - L6th English trip to Stratford to see 'Hamlet'
Fri 12th July - R6 and R7 Science trip to Newport Wetlands

Calendar 2012-13: /f/Calendar_2012-2013.pdf

Latest News

* Please also see the Early Years & Infants, Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form College webpages for more detail on the following news updates.

May 2013

R13 Civil War History Trip to Raglan Castle - Fri 24 May 2013.

David Griffith (R13W):  'I very much enjoyed our trip to Raglan Castle in the Welsh countryside.  There we were introduced to authentic Civil War costume and weaponry, and we looked at the castle structure.  I found handling the pikes most fun, as we were taught different commands and held the weapons and marched as if at the battle front.  I also liked looking at the magnificent stone work, especially the fireplaces.  All in all, I found it a very interesting trip.'

Confirmation (Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral) - Sun 19 May 2013.

Junior Book Club - May 2013.

 'Lionboy', by Zizou Corder, provoked a fascinating discussion at this half term's Book Club. Members were able to articulate their opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of the text, debate the author's interpretation of a future without fossil fuels and demonstrate a mature understanding of this complex plot. Congratulations to all who took part in the quiz, especially the winning teams, 'Charlie' and 'Magdalen'.  

For the final Junior Book Club of the academic year, members have requested a return to an old favourite, 'Harry Potter'. Having read book one and two in the series for previous Book Clubs, next half term's text will be 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban', by J K Rowling. 

Book Club will be held on Wednesday 5th June, all those who have read the text, had it read to them or have listened to the audio book are welcome to attend.

Mrs Cooney.

A Series of Talks on the Catholic Faith at the Cornerstone in June & July

Please visit the website http://www.cardiffcatholic.com for details of a series of talks on the Catholic Faith to be held at the Cornerstone, opposite St David's Metropolitan Cathedral and Marks & Spencer in Charles Street, Cardiff City Centre CF10 2SF.
 

R11 Residential Study - Wed 15 May - Fri 17 May 2013.

R7 History  trip to Cardiff Castle - Tues 14th May 2013.

The children enjoyed a morning session in the Education Centre dressing up as castle servants and exploring and identifying Victorian artefacts. After lunch a guide showed us around the castle telling us lots of interesting facts and stories about the castle’s history. We ended the day with a climb up to the keep exploring the rooms and enjoying the view of Cardiff.

Mrs Isaac.

R7 Violinist Pablo L-S performs in South Glamorgan Festival for Young Musicians - May 2013.
 

Junior World Maths Day - May 2013.

Many congratulations to Adi, Joshua & Sannay of the Junior School who have been presented with certificates for attaining the highest scores for World Maths Day.  Also pictured are those who made the greatest improvement across the practice days. Well done!

Mrs Thompson.

Nursery News - May 2013.

The children in the nursery department are really enjoying their new topic 'The Beach'. We have been exploring different sea creatures and had lots of fun looking at real mackerel fish using a magnifying glass.
 
We have been on adventures in Forest School and enjoyed our camp food day.
 
We have also been on a trip to the New Theatre to see Spot the Dog and our nursery bear 'Norman' came too!
 
In a few weeks' time we are going to The Gower to explore a real beach ... let's hope the sun shines!

Mrs Banks.

April 2013

Music Department Spring Concert, School Concert Hall, 7pm - Tues 30 April 2013.

Congratulations to the many musicians across the school who contributed to a stunning programme of solo and ensemble items on Tuesday.  Please click on the following link to view the programme:

/f/Spring_Concert_2013.pdf

Junior School Detectives for the Day - Tues 30 April 2013.

On Tuesday, 30th April, Techniquest visited the Junior School. They needed our help in solving a most heinous crime.  The belovèd and extremely valuable teddy bear belonging to Lord Llandaff had been stolen.

Who could the culprit be? Was it Lee Biro, the accountant; Peter Platter, the butler; Heather Duster, the maid; Daisy Lawn, the gardener; or Lady Llandaff, his wife?  There was evidence aplenty which we had to examine.  Which pen wrote the ransom note?  Chromatography helped us there.  The fibres from which fabrics were left at the crime scene?  Whose fingerprints were there, and could we follow and identify the footprints to find the thief?  Close scrutiny was required.  Finally, a secret message was found. Would this reveal the culprit?

Great fun was had by all as the identity of the thief was discovered by team work, logic and the process of elimination.


Gabriel R.: “When Techniquest came we did experiments. My favourite experiment was the finger print identification, because it made me feel like a real detective.”           

Eleri R.
: “My favourite part of Techniquest was when we did the box.  The box had an ultraviolet torch, glow sticks and a piece of paper. When we put the blank piece of paper in the box and shone the torch on it, a note appeared.”       

Alex W.: “I can’t wait till next year!”           

Mrs Teideman.

R12 Geography trip to Ryers Down in the Gower - Thurs 25 April 2013.

R12 enjoyed a trip to Ryers Down, and with the help of our leader Dawn, R12 carried out an environmental impact study to investigate whether the location of Ryers Down would be suitable for wind turbines to produce renewable energy. R12 were brilliant in the way they carried out pond dipping, tree beating and were able to locate medieval ruins of a longhouse to assess whether the site would be suitable or not. After collecting the information, R12 ended the day with a debate about the suitability of wind turbines on Ryers Down. R12 must be commended for their excellent behaviour and effort throughout the day.

Miss Sayce.

Junior Maths Challenge (R12, R13) - Thur 25 April 2013.

Welsh Schools Circuit Competition 2013 - Mon 22 April 2013.
 
Dylan J (R7) has achieved 2nd place in the Under 7 Boys cycling competition.
He had to cycle 3 laps to qualify and then race just over 1 lap to gain his place.
Well done Dylan!

Mrs Isaac.

Art & DT Trip to Bristol Zoo - Mon 22 April 2013.

Art and DT pupils in R14 enjoyed a trip to Bristol Zoo. We covered sustainability and were able to draw animals/insects from first hand experience. The pupils behaved impeccably and certainly did the school proud. Bristol Zoo praised staff and pupils on their approach, efforts and overall behaviour.

Mrs Armour.

UKMT Pink Kangaroo Mathematical Challenge (R16) - Thurs 18 April 2013.

Success for two R16 Mathematicians!  Well done to Jack Israel and Abhinaba Guha for being awarded a Merit in the recent UKMT Pink Kangaroo Mathematical Challenge.

Mrs Regan.

Junior School Disco
 - Thurs 18 April 2013.

The children arrived in eager anticipation to the sounds of the latest dance music. Fashionably dressed and keen to demonstrate their high energy moves the school hall soon became a dance studio.  DJ Sterling lived up to all expectations as music and bubbles filtered through the air. Refreshments were served at short intervals but the children were eager to dance the night away.  A fun time was had by all.
 
Maddison Bullen R9, ”My band performed at this year’s disco. I was so excited that I was the lead singer!  Later on in the evening there was a bubble machine. The day after I could hardly move as I danced so much. I had lots of fun; it was the best one yet!"

Ella Evans R9, “My favourite parts were when the teachers joined in dancing and DJ Sterling showed us all how to street dance.  I had a great time at this year’s school disco".

Kavin Durai R9, "The Junior disco was a very fun event.  There were bubbles, sweets and drinks".

Miss Puntan.

Important Note to Parents:

Measles is one of a number of notifiable diseases in the UK. Any doctor who suspects that a patient has measles is required by law to report it to Public Health
 
Measles infection can be prevented by a highly effective and safe vaccine which is part of the measles-mump-rubella (MMR) immunisation.  The illness is spreading through the Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Llanelli area. Schools have been affected as many of the pupils have not been protected by having two Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) injections. There have been 48 children admitted to hospital during this outbreak as a result of their measles infection. 

If your child/teenager has not had MMR vaccine/s or you think they might have missed a vaccination you should contact your GP, health visitor or practice nurse as soon as possible to get them protected.

 Measles is highly infectious and is spread from person to person by coughs and sneezes. Early symptoms include a high temperature, cough, cold and conjunctivitis (painful, red eyes). A red, blotchy rash appears 3 to 7 days later which usually begins on the face and spreads down over the rest of the body. 

Any child who develops symptoms of measles should not attend school for four days after the start of the rash.

 Please see the website http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/43749for further information and NHS Wales sites for the latest information and guidance.
 

Best of luck to Larkin Cen in BBC's MasterChef 2013

Many congratulations to former St John's College student, Larkin Cen, who has won a place in the final of this year's BBC MasterChef Competition.  Larkin completed his A levels at St John's College in 2002 and went on to study Law at Cardiff University.  He is currently a solicitor at Morgan Cole.  The College wishes Larkin every success in the competition!

March 2013

'Happy Easter' from the Nursery!

Junior Book Club - March 2013.

All Junior pupils read the latest Book Club text, Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela and consequently Book Club was a lively affair this half term. Pupils were divided into 10 teams for the quiz.  Each team was named after a South African animal. All teams were able to demonstrate a mature grasp of the challenging issues raised in this text. Congratulations to all who contributed to the quiz and the subsequent discussion and especially to teams Lion, Elephant, Penguin and Zebra, who shared first place honours.

The next Book Club text is Lionboy by Zizou Corder, winner of the Blue Peter Book Club award. Set in the future, it is the tale of Charlie Ashanti, a young boy who speaks cat. Charlie's unusual talent helps him on his quest to find his kidnapped parents who have discovered a cure for asthma. He teams up with a pride of lions on a circus ship bound for Paris and the scene is set for an inspired and imaginative adventure.  

The Lionboy Book Club will be held on Wednesday 24th April. All those who have read the text, had it read to them or have listened to the audio book are welcome.

Mrs Cooney.

R9 Mother's Day - March 2013.

R9 celebrated Mother’s Day with a wonderful assembly this term. Parents were invited to join in with the special occasion and were ‘wowed’ by the children’s spectacular performances of music, singing and poetry. During the assembly we learnt about all the busy jobs that our mothers do, mother’s day in other countries and even had a game of the strongest link! There were many tears shed as the children shared their beautiful portraits of their mums, along with their heart felt words of love.
 
Oscar said ‘When it actually came to the day of the assembly I felt very happy with myself. I enjoyed learning the actions to the poems too. My mum was even crying a bit!'
 
Namitha added 'I really enjoyed the assembly and I hope we do another one in R10.’

Mrs Criddle.

David Griffith (R13) Performs Tosca at St David's Hall, Cardiff - Mon 25 March 2013.

On 25th March David Griffith sang in an Ellen Kent Production featuring the Chisinau National Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra. He was the Shepherd boy and opened the third act, singing ' Io de Sospiri'.  Many congratulations to David.

R10 Millennium Centre Residential Field Trip - Tourists in their own City - Thur 21 - Fri 22 March 2013.

The torrential rain and cold wind did not prevent R10 from enjoying their overnight stay at the Millennium Centre.  The trip began with a tour of the Millennium Stadium where pupils particularly enjoyed lifting a trophy and sitting in the Royal Box.  Following this, the pupils met up with three AMs and learnt about the workings of the Welsh Assembly. The tour manager was so impressed by the quality of the children's questions and their excellent behaviour that he extended the tour by an hour, allowing the pupils into one of the conference rooms. There they were able to discuss future changes they would like to make in Wales.  The day was rounded off with a quiz and talent show which had everyone laughing.

The next day the wind died down sufficiently to allow the boat trip around Cardiff Bay to go ahead and the pupils learnt a lot about the history of Cardiff and the docks.  This was followed by some very competitive bowling with Joshua Wright coming out on top - well done.  There was just time for a tour of the Millennium Centre. The highlight was being allowed to stand on the stage and seeing how enormous the auditorium appears. Finally it was time to return to school and to have some well earned sleep!

Mrs Cooke.

Cathedral Choir Easter Concert at St David's Hall, 1pm - Tues 19 March 2013.

The Cathedral Choir performed a varied programme of Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs and Vivaldi Gloria with chamber orchestra, as well as a selection of Lenten motets, to an appreciative audience in this ever-popular lunchtime concert. Many congratulations to our boy and girl Cathedral Choristers on their uplifting and polished performance, and also to Lower 6th pianist, Ethan Harris, who accompanied the Choir in the Vaughan Williams.

Seniors / L6th Cardiff Schools Shelter Cymru Golf Tournament, 9am-4.30pm - Tues 19 March 2013.

Sixth Form Rotary Quiz, Ysgol Glantaf - Fri 15 March 2013.

The school was well represented at the Rotary Club Quiz on Friday 15th March. Three teams of Lower 6th students entered from St John's College and the quizmaster for the evening was Mark Labbett - a.k.a. 'The Beast' - from ITV's 'The Chase'. With a total score of 61/80, one St John's team came a creditable fourth. Although we weren't overall winners, a great night was had by all. (Max Price, L6th Student).

Comic Relief Cake Sale & Raffle - Fri 15 March 2013.

Junior Comic Relief - Fri 15 March 2013.

I would like to thank the pupils of the Junior School for their generosity and enthusiasm in raising money towards our nominated charities.  The Junior pupils brought in their ‘loose change’ and managed to create a line of coins around our Sports Hall with enough coins left over to create a huge smiley face.  In all, these coins added up to approximately £125 ... although we are still counting all the pennies!  It was delightful to see all the pupils from R8 to R11 working together to achieve this task.  There were some individual sponsored activities by Ben Wieser, Alex Widnall, Maddy Bullen, Gabriel Robinson, Ben Davies, Dior Wood, Eleri Robinson and Katie Wright, and they raised £51 between them.  Well Done!

We also held a Merit Award Assembly where our pupils were also presented with their swimming certificates.  This follows our Junior School Swimming Gala last week.  Many congratulations for all individual progress made over the last two terms.

Mrs Thompson.

Junior Swimming Gala Results - Tues 12 March 2013.

1st 232 points De la Salle
2nd 220 points Mostyn
3rd 158 points St David's
4th 146 points Bute

Mrs Wood.

UKMT Team Challenge (R13-R14) - Tues 12 March 2013.

Nila Jambulingham, David Tong, Nudhara Yusuf and Praneet Bolusani from R14 and R13 competed in the day-long regional finals of the UK Mathematics Trust Team Maths Challenge at Whitchurch High School.  They all thoroughly enjoyed it, and they each returned with a certificate, a Mathematical puzzle and a great deal of excitement about their day.

Mrs Regan.

R12 History Trip to Cardiff Castle - Fri 8 March 2013.

R12 Historians enjoyed a fascinating trip to Cardiff Castle on Friday, which brought to life many of the aspects of Norman life that we have studied in class.  Our visit began with a informative guided tour of the Georgian and Victorian parts of the castle, including architect William Burges's masterpiece, the 'Arab Room', with its Moorish gilded ceiling.  The boys and girls were particularly enamored with the imposing Banqueting Hall and the secluded Roof Garden.

We then made our way across the bailey to the echoing air-raid shelter hidden within the walls of the castle.  Visual and audio effects accompanied the long walk through the tunnels and helped to recreate the experiences of Cardiff residents who took refuge here during the WW2 bombing raids. 

Our next challenge was to climb the steep steps of the Norman Keep whose commanding view over Cardiff and beyond reinforced the strategic importance of this imposing castle.  The boys and girls were particularly excited to imagine the archers firing their arrows through the slit windows and to observe the many architectural features that made this keep so impenetrable to enemy forces. 

The final destination of our trip was the Steward's Room, which was lined with an array of helmets, body armour and weapons from the Romans through to the Civil War.  Here the children learnt about developments in weaponry and armour across the centuries, with an interactive display of the mechanics of a model trebuchet which fired across the room.  Especially enjoyable was the chance for the children to try on the chain mail and various helmets at the end of the demonstration.  The boys and girls should be commended on their impeccable behaviour throughout the trip, and we are particularly grateful to Cardiff Castle for a thoroughly enjoyable visit.

Mr J. Neville.

R12 and R14 English Trips Cardiff University - Thurs 7 & Fri 8 March 2013.

Both R12 and R14 enjoyed days at Cardiff University where they got to meet authors and listen to them talk about their craft, as well as participating in workshops centred on journalism.

R12 started their day with a talk from leading children’s author Ellie Irving who has written ‘For the Record’, a funny and touching book about a town banding together in a time of need. The pupils then took part in the creation of their own magazine front page and ended the day with a presentation from Damien Dibben, the writer of ‘The Secret Keepers’ which is about to be made into a major film franchise; it is a thrilling story of a family lost in time and a boy’s quest to save them. As it was World Book day many of our pupils won book vouchers too!

R14 began their day with a talk from Phil Earle, author of ‘Being Billy’ and ‘Saving Daisy’, who drew inspiration from his days working in children’s homes and the tragic stories he encountered there. This was followed by a presentation from Amy McCulloch whose first novel is about to be published and is called ‘The Oathbreaker’s Shadow’, a fantasy tale of broken promises and guilt. She gave pupils a valuable insight into the whole publishing business and the process it involves. The day ended with a workshop about feature article writing and a chance to get books signed.

Miss Weaver.

Junior Newsletter - Lent 2013: /f/JS_Newsletter_Lent_2013.pdf

R10-R13 Cathedral Choristers' sport and evensong day at Salisbury Cathedral - Wed 6 March 2013.

On Wednesday our R10 to R13 choristers performed alongside the 120 choristers from the cathedral choirs at Wells, Gloucester, Exeter, Bristol, Llandaff, Truro, and Salisbury, at the Choir Schools Association Evensong at the magnificent cathedral of Salisbury.  Our choristers had several victories in the sports fixtures, thanks to great team performances all round, and we are extremely proud of the way that our choristers conducted themselves throughout the day.  We can always rely on our choristers to behave superbly, and several visitors to the cathedral said how impressed they were by our pupils' impeccable manners.

Mr D. Neville.

World Maths Day - 6 March 2013.

Pupils from R12 to R15 enjoyed pitting their mathematical ability against pupils from around the whole world.  Lucy Blyth and Kane Teear-Bourge (both R14) showed the greatest improvement to their mental arithmetic skills over the event.  Matthew Chung (R14), Dylan Edwards (R13), Daniel Siromani and Edward Williams (both R12) each answered well over one thousand questions correctly.  What an achievement!

Mrs Regan.

GCSE / 6th Form Choristers & Instrumentalists Praised for Outstanding Performance at SHMIS Conference (Vale Hotel) - Mon 4 March 2013.

Many congratulations to our GCSE and Sixth Form choristers and instrumentalists who performed superbly last night at the SHMIS Conference hosted at The Vale Hotel.  The evening commenced with a sublime rendition of Gabriel Fauré's Sicilienne performed by 13 of our instrumentalists, before the GCSE choristers sang William Byrd's rhythmically complex six-part motet, Sing Joyfully, followed by lighter close harmony arrangements of Yesterday by the Beatles and The Jackson 5's I Want You Back.

Success for St David's at the Middle School Eisteddfod
Llwyddiant i St David's yn Eisteddfod yr Ysgol
 
On St David's Day, our middle school pupils gathered together in the school hall for an afternoon of music, literary performances, celebration and friendly competition as we held our annual Eisteddfod. The pupils eagerly await this time of year when they can celebrate and embrace Welsh culture. Pupils competed in numerous competitions, ranging from stage competitions, including Welsh and English recitation and solo instrumental competitions, to homework competitions across the subject range. Homework competitions included designing a 3D card promoting Wales and a poster on a Welsh scientist, to name only a few. It was a close competition this year, but the winning shield stays with the house of St David's, after winning two years consecutively. Winners include Bute and St Davids for the R12 Welsh Choir Competition, David Griffith in R13 for his captivating recitation of a Welsh poem, Queena Lee in R14 and Robert Field in R13 for their magnificent instrumental pieces, on the piano and ‘cello respectively. Congratulations also to Harini Somasekar for winning the R12 music solo competition.
 
The main award of the ceremony was awarded to Daniel S in R12 as he was crowned Bard of the Eisteddfod. Daniel was accompanied by older GCSE Welsh students to his chair on the stage, where he was draped in our national Welsh flag and presented with his certificate and prize before Welsh sixth form students read him a congratulatory poem. Llongyfarchiadau Daniel! Congratulations Daniel!
 

Miss McManus.

Junior Eisteddfod 2013

The Junior department celebrated St David’s Day with a packed programme of music, recitations and competitions from across the curriculum.  Competitions included for example, handwriting, musical soloists, Celtic Knot drawing, Art work depicting famous Welsh people, postcards of favourite places in Wales etc.  R10 entertained us with a humorous rendition of the Hare and the Tortoise, R8 sang a delightful welsh song and our R11 finalists recited ‘On a Saltmarsh’ by Harold Monroe.  The winning house was Mostyn with 282 points and congratulations go to Finn M who was crowned the Bard.  Well done to all pupils for their considerable efforts and for making the day so enjoyable.

Mrs R. Thompson.

February 2013

Team Slipstream Wins 'Best Engineered Car' at Formula 1 Regional Finals - Thurs 28 February 2013.

Team Slipstream, represented by Abhinaba G, Jack I, Ross L, Natasha S, Natalie L and Tom M, won first prize for the 'Best Engineered Car' in the Formula 1 Regional Finals held at Swansea Maritime Museum on Thursday. The team received a fantastic trophy sponsored by Jaguar and each received certificates awarded by the F1 in Schools organisers.
The team were also commended for their presentation and exhibition at the Pit Display.

We are extremely thankful to Morgan Cole Solicitors and Belief Sports who generously sponsored the team.  We intend to build on this success and develop a an even faster car for next year's finals.  Many congratulations to Team Slipstream.

Mr Moody.

Hana E (R7) Wins Competition at Sherman Theatre - Mon 25 February 2013.

Hana E in R7 has won a competition at the Sherman Theatre to design a Christmas-themed snowflake.
Many schools in Cardiff and Newport entered and Hana was selected as the winner. Very well done to Hana who has received a letter from the Sherman Theatre and a book about the Baba Yaga.

Mrs Isaac.

New House Captains Elected - Mon 25 February 2013.

Many congratulations to the following pupils who have been elected House Captains:

Mostyn- Harry E
De La Salle- Samuel D
Bute- Frank M
St Davids- Nadia A

R11 Visit to Crucial Crew - Mon 25 February 2013.

As part of PSE curriculum, R11 visited South Wales Police mock-up of a town on 25th February where they learnt about the dangers of everyday life.  Georgia Wink wrote:

“We went to a mini shop where the lady showed us what they can sell an 11 year old.  They showed us the cigarettes, fireworks and drugs and how dangerous they are.  We then went outside and into a bus to learn about the top 10 safety rules of bus travel.  We split into two teams to guess these rules and had to shout out our answers.  It was really fun!”

Siddharth Mohanty wrote:
“I really enjoyed it, especially when we went through the smoke-filled room.”

Mrs Kloosterman.
 

Singing their way to marital bliss - Thurs 21 and Fri 22 February 2013.

A dubious judge, a jilted bride, a dapper defendant and a whole chorus of meddling jurors starred in St John’s College’s sell-out performances of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury last month. Performed with panache, musicality and professionalism that could have graced any West End Stage, this sparkling production entertained from start to finish.  Accompanied by the College’s own polished Concert Orchestra this rollicking farce was sung to perfection by the cast of beautifully costumed Senior and Sixth Form pupils who delighted the audience with a feast of witty and good humoured lampooning of the many ‘breach of promise’ judgements played out in the litigious courtrooms of the nineteenth century.

Mr Malcolm Harding, a distinguished conductor and former public school director of music, commented 'The production of Trial by Jury at St John's is one of the happiest I have been associated with and I have been delighted that the results have been accomplished in so short a time - evidence of talent and industry both on the part of the students and highly committed teaching staff.'

Meanwhile, with their dazzling costumes and well-rehearsed routines the Junior School presented Terry Pratchett’s beguiling tale of The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents with a cast and numerous supporting roles which gave every Junior pupil an opportunity to contribute to the success of this highly entertaining saga.  The sets, costumes, characterisation and clear diction of these young thespians captivated the audience, reflecting great credit on the preparation and effectuation of their highly entertaining roles.

All in all, this double bill gave the appreciative audiences an evening of fine theatre to savour. We all look back to our school days and experiences, and nothing outshines the happy memory of playing a part in a highly successful and technically demanding school production.  Knowing that we have taken part in a show - frequently given by professional actors and singers - brings home the scale of the achievement of all involved.  
 

Super Seven Book Club (R7) recommences from Wednesday 20 February 3.30 - 4.30 (Mrs Isaac's Room)

Joseff M, Lloyd F and Charles W play for Cardiff & Vale Development Squad

Congratulations to the three R11 boys who proudly represent the Cardiff & Vale team in Football.

Intermediate Mathematical Challenge 2013 Results - 7 February 2013.

R16
GOLD
Jack Israel, Abhinaba Guha, Yuchen Zhu, Natasha Sturrock.

SILVER
Shaun Malloy.

BRONZE
Andee Liu, James Ball, Ali Jaffar, Namitha Michael, Hannah Son, Soraya Alburquerque, Sophie Taylor, Ross Lisney-Wilson.

R15
GOLD
Iris Lu.

SILVER
Daniel Cullen, Robbie Griffith, Dominie Patel.

BRONZE
Bethan Thomas.

R14
SILVER
Nila Jambulingam

BRONZE
Tanya Chiganze, Faye Wang, Joshua Chang.

Jack and Abhinaba (R16) did so well that they have been invited to take part in the next round on the 15th March.  Good luck, both!

Ski Trip to Bansko, Bulgaria - 6-13 February 2013.

Our Senior pupils were on the ski slopes for 5 days with 4 hours of lessons a day in the world cup resort of Bansko and stayed for 6 nights full board in the 4* Perun Lodge.  As well as excellent skiing there were enjoyable evening activities such as bowling, ice skating, disco, karaoke, and a traditional Bulgarian evening!

Joseph W (R12) Plays Tennis for Great Britain and is selected to attend LTA Training Camp in Barcelona - Tues 5-Fri 8 February 2013.

Many congratulations to Joseph, who has not only represented Great Britain in a 4-nation tennis tournament at the Belgian National Tennis Centre (Antwerp), but also won all of his 8 matches (6 singles and 2 doubles) against the best players in Belgium and Holland.

Joseph has now been selected to attend an LTA Training Camp in Barcelona this Easter at which a select GB team will be training and competing on European clay against Spanish players.  Joseph can be very proud of this outstanding achievement.

Gilbert & Sullivan Masterclass with Malcolm Harding for Senior production of Trial by Jury, 11am - 5pm - Thurs 7 February 2013.

Ethan Harris (L6th) Achieves Highest Mark in ABRSM Grade 8 Piano - Tues 5 February 2013.

Many congratulations to Ethan, who has been awarded the 'Dorothy Grace Atkinson Memorial Prize for Pianoforte', given each year to the candidate with the highest mark in ABRSM Grade 8 Piano. Ethan has been awarded a cash prize and his name will appear in the ABRSM's 2012 Annual Review.  Ethan can be very proud of this great honour.

Senior Maths Team Challenge Final (Sixth Form), London - Tues 5 February 2013.
Congratulations to our team of 4 Further Maths students who represented South Wales at the National Finals of this year's Senior Team Maths Challenge on Tuesday 5 February.  Having already beaten more than 20 schools from South Wales to win the Regional Finals in November at Cardiff University, the St John's team was one of only 62 school from across the UK to reach the National Final held in the Camden Centre, London. 

In the short time after completing January exams, our team put considerable effort and hard work into preparing for the event. Our students were delighted to be with some of the most talented young mathematicians in the country and to compete in solving complex problems.  We all enjoyed every minute of the event.

This is the third year that our Sixth Form mathematicians have reached the National Finals, and this year's team can all be very proud of its achievements.  Many congratulations to Jamie and Eric (L6th) and Joe and Peyton (U6th).

Dr Nades.

January 2013

Aashika Luintel (R16) wins 'Best Speaker Award' at Rotary Public Speaking Competition - Mon 28 January 2013.

Congratulations to Aashika Luintel, Ross Lisney-Wilson and Matthew Barbato of R16 who competed in last night's Rotary Public Speaking Competition at Llanishen High School.  Ross (Chairperson) and Matthew (who gave the vote of thanks) were both entertaining and informative, and Aashika's speech - Should Alcohol be Banned - was compelling and expertly delivered.  The standard of public speaking was very high, with several teams of senior pupils and sixth formers from Howell's School, Llandaff Cathedral School and Bishop of Llandaff.  Aashika is to be especially commended for winning 'Best Speaker Award'.

Mr J. Neville.

All round success for St John's Gymnastics Team - Fri 25 January 2013.

The Welsh Schools Floor and Vault Championships were a great success last Friday with 3 seniors and 3 juniors competing for St John's in total. Sam W came first and got a gold medal with Sam R coming second (silver medal) in the U14's competition. Rachel E (R13), Ella E (R9), Gabrielle R (R9) and Eleri R (R9) all competed extremely well.

Many congratulations to all of the gymnasts involved.

Mr Jay.

Cathedral Choir live broadcast to an estimated 1.8 million listeners on BBC Radio 4, Sunday 27th January 2013, 8.10am.

Cathedral Choristers perform in live BBC Radio 3 broadcast of Britten Spring Symphony, St David's Hall, 7.30pm - Fri 25 January 2013.

Our boy and girl Cathedral Choristers joined choirs from Brecon Cathedral, Llandaff Cathedral and St David's Cathedral, the BBC National Chorus of Wales and Cardiff Polyphonic Choir in a magnificent performance of Britten's Spring Symphony conducted by David Atherton at St David's Hall.

Oxford Union Debating Regional Round (L6th), Ysgol Glantaf, 4pm - Fri 25 January 2013.

Our Lower 6th Form students performed very well indeed in last night's regional round of the Oxford Union Schools Debating Competition against schools from across South Wales.  Congratulations to Max, Roisin, Karthik, Sam, Jahna and Louis on their fine debating which was particularly commended by the judges.

Mr J. Neville.

Junior Book Club News - January 2013.

The recent ‘Christmas Carol’ Book Club quiz was keenly fought. All participants were able to demonstrate an impressive knowledge of a challenging text. Congratulations to all those who took part, especially to team ‘Ghost of Christmas Future’ who narrowly won.

The next Junior Book Club will be held on Wednesday 13th March. The text is the official picture-book edition of Nelson Mandela’s best selling autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom.

All are welcome to attend Junior Book Club if they have read the text, had it read to them or have listened to the audio book.

Mrs Cooney.

December 2012

 Peter Pan - December 2012.

The Junior School enjoyed an entertaining performance of Peter Pan at the newly renovated Sherman theatre as our end of term trip.  The pupils were animated on their way home, regaling their favourite scenes from the performance.  It was a contemporary version with all the usual drama, singing, humour as well as the usual chance to boo and hiss.  It was a suitably entertaining end to our Advent term. 

Nursery-R7 Christmas Production ‘The Whoops-A-Daisy Angels’, School Hall, 7.00pm - Tues 18 December 2012.

Founder's Evening & Awards, 7pm (St John's College Hall) - Fri 14 December 2012.

R8 Parents’ Assembly - Fri 14 December 2012.

Ben Dimond (R13C Senior Cathedral Chorister) achieves Grade 5 Singing with Distinction - December 2012.

Nursery-R7 Trip to The Snow Tiger (Sherman Theatre) - Tues 11 December 2012.

Sixth Formers attend Oxford Union Debating Workshop - Wed 12 December 2012.

Praneet Bolusani (R13W) Shortlisted for Young Writers Poetry Anthology - Wed 12 December 2012.
Well done to Praneet for being shortlisted from thousands of entries for the Young Writers poetry anthology, ‘The Poetry Games – Poetry from Wales’. He wrote a short poem, based on war, titled ‘Shattered’. A copy of the anthology will be sent to the college once it has been published in February. Each of the shortlisted competitors will have the chance to win prizes, and twelve finalists will go on to the grand finale ‘The Poetry Games online Vote Off!’. Congratulations Praneet!

Miss Staples.

R11/R12 Science Club News - December 2012.

In Science Club this term we had a fun time building and then exploding our volcanoes. We then went on to design and make parachutes.  Science Club will resume on Monday 25th February  (3.55 in 4.2) after parents’ evening and the school plays have taken place. If you are interested in joining please see Miss Sayce.

Miss Sayce.

Lower 6th DNA Photocopying Workshop at Techniquest - Wed 5 December 2012.

AS Biology Students attended a half day workshop in the laboratories at Techniquest.  They had to extract their own mitochondrial DNA from cheek cells (not painful at all!).  As this DNA is maternal, there is no danger of these samples ever being used as a DNA profile! These samples were then subjected to amplification on a PCR machine and analysed by the students using electrophoresis.  It was an early experience of working in a laboratory outside of St John’s College and the sixth formers can be commended on their enthusiasm.

Mrs Evans.  

Francesca F (R16) wins 3rd prize in National Indoor Rowing Competition - Wed 5 December 2012.

Many congratulations to Francesca F who achieved an impressive 3rd position in the National Women's Indoor Rowing Competition.  Please click on the following link for more information: http://concept2.co.uk/nationals/results_details?year=2012&event=43&race_name=welsh

ESU Public Speaking Competition (R16) - Tues 4 December 2012.

On Tuesday night, our R16 public speaking team competed in the regional ESU Public Speaking Competition, hosted this year at Howell's School, Llandaff.  Abhinaba Guha (Speaker), Ross Lisney-Wilson (Questioner) and Aashika Luintel (Chairperson) were eloquent in content and self-assured in their delivery.  Our team saw off competition from Howell's, Llandaff Cathedral School, Bishop of Llandaff, Ysgol Glan Taf and Ysgol Plas Mawr to be awarded prizes for Best Speaker, Best Questioner and Best Chairperson, but were pipped at the post by a outstanding team from Monmouth Girls' by the smallest of margins.  Indeed, the judge commented that Abhinaba's speech was one of the better examples of public speaking that he had seen in a long time, and praised our team for exceptional performances all round.  Very well done to our public speakers.

Mr J. Neville.

November 2012

Primary Maths Challenge

Some of our pupils in R10 and R11 took part in the Primary Maths Challenge at the end of November, run by the Mathematical Association.  This year over 70,000 pupils in 1875 schools took part in the challenge.  The questions posed involve problem solving and are, as the name implies, quite challenging, so particularly well done to all who took part.  Congratulations to the following pupils:

Gold Award - Neil Mehta (R11)
Silver Award - Suyash Agarwal (R11), Sanay Goyal (R11), Jasmine Son (R10) and Joshua Wright (R10)
Bronze Award - Jasmine Cardoza (R11)

Mrs Thompson.

Four Nations Maths Challenge

In November, R12 to R15 took part in the Four Nations Maths Challenge – an on-line competition between pupils from England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.  Gwyn P, Jennifer H and Daniel S were awarded certificates for the number of correct answers they gave in the competition.

University of Glamorgan Maths Quiz Success

On 30th November, ten talented R16 pupils represented the school at the above quiz, and once again, the school had success by winning the bronze cup – missing out on the top spot by just one mark.  Abhinaba G, Jack I, Hannah S, Natasha S, Namitha M, Ali J, James B, Aashika L, Feyi A and Natalie L-G all thoroughly enjoyed the event.

Mrs Regan.

Art & Design A level group visit the National Museum of Wales and the Martin Tinney Gallery Cardiff - Fri 30 November 2012.

The Art & Design A level group travelled to the National Museum of Wales and the Martin Tinney Gallery Cardiff. The students were able to see a range of contemporary Welsh artists as well as the fantastic historical, Impressionist and modern collections.  As well as this being a very enjoyable experience, the students were able to study a range of artworks and can now include evidence of this in their sketchbooks.

Mr Moody.

Kids' Lit Challenge - Wed, 28 November 2012.

Two teams from R11- R13 entered the Kids’ Lit Quiz at the Bishop of Llandaff School at the end of November.  Congratulations to our pupils who represented the school at the Kids’ Lit Quiz.  They did us proud and in a very competitive contest came 7th and 9th out of 26 teams from S Wales and SW of England.  Harini S (captain), Olivia M, Harry D and Praneet B were the members of the St John’s senior team.  Rowan D (captain), Stephanie M,  Suyash A, and Sanay G  were the members of the junior team.  Well done everyone.  Keep reading!

Mrs Loveland.

Cathedral Choir Christmas Concert, St David’s Hall, 1pm - Tues, 27 November 2012.

Our Cathedral Choir performed a sublime concert to a very large audience on Tuesday.  Traditional favourites such as Once in Royal David's City and O Come, All Ye Faithful were interspersed with more modern works such as O Magnum Mysterium by Morten Lauridsen.  Many audience members have commented on the exceptionally high standard of singing.  Congratulations also to Noa Gabay for her masterful solo harp performances.

Cambridge Schools Debating (6th Form) - Mon, 26 November 2012.

Congratulations to Karthik Kumar, Sam Dunne, Louis Brown, David Birley, Jahna Hampshire, Daniel Jeremy, Roisin Beevers and Max Price who competed in the Cambridge Schools Debating Competition at Howell's School, Llandaff on Monday night.  Our Sixth Formers are now working towards the Oxford Union Schools Competition in January, and will be attending a debating workshop this December.

Upper Sixth English students attend A Level Lecture day on King Lear - Fri 23 November 2012.

Senior Maths Team (Sixth Form) are through to the UK Senior Maths Challenge Final - November 2012.

Many congratulations to Qi Wen and Zhou Jielu of U6th and Na Jiaming and Zhong hong Wei of L6th who have been selected for the UK Senior Maths Challenge Final in London on 5 February 2013, having seen off strong competition at the regional final.

This Year's Senior Maths Challenge Results:

13 Gold Winners  5 Silver  Winners 17 Bronze Winners 1 BMO1 automatic qualifier 8 Senior Kangaroo qualifiers  

Top School in Wales in The Sunday Times 'Parent Power 2012' - Sun 18 November 2012. Source: The Sunday Times Parent Power Sunday 18 November 2012.

/f/The_Sunday_Times_Parent_Power_2012.pdf

William L (R14) Wins Media4Schools Film Award - Tues 13 November 2012.

Congratulations to William who has won an award for his film about a dog called Gingie. William co-wrote the script with his brother and they used a dog puppet in the role of Gingie.  There is plenty of action in the film, special effects, music tracks and a twist in the storyline.  The editing in the film is fast paced and William uses Adobe Premiere Elements 7software.  William can be very proud of this outstanding achievement and is looking forward producing his next film this Christmas.

Junior Newsletter - Advent 2012: /f/IS_Newsletter_Advent_2012.pdf

R9 Newport Wastesavers - Tues 13 November 2012.

R9 enjoyed a visit to Wastesavers Newport this week. They had fun learning all about recycling in the education room and even got to see the centre in full action when the bin wagons arrived with the waste!

Mrs Criddle.

R11 Victorian School Day - Mon 12 November 2012.

R11 pupils went to visit a Victorian school at St Fagans.  They spent the day dressed as Victorian children and were taught in the same way as children would have been taught during Victorian times.  R11 pupils then wrote a report on their visit.  Here are some of their comments: 

Ioan wrote, "At one point the school teacher (Mr Taylor) noticed that I was slouching, something that was very much frowned upon in those days.  I thought he was going to give me a whack and I was so worried that I had butterflies in my tummy.  I tried so hard not to laugh and so did everyone else."

Stephanie wrote, "When we got to Maestir School, Mr Taylor made us do drill – up, down, up, down all the time thinking, 'A healthy body makes a healthy mind!'"

Jasmine wrote,  "Mrs Kloosterman, our pupil teacher, started stamping her feet and saying, “Left, left, left, right, left,”  She told us to copy while she called out instructions.  I do not know why, but for some reason, I found this really funny and I did my best not to laugh.”

Lloyd wrote: "Right in the middle of the lesson, Suyash received the Welsh not for speaking Welsh.  You weren’t allowed to speak Welsh because it wasn’t the ‘language of the empire."

Mrs Kloosterman.

Ross L-W (R16B) raises £249.40 for the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal - November 2012. 

Ross’s collection was the highest individual contribution to the total raised by 30F City of Llandaff Squadron, Air Training Corps., of £1,535.81. Ross, who is a Corporal and is currently training for the rank of Sergeant, sold poppies in Whitchurch on 3 November and in Cardiff city centre on 10 November. The squadron’s collection was authorised and licensed by the Whitchurch Branch of the Royal British Legion.  Many congratulations to Ross.

Noa G (R15) Wins Solo Harp Competition at the Gwyl Cerdd Dant - Sat 10 November 2012.

This festival is Europe's largest one day competitive festival and Noa is delighted that she has achieved first place in this competition.  Many congratulations, Noa.  Below is a link to part of Noa's winning performance:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7-nx8Y6Td4

R12 Llangrannog Residential Trip - Wed 7 - Fri 9 November 2012.

Last week the R12 pupils travelled to the Urdd Activity Centre in Llangrannog in West Wales for a two night stay. It was a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to get to know their peers better in an environment away from school and for them to practice the Welsh language. The children participated in ten different activities, horse riding, a muddy adventure course, team building, tobogganing, skiing, trampolining, quad biking, low ropes course, high rope course and wall climbing. Every child participated with enthusiasm and determination, all encouraging and offering support to each other. The children had a fantastic time, they were a pleasure to take and the teaching staff were very proud of all the pupils. We all look forward to the next trip!

Mrs Jones.

R11 Enterprise Week - Mon 5 - Fri 9 November 2012.

Another year of Enterprise Week arrived for our new R11 pupils. This meant becoming managing directors, quality controllers, financial directors and advertising & marketing members in their business team. Each team worked hard at running, managing and creating their own company. The classroom was transformed into a factory. Enthusiasm, determination and creative ideas flowed throughout the week and new skills were learnt. All of this hard work paid off on the final day as their companies opened for the Trade Fair. Infant and Junior pupils enjoyed spending their money on the unique products that had been produced by each company and many products sold out quickly. All five companies made in excess of £100 each.  Pupils received a dividend on their shares and will be donating the remaining profits to charity.It was a fun and rewarding experience. We are very proud of our R11 Entrepreneurs. Well Done R11!

Mrs Thompson.

R8 Archaeology Trip to National Museum of Wales - November 2012.

R8 recently visited the National Museum of Wales, spending the day as trainee archaeologists and curators. They took part in a mock archaeological dig using their detective skills to gather information about a skeleton. They also followed the development of early humans (part of the BBC Forensic Archaeology event). In the CLORE centre they chose an object to examine and label.  The pupils explored the galleries finding a rock from the moon, a painting by Monet and a variety of sea birds. The day ended with the sketching of Welsh portraits. Congratulations to R8 on their hard work, enthusiasm and exemplary behaviour.

Mrs Firth.

Junior Book Club - Wed 7 November 2012.

Cathedral Choristers' trip to Christ Church Oxford - Tues 6 November 2012.

Our R12 Cathedral Choristers enjoyed a wonderful trip to Oxford on Tuesday.  Highlights included lunch in Christ Church Hall (where Harry Potter was filmed), and a superb guided tour of Christ Church Cathedral.

Joe Reed passes his purple Kinetic Self Defence Grading - 1 November 2012.

Junior Newsletter - Advent 2012: /f/JS_Newsletter_Advent_2012.pdf

October 2012

Senior Debaters Compete in Welsh Schools Debating Championships, 1-4.15pm, Bishop of Llandaff - Tues 23 October 2012.

Feyi A. and Natalie L-G. (R16) proudly represented St John's College at the Welsh Schools Debating Championships hosted by Bishop of Llandaff on Tuesday.  The girls can be proud of their performance - the first year the school has entered - against strong opposition from St David's Sixth Form College, Bishop of Llandaff, Cyfartha High School, Ysgol Glan Taf and Llandaff Cathedral School.  The girls were presented with certificates and commended for their polite manner in the debate.

Mr J. Neville.

Puppet Theatre Wales - 23 October 2012.

On the afternoon of Tuesday 23 October, Puppet Theatre Wales made its annual visit to our department. We gathered in the Angel Room for a production of What Time Is It Mr Rooster?  The performance included interactive activities and songs, accompanied by excellent puppets and scenery.  It was enjoyed by all, and made a fitting end to the half term.  

Harvest Festival - October 2012.

Harvest Festival was celebrated in the school hall on 1 October, during a special assembly.  Produce generously supplied by families was displayed. Following the service, this produce was packed accordingly, and delivered to various members of the parish. Many thanks for your generosity and support.

Kane T-B plays (R14) Bristol City FC against Borussia Dortmund - Sat 20 October 2012.

Congratulations to Kane who represented Bristol City FC this weekend in this hotly contested match against the famous football team, Borussia Dortmund.  The final result was a 3- 3 draw.  Well done, Kane.

R10 Cog Waterworks - Tues 16 October 2012.

On Tuesday 16th October R10 went to Cog Moors Water Treatment works where they took part in two workshops. Pupils learnt that only 1% of the earth's water can be used so it is a very precious resource which we need to look after.  As part of their study of the water cycle pupils had fun carrying out dissolving and filtration experiments.  They learnt about the different processes of evaporation and condensation and what causes precipitation.  Ellie said, 'Separating salt from water using a candle was fun - you could see the crystals that were left so clearly.'   In the afternoon the class learnt what happens to dirty water when it comes to the works. Firstly though the pupils added lots of ingredients to a tank of water to see what sorts of things people put down their drains.  There were lots of cries of, 'Yuk. Oh no- how disgusting!' 

This was followed by a tour of the works starting with the water being passed through screens to remove heavy objects such as rags and plastic objects.  People called scrapers then swept the sludge away. The pupils learnt how the water passes through a series of tanks  where bacteria and later oxygen is added to clean the water before it is returned  the rivers. At the end of the tour Lucca said, 'I'm amazed at what it involves.'   As the afternoon drew to a close the pupils took part in a quiz where they had to decide what we should and should not put down our toilets.  Well done those pupils who spotted the trick objects.  Now R10 are looking forward  to taking part  in a competition to save water whilst cleaning their teeth. Everyone came away feeling they had learnt a lot about what happens to our dirty water.

Mrs Cooke.

Concert Orchestra & Cathedral Choir Tour to Belgium - Sat 13-Mon 15 October 2012.

Our Concert Orchestra and Cathedral Choir have just returned from a thoroughly enjoyable trip to Belgium.  Following a smooth journey to Dover, we made our way across the Channel by ferry.  By early evening we arrived in the picturesque town of Bruges.  Waking to a crisp and sunny Sunday morning, we had free time to explore Bruges's cobbled streets and canals lined with luxurious chocolate shops. Traditional waffles at the street side were a particular favourite.  Following a hearty lunch, the Cathedral Choir performed to a large and appreciative audience in the magnificent setting of the Onze Lieve Vrouvekerk. 

That evening the Concert Orchestra joined the choir in a performance of Haydn's Nelson Mass at the evening service in Sint Walburgakerk - a Baroque masterpiece whose pristine white vaulted ceiling and imposing colonnades created a serene atmosphere for what was a beautiful mass.  Indeed, this was the third time that this remarkable church has played host to pupils of St John's College.  The Cathedral Choir and Concert Orchestra have both performed here previously, in 1992 and 2002 respectively.  Once we had bid farewell to the enthusiastic congregation who gave a standing ovation at the end of the service, we travelled by coach to our hotel in the heart of Ghent. 

After a restful stay in the hotel and a bountiful breakfast we stepped across the road from our hotel into our final venue, Ghent Cathedral - home to the altarpiece entitled The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, painted by the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck.  The largest and most imposing of our venues, this was the perfect ending to a wonderful weekend.  Much to our delight, our combined orchestral and choral lunchtime concert also ended with a standing ovation.  The Choir performed a beautiful array of music by Grieg, Haydn, Pearsall, Purcell, Rheinberger, Rachmaninov, Stainer and Schütz while the orchestra delighted audiences with works by Bach, Elgar, Haydn, Purcell and Stravinsky.

Daniel Jeremy (L6th): 'I very much enjoyed the trip to Bruges and Ghent. It was great to both play in the orchestra and sing in the choir. The range of music played and sung was very exciting; from 'I get around' to Haydn's Gloria from his Nelson Mass. I also received a great insight into the history and culture of Bruges and Ghent from the trip; the churches and cathedrals we played were very engaging.'

Harriet Williams (L6th): 'It was an amazing and unforgettable experience, we played in some of the most breathtaking churches Bruges had to offer, and were allowed some time to look around Bruges itself, giving us all a wonderful insight into the culture and beauty of the city, in particular its detailed, mindblowing architecture. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip as it allowed me to learn about the culture of Belgium and to also get the satisfaction of playing the violin in the orchestra in some truly astounding venues. A few of the local people had some positive comments about our perfomances, which made it nice to think we were making people happy through the medium of music. I am very grateful for the opportunity to go to Bruges and Ghent, and will never forget my enjoyable experience.'

R9 Cardiff Trip to Cardiff Central Library - Mon 8 October 2012.

On Monday 8th October R9 visited Cardiff Central Library for a funpacked experience. The afternoon started in the children’s section with a general talk about the library, how it works and the basic rules. Ella and Sohini were surprised to find out that you cantake fifteen books out in one go and that they can be returned to any Cardiff library.

After this we visited each floor of the building finding out about all the different sections including a whole floor dedicated to music. There was even a white grand piano that you could book time to play on. Estee remembers floor 5 where you had to be silent - a hard task for many of R9! We also learnt all about the eco side of the building and its sustainability. Alex asks ‘Did you know that the library has no light switches?’ They are operated by movement and turn themselves off when there is no one around. The windows are made of special glass that keeps heat in during the winter and keeps it out during the summer. Ben and Akash were particularly intrigued to learn that there is grass growing on the roof of the building and that a hawk comes every few weeks to keep the other birds away. Finally all of R9 were able to search though the wonderful books that the library has to offer and even had a chance to listen to audio books on MP3 players. Everyone was overjoyed to return to school with a borrowed book after their experience. I hope that they will all continue to use Central Library and local libraries, as they can help to shape learning and encourage a pleasure for reading which is so vital to all aspects of the curriculum.

Mrs Criddle.

Junior Welsh Storyteller - Fri 5 October 2012.

Junior Book Week - Mon 1 - Fri 5 October 2012.

Ellis Bellamy (R16) selected to play football for Under 16 Wales National Development Squad Victory Shield International v Scotland - Mon 1 - Fri 5 October 2012.

Middle School Readathon - Mon 1 - Thurs 5 October 2012.

Our R12-14 pupils had the challenge of reading for 'Readathon' week during 1st - 5th October. They were set the task of reading as many books as they could manage in a week and raise sponsorship money to help ill children.  We raised a total of £407.25 from our R12 and R13 pupils. The top three fundraisers were each awarded a prize; Sam Sutton raised £35, Harry Davies raised £70 and Chloe Borek raised £103.

Nursery & Infants Book Day - Advent Term 2012.

For Book Day all the children in the Infants dressed up as characters from books.  Each class then chose their favourite character and made a large collage picture for the Library display.

R6 Visit to St Fagans - Advent Term 2012.

R6 visited St Fagans in November and enjoyed visiting the different houses. We had a very interesting talk from the miller and learnt all about making bread. We walked along the Nature Trail and spotted lots of different birds in the Bird Hide.

R7 Special Visitors - Advent Term 2012.

Ms Luengo came to visit R7 on Book Day to talk to the children about the delights of belonging to the Library.  She read stories in both English and Spanish and showed some exciting information books. Some children are already members and others were enthusiastic about joining a Library. Dr Sakhuja visited R7 to emphasise the importance of correct hand washing.  First we had to spread gel on our hands and hold them under a special light. The gel shone blue.  Then we had to wash our hands and hold them once again under the light.  Between the fingers and around the nails still showed blue.  The children were surprised to see this and now take more care when washing their hands.

September 2012

Middle School Enterprise Activities - September 2012.

The pupils of Middle School have been given the opportunity to participate in exciting enterprise activities.

R12 had to work together as a year group to produce a huge tetrahedron made of dowel rods. Mathematical, linguistic, design technology and science skills were tested throughout the process as well as the key skills of team working, communication and problem solving. Rowan Downie and Oli Beere were rewarded for their excellent enthusiasm, drive and leadership skills.  Well done.  

R13 had to work in groups to produce an exact same image of a wooden model. They all had different roles to play (e.g. architect) in order to re-create the model. Team work was paramount in order to complete the task with the exact model and cost. Winners were Dylan Edwards, Mischa Balaratnam, Claudia Rickets, Shaili Kadambande, Sammy Wink, Lily Beere and Praneet Bolusani.  

R14 had to work for a chocolate manufacturer called Valetinos Ltd. As groups, the pupils had to solve an overproduction problem of one of the ranges called Strawberry Creams. It was decided that these chocolates would have to be sold as a special offer and each group would have to decide how best to tackle the problem. The groups were required t : - Decide a new name for the chocolates - Design, produce and decorate a suitable container, which held at least 20 chocolates. - Produce a sales logo and slogan - Design an attractive poster which tried to highlight the special attractions of the product as well as the brand name, slogan, price etc. - Write and deliver a 3 minute presentation to explain their ideas. Winners this year were Zak M, Keisha M, Lucy B, Kai B, Toffik and John L-W. Well done!

Mrs Emms.

R16 Geography Field Trip - Tues 25 Sept 2012.

L6th Physics Trip: Physics & Astro-Physics Conference at Cardiff University - Fri 21 September 2012.

Junior Book Club - now on the first Wednesday after each half-term.

The first book club of this academic year was held on Wednesday 19th September. Judging by the enthusiastic response, Harry Potter continues to be a firm favourite amongst book club members. Pupils were "sorted" into teams, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin for a "Chamber of Secrets" quiz. Members were able to demonstrate an impressive knowledge of the text and many have obviously been inspired to read subsequent books in the Harry Potter series during the summer holiday.  Junior Book Club will now be held, as a rule, on the first Wednesday after each half-term to encourage holiday reading.  The proposal to read "Percy Jackson and The Lightening Thief", by Rick Riordan, as the next book club text, was eagerly received. It is the first novel in a series featuring the heroic son of a Greek god. Eoin Colfer describes it as "a fantastic blend of myth and modern". It was the winner of the Red House Children's Book Award in 2006. Next half-term's book club will be held on Wednesday 7th November, during circle time. All are welcome to attend if they have either read the text, had it read to them or have listened to the audio book.

Mrs Cooney.

U6th Chemistry Trip to Cardiff University - 19 September 2012.

St John's College Public Speakers featured English Speaking Union Magazine - September 2012. 

Please see p.27 for the relevant article.

http://www.esu.org/news/2012/summer-2012-dialogue-now-available-online

Nursery News - Advent Term 2012.

The children in the Nursery department have all settled into school life and are enjoying their first term at school.  Our new topic Magic Moments is great fun. We have been looking at magnets, cornflour trays and magic painting bags.  We have also been using lots of different mediums in art, and getting very messy!  We have found exploring in forest school very exciting, looking at the features of Autumn and we enjoyed our recent Magic Treasure hunt where we found a real magic wand!

R5 Woodland Trip - September 2012.

In September, R5 went on a visit to the woods at the Amelia Trust Farm.  This was a topic-related trip first undertaken last year.  We were accompanied by a guide, who was able to answer the children's questions, and provide us with valuable information. It was a fun and informative morning, and the walk in the fresh air was a healthy bonus!

Ellis Bellamy (R16) selected to play football for Under 16 Wales National Development Squad v France - 17-20 September 2012.

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News archive: http://www.stjohnscollegecardiff.com/news_archive.html