School reports BRYNTIRION COMPREHENSIVE MEET AUSCHWITZ SURVIVOR
45 pupils from Years 10 - 13 visited Krakow over February half term with the Religious Education department. The visit included a powerful meeting with a survivor of Auschwitz who was only a small child when she was imprisoned in the notorious Birkenhau camp. Mrs Lydia Rose was from a communist family and was taken to the children’s barracks at the age of 3. The pupils learnt how difficult life was for Lydia in being separated from her mother at such a young age. The pupils were shown the 6 number tattoo that she was forced to have. As a child she was frightened and lonely in the overcrowded hut and she had to share a bunk with 10 other children. The only clear memory that she has of her mother now is that of her mother’s hands rather than her face as her mother made every effort to get food to her each day and that is what she focused on was the hands that fed her. Lydia told the pupils that she had met the infamous Dr Mengele who the children nicknamed the angel of death because of his many experiments with many of the children there. The pupils then visited Auschwitz the next day and came upon a typical hut that the children would have lived in at that time. The pupils were in awe of meeting one of the last few remaining survivors of the Holocaust and they commented that they would never forget this life changing experience. The pupils showed the utmost respect and maturity throughout this difficult visit and they will go back to Bryntirion and present assemblies to the rest of the school so the 1.1 million lives that were taken at Auschwitz will never be forgotten! Mrs C Matthews (Head of RE)
Deadline date for the May issue is: Monday 15th April
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COFFEE TIME AT BRYNTEG SCHOOL
Brynteg School is proud to have links with many local businesses and organisations and working together has certainly resulted in providing better opportunities for our pupils. One such partnership is that between the school and Council’s catering team supported by Argie’s Coffee. Over the past few months planning has been undertaken with our School Council and this has resulted in a superb new coffee shop being launched within school for pupils, staff and visitors to use. Argie’s Coffee, which is based in Bridgend, has worked closely with us providing the necessary equipment and the all-important Barista training. This work has resulted in a facility, which really is setting the standard in terms of the quality and range of products and services provided in schools. If you are ever visiting the school, you are more than welcome to join us for a coffee and sample some of the fantastic cakes and other treats that are on offer. This really does demonstrate what can be achieved when you work together!
PORTHCAWL COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL On Friday 8th March a few of our pupils were invited to the Porthcawl Fairtrade breakfast in Trinity Church. It was a wonderful opportunity to share ideas for Fairtrade events with Nottage Primary School and members of the community. We have been fortunate to have another visit recently from past pupil Dan Pugh-Bevan, a past Organ Scholar at St Peter’s College Oxford, who now works as their School’s Liaison Officer. He worked with sixth formers and pupils from Years 9-11 using a portal called Oxplore, designed to stretch the minds of young people. ‘I was delighted to be provided with another opportunity to return to Porthcawl Comprehensive School. This school provided me with a wealth of opportunities both academic and cocurricular that have set me up for life.’ We have just held our Annual Awards Evening, which recognised the achievements and successes of pupils from 2017-18 academic year. As well as honours and academic success being celebrated, equally important were the copious awards given for effort and progress across the school to our hardworking pupils. The evening was extremely well attended by parents and pupils, and it is always a joy to celebrate so many individual triumphs. Current Year 7 pupils were also recognised with Honours for extra-curricular accomplishments. Congratulations to everyone involved! Andrew Slade Headteacher