Attention Years 7-10!
We’re planning an Art & Photography trip to Barcelona during the Easter holiday 2026! Explore stunning architecture, vibrant street art, and capture incredible photography moments. Interested? See Mr. Larkman to pick up an expression of interest letter. Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity!
Gemau pel-rwyd ardderchog y prynhawn ‘ma ar gyfer blwyddyn 7 wrth groesawu Ysgol Bro Dur.
Tim Porffor wedi ennill 8-2
Tim Gwyrdd wedi ennill 6-1
Tim Coch 4-6 gem gyntaf i’r ysgol ar gyfer 5 merch blwyddyn 7
Excellent afternoon of netball for year 7 v Ysgol Bro Dur
Purple Team Won 8-2
Green Team Won 6-1
Red Team 4-6 five year 7 girls making their debut for the school today
Edrychwn ymlaen yn fawr at groesawu disgyblion blwyddyn 5&6 o’n ysgolion lleol i’n Disgo Santes Dwynwen ar 27 Ionawr 2025. We are really looking forward to welcoming year 5&6 pupils from across the local area to our St Dwynwen’s Day Disco on the 27th November 2025.
Some of our pupils’ photography work is currently on display at the Queen Street Art Gallery in Neath, showcasing the incredible creativity and talent of our pupils. The exhibited pieces were produced following a photo shoot trip to Swansea. Back in the art room, they transformed these photographs into stunning digital collages, combining technical skill with artistic vision.
Llongyfarchiadau enfawr to Harri, Oscar, Toby and Jayden ar ennill tystysgrifau Ser Yr Wythnos Blwyddyn 7 yr wythnos hon. Mae’r bechgyn wedi cael ei gydnybyddu am ddangos enghraifft ardderchog i eraill. Huge congratulations to Harri, Oscar, Toby and Jayden on earning Pupil of the Week certificates in year 7 this week. The boys achived their awards for showing an excellent example to others.
Please click on the link here for details of our Course Cymraeg Bob Dydd (Everyday Welsh). The course is free and available to all school staff, teaching, teaching support, admin, catering and maintenance. This course will run in partnership with Dysgu Cymraeg Swansea Bay each Tuesday, 3:15 – 5:15pm from 28th January (10 sessions – 20 hours) in the Welsh Department at Ysgol Bae Baglan. The course is aimed at providing all school staff with the knowledge and confidence to use Welsh with pupils and each other in class and around school. This opportunity will be open to all school staff across Neath Port Talbot.
Mr A. D. Thomas the director of education has written to all parents to stress the importance of good attendance and the support on offer to help improve attendance.
Llythyr ynghylch presenoldeb
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Welcome to the final update of 2024!! I would like to thank all pupils, staff, parents and carers and governors for their continued support throughout 2024. I hope whatever you have planned over the next two weeks, you are able to relax and a have a fabulous time.
Just a few reminders:
Monday 6th January is a designated INSET Day for staff so all pupils will return to school on Tuesday 7th January 2025.
Please ensure that pupils attend school as much as possible and are punctual. There have been improvements in both these areas during 2024 which we very much appreciate but attendance remains below pre-COVID figures still. Welsh Government guidance means that any pupil with less than 90% attendance is classed as being a persistent absentee. The school and Education Attendance Service will continue to work closely with pupils and families in 2025. Pupils must also adhere to the school uniform policy which can be accessed via the school website.
I also need to bring to your attention an increase in the price of the set meal from the start of the Spring Term from £2.90 to £3.00. We always endeavour to keep prices as low as possible, however in light of continued increases in food costs, we have had to increase the set meal along with a small increase to menu choice options. These will be available to view via the school website.
Roeddem wrth ein boddau ddoe i glywed bod Ysgol Bae Baglan wedi ennill statws efydd o dan y cynllun Armed Forces Friendly Schools. Rydym yn hynod o falch o’r cydnabyddiaeth a llongyfarchiadau enfawr i’n Pencampwraig Plant y Lluoedd Arfog Mrs Abby Challenger a’n plant y lluoedd arfog am eu gwaith anhygoel!!
We were delighted to receive the news yesterday that Ysgol Bae Baglan has achieved bronze award status under the Armed Forces Friendly Schools scheme. We are extremely proud of this recognition and huge congratulations to our Service Children Champion Mrs Abby Challenger and our fabulous service children for their amazing work.
Am hyfryd! Mi wnaeth dosbarth 7AJH rhoi sypreis hyfryd i’n cymdogion ar stad Afandale bore ddoe wrth ddosbarthu mice pies, canu carolau a dymuno nadolig llawen i bawb yna. Da iawn Mr John a Dosbarth 7AJH, menter anhygoel. Simply lovely! Class 7AJH gave the residents of Afandale a lovely surprise early yesterday morning by delivering mince pies to each house, wishing them a very Merry Christmas from all at Ysgol Bae Baglan and entertaining them with some Christmas Carols. Well done Mr John and Class 7AJH, amazing initiative.
Dechreuodd menter newydd yn yr ysgol heddiw, brecwast lles blwyddyn 7. Yn ystod y flwyddyn academaiddd, bydd cyfle i bob disgybl blwyddyn 7 yn mwynhau tost a siocled poeth gyda’n Cyfarwyddwr Lles Blwyddyn 7, Miss Holland, ac i fynegi barn yn anffurfiol am beth maen nhw’n hoffi/eisiau gwella yn yr ysgol. Diolch yn fawr blwyddyn 7 am eich syniadau aeddfed a diddorol. A new wellbeing initiative started in school today, year 7 wellbeing breakfasts. During this academic year, all year 7 pupils will have the opportunity to enjoy toast and hot chocolate with our year 7 Wellbeing Director Miss Holland, and to express their opinions informally on what they like about school and any ideas they have for improving things further. Diolch yn fawr iawn blwyddyn 7 for your mature, interesting ideas,
LAST WEEK
Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award
On Tuesday 10th December pupils in year 10 who have completed all their sections for their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award were invited to the Princess Royal Theatre to be presented with their badges and certificates. Pupils have successfully completed 6 months of volunteering, physical activity and developing a skill. The group completed a practice expedition in Margam Park before their final expedition around the Gower in the summer term. Congratulations to everyone on your achievement!
CyberFirst Girls Competition
Four girls from 8JLE took part in the The CyberFirst Girls Competition which aims to inspire girls interested in technology to pursue a career in cyber security. Girls worked together as a team in school as well as at home for 5 days straight. Girls have done really well in the competition scoring over 4500 points! Even though they didn’t make it to the semi-finals, the girls have still learnt plenty of new skills. When the competition concluded, two of the pupils decided to apply for the Digital Leaders recognition within the school with success.
Top of the Bench Chemistry Competition Swansea University 2024
Two mixed teams of year 8 to year 11 pupils attended Swansea University on Thursday December the 12th to take part in the prestigious ‘Top of the Bench’ Chemistry Competition. The event involved competing in a Kahoot quiz against pupils in the same year group from other schools. This was followed by a team practical activity in the lab using indicators and titration method. Both teams did fantastically well in the Kahoot’s quizzes! We gained 4 podiums; Samuel Gibbon and Dylan Jarvis each taking 3rd place, Tanisha Hussain 2nd place, and Maisie-Kate Rowland gaining 1st place in year 10 out of 61 teams!
Both teams gained maximum points for safety in the lab, and displayed excellent teamwork and practical skills throughout the lab session!
Students Participate in the National GCHQ Christmas Challenge 2024
This holiday season, students from Year 7 to Year 11 took part in the national GCHQ Christmas Challenge 2024. The competition featured seven tricky puzzles designed to test the students’ problem-solving and teamwork skills. Both students (and some of our staff) enjoyed working together to solve each puzzle, aiming to uncover the final Christmas message. The challenge was a great way for everyone to engage and have fun during the festive period. One of our Year 11 teams stood out by completing all the codes and revealing the message in an impressive time of just 1 hour and 49 minutes! Their quick thinking and collaboration made them the fastest team, achieving something many thought would be near impossible. Congratulations to the Year 11 students for their outstanding performance! Well done to all the participants for their hard work and enthusiasm in making this year’s challenge a success.
Yr Ysgol Ganol/Middle School
Year 7&8 have been working hard in preparation for Christmas. There have been lots of fun activities such as Christmas Jumper day and a 2 km Christmas Fun Run for year 8 in order to raise funds for charity. 6 pupils each from Year 7&8 were invited for their half termly Hot Chocolate with the Headteacher in order to acknowledge the hard work and effort they consistently put in. Well done to those! Finally, as the last week of term approaches, there will be an awards assembly to celebrate a number of achievements across the year groups and many pupils will be invited to watch a Christmas film as a reward for their efforts this term.
Huge well done to year 8 for running their Christmas Charity Run in aid of the eye cancer charity CHECT today, great effort by all in raising money for this deserving cause.
Christmas Netball
A lot of fun was had in the Christmas Netball competition
THIS WEEK
As far as the last week of term is concerned, throughout the week there are activities planned for different year groups. When these activities are not going ahead there will be normal timetable with normal lessons as far as possible, but teachers will also be responding to the level of attendance in a class.
Art Department Non-Examination Assessments
This week our Year 11 pupils who are studying GCSE Art, Photography and or Textiles will be completing their final non examination assessments. This will provide them with the opportunity to complete all work to the highest possible standard before starting the examination Unit in January. The timetable for this is:
| Monday Dec 16th | 11A Art AJH EA7 8:55 – 14:55 11B Art DNO EA6 8:55 – 14:55 |
| Tuesday Dec 17th | 11A Textiles DNO EA6 8:55 – 14:55 11A Photography MLA EA8 8:55 – 14:55 |
| Wednesday Dec 18th | 11B Photography MLA EA8 8:55 – 14:55 |
| Thursday Dec 19th | 11C Art AJH EA7 8:55 -14:55 |
Year 9 Options
Please click on the link to access a letter regarding information about the Year 9 Option process at YBB. Letter Mr Williams has already spoken to pupils in their individual classes.
I will write again to parents and carers later in the week to provide some important information/reminders for the start of the Spring Term 2025. Remember that Monday 6th January is an INSET Day for staff and all pupils will return to school on Tuesday 7th January.
Click on the link here to read the report of our pupils fantastic success in winning the Swansea University Chemistry Competition.
Huge well done to year 8 for running their Christmas Charity Run in aid of the eye cancer charity CHECT today, great effort by all in raising money for this deserving cause.
Canlyniadau/Results:
Bechgyn
1af Riley Beckinsale Amser 8:42
2il Tao Dupplaw Amser 8:42
3ydd Jacob Griffiths
Merched
1af Connie Burgum Amser 10:00
2il Hollie Smith Amser 10:01
3ydd Lexi-May Kibble Amser 12:04
