WelcomE!

Ysgol y Dderwen is a Welsh medium school that is firmly rooted in the old town of Carmarthen.  It provides high quality Welsh-medium education to over 350 pupils with English introduced in Year 3. This ensures that all the pupils leave the school competent and confident in their use of both languages and thoroughly prepared for the transition to Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Myrddin.  The school provides a range of rich educational experiences and prepares the pupils to become responsible bilingual citizens that respect each other, their peers, their heritage and their environment.

You are invited as parents to participate in all the school’s activities, and we look forward to a happy, successful and fruitful partnership during your child’s primary education.

Welsh is the official language at Ysgol y Dderwen. It is the only medium of instruction in the Foundation Phase. English is introduced at Key Stage 2. To fulfil the Education Authority’s bilingual policy teaching resources of a high standard are provided to ensure that pupils are able to express themselves fluently and easily, verbally and in writing, in Welsh and in English by the time they transfer to secondary education.

General Aims of Ysgol y Dderwen:

• to ensure that every pupil is at ease in a Welsh and Welsh-speaking environment.
• to motivate every pupil to develop to the utmost of his/her ability, intellectually, culturally, emotionally, socially and physically.
• to encourage every pupil to nurture and acquire the necessary skills to become a proficient communicator, in Welsh mainly and in English as another language.
• to appreciate our own moral values and those of the world at large, creating an awareness of the needs of other children and people.
• to ensure that every pupil has a valuable contribution in a healthy, vibrant society.
•  to create an awareness of and a desire for a spiritual dimension to life, a respect for religious principles and toleration of people of other religions and ethic backgrounds.
• to develop the basic skills in every aspect of the curriculum taking into account the different age, aptitude and ability of each pupil.
• to develop mathematical, scientific and technical knowledge, skills and understanding through relevant experiences that reflects the changes occurring in our world.
• to develop self-expression through music, mime, drama, art and physical education.
• to create an awareness of the need for personal hygiene, good manners and courtesy.
• to promote safe practices at the school, in the home and in society in general.
• to create a close link between the home and the school to enable parents and teachers to work in harmony for the benefit of every pupil.
• to create such an ethos and environment that all associated with the school find contentment.

Mr. Dylan Evans

Headteacher