Date 25th November 2016

The Head’s update Dear Parents I can’t believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Our girls in Nursery, Reception, Years 1 and 2 are very excited at the prospect of their upcoming concerts. It’s been a very busy week in the Junior School!

South Wales Youth Hockey League On Sunday 20th November, two Under 11 hockey teams from Year 5 and 6 converged in Newport for the latest instalment of the South Wales Youth Hockey League. To read more click here.

Hockey Match

Year 5 and Year 6 renewed their hockey rivalry with The Cathedral School on Wednesday 23rd November at the Sport Wales Centre. Despite losing 3-1, the Year 6 team showed vast improvements and managed to achieve their aim of scoring a goal, thanks to a great run and finish by Millie W. Well done to Sofia G and Esther G who were jointly awarded player-of-the-game. The Year 5 team played well as a team but couldn’t get the ball over the line of the CSL goal, drawing 0-0 thanks to some great defending and goalkeeping by Emily T and Hannah B respectively. The Year 5&6 mixed team faired very well, winning 7-0 in their match. Goals came from a number of girls and there were some excellent performances by twins Freya M and Lola M. Well done to all girls who played on another successful Wednesday!

Little Steps making a big difference - iCan Challenge

With scenes from ‘Planet Earth’ firmly in our minds looking after our planet for future generations has never seemed so important. And so it was to some of the younger members of our community that 5 girls from Years 5 and 6 joined together with children from other schools in Cardiff for the iCan challenge. This year the challenge has an Eco theme. The girls had think about why we need to work together to help protect our world. They then had to think about areas of their own school and community in which they could help make a difference and have an impact. Like a scene from ‘The Apprentice’ the girls were given different roles from project manager to events and design manager. In February they have to return to present their idea and concept for an exhibit which will go in the National Museum of Wales in March. Watch this space!

Angela Fish Visit On Thursday morning, Hywelian and author Angela Fish visited Year 4. She shared extracts from her new book, and the girls participated in a rhyming couplets workshop and were given exciting story starters to ignite their creativity. Click here for the full story.

Welsh Phrase of the Week Bore da! Sut mae sillafu .........? How do you spell ....? Cywir = Correct Anghywir = Incorrect

Ski Competition Twelve of our Junior girls took part in the Cardiff Games Ski competition at the local dry slope, to read more click here. Well done girls!

Junior Competition Choir The Junior School girls were incredibly excited by the prospect of recording their entries for the GDST Young Choir of Year competition and the Barnardo’s National Junior Choir Competition, click here to read more.

Fair Trade Breakfast On Thursday, the Year 3 to Year 6 Fairtrade representatives went with Mrs Jones to the first Fairtrade Breakfast Meeting this year. We met the Senior School representatives, Ms Christ and Mrs Darnton in the Senior School Dining Room and enjoyed toast, chocolate croissants and orange juice. We read out a report of what we had done so far in the Junior School since being voted in. We explained our first task: we asked everyone in each class to sign a Fairtrade contract which reminds everyone in the Junior School to look out for Fairtrade products and encourage our families to use them. These contracts are going up in our classrooms as a reminder to us all. Ms Christ liked this and asked if the Senior School could borrow our good idea. We also talked about some of the events coming up this year and our responsibilities. We decided that we would run the Fairtrade Stall at the Christmas Fair next Friday, which will be great fun. We thought about the things that would sell well and decided that chocolate would be a bestseller!

By Sophia, Tatjana, Lili, Mali, Milly, Anna, Lauren and Isabelle

Nursery Parent and Daughter Day Whoosh went the wind, drip drop went the rain, splosh splash went our welly

boots, as we had our ‘Autumn Welly Walk’. But, the weather certainly didn’t

deter us and we were very excited to welcome our parents, grandparents and

siblings to Nursery to spend the morning with us to see how we learn our

phonics. We showed them how we learn to recognise and write the letter

sounds and also how we are now using the letter sounds to build words.

From planting bulbs for spring in pots, printing the spikes back on to

hedgehog, to threading food for the winter birds and going on a sound hunt in

the forest we really enjoyed them all coming to join us.

Christmas Fair The Christmas Fair is a week today, on Friday 2nd December, from 1.30pm to 5.30pm in the Senior School. With 40 individual stall holders including Sloane Home, COOK Cardiff and Stella and Dot all bringing along a wonderful array of Christmas gift ideas, we invite you to visit the fair and do some Christmas shopping. Why not take advantage of visiting the fair before collecting your daughter from school, while it is relatively quiet? Tea and coffee will be available, as well as cakes, from 1.30pm. Girls in the Junior School will still finish at 3.15pm.

Once the bell rings at the end of the school day, Father Christmas will be on hand to take present requests,

and there will be lots of additional stalls run by students from the Junior and Senior Schools.

School Coat The wearing of a Howell’s school coat forms part of our full school uniform and in line with this please ensure your daughter wears the regulation coat to school. Thank you.

Party Invitations Any party invitations distributed on school premises must be for the whole class. Thank you for your co-operation.

Year 6 Craft Activity Request Miss Christmas would be grateful for 2 litre (and larger) milk cartons for a craft activity and also is still hoping for old sheets and duvet covers – thank you.

Hywelians in the Hub This morning was our first Hywelian drop-in coffee morning in the hub@howell’s. Mrs Davis was thrilled that so many joined us to find out more about life at Howell’s today and the events they are welcome to attend.

Knitted Santas for Velindre We are delighted to be supporting Velindre Cancer Care again this Christmas. Next week we will be selling hand knitted Santas and snowmen for £1 each. If you would like your daughter to have one of these special festive characters, please send the money into school next week with your daughter's name, class and the amount enclosed written on the envelope. We only have a limited stock so get them while you can as they are always very popular with the girls.

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Judith Ashill Head of Howell’s Junior School Deputy Principal

Diary Dates!

Llandaff Christmas Lights Don’t forget that on the evening of Wednesday 30th November our Senior Choir will be performing and leading

the carol singing at the switching on of the Llandaff Christmas Lights. The festivities will begin at 6.30pm. This

year’s special guests are Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Jodi Bird, the BBC weather presenter Sue Charles

and the Grinch.

Christmas Fair The Christmas Fair is a week today, on Friday 2nd December, from 1.30-5.30pm in the Senior School.

With 40 individual stall holders including Sloane Home, COOK Cardiff and Stella and Dot all bringing along a

wonderful array of Christmas gift ideas, we invite you to visit the fair and do some Christmas shopping. Why not

take advantage of visiting the fair while it is relatively quiet? Tea and coffee will be available, as well as cakes,

from 1.30pm.Once the bell rings at the end of the school day, Father Christmas will be on hand to take present

requests, and there will be lots of additional stalls run by students from the Junior and Senior Schools.

An Evening of Glamour and Glitz at John Lewis – Buy your tickets soon! More than 100 tickets have now been sold for the evening of Glamour and Glitz at John Lewis, Cardiff on

Wednesday 7th December at 5-7pm. Don’t miss the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and have a

makeover while sipping a glass of bubbly and listening to some fabulous festive favourites from Year 5 (who will

launch the evening at 4.40pm-5pm on the John Lewis balcony) and the Jazz Band. You can purchase tickets

from Mrs Hatcher in the Junior School office. You can also email Hannah.roberts@how.gdst.net to reserve

tickets. Friends and family are welcome, the more the merrier! Click here for more information.

Carol Services Our annual carol services will take place in the stunning surroundings of Llandaff Cathedral on Tuesday 13th

December. There will be two services, one at 1.45pm and another at 7.00pm, which will include performances

from the Junior School Choir (afternoon only) Senior Choir, College Choir, Youth Choir, Jazz Group and

Orchestra. The services will also incorporate readings from students, staff and governors. There are no tickets

required and we recommend arriving early in order to get a good seat.

Junior School Dates

TOOT over the Christmas Holidays

The TOOT Holiday Club will be open during the third week of the Christmas holidays from Tuesday 3rd – Friday 6th January 2017.

It is open to 3 – 9 year olds, Nursery to Year 4, and their siblings both male and female.

The theme will be ‘Frosty the Snowman’.

TOOT is open from 8am until 6pm and will be based in the Nursery rooms. The cost is £40 per day to include all meals and snacks, a wide range of activities such as swimming, yoga,

art, craft and cookery, a trip out on Thursdays and indoor and outdoor creative play in the extensive school grounds and gardens.

For more information or to make a booking, email TOOT@how.gdst.net as soon as possible.

Thursday 1st December Year 6 singing at the Tenovus Concert at St John’s Church, The Hayes 7pm – 9pm

Friday 2nd December Christmas Fayre from 3pm

Wednesday 7th December Nursery, Reception Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas show @ 1.45pm

Wednesday 7th December Year 5 singing at the John Lewis event 4.40pm

Thursday 8th December Nursery, Reception Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas show @ 1.45pm

Friday 9th December Nursery, Reception Year 1 and Year 2 Christmas show @ 9.30am

Tuesday 13th December Year 5 and 6 singing at the whole school carol service at Llandaff Cathedral at 1.45pm

Monday 19th December Christmas Lunch

Tuesday 20th December School finishes at 1pm – There will be NO After School Care