Latest news with #Tafwyl
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Amazing festivals and outdoor events to enjoy in Cardiff in 2025
With summer just around the corner, you are probably wondering what to do to keep everyone entertained. If you are looking for a fun and exciting day or night out or just a few hours away from the house, then look no further than these brilliant festivals, concerts and gigs in Cardiff. Keeping the children entertained is a familiar challenge for most parents. Luckily, you're spoilt for choice in Cardiff, with plenty of family-friendly activities also coming up for 2025. We have rounded up some of the most entertaining things to do, which are guaranteed to put smiles on faces. So, no matter what the weather's doing outside, there's no excuse for staying away from the city this summer and beyond. Tafwyl Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 at Coopers Field - free event Bringing together the best of Welsh language music, arts and culture, alongside an array of street food and market stalls. There is a warm welcome for all at this free event, Welsh-speaker or not, so come along and join in the festival fun. Pride Cymru Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22 at Coopers Field -ticketed event (Image: Matthew Horwood) Pride Cymru is excited to host the biggest celebration of equality and diversity. Returning to Coopers Field in Cardiff, get ready for a show-stopping lineup of fantastic performers, the iconic parade, and a community market that's nothing short of fabulous. Cardiff Food and Drink Festival Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29 at Roald Dahl Plass - free entry The city's original celebration of homegrown produce and irresistible street food. Sample a vast array of food from local and national producers, stroll around the street food piazza, and enjoy the sounds of live music against the backdrop of the scenic waterfront. Stevie Wonder Wednesday, July 9 at Blackweir Live - ticketed event Stevie Wonder returns to Cardiff after over 50 years, headlining Blackweir Live with timeless hits like 'Superstition' and 'Signed, Sealed, Delivered'. His 'Love, Light & Song' tour promises a legendary night of soul and joy under the Welsh sky. Blackweir Live is a brand-new series of shows in Cardiff, with an unmissable line-up of shows this summer, which also includes Alanis Morissette, Noah Kahan, Slayer, and Kings of Leon. Cardiff Bay Family Fun Park Saturday, July 19 to Monday, August 25 at Roald Dahl Plass - free entry This family favourite returns to Cardiff Bay this Summer. Roald Dahl Plass will be filled with family funfair attractions, food and drink and a packed programme of free family entertainment. Or why not hop on the big wheel for the best views of the waterfront? DEPOT in the Castle Saturday, July 26 at Cardiff Castle - ticketed events Jess Glynne leads a vibrant, multi-genre lineup at Cardiff Castle's home-grown summer festival. Expect chart-toppers and festival favourites from Maximo Park, Sigma, Kate Nash, and more. A family-friendly celebration packed with energy, nostalgia, and the iconic DEPOT party spirit, the venue is also set to welcome headline shows from artists including Sting, James, Faithless, Tom Jones, Elbow, Funeral For A Friend and more at TK Maxx presents DEPOT Live at Cardiff Castle. The Hundred Saturday, August 9 to Sunday, August 24 atSophia Gardens -ticketed events Cardiff-based team Welsh Fire will be back for four exciting matches in The Hundred. This thrilling 100-ball cricket tournament combines top-tier cricket with blockbuster entertainment, and has built a reputation as a summer sporting staple event. Amgueddfa Cymru Food Festival Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14 atSt Fagans National Museum of History -free entry (Image: Aled Llywelyn) A firm favourite in Wales' foodie calendar, St Fagans comes alive with more than 80 food, drink and craft stalls nestled among the historic buildings. Enjoy a feast of family-friendly foodie activities, cookery demos, tasty treats and live music from some of Wales' finest producers. Adventure Cinema Thursday, September 18 to Sunday, September 21 atCardiff Castle - ticketed events It's time for summer, and the one of the UK's top outdoor cinema experiences has everything perfectly scripted to make this one to remember. Adventure Cinema will be screening Dirty Dancing, The Greatest Showman, and Star Wars: A New Hope. Cardiff Music City Festival Friday, October 3 to Saturday, October 18 - ticketed events A two-week-long celebration of gigs, happenings, installations and pop-ups, harnessing the power of music, performance and tech to unite and inspire. The festival is taking place throughout venues and spaces across the city for a second year this autumn. Make it a night to remember Why not stay overnight and make the most of your visit? There's too much on offer for just one day in Cardiff, so why not make a night of it and enjoy an overnight stay in one of the capital's hotels?
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Welsh medium school where pupils speak English put into special measures
Welsh medium school where pupils speak English put into special measures Pupils at a Welsh medium secondary school in Cardiff don't speak the language well enough, Estyn said Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern A Welsh medium school where pupils speak to their teachers in English has been put into the highest level of Estyn monitoring. Many pupils at Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff "struggle to convey ideas in Welsh" responding to teachers and assistants in English, inspectors found when they visited. Only "a few" pupils have a very good grasp of the Welsh language and express themselves with sophistication, inspectors said. Less than a quarter of children at the school in the Pen-y-lan area of the city speak Welsh at home. In a hard hitting report, Estyn said: "In a minority of lessons, teachers promote the use of the Welsh language by pupils effectively. "However, too often, teachers are not successful enough in feeding language to pupils or ensuring that they use the language in their discussions. "As a result, many pupils do not make enough progress in their ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh." It goes on to say: "In a few lessons, teachers' high expectations and positive encouragement mean that nearly all pupils use the Welsh language during discussions. However, in many lessons, pupils do not use the language when talking and discussing." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Article continues below Placing the school in special measures Estyn went on to say that in general, pupils at Bro Edern don't make strong enough progress in their literacy skills. While a majority of pupils write fairly fluently and accurately a minority make frequent grammatical and spelling errors in their work and mutate incorrectly. The school has 936 pupils including 127 in the sixth form with rates of those eligible for free school meals and assessed as having additional learning needs both below the national average. "In a majority of cases, pupils make suitable progress in their subject understanding, with strong progress in a few lessons," the report went on, but it adds that in minority of cases "shortcomings in teaching hinder pupils' progress" and "overall, pupils do not make enough progress in their oracy, reading and writing skills". On a more positive note they found that the school fosters "a strong sense of belonging and provides a close knit family environment for its pupils". Provision for pupils' well-being is generally sound and there's a host of engaging extra-curricular activities available. The school's sports teams have also had national success in several areas. The school provides "valuable experiences to develop pupils' understanding of diversity and prejudice" and as a result, many pupils treat each other and adults with fairness and respect. There are also "suitable opportunities", such as the Year 9 work programme relating to 'Tafwyl' within the curriculum, to promote Welshness. On well-being, care, support and guidance inspectors found Ysgol Bro Edern to be "a welcoming, supportive and close-knit learning community that prides itself on promoting the well-being and happiness of all pupils". Inspectors found that staff know the pupils well, are "extremely dedicated" and "work diligently to meet the needs of many of the pupils". "Pupils take pride in the support they receive and appreciate that the adults at the school take care of them. Most pupils feel safe when working and socialising," the report adds. On behaviour and attendance, issues facing a lot of schools, Estyn found that at Bro Edern "many pupils" behave well in their lessons and around the school. Attendance rates remain significantly lower than before the pandemic, an issue reflected in many schools. In a majority of lessons, pupils show fairly positive attitudes to learning. Many listen respectfully to their teachers, follow instructions and work well with others. In a minority of cases, "mainly as a result of shortcomings in teaching", a lack of perseverance and interest is evident, inspectors found. Estyn said the school's headteacher "is a thoughtful leader" with the inclusion and well-being of pupils and staff "at the heart of his vision", which includes providing "extensive opportunities" for pupils to learn and enjoy school through the medium of Welsh. But this "has not had enough of an effect on important areas of the school's work, such as the quality of teaching and provision for skills, including pupils' Welsh language skills". In a few lessons, there is poor behaviour that disrupts learning and "a few" pupils also arrive late for their lessons or wander the corridors. In "a few" lessons, teachers' high expectations and positive encouragement mean that nearly all pupils use the Welsh language during discussions. However, in many lessons, pupils do not use the language when talking and discussing. Placing the school in special measures, Estyn made the following recommendations: Improve strategic leadership and accountability at all levels, including the quality of self-evaluation and planning for improvement Ensure that governors offer an appropriate challenge to leaders Strengthen the quality of teaching Strengthen pupils' literacy skills and their willingness to use the Welsh language Improve attendance and punctuality to lessons. Hywel Jones, chair of Bro Edern's governing body, said: "I welcome the report and look forward to working closely with the school leadership team and the Local Authority to address the matters outlined and further strengthen those areas of concern." In a statement Cardiff Council said Bro Edern is already addressing the report's findings and recommendations. These include enhancing the school's development of literacy skills across the curriculum and ensuring that pupils get a broad range of opportunities to practise their Welsh language skills. The school is also implementing a range of strategies "to enhance teaching and learning further" and is working to improve attendance. In February this year a new partnership arrangement to share and strengthen leadership responsibilities between Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern was agreed. From September the two schools will collaborate for a two-year period, sharing leadership, governance and management to focus on teaching, learning and raising standards, the council said. Matthew Evans, the current Headteacher of Ysgol Glantaf will take a new leadership role with strategic leadership responsibility for Ysgol Bro Edern and Ysgol Glantaf. Responding to Estyn's report Mr Evans said: "We realise that the Ysgol Gyfun Bro Edern needs to urgently address matters relating to the recommendations regarding leadership, governance, teaching and learning and skills development. The school looks forward to working in partnership on these matters with colleagues from Estyn, local improvement partners and the local authority." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice Article continues below
