CHILDREN at Cwmbran’s Blenheim Road Primary are using cutting-edge technology and role-play to learn their lessons.

HAYLEY MILLS reports. LYING behind the 1960s exterior of Blenheim Road Primary School in Cwmbran are light and spacious classrooms that embrace technology.

The community school caters for boys and girls aged three to 11 and new technology is used across all ages.

The nursery classes pupils demonstrated how they could use a multimedia camera to take pictures of highlights of their day.

The pupils take pictures to help create a visual recount of their day that helps them to remember what they have been taught.

Recently the pupils had created a visual board of how to ride a bike, taking pictures of each stage and arranging them into the correct order.

Staff have worked hard to introduce school uniforms throughout the school and the pupils looked smart in their blue jumpers and cardigans.

The children were busy brushing their teeth as part of the Design to Smile programme that aims to improve oral health.

The nursery classes brush their teeth twice a day, while reception classes to Year 2, brush their teeth after lunch.

A doll, Tilly, is used to make the session interactive, and the school won a silver award for its efforts.

Year 2 class lessons were made interactive as the pupils use iPads to learn. The children used a ‘match the app’ game, which makes subjects like mathematics fun to learn.

Other games available include memory games and dot to dot of numbers and letters.

As part of a role play programme, Year 2 have also created a light and dark room, which they can climb inside to observe different sources of light and how it travels.

Year five and six pupils have a learning plaza that teaches across the curriculum.

A learning plaza comprises of laptops linked by wireless technology, touch screen technology and group and individual work areas.

Head girl Alianah Mojica, ten, said: “The learning plaza is really good, we get to do all types of subjects.”

Learning plazas provide opportunities for pupils to work on projects with pupils from Torfaen and from across the world and to use web cameras to observe experiments over the holidays.

Head boy William Waters, 11, added: “Maths is my favourite subject, which we get to do in the plaza.

“I’m enjoyingmytime as head boy and I’m looking forward to learning my duties.”

Recently staff did a programme to swap a teacher from Blenheim Road with a teacher fromanother school fromcountries including Spain, Slovakia, Estonia and Belgium.

Pupils were then able to watch their own teacher at the school via video conferencing.

Acting headteacher, Tracy French, went to a school in Estonia and demonstrated to pupils how to make Welsh cakes, while her own pupils watched on a screen at the school.

The school also embraces the Read Write Inc programme, that takes a phonic approach to learning literacy, which Miss French said the school are really seeing the benefits of.

As part of the programme Fred the Frog is used to make learning interactive.

Ms French, from Newport, started off as a teacher at the school 13 years ago. She joined the teaching staff as a third year student, working her way up to deputy head teacher for three years and this is her first year as acting headteacher.

She said: “I’m finding the role very rewarding and the staff extremely supportive.

“We are embracing technology throughout the school, as well as the Read Write Inc programme, which teachers are seeing the benefits of within the classroom.”

The school was established in September 2007 following the amalgamation of the Fairwater Infant and Junior Schools.

Following this, the pupils were given the task of naming the school and designing the new logo. Improvements are currently being made to the outdoor environment around the school and new school gates will be put up this month.

Miss French added: “I would like to thank all of the staff at the school for helping to raise standards.”

On the school grounds is Little Angels Playgroup, which teaches ages two to five years.

The playgroup manager, Marcella Davy, said: “Weoffer a wrap-around system with the school, so it’s not a big change for the children moving up the school.”

They cover all aspects of play, and chatterbox sessions are used to improve the children’s listening and attention skills.

The school’s after-school clubs include a junior girls and boys football team, Welsh country dancing group and gardening clubs, which aim to teach children about the natural environment.

Staff and pupils recently joined in a Macmillan coffee morning, raising £75, and Ms French is proud to have won the staff bake-off.

They will next be fundraising as part of Jeans for Genes, a charity that raises money for children with genetic disorders.

Staff and pupils will get to wear their jeans to school in return for a donation.

Soon the school will be gearing up for their Christmas term, where pupils will attend St Gabriel’s Church for a service and the whole school will attend a pantomime at The Riverfront Theatre.

On December 17 and 18, it will be the pupils’ time to shine in the Christmas concert.

Factfile

ACTING HEADTEACHER: Tracy French.

TEACHING STAFF: 7

CHILDREN ON ROLL: 170 including nursery

CHAIR OF GOVERNORS: Steve Edwards.

ADDRESS: Blenheim Road Community Primary, Blenheim Road St Dials, Cwmbran NP44 4SZ.

On-site Little Angels Playgroup is open 9.25am- 12.30pm and offers lunch club sessions.