Committed to
a good education

SMALL is beautiful according to parents of the 28 pupils at Moylegrove School.
  This tiny 100-year-old school nestles in the heart of some of the most picturesque countryside in Pembrokeshire - but within its walls it is very much part of the 21st century.   “We have to keep progressing,” said head teacher for the past five years Dilwen Smith. “The only way is forward.”
  At a time when many small schools are looking nervously at their roll numbers, Moylegrove oozes confidence .SATs results are good, pupils enjoy their work and there is plenty of extra curricular activity.
  The school has blazed a trail with new technology - it set up its own website with the help of parent governor Jonathan Guest. The web-site which includes information about the village and surrounding countryside -has scored many ‘hits’ by internet surfers and received admiring comments from as far afield as the US and Australia.



Jolif Guest who was successful in this year's Urdd competitions

SCHOOL OF THE MONTH

Moylegrove School
Head teacher: Dilwen Smith
Teacher: Mrs Janet Phillips
Pupils: 28
Chairman of governors: Geraint Volk

  But if there is a secret to the school's success, both Mrs Smith and chairman of governors Geraint Volk are united in what it is.
  “We are very much part of the community,” said Mr Volk.
  “The pupils share a strong sense of community. They care for each other, the school and where we live.”
  And he added: “There is also commitment. The teachers show great commitment in our last school inspection report there were no unsatisfactory comments. But we also have the community who are very committed to the school and prepared to do anything to help out.”
  Pupils put on a production every Christmas in the village chapel and take part in the annual harvest thanks-giving.
  That community feeling is at its strongest between the parents.   Where some schools struggle to raise a quorum for the PTA, Moylegrove finds itself in the happy position of every parent jostling to take part in fundraising activities and providing transport.
“The parents are wonderful,”said Mrs Smith. “There is an easy communication between the teachers, the pupils and parents.”
  One day in particular underlines that special relationship.
  “For our summer trip we all go to Oakwood teachers,parents and pupils,” said Mrs Smith.

Head Teacher Dilwen Smith, chairman of governors Geraint Volk and infants teacher Janet Phillips with pupils at Moylegrove School

Sports success: house captains of Ceibwr Robert Thomas and Sophie Dunwell with Awen captains Jamie Jones and Jessie Arnold. Lottie Arnold was the girl with the highest points,while Thomas Harries was the boy with the highest points.

The school prides itself on its computer literacy. The website can be found here while the school can be contacted via classa@trewyddel. rmplc.co.uk

Pupils who were successful in the recent Pembrokeshire Reading Olympics : Jessie Arnold, Jemma Jones and Emyr Harris

  “It's a very enjoyable day out.We fill a 57 seater bus and off we go for a wonderful time"
  Moylegrove has two classes the juniors in the original school building, the infants in a new Portakabin connected by a small walkway.
  Mrs Smith teaches the juniors with the large Victorian classroom doubling up as a school hall.
  Next door is infants teacher Mrs Janet Phillips who is celebrating 25 years of teaching at the school.
  “Mrs Phillips is now teaching a second generation,” said Mrs Smith.
  The school scores successes in many fields - all pupils enter the Urdd and various other competitions and, unusually for a small school, Moylegrove boasts its own sports pitch which has nurtured a thriving school soccer talent. The school soccer team - comprising of the five junior boys came joint second in an Urdd competition.   "What is nice about a small school is that every child has a chance to excel,” said Mr Volk.
  “Every child is included in all the activities.”
  And if an example was needed of this caring, sharing school, take this year’s school sports day.
  The two houses - Ceibwr and Awen tied with 110 marks each.
  “Who could want better than that!” said Mrs Smith. 

PUPIL ROLL CALL:
Robert Thomas, Kerry Leake, Jessie Arnold, Sophie Dunwell, Lottie Arnold, Bethan Phillips, Sasha Bishop, Thomas Harries, Emyr Harris, Rhodri Lorenz, Jamie Jones, Guy Dunwell, Gemma Jones, Stacey Fletcher, Jolif Guest, Katy Bishop, Harriet Robson, Alice Snape, William Taylor, Jacob Dunwell, Joanne Griffiths, Madelen Bunn, Josh Davies, Jonathan Evans, Emily Lloyd, Carwyn James, Simon Snape, Alun Edwards