Back to school at Howell’s School, Llandaff
STUDENTS and staff at Howell’s School, Llandaff are looking forward to getting back to business as usual when the new term begins at the start of next month. Everything is firmly established to welcome all the students back to the Cardiff school at the start of September, and the staff are looking forward to seeing their classrooms, labs and libraries full of students once more.
Since March 20, when Wales education minister Kirsty Williams announced that schools in Wales would close to all students except the children of key workers, the corridors may have been unusually quiet, but at Howell’s, lessons continued as normal thanks to an impressive programme of Guided Home Learning.
All students followed their usual timetable, following the planned curriculum with video lessons and online tasks with their familiar teacher. Teachers were available all day on email and completed work was marked and returned with feedback.
For students in Year 11, who were expecting to spend those weeks in March and April consolidating and revising topics ahead of the GCSE exams in May and June, Howell’s created the ARCH programme, a series of bespoke modules to bridge the gap between GCSEs and A-levels.
Some of these were on curriculum subjects, some were complementary modules, designed to improve skills of research and independent learning ready for the next stage of their education in September.
Students who needed any extra support – either with their academic work or their pastoral wellbeing – had one-to-one video calls scheduled with a teacher or the pastoral team, either daily or several times a week.
Weekly form time, year group assemblies and whole school assemblies ensured that all students remained connected with their form and year groups, and with the school community as a whole; those events that were due to take place during the summer term – sports day, the summer concert, careers events and mental health week – were moved online.
None of us has a crystal ball to see what the next school year will bring, but at Howell’s School, Llandaff and Howell’s Co-Ed College they are clearly ready to rise to any challenge.
After a successful term delivering Guided Home Learning to every student, the new school year may bring new challenges, but everyone at Howell’s is ready to meet them.
■ There are still places at Howell’s School and Howell’s Co-Ed College available for September. To find out more and to arrange a visit, please contact admissions officer Chrissie Hall-Davis on admissions@how.gdst.net or 029 2026 1832
“None of us has a crystal ball to see what the next school year will bring, but at Howell’s School, Llandaff and Howell’s Co-Ed College they are clearly ready to rise to any challenge”