From wiggly caterpillars and sandpits to learning to sail and making model replicas of the Second Severn Crossing – hundreds of pupils from across South Wales shared treasured memories of their primary school years at a special service for school leavers.
More than 500 Year Six pupils who have just a week or so left in primary school gathered at Llandaff Cathedral on Tuesday to celebrate the end of their time at primary school and to prepare for their next giant step up to secondary school. They were joined by the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, who gave them an address and presented them with leather bookmarks.
They waved their homemade school banners as they sang hymns and placed personal mementoes, which they had chosen to remind them of their time in primary school, on a table at the front of the church. These included photos, toys and props from shows.
Pupils from each school then stood up and talked about what they enjoyed most at primary school. Top of the list were “making lifelong friends” and outdoor trips, although there were also a few other stirring memories, such as an exploding milk carton and squashing yourself into small red chairs. Key smells, meanwhile, included freshly cut grass and gone-off milk.
The pupils come from 23 Church in Wales schools across the Diocese of Llandaff – from Aberdare to Neath, Pendoylan to Grangetown (full list below). They were joined by their parish priests who are regular visitors at the school, helping out in lessons and with services and assemblies.
The Archbishop told the children, “The great thing about meeting here altogether is that you realize that you are part of a wider Church family and that you are loved and protected. It is natural to feel a bit scared at moving schools but if you think about it, you have been here before, when you left nursery school or crèche, and this is just one more step along the way. Remember that God’s spirit is with you, helping you with everything you face.”
Revd Edwin Counsell, director for education for Llandaff Diocese, said, “This is a very special event because it brings together children from schools across the Llandaff Diocese. Year Six is an exciting time with lots of new responsibilities and interesting things to learn. It is also tinged with sadness, because children will be saying goodbye to friends and teachers who they have known throughout their time in school. This service looked back at their years in primary school and also looked to the future as they prepare for new schools, new friends, new challenges and new opportunities.”
By Anna Morrell, Church in Wales