Head teacher named for Tenby’s Welsh School

The head teacher of Tenby’s new Welsh language school promises a ‘wealth of experiences for all learners’ when the school opens its doors in September. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Pembrokeshire bred Mrs Victoria Hart-Griffiths said ‘I am excited about the challenge that lies before me,’ when she becomes the head of the first Welsh language school in the south of the County. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ysgol Hafan y Môr, which means the Sea’s Haven School will teach 120 pupils age 3-11 with numbers expected to rise over the coming years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Hart-Griffiths, currently the executive head of Hafodwenog, Bancyfelin and Meidrim schools in Carmarthenshire has gained a reputation for achieving high standards in the classroom ever since she started teaching in 2001. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Her career began at Ysgol Glan Cleddau in Haverfordwest where she spent a term before securing her first permanent teaching role at St Dogmaels Primary school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

From there, Mrs Hart-Griffiths became the teacher in charge of Capel Dewi near Llandysul prior to securing her first headship at Mydroilyn. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Hart-Griffiths, who also specialises in teaching pupils with additional learning needs, says the opportunity to become the first head at Ysgol Hafan y Môr was too good an opportunity to turn down and she was delighted when she was offered the position. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a ground breaking step for Welsh education in the south of the county and I’m looking forward to working with staff, pupils, governors, parents and the wider community in order to develop high standards and extended opportunities for all learners within the school.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chair of Temporary Governing Body Julie Jones says Mrs Griffiths will have their full support to get the school up and running for when it opens. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is a huge amount of work to be done between now and the 1st of September when the school opens its doors, and we as a temporary Governing Body have assured Mrs Griffiths that we will give her every support in setting up this historic and ground-breaking school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The School is the culmination of the dedication and hard work of all involved in the two Welsh units which began over 35 years ago. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Those units have grown from strength, especially in the latter years under Mrs Gill John and Mrs Jan Llewellyn. We are committed to maintaining their standards and building upon their good work.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs Hart-Griffiths will spend a cross over period of 35 days between now and September in order to familiarise herself with all aspects of the new school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​