New school named after ancient Standing Stone/Ysgol newydd yn cael ei henwi ar ôl carreg hir hynafol

The £7m new primary school being built in Briton Ferry has been named after an iconic standing stone on the school grounds, which is believed to be dated back to the Bronze Age.

Known as CarregHir (Long Stone) the mighty 9 foot 2-inch tall monolith was located in the grounds of the former CwrtSart Comprehensivewhere the new 420-pupil primary school is currently under construction.

The new school, which will also cater for 75 part-time nursery children, has now been named Ysgol CarregHir in recognition of the ancient stone monument – by local children.

Pupils from the three existing primary schools in the Briton Ferry area, (Brynhyfryd, Llansawel and Ynysmaerdy) were all invited to submit their ideas for a school name and logo.

A total of 98 entries were submitted, with 42 different name suggestions.

The three most popular names went to a closed ballot by the pupils in the school councils of the three schools.

As a result, Ysgol CarregHir had the most votes and the school logo will be “Together if we believe we can achieve”.

The new school name and logo have been officially approved by Neath Port Talbot councillors.

Lesley Hynes, Head teacher of Ysgol CarregHir said: “All the pupils within the three primary schools had the opportunity to be involved in this process and the school council used their voting rights to express their preference. We are all very pleased with the final name and are eagerly waiting for the next phase of development of our new school”.

The CarregHirStanding Stone will have pride of place next to the new school which will open its doors in autumn 2018.

Standing Stones (also known as menhirs) are thought to have had ceremonial or religious uses and it is believed their sheer size may have meant they were used as rallying points for speeches or important events.

CarregHir is wreathed in mystery and legend.

A published 1848 reference says:”There is a charm, not yet discovered, which can compel the stone to speak to reveal the secret of its history but that having once spoken it will be silent forever.”

And another legend claims there is an underground passage leading between the stone and Neath Abbey some 1.3 miles (2.1 km) to the North.

When opened, Briton Ferry’s Ysgol CarregHir, being built by Kier, will include multi-use games areas and hard and soft play areas for different age groups.

Jason Taylor, Operations Director, Kier Construction Wales, said: “We’re extremely proud to be working with Neath Port Talbot Council to deliver this important facility which will benefit both the pupils and the Neath Port Talbot area.

“In partnership together, we will enhance the delivery of education and leave a lasting legacy for the community”.

Significant progress is being made on the construction of the new school with a new steel frame having been installed giving a glimpse of the scale of the transformation taking place on the site.

The project is funded by Neath Port Talbot Council and the Welsh Government, as part of its 21^st Century Schools Programme.

Councillor Peter Rees, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Culture said: “Ysgol CarregHir is a great name for the new school and marks a key milestone in the development that will bring the total investment in new school builds in the county borough to more than £134m with some new schools already completed and operational and others underway”.

The aims of the Council’s Strategic School Improvement Programme are to raise school standards and enhance the quality of the learning environment by providing the right schools in the right places, and that they are fit for 21st Century learners.

Ysgol newydd yn cael ei henwi ar ôl carreg hir hynafol

Mae’r ysgol gynradd newydd gwerth £7m sy’n cael ei hadeiladu yn Llansawel wedi’i henwi ar ôl maen hir eiconig ar dir yr ysgol, y credir iddo ddyddio’n ôl i’r Oes Efydd.

Lleolwyd y monolith mawr 9 troedfedd a dwy fodfedd o uchder, a elwir yn Garreg Hir ar dir hen Ysgol Gyfun Cwrt Sart, lle mae’r ysgol gynradd newydd ar gyfer 420 o ddisgyblion yn cael ei hadeiladu ar hyn o bryd.

Mae’r ysgol newydd, a fydd hefyd yn darparu addysg ar gyfer 75 o blant meithrin rhan-amser, bellach wedi’i henwi’n Ysgol Carreg Hir gan blant lleol er mwyn cydnabod yr heneb o garreg.

Gwahoddwyd disgyblion o dair ysgol gynradd bresennol ardal Llansawel (Brynhyfryd, Llansawel ac Ynysmaerdy) i gyflwyno’u syniadau am enw a logo’r ysgol

Cyflwynwyd cyfanswm o 98 o geisiadau, gyda 42 o awgrymiadau ar gyfer gwahanol enwau.

Pleidleisiwyd dros y tri enw mwyaf poblogaidd mewn pleidlais gudd gan y disgyblion yng nghynghorau ysgol y tair ysgol.

O ganlyniad, Ysgol Carreg Hir a gafodd y nifer mwyaf o bleidleisiau a “Gyda’n gilydd, drwy gredu, gallwn gyflawni” fydd logo’r ysgol.

Mae enw a logo newydd yr ysgol wedi’u cymeradwyo’n swyddogol gan gynghorwyr Castell-nedd Port Talbot.

Meddai Lesley Hynes, Pennaeth Ysgol Carreg Hir, “Cafodd pob disgybl yn y tair ysgol gynradd y cyfle i fod yn rhan o’r broses hon a defnyddiodd cyngor yr ysgol ei hawliau pleidleisio i fynegi ei ddewis. Rydym oll yn falch iawn o’r enw terfynol ac rydym yn aros am gam nesaf datblygiad ein hysgol newydd.”

Bydd Maen Hir Carreg Hir yn cael ei osod mewn lle blaenllaw ger yr ysgol newydd a fydd yn agor ei drysau yn hydref 2018.

Credir bod gan y meini hirion ddefnyddiau seremonïol neu grefyddol a’u bod wedi’u defnyddio fel mannau ymgynnull ar gyfer areithiau neu ddigwyddiadau pwysig oherwydd eu maint.

Mae Carreg Hir yn llawn dirgelwch a chwedlau.

Mae cyfeiriad a gyhoeddwyd ym 1848 yn dweud, “There is a charm, not yet discovered, which can compel the stone to speak to reveal the secret of its history but that having once spoken it will be silent forever.”

Mae chwedl arall yn honni bod yna lwybr dan y ddaear sy’n arwain rhwng y garreg a Mynachlog Nedd, oddeutu 1.3 milltir (2.1km) tua’r gogledd.

Pan agorir Ysgol Carreg Hir Llansawel, sy’n cael ei hadeiladu gan Kier, bydd yn cynnwys ardaloedd gemau amlddefnydd ac ardaloedd chwarae caled a meddal ar gyfer grwpiau oedran gwahanol.

Meddai Jason Taylor, Cyfarwyddwr Gweithrediadau, Kier Construction Wales, “Rydym yn falch iawn o gael gweithio gyda Chyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot i gyflwyno’r cyfleuster pwysig hwn a fydd yn fanteisiol i’r disgyblion ac ardal Castell-nedd Port Talbot.

“Mewn partneriaeth â’n gilydd, byddwn yn gwella addysg ac yn gadael etifeddiaeth barhaus ar gyfer y gymuned.”

Gwneir cynnydd sylweddol ar adeiladu’r ysgol newydd, gyda’r ffrâm ddur newydd sydd wedi’i gosod yn rhoi cipolwg ar raddau’r gwaith trawsnewid sy’n digwydd ar y safle.

Ariennir y prosiect gan Gyngor Castell-nedd Port Talbot a Llywodraeth Cymru, fel rhan o Raglen Ysgolion yr 21ain Ganrif.

Meddai’r Cynghorydd Peter Rees, Aelod y Cabinet dros Addysg, Sgiliau a Diwylliant, “Mae Ysgol Carreg Hir yn enw gwych ar gyfer yr ysgol newydd ac mae’n nodi carreg filltir yn y datblygiad a fydd yn dod â chyfanswm y buddsoddiad mewn adeiladau ysgolion newydd yn y fwrdeistref sirol i fwy na £134m, gyda rhai ysgolion eisoes wedi’u cwblhau ac yn gweithredu, a gwaith wedi dechrau ar eraill.”

Nod Rhaglen Gwella Ysgolion Strategol y cyngor yw gwella safonau ysgolion a’r amgylchedd dysgu drwy ddarparu’r ysgolion cywir yn y lleoedd cywir, a sicrhau eu bod yn addas ar gyfer dysgwyr yr 21ain ganrif.