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Argus Lite Contact


Argus Lite Cardiff Road, Maesglas, Newport, NP20 3QN General Inquiries : 01633 810000


EDITORIAL: Editor: Nicole Garnon Tel : 01633 777203 nicole.garnon@gwent-wales.co.uk


ADVERTISING - DISPLAY: Andrea Hall 01633 777207 andrea.hall@gwent-wales.co.uk


ADVERTISING - CLASSIFIED Paula Jones 01633 777115 paula.jones@gwent-wales.co.uk


The Argus Lite distributes 10,000 copies which are available across Newport, Cwmbran, Pontypool and Risca through selected outlets. Read all of the local news, information and sport online at southwalesargus.co.uk


COMPLAINTS: We care about accuracy. We strive to avoid making mistakes but these can happen. If you ind an error of fact, please contact the editor. If we have made an error we will be happy to correct it in the next available issue.


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The Argus Lite is published by Newsquest Media (Southern) PLC, a Gannett company, from its ofices at Cardiff Road, Maesglas, Newport, NP20 3QN. Registered at the Post Ofice as a newspaper.


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Friday, May 23, 2014 Arguslite School celebrates good inspection report


PROSPECTS for improve- ment at a Newport junior school are “excellent” thanks to its senior leader- ship team, according to the schools inspectorate Estyn who found the school’s current performance is “good”. The 203-pupil Malpas Church in Wales Junior School has one of the low- est budgets in the city at 45th out of 48 primary schools, but regularly shares its highly-effec- tive practice with other schools and organisations, the inspectorate found. All pupils make at least good or often, very good progress in their learn- ing and skill development, said the report, but the school could improve at- tendance. ,There is “no significant


difference” between those pupils entitled to free school meals and those who are not. Headteacher Katharine Thomas said: “We are delighted with the re- ports which make very agreeable reading. To re- ceive such a resounding endorsement is tremen- dous.”


PLEASED: Head teacher Katharine Thomas pictured with Malpas Church in Wales Junior School pupils.


Bank holiday events set to make a big splash


THIS year’s Big Splash festival looks to be bigger and better than ever before as the latest pro- gramme of events is released. The Big Splash which will be taking over Newport from May 30 to June 1, will provide fami- lies with great fun with events including international street theatre, drop in workshops, and a Sunset Spectacular. On Saturday, May 31, there will


be a range of free drop-in work- shops throughout the day at the the Riverfront Theatre. This will include balloon cos- tume making running from 10am to 1pm at Project Space, where children can make bal- loon costumes and instruments to join in with the samba band during the parade. Throughout the whole week- end, the Danters Fairground


By Sophie Brownson 01633 777247 sbr@gwent-wales.co.uk Twitter@ArgusSBrownson


will also be on the Big Splash site between the Riverfront and the university buildings. International street theatre art- ists will then be entertaining the crowds along the riverside throughout the day on Saturday. Meanwhile on June 1, Parklife


take over Rodney Parade, with plenty of sports and games, bouncy castles, Spider Moun- tain, Scramble Net Challenge and street entertainment. Face painting and a host of other council service areas will be get- ting involved, showcasing some of the great things on offer in the city 365 days a year. The highlight of the weekend,


Arts could be core to curriculum


POLITICIANS shouldmake a commit- ment to providing high-quality arts education and access to the arts in Wales, to close the gap in attainment, an independent report has said. The report forWelshGovernment


into arts in education, written by ProfessorDai Smith ofSwansea University, said politicians should expand the current curriculum to include creativity, alongside numera- cy and literacy as a core theme across all disciplines and in both pri- mary and secondary education, bringing in CareersWales and arts- based Estyn inspections aswell.


The idea mirrors that of a 2013


report into physical educationwhere a task-and-finish group headed by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson stat- ed PE should bemade a core subject alongsidemaths and English. Professor Smith’s 56-page report


recommended theWelsh Government “should consider an arts-rich education to be core to the school experience of all pupils”, and should, with the Arts Council of Wales, enable wide experience of the arts outside school aswell as interaction with professional artists. “TheWelshGovernment should sup-


port the fostering of schools ‘arts champions’ within the newnational plan for creative learning, andWelsh ArtsAwards ormedals for individual teachers,” said the report, adding politicians should require Estyn to undertake audits ofWelsh schools to assess theembedding of creative learning, the quality of the ongoing arts experience and its impact on lit- eracy and numeracy outcomes. Education ministerHuwLewis said


he expected creativity in the curricu- lum to be considered as part of Professor GrahamDonaldson’s review into a curriculum forWales.


the Sunset Spectacular will then kick off at 9pm on the Saturday, featuring stunning acrobatics, pyrotechnics, hula hoops, hip- hop and classical music, and finishing with a spectacular fire- work finale. Another highlight will be the


Big Splash Parade. Featuring balloon costumes, and samba drumming it will leave from the Project Space at 1pm on Saturday, May 31, and progress through Newport City Centre, ending up at the community stage near the Red Wave. For the latest updates on the


events, sign up to facebook.com/ bigsplashnewport or follow @ newportfestival #bigsplash2014 on Twitter. A full diary of the weekend can be downloaded from the website: newport.gov. uk/theriverfront


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