Shwmae Day 2026 – Celebrating Our Welsh Language at Penllergaer Primary School
Shwmae! Sut wyt ti? – Hello! How are you?
On Thursday 15th October 2026, Penllergaer Primary School will be celebrating Shwmae Day, a special occasion dedicated to promoting the Welsh language and celebrating our wonderful Welsh culture, heritage and identity.
As a proud Siarter Iaith Gold School, we are passionate about ensuring that Welsh is much more than a subject taught in the classroom. We want it to be a natural, enjoyable and meaningful part of everyday school life.
Our aim is simple: to develop confident, enthusiastic Welsh speakers who are proud of their language and culture.
This year, we are making Shwmae Day a whole-school celebration, with our learners taking an active role in promoting Welsh across Penllergaer.
What Will We Be Doing?
1. Speaking Welsh Throughout the School Day
Our biggest challenge will be to encourage everyone to speak as much Welsh as possible!
From the moment pupils arrive at school, we will be encouraging them to greet one another in Welsh, ask questions, respond using familiar sentence patterns and use Welsh naturally throughout their daily routines.
We want Welsh to be heard everywhere – in our classrooms, corridors, playgrounds, Caffi Pawb and during conversations between pupils and staff.
Children will be encouraged to use phrases such as:
Shwmae! – Hello!
Bore da! – Good morning!
Sut wyt ti? – How are you?
Dw i'n dda, diolch! – I'm good, thank you!
Ga i...? – May I have...?
Da iawn! – Well done!
Diolch yn fawr! – Thank you very much!
We want pupils to recognise that speaking Welsh is not about getting every word right. It is about having the confidence to try, practise and improve.
2. Our Criw Cymraeg Leading the Way
Pupil voice and leadership are central to life at Penllergaer, and our wonderful Criw Cymraeg will have an important role in promoting Shwmae Day.
Our Criw Cymraeg will be encouraged to lead by example, promote Welsh greetings, introduce useful phrases and inspire other learners to use Welsh throughout the day.
They will also help us celebrate pupils who make a special effort to speak Welsh.
By giving our pupils ownership of Welsh language initiatives, we are developing their confidence, leadership skills and sense of responsibility for promoting our language.
3. Developing Welsh Oracy and Language Patterns
Developing pupils' confidence and progression in Welsh oracy is an important priority for us this year.
During Shwmae Day, classes will build on their existing Welsh language skills through engaging, age-appropriate activities.
Our younger learners will focus on greetings, colours, simple vocabulary, songs and familiar phrases, while older pupils will be challenged to extend their responses, ask questions and engage in longer conversations.
We want our learners to move beyond simply repeating vocabulary towards understanding, applying and independently using Welsh in meaningful situations.
4. Celebrating Our Welsh Culture and Identity
Shwmae Day is also an opportunity to celebrate what makes Wales so special.
Across the school, pupils will have opportunities to explore our Welsh identity through language, music, stories, creative activities and discussions about our heritage.
We want children to develop a strong sense of belonging and pride in their Welsh identity, while recognising the importance of respecting and celebrating different languages and cultures.
5. Wearing the Colours of Wales
To make our celebrations even more special, pupils are encouraged to wear something red, white or green, representing the colours of our Welsh flag.
Coch – Red
Gwyn – White
Gwyrdd – Green
6. Bringing Welsh into Our Homes and Community
We know that developing confident Welsh speakers is a shared responsibility, and the support of our families makes a real difference.
This year, we will be encouraging our pupils to take their Welsh language skills beyond the school gates.
Our challenge to families is simple: Can you use a little more Welsh at home?
Whether it is saying Bore da in the morning, Diolch at the dinner table or Nos da at bedtime, every little effort helps.
We hope our pupils will become enthusiastic ambassadors for the Welsh language, sharing their learning with parents, carers and the wider community.
More Than One Day – Our Commitment as a Siarter Iaith Gold School
Although Shwmae Day is a special celebration, our commitment to Welsh language development continues throughout the year.
At Penllergaer, we are working to ensure that:
Welsh language development is progressive, with pupils building on their knowledge, understanding and skills as they move through the school.
Pupils have regular opportunities to apply Welsh independently in meaningful, everyday situations.
Welsh is used naturally by pupils and staff beyond formal Welsh lessons.
Our Criw Cymraeg have a genuine voice in shaping and promoting Welsh language initiatives.
Teaching provides appropriate support and challenge, enabling all learners to develop confidence and make progress.
Our school environment celebrates Welsh language, culture and identity.
Pupils develop positive attitudes towards bilingualism and understand the value of speaking Welsh in modern Wales.
Our Siarter Iaith Gold Award is something we are extremely proud of, but for us, it is not simply about achieving an award. It is about creating a lasting culture in which Welsh is valued, spoken and enjoyed by everyone.
We want our learners to be able to explain why speaking Welsh matters, demonstrate the progress they are making and, most importantly, show genuine confidence and enjoyment when using the language.
Our Shwmae Day Challenge!
This year, we want to hear more Welsh than ever before!
We want our pupils to challenge themselves, encourage one another and recognise that every Welsh word they speak is a step towards becoming a more confident bilingual learner.
At Penllergaer Primary School, we are proud of our language, proud of our heritage and proud of our learners.
Cymraeg i Bawb – Welsh for Everyone!
Shwmae heddiw, Cymraeg bob dydd!
Shwmae today, Welsh every day!
Penllergaer Primary School – Ysgol Gynradd Penllergaer
Our School Is for Everyone