Shwmae Day – Celebrating the Welsh Language at Penllergaer Primary School
Shwmae! Sut wyt ti? – Hello! How are you?
At Penllergaer Primary School, we are incredibly proud of our Welsh language, culture and heritage. Every year, on 15th October, we join schools, communities and organisations across Wales in celebrating Shwmae Day (Diwrnod Shwmae Su'mae).
What is Shwmae Day?
Shwmae Day is a national celebration designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to use the Welsh language in their everyday lives.
The idea is simple: every Welsh conversation begins with a single word!
By encouraging everyone to greet one another with a friendly “Shwmae!”, the day aims to build confidence, break down barriers and demonstrate that the Welsh language belongs to everyone, whether they are fluent speakers or just beginning their Welsh language journey.
Shwmae Day reminds us that even the smallest effort to speak Welsh can make a big difference.
Celebrating Shwmae Day at Penllergaer
As a proud Siarter Iaith Gold School, promoting the Welsh language is an important part of our school identity and everyday life.
Throughout Shwmae Day, our pupils are encouraged to speak as much Welsh as possible, practise familiar language patterns, learn new vocabulary and celebrate everything that makes Wales special.
Our aims are to:
Develop confidence: Encourage every learner to speak Welsh naturally and confidently, without worrying about making mistakes.
Increase everyday Welsh: Promote the use of Welsh beyond lessons, including in classrooms, corridors, playgrounds and Caffi Pawb.
Celebrate Welsh identity: Develop pupils' understanding and appreciation of our language, culture and heritage.
Encourage pupil leadership: Empower our Criw Cymraeg and other pupil leaders to inspire and encourage others to use Welsh.
Promote inclusion: Ensure that every pupil feels able to participate, regardless of their current Welsh language ability.
Involve our wider community: Encourage families, staff and visitors to use simple Welsh greetings and phrases in their everyday conversations.
A Living Language – Not Just a Lesson!
At Penllergaer, we believe that learning Welsh is about much more than developing vocabulary or completing activities in the classroom.
We want our pupils to recognise Welsh as a living language that connects us to our community, our heritage and our national identity.
Through our whole-school approach to Welsh language development, we aim to nurture confident, enthusiastic learners who are proud to speak Welsh and recognise the value of bilingualism.
Our Criw Cymraeg play an important role in this journey, encouraging their peers to use Welsh and helping to create a positive Welsh-speaking culture throughout our school.
Our Message: Cymraeg i Bawb – Welsh for Everyone!
Shwmae Day is a wonderful celebration, but our commitment to the Welsh language does not begin and end on 15th October.
Our ambition is for Welsh to be heard, enjoyed and celebrated every day of the school year.
We want every child who leaves Penllergaer Primary School to feel proud of their Welsh identity, confident in using the language and motivated to continue developing their Welsh language skills.
Shwmae heddiw, Cymraeg bob dydd!
Shwmae today, Welsh every day!
Penllergaer Primary School – Ysgol Gynradd Penllergaer
Our School Is for Everyone