Shwmae Day 2026
Written by Dewi, Year 10
On Thursday, 15th October, Bassaleg School came alive with the sound of Welsh as we celebrated Diwrnod Shwmae / Su’mae! Our fantastic Criw Cymraeg led a school-wide initiative to encourage everyone to use as much Welsh as possible, and the response from both students and staff was incredible.
Here is a look back at what our Criw Cymraeg organized and achieved for this special day:
Morning DACWs: A Week of Welsh Culture
To lead up to the big day, our form groups took part in a series of morning DACWs (Daily Acts of Collective Worship), focusing on a new theme each day to reflect on our Welsh identity:
DACW 1: We brainstormed everything we associate with Wales on our classroom whiteboards—from Welsh cakes and daffodils to rugby and the landscape.
DACW 2: We looked at inspiring video clips of iconic Welsh figures, discussing their unique connections and pride in Wales.
DACW 3: We explored the history and thought behind Shwmae Day, spending our Barod period chatting to each other using as much Welsh as possible.
DACW 4: We listened to powerful Welsh music, including Yma o Hyd, and shared how the passionate lyrics and melodies made us feel.
The "Tocyn Iaith" Takeover: Accidental Welsh Pays Off!
This year, we turned speaking Welsh into a rewarding game. Teachers and canteen staff were armed with tocynnau iaith. The challenge? Students had to drop "accidental Welsh" into their everyday conversations.
● The Reward: If a staff member overheard you using Welsh naturally outside of Welsh lessons, you were handed a token.
● The Payoff: Students could take their hard-earned token to their next lesson and cash it in for an A1 achievement point—da iawn to everyone who scored some A1’s!
Shwmae Photo Frames
Our Criw Cymraeg visited form groups during Barod period equipped with custom-made, festive Shwmae photo frames. They captured brilliant photographs of students and staff smiling, engaging, and proudly celebrating Welsh culture together.
The Great 'Shwmae Dwdl' Competition
Creativity was on full display with the Barod Competition, where students were asked to design their own Shwmae dwdl. Guided by an instructional tutorial link on Google Classroom, pupils poured their artistic talents into their designs.
What is Shwmae Day Really About?
While the tokens, prizes, and poster competitions are a lot of fun, Shwmae Day carries a much deeper meaning. Celebrated every year on October 15th, Shwmae Su'mae Day is all about promoting the use of Welsh in our daily lives. The true meaning of "Shwmae" (or "Su'mae") is a friendly, informal greeting—like saying "How's it going?" or "What's up?". The aim of the day isn't about being perfectly fluent. It is about having a go to mwynhau yr iaith, starting a conversation in Welsh, and showing that our language belongs to everyone, everywhere—whether you are in the corridors, the canteen, or the classroom.
Diolch yn fawr to all the pupils, teachers, canteen staff, and the Criw Cymraeg for making Shwmae Day 2026 a massive success!
