Julie Morgan says 'Konnichiwa' to Japanese school - in Whitchurch
Cardiff North Assembly Member Julie Morgan recently found green tea and noodles on the menu at a visit to a school in Whitchurch – where all lessons are taught through the medium of Japanese.
Julie Morgan was invited to attend the autumn fayre of the Wales Japan Club’s Saturday School which has been offering lessons to the children of Japanese executives working in Wales for the last 30 years.
Mrs Morgan said: “I have represented Cardiff North for 20 years as both MP and AM and I had never heard there was a Japanese school in Whitchurch! The children ranged in age from primary to secondary pupils and they learn Japanese language, history and maths from the Japanese school curriculum. It feels like a little slice of Japan in Wales,” she added.
Julie Morgan AM, Bet Davies, Japan Wales Club supporter, and Hiroko Sue, a music therapist (and koto player) at the Welsh College of Music and Drama
Pupils come from all over South Wales, and some even come from Bristol, to the ‘Supplementary School’ held every Saturday in buildings at Whitchurch High School.
Their lessons follow the Japanese curriculum so that they don’t fall behind in school when they return with their parents to Japan and re-enter the Japanese school system.
The school’s autumn fayre was very well attended by members of the school and their families – and there was green tea, ‘gyoza’ dumplings, Japanese curry and noodles on offer, alongside toys and books in both Japanese and English.
Julie Morgan added: “I think it’s great that the pupils can keep up with their studies learning Japanese, which is such a difficult language to learn especially in its written form with more than 3,000 characters and three alphabets needed just to read a book. The pupils and staff were so welcoming and I look forward to attending more events there in future.”