If you drove along Cardiff Road on Wednesday 8th November you might have been surprised by the smoke billowing out of the front door, and the ghoulish howls issuing from the upstairs windows. Howell's was transformed into Hogwarts for the day, as we were joined by 150 children from local primary schools for our Harry Potter-themed day.
Funded by HSBC, Hogwarts at Howell's is a new initiative that brought the Harry Potter series of books to life for children from Lansdowne, Herbert Thompson, St Paul’s, St Monica’s and Whitchurch primary schools.
From the moment the children stepped through the heavy wooden doors at the entrance to Howell's, teachers in flowing gowns welcomed them, guiding them along corridors where candles flickered and the pictures on the walls moved as they passed by.
Once everyone had arrived, the girls and boys assembled under the vaulted ceiling of the Great Hall and were sorted in houses by the Sorting Hat. All the young witches and wizards took part in taster lessons in Puzzling Potions (Science), Spells and Sorcery (English), Wand Making (Art), Magnetic Music (Music), Mystical Moves (Dance), Conjuring Computers (ICT) and Marauders' Maps (Geography).
Coming back together in the middle of the day, the children enjoyed a Hogwarts-style banquet in the Great Hall, enjoying a feast of sandwiches, cakes and ghoulish green jelly.
Mixing with witches and wizards from different schools, the girls and boys learned to make their voices heard outside of the usual classroom environment, felt their confidence grow through the day as they experienced learning in a different way and developed their team-working skills. Working both in small groups and independently, they developed their magical skills, widened their horizons and made new friends.
Mr Wilson, Year 6 teacher from St Paul's Church in Wales Primary School, said, "It was an incredible experience for my pupils. They have enjoyed themselves tremendously.
The effort and commitment that was put into today was amazing and it was a real treat to be a part of. I look forward to developing a really positive relationship with Howell's in the future."
