Further offshore, seabirds like cormorants with their dark black feathers and long necks dive deep beneath the waves in search of fish.Coastal birds play an important role in connecting the sea and land habitats, and they can tell us a lot about the health of our oceans. However, coastal birds in Swansea and across Wales are increasingly threatened by human disturbance, habitat loss and climate change. By keeping your distance and avoiding disturbing the birds you see, keeping their habitats clean from litter and reporting sightings to local wildlife groups you can play a part in protecting the birds on our coastlines.

So next time you visit a beach, bring binoculars if you have them, or simply use your eyes, and take a moment to look around and see how many different species of birds you can spot.

Have you taken your class bird watching - more information from the RSPB and Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust or why not request an Ambassador to speak at your school

Swansea Bay is a dynamic environment, home to a wide variety of wildlife including a range bird species. Over the past year, I got to spend many hours birdwatching around the bay, collecting data for my undergraduate dissertation which looked at the species that live, breed and feed on our beach.

From late spring into summer, you can see kittiwakes amongst other gull species gather in lively colonies on Mumbles Pier. During autumn and winter, along the shoreline at Blackpill beach, wading birds like the small sanderling dart across the sand and oystercatchers use their bright orange beaks to search for small invertebrates in the sand. 

Referrals to the programme are open now. The link to the form can be found below for you to complete. You MUST discuss the programme with a young person before referring them, and ensure that they are happy to be referred.Not everyone who is referred will be registered to the programme, so its recommended to refer early.

Youth Cymru: Summer Jobs Programme

The Summer Jobs Programme is a six-week employment initiative for young people aged 16-20 across Swansea, Newport and Cardiff . It includes a paid preparation week, five weeks of paid work experience, support from youth workers throughout the placement, and evaluation activities.

The programme aims to combat the barriers that many young people face in gaining employment by fostering career development, personal growth, and positive engagement. It is specifically designed to reduce the risk of youth violence by providing structured opportunities that empower young people and build brighter futures.

First Tech Challenge

On Saturday 14 March, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Swansea hosted the FIRST Tech Challenge UK Wales Qualifying Tournament. Teams from secondary schools across Wales showcased their learning, competing for industry-judged awards and a place at the UK Championship.

Teams competed in DECODE presented by RTX, this season's archaeology-themed game, which challenges robots to identify coded targets, collect and score game elements in autonomous and driver-controlled periods. Events featured live robot matches alongside judging interviews, combining engineering, coding and real-world problem-solving.

Cardiff – Thursday October 1st, Vindico Arena

Carmarthen – Friday October 2nd, Carmarthen Quins Rugby Club

Newport – Tuesday October 6th, Alway Centre

Swansea – Thursday October 8th, Waterfront Community Church

ICE Engineering Team Challenge 2026

It's that time of year again where we are looking for expressions of interest for ICE Engineering Team Challenge.

Engineering Team Challenge is an event aimed at enthusiastic 16–18-year-olds interested in pursuing a STEM related career.

Schools/teams compete to fulfil a STEM related task with the best teams  awarded prizes.

Please email Hayley.pincott@see-science.co.uk to provisionally express an interest, stating which location would be preferable.

DVLA Code Challenge 2026

The DVLA Code Challenge enables students of all ages to develop their problem-solving and team-working skills, improve their knowledge of computer programming in a fun and innovative way, and also to win IT Equipment for their schools or Groups.

The 2026 challenge is open to children and young people from the age of 7 to 16. Schools must send their entries to itsvc@dvla.gov.uk by 26 May 2026.