27th February 2017
Dear Parent / Carer
We have had some fantastic visitors to school this half term, with the children experiencing and enjoying a range of opportunities: Forest schools, Bushcraft, Anti-bullying Workshops, ‘Show Racism The Red Card’, our whole school Cultural Diversity week, ‘Lead Creative Schools’ work, Valentine Disco etc. Please follow us on Twitter to see great photos of the activities at school.
This term will see a few changes to staff. We say goodbye to Mrs Gannon who has worked as a lunchtime supervisor and classroom support for a number of years. We wish her lots of luck in her future endeavours. Mrs Deverill has secured a secondment to another Local Authority school until the end of the summer term. This is a fantastic opportunity for her. We will be moving Mrs Pugh and Mrs Field into Oak Class. Willow class will then be taught by Mrs Field with Miss Garrett. Miss Garrett has lots of experience and will become part of the Upper Key Stage 2 team, working closely with Oak and Beech classes to ensure consistency. We wish Mrs Deverill lots of luck in her exciting new role and welcome Miss Garrett to Coedpenmaen.
The ‘Parents’ Forum’ has their next meeting on the 7th March. They will be considering how we can further encourage excellent attendance at school. Please use their Facebook page if you wish to leave a constructive comment. Thanks
The PTA’s Valentine Disco was again a great success with funds raised planned to support the development of the school grounds. Thanks to everyone who contributed. The PTA raised over £350!
Our Value this half term is COMPASSION. The children will learn about how to show compassion and kindness to one another, recognising when friends need us to listen and act with compassion. We will also remember how nations show compassion to other nations at times of disaster or need by sending money and volunteers to help. This will help our work for 'Comic Relief' as well as the children prepare for Easter.
Attendance – We are now at 95.1% for our whole school attendance. This is still below our target of 95.4% but wish to thank all of you who have made an extra effort this term to send your children to school regularly. I ask for your continued support in sending your child to school as often as possible.
Please note: if your child is genuinely ill, they should not attend school - it remains the responsibility of parents to inform the school on the first day of absence if a child is not well enough to attend
School Dinners - Please bring your dinner money in an envelope each Monday. Local Authority auditors monitor this – we are not permitted to allow families to build up a ‘debt’ of dinner money. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, children MUST maintain the same arrangements for lunch throughout the week. This ensures that the kitchen orders the correct amount of food to cook as well as helps office staff with the accurate administration of dinner money.
If your child has school lunch and is late arriving at school, please make sure the office staff are informed so that we can ensure that the orders placed with the kitchen are accurate. Increasingly, this is a problem as the kitchen is not run like a cafeteria and can only provide meals for the numbers provided by the school office.
We are very proud of our school uniform and the children look very smart when representing the school on visits etc. However, it has been noticed that this has begun to ‘slip’ a little recently. Whilst it is possible to have uniform with the embroidered school badge, this is not compulsory. To keep costs down for families, children can wear plain white or pale blue polo shirts with a navy blue jumper/cardigan with dark skirt/trousers and shoes if they wish.
27th Feb WYTHNOS CYMRAEG – Welsh Week
1.30pm - Mark Dorey – Author – Welsh Storytelling KS2
Big Foot Theatre/Drama Workshops
28th Feb Big Foot Theatre/Drama Workshops
1st Mar Eisteddfod – please wear Welsh Costume/house colours
2nd Mar ‘Fflic a Fflac’ – Welsh characters for Foundation Phase
3rd Mar 1.00pm – Mark Dorey – Book Signing
7th Mar Oak, Willow and Beech to Royal Mint, Llantrisant
Parents’ Forum – 3.30pm
9th Mar Colotfoto – classes and group photos – school uniform required.
10th Mar Cluster INSET Day – no school for children
22nd Mar Year 3 – Mothers’ Day Tea Party – time to be confirmed
23rd Mar Nursery and Reception – Mothers’ Day Tea Party (am)
Year 1 and Year 2 - Mothers’ Day Tea Party (pm)
Year 5 and 6 – to Hawthorn High School – Sports Festival
24th Mar Comic Relief / Red Nose day
3rd Apr ‘Easter Cracked’ – Year 6 at Coedpenmaen Chapel (am)
5th Apr Parents’ Evening
6th Apr Parents’ Evening
7th Apr School’s World Book Day
EASTER BREAK – 10th April – 23rd April
3rd May Meeting at Hawthorn High School for parents in preparation for Llangrannog
4th May Local Elections – school will remain open.
**Welsh Government Tests are between 3rd – 10th May 2017. We ask that every effort is made to ensure that pupils in Year 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are in school during these test dates**
Please continue to take care walking through the school grounds which are used a car parks. Please supervise your children as you would through any other car park. We are working with the Local Authority to identify any ways in which traffic can be more safely controlled for the safety of the children, the parents and our neighbours. Our school council are also leading a competition for the children to design ‘Poo Posters’. The winners will be made into signage to be placed on the footbridge to the school to remind dog walkers of the need to clean up after their dogs.
Yours, Mrs Loveridge (Headteacher)
