Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân Handbook

Dear Parent / Guardian,

Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân’s Vision:

‘’Learning and achieving together’

Welcome to Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân. By presenting you with this handbook, we extend a warm welcome to your child to this school.  With your co-operation, we hope that his/her time here will be a happy one and that we will see steady educational and social development during his/her stay with us. The handbook contains information on important matters which ensure that the school runs effectively and that your child settles well.  It is important that you read all of the handbook carefully.

It is extremely important that we see education as a partnership between the school and you the parents/guardians at home.  Your role is paramount if your child is to get the best out of his/her schooling.  You should encourage your child to talk about their school work on a daily basis.  I cannot emphasise enough the importance of your support in ensuring the best possible education for your child.

Our vision is to provide a school where pupils, parents/guardians, teachers, governors and the local community are able to work together to produce a safe, welcoming environment conducive to high educational standards.

In Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân, developing pupils' digital competency is integral to learning as we live, work and play in the 21st Century.  Our aim is to ensure that our pupils are competent in the skills they need to survive in the digital world we now live in and to ensure that each pupil is aware of how to stay safe online.

We aspire to be a school which celebrates success, where each individual is made to feel important and worthwhile and where each pupil succeeds. We aspire to create a sense of reverence for our language, culture and history and a respect for other languages, religions and cultures.

The education and well-being of the pupils is of utmost importance when making any decision at the school.  We constantly strive to provide an interesting and varied curriculum that will engage our pupils.

Our aim is ensure that the pupils' lives upon leaving Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân have been enriched and that they are equipped with the educational and social skills to continue with life long learning.

Should you be concerned about any issue regarding your child’s development then please don’t hesitate to contact the school.

Catrin Evans

Headteacher

Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân is a Welsh school and all pupils from the ages of 3 to 11 are educated through the medium of Welsh. Parents / guardians do not need to be able to speak Welsh but there is an obvious advantage if parents / guardians show a willingness to learn the language.  The pupils are always encouraged to show pride in their ability to speak Welsh and are encouraged to speak it in the classroom and beyond from the onset. English is taught as an additional core subject at Key Stage 2 and our aim is to ensure that our pupils are equally confident in both languages by the end of their time with us.

The school is located in St Dials, on the outskirts of Cwmbrân.  In September 2023, there will be 271 full time pupils on roll, with 21 part-time children in the Nursery.

Our aims at Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân are:

• To develop oral, literary and numerical skills in the context of inspiring the pupils' enthusiasm, imagination and interest;

• To increase pupils' knowledge to help them to adapt to a rapidly changing world, especially in relation to digital competence;

• To create in each pupil the desire to seek further knowledge and experience and to develop his/her mind and his/her moral and spiritual awareness;

• To assist each pupil to live and work with others and to develop attitudes which will enable him/her to become a responsible member of the community; 

• To support our children to be ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives; to be enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work and to be ethical, informed citizens;

• To instill a sense of pride in all our pupils in their ability to speak Welsh, and for all pupils to benefit from the unique opportunities that come with being bilingual.

The Admission Policy corresponds with that of  the Torfaen LA Policy.

The Nursery Class:

We accept children into our Nursery (part-time) following their third birthday.

The Reception Class:

Pupils who live within our catchment area are offered a place in our reception class. If we have room, we can accept pupils from outside the catchment area too. These arrangements are the LA’s responsibility.

Parents / guardians who are interested in sending their child to the school are welcome to contact the headteacher, who will be happy to arrange a convenient time for you to visit the school and ask any questions.

Details of our curriculum can be found here:

Cwricwlwm Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân (google.com) 

Religious Education and Collective Worship:

Religious Education is an integral part of the curriculum.  A session of collective worship is held daily.  Our school is not affiliated to a particular denomination but our assemblies are mainly of a Christian nature.  The pupils are taught about other faiths as part of their studies.  We aim to set a sound moral foundation to encourage pupils to be caring and tolerant in order to share and learn together.  

Physical Education and Sports:

A full and equal opportunity is given to all pupils to participate in all sporting activities. Physical Education is taught twice a week. Equal emphasis is given to gymnastics, dance, games and athletics. It is expected that the pupils dress appropriately for these lessons – T-shirt, shorts / joggers and training shoes for athletics / games and barefoot for dance and gymnastics. Jewellery has to be removed before Physical Education activities. Dance and gymnastics will take place in the hall and athletics and games will take place on the school yard.

Every pupil in the school will receive swimming lessons in Year 4. 

The school regularly competes in various sporting tournaments, these include football, rugby, netball and multi-sport.

Homework

The purpose of homework is to reinforce and further develop the pupils' understanding of work undertaken in class. The pupils' homework is set at the beginning of each half term and language, spelling and maths tasks are provided for the pupils. Pupils should also be reading at home on a regular basis. The pupils can complete their homework when they wish but we do encourage them to try to complete a task each week. They can complete the work in a book which can be provided for them or online and e-mail the work to the class teacher via their Hwb account or upload their completed tasks to 'Seesaw'. Guidance is regularly provided for parents/guardians to assist them in supporting their child at home and to enable them to understand methods and strategies used in school. Resources to assist parents/guardians to help develop their child's Welsh language acquisition are also provided on the school website and through Schoop.

Relationships and Sexuality Education:

Relationships and Sexuality Education is a mandatory element of Curriculum for Wales and it aims to gradually build learners' knowledge, skills and values as they develop emphasising the social and emotional aspects of relationships.  Consideration will be given to individuals in all aspect of the work and during discussions and efforts will be made to be sensitive to each pupil's maturity and needs. There is a focus on building healthy relationships and self-esteem by encouraging learners to value themselves; recognise and communicate their feelings and form friendships. Much of this work takes places during our weekly well-being afternoons.

The school is aware that teaching Relationships and Sexuality Education is the joint responsibility of both parents / guardians and teachers and that a full understanding is required of the role of all involved with the work.

Digital competency:

The school has a good supply of laptops, Chromebooks and iPads.  Digital Competency is a statutory element of the curriculum and is a basis for the planning across the school.

Assessment:

The assessment of each pupil's development is a continuous process. Their progress and attainment is tracked thoroughly. Assessment is central to the effective implementation of our curriculum. The school's 'assessment for learning'' approach ensures that pupils are supported and challenged appropriately and that they are aware of the next steps to further progress their learning. 

Written reports are sent to parents/guardians annually. Pupils in Years 2-6 will take a personal assessment in Literacy and Numeracy in the Summer term.

Parents’ evenings are held twice a year in the Autumn and Spring terms when all parents/guardians have the opportunity to discuss their child’s development and targets with the class teacher.  During the Spring term there is an open day and parents / guardians can see their child's work.

Additional Learning Needs:

The school has an equal opportunities policy for all pupils regardless of sex, belief or ability. All pupils have access to a broad, balanced and differentiated education. Some pupils have Additional Learning Needs. A pupil is identified as having an Additional Learning Need if, for any reason, he/she has a significant difference educationally, emotionally, physically or in behaviour from the majority of children of the same age. 

The school follows the ALN code closely to ensure pupils’ needs are met. Any pupil identified as having Additional Learning Needs is assessed by the Class Teacher, who together with the Additional Learning Needs Co-ordinator will intervene to assess, support and monitor the child’s needs. To offer specific help that is additional to the schools universal provision, they will devise a one page profile or Individual development Plan especially for the pupil.

Parents / guardians will always be informed and consulted if their child has additional needs. In some cases we need to refer the pupil to external agencies including the Educational Psychologist, who will visit the school to observe the child and offer support. 

Pupils working beyond the expectations for their age could be identified as more able and talented (MAT). There is a MAT policy that gives further details of identification and support for these pupils. 

Various intervention programmes are used across the school and additional time is allocated for staff  to carry out tailored sessions and track the pupils’ development.

The school works closely with outside agencies e.g. the Inclusion Service, PRU Outreach, CCYP Counselling Service, SALT (Speech and language) and the Sensory and Communication Support Service.

We strongly believe that every pupil whatever their gender, race, nationality or ability, is treated equally.  Throughout all the school’s activities, every pupil will have the opportunity to take part and, through taking part, to develop their knowledge, personal skills and interests. 

Pupils with specific difficulties will be encouraged to achieve as much as possible from their studies. Provision will be versatile in order that all pupils reach their potential. A copy of our Equal Opportunities Policy is available to all parents/guardians.

We will endeavour not to discriminate against any pupil with disabilities. They will be treated as all the other pupils and the same admission policy will prevail. Pupils and staff members will be encouraged to treat every pupil equally in line with our Equal Opportunities Policy.

The school building is suitable for pupils with physical disabilities. It is possible to travel around the school without using stairs or steps, and we have one toilet for individuals with a disability. The school has an accessibility plan.

No school can succeed unless discipline is good. At Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân, discipline is strong but fair and it is important to realise that the school and parents / guardians must work in partnership in order to solve any problems that might arise – one can not succeed without the other.  

Our aim is to nurture self-discipline in every pupil as it is this that will stay with an individual during his / her lifetime. From time to time, things will happen and it will be necessary to discipline a pupil. In serious instances or where a pupil has misbehaved more than once, the school will inform the parents/guardians and ask for their support in dealing with the matter. Where bullying of any form is suspected, the children involved will be seen and parents/guardians contacted immediately. 

Each pupil must understand that both school and home have the same standards and that our expectations regarding behaviour are high - namely that a pupil acts responsibly, respects others and is mature in his / her dealings with fellow pupils and adults within and out of school. The school is required to have a policy of Physical Intervention. Reasonable force will only be used as a last resort. On the rare occasions when difficult situations occur, staff will endeavour to resolve the issue in a non physical way. 

Safeguarding:

We are committed to ensuring the welfare and safety of all the pupils in this school and we follow the LA recommended procedures. The school will, in most circumstances, endeavour to discuss all concerns about their children with parents / guardians. However, there may be exceptional circumstances when the school will discuss concerns with Social Care and/or the Police without parental knowledge (in accordance with Child Protection procedures. The school’s Safeguarding Policy is available on request. 

Health and Well-being forms the basis of our curriculum and we aim to make our pupils aware of all aspects of their own safety and that of others. The weekly health and well-being sessions are often dedicated to this topic. We work closely with outside agencies such as the Police Liaison Officer and Fire Service.  In addition, we engage with initiatives such as the Crucial Crew.  In Year 6, pupils have the opportunity to take a safe cycling course and can take a proficiency test at the end.

Accidents:

Although the greatest care is taken by staff to safeguard your child, accidents do sometimes occur. In the event of minor injuries, pupils will be treated in school but, for more serious accidents, the school will inform the parent / guardian immediately. This, of course, is only possible if the school has the most current emergency contact telephone number for parents/guardians. 

Medical

Please ensure that the school is informed about any medical conditions relating to your child. A questionnaire is sent via Google forms to all parents/guardians at the start of each academic year and any conditions, allergies etc should be noted. At various times throughout their time here, pupils are given medical examinations. These include eyesight and hearing tests. Parents / guardians are notified if follow up treatment is necessary. 

Pupils must not carry prescribed medicines whilst in school. The only exceptions to this policy will be where a child suffers from conditions which require ongoing medication e.g. asthma. However, pupils may need to receive medication for short periods such as completing a course of antibiotics. Parents are asked, whenever possible, to administer this medication outside of school hours. If this is not possible then an on-line medical form has to be completed to enable staff to administer medicines. Staff will not administer non-prescription medication. 

Site safety:

Every visitor must report to the main reception before gaining access to the school. Visitors are given a visitors badge by the Receptionist and must sign in. 

The school has a burglar alarm system and fire drills are held each term.

Parents/guardians must not to drive onto the school grounds during morning drop-off or at home time.

Dogs are prohibited from entering the school grounds. Parents/guardians are asked to adhere to this rule. The only dog permitted on the school site is our own school dog who has been trained to work within a school setting.

The school has a school uniform and we hope that you will encourage your child/ren to wear it every day. The setting of standards is uppermost in our minds and we are sure you will agree that the wearing of school uniform leads to a pride in the school.

The school colours are red and grey and the school uniform with the logo can be purchased from ‘Pretty Miss’ in Cwmbrân. However, we accept that you may wish to buy uniform from other suppliers which does not have the school logo.

Pupils are permitted to come into school in their P.E. kit on the days they have P.E. lessons.

N.B:

· Shoes should be black – trainers do not form part of the school uniform;

· ‘Sports’ trousers do not form part of the school uniform; 

· Jewellery other than a watch and stud earrings are not allowed;

· Hats / caps or bandanas are not to be worn inside the school building without the permission of the Headteacher.

Click here for pictures of the school uniform: 

School Uniform - Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbrân (ysgolgymraegcwmbran.co.uk) 

Staff will be on duty between 08:45 and 8:55 during morning drop-off. Pupils in Years 3-6 should walk to their classes independently. Those pupils in Reception to Year 2 should be accompanied to the allocated drop-off point at the front of the school building.  The school gates will be locked at 8:55. 

If you are late arriving at school, you must escort your child to the school office so that they can be registered.

The school day begins promptly at 8:55 with registration, followed by a morning assembly. There is a whole school assembly on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. A 'Pupil of the week' and 'Language Star of the week' assembly is held on a Friday afternoon where two pupils from each class are celebrated for their achievements during the week.

During the dinner hour, children are supervised by Mid-day Supervisors and the Learning Support Assistants.  

At the end of the school day, the children are taken to specific meeting points. All pupils should be collected from the middle yard. Pupils in the Foundation Phase should be collected at 3:15 and those in Key Stage 2 should be collected at 3:25. If you are late collecting your child/ren, they will be escorted back to the school and we will attempt to contact one of the people named as a contact.

Unfortunately there is no parking for parents / guardians on the school grounds and. to ensure the pupils' safety, we kindly ask that you park outside the school grounds and walk to the yard where you can meet your child. Please be considerate towards our neighbours when parking.

It is important that pupils arrive in school on time every day.  

If your child is absent, you must inform the school by using the dedicated messaging service via our main telephone number (01633 483 383) or e-mail at the first possible opportunity. Whenever possible, any doctor or dentist appointments should be made outside of school hours.

Parents/guardians who take holidays during term time must complete a School Absence Request Form. In accordance with our attendance policy, a number of factors will inform whether or not the absence is authorised.

The Education Welfare Officer works closely with the school. Attendance of 93% or less is reported to parents / guardians as a cause of concern.

Every child is entitled to a free school meal under the Welsh Government's Universal Free School Meal offer. Each day there is a hot or pasta option. With the hot food option, pupils can also choose between a meat option and a vegetarian option. These are noted during the morning registration. The meals are provided by Torfaen Catering. A copy of the menu is available on the school website and Twitter.

Perhaps you and your child are eligible for a grant to help to pay for essential school items. The official name of this grant is the School essentials grant. You may also know it as the Pupil Development grant, PDG Access or the Uniform grant.  If you have any questions about your application or need help to apply, you can email: benefits@torfaen.gov.uk

The school would encourage you to submit a claim. 

We encourage the pupils to bring a fruit or vegetable snack to eat during morning break. We do not permit any other kinds of snack. We operate a water at desk policy and pupils are encouraged to bring a bottle of water with them to school each day which can be refilled. We do not permit any other types of drink.

Open and effective communication between the school and the home is essential for the development and welfare of every pupil. Parents / guardians can contact the school at any time to discuss any concerns or to make an appointment to see the class teacher or Headteacher. A copy of our Home-School Agreement is distributed to each family when their child begins school.

Every parent / guardian is sent a termly overview of intended learning noting what his/her child will be doing during the term. A calendar of events and activities is also shared on the school website. We consider the educational development of the child to be a process shared between the family and the school.  The school website is updated regularly and is used along with Schoop and Twitter to notify parents/guardians of events or changes to the normal routine.

At the start of each academic year, we ask parents/guardians to complete a google form which contains personal information for each pupil.  It is extremely important that the school is informed of any changes in personal details or circumstances i.e. change of address or telephone number. It is essential that the school be given contact numbers which can be reached during the day in case we need to contact you as a matter of urgency.

Please note that we will not release a pupil to a person who is not identified as a contact on our school records. If there are any changes to the normal collection arrangements for your child, we ask that you inform us before 2:30pm.

A wide range of activities e.g. sport, performing arts, cooking club and chess clubs, are offered to all pupils in turn. These activities are possible due to the commitment of our staff. We also invite external agencies to the school e.g. the Urdd and Menter Iaith to further enhance the extra-curricular activities offered for our pupils.

Parents / guardians are asked to ensure that arrangements are made to collect their children promptly at the end of each extra curricular activity.

Sometimes we will ask you to contribute towards: 

Educational visits

Visits by theatre companies or invited guests

End of year trips.

School visits enrich the pupils' education. We are aware of the financial burden on parents / guardians and the school will ensure that costs are kept to a minimum. There is no compulsion on any parent / guardian to contribute to these activities. If a parent / guardian is unable to pay, they should contact the Headteacher.

There is no obligation on the L.A. or Governors to provide individual music tuition. Music forms part of our Expressive Arts curriculum. Where instrumental tuition is available, the Governors have agreed on a charge of £50.00 a term for these lessons which is paid directly to Gwent Music. The school does subsidise the cost of lessons.

In most cases, your child's classroom teacher can deal with complaints or concerns about school life or aspects of the curriculum quickly. Please contact the school to arrange an appointment to meet him / her as soon as possible. If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, many complaints can be dealt with effectively through discussions with the Headteacher who will involve the necessary persons to resolve your concerns. These are the first rational steps. The Governing Body will expect that these steps have been carried out before you present the complaint formally and in writing to the Governing Body in accordance with the 1988 Education Act.

For matters relating to child protection, you should see the Headteacher who is the designated person responsible for Child Protection. If she is unavailable, the Deputy Headteacher can deal with your concerns.

% attendance September 2022 – July 2023

Present                    Authorised Absence              Unauthorised Absence

      92.7%                          5.46%                                            1.84%

Our target attendance for 2022-23 is 94%