Week 23 - Friday 6th March 2020

Welcome to our newsletter for week 23 of the school year. We've had a very busy couple of weeks with STEM, digital and welsh learning experiences. Today we held a showcase event for parents to view the work children in the school have produced for our STEM day, digital day and our eisteddfod. The main hall looked amazing. If you were not able to attend the showcase a selection of photos of each years group display are published below.

Criw Cymraeg

Our Criw Cymraeg have put together an online notice board to inform parents and children - please have a look to see what welsh initiatives we have in place. Criw Cymraeg initiatives

Eisteddfod

What an exciting day we had on Monday with our school eisteddfod. Congratulations to Green House winning the eisteddfod in 2020. A close event this year with Green House scoring 1050, Blue House 1030 and Red House 1029! Congratulations Green House. Here are our 2 Green House Captains.

We also chaired our Bardd in the Eisteddfod. This traditional ceremony involves a child from year 6 who has won the poetry competition robed by her fellow classmates. Well done Lexie !

Designed to Smile Award

We were delighted to receive our Designed to Smile bronze award this week. The tooth brushing initiative is undertaken every day for children in nursery to year 1.

Year 3 Change to P.E. Day

Don't forget year 3 have changed their P.E. day to a WEDNESDAY.

School rugby

We have received a plea from a number of junior children for us to develop a school rugby team. Thank you to the children who took time to put together the petition. We are always keen to develop a rugby team but at the moment we are struggling to get a suitably qualified rugby coach to help us out. We will keep parents informed if we are able to source a coach.

NSPCC Net Aware

We would like to inform parents of a useful website to gain further information on social networks, apps and games that your children may be using. The NSPCC backed website www.net-aware.org.uk provides useful information and advice for parents.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Seren from year 5 who has successfully got through to the welsh primary table tennis competition in April. Good luck Seren.

Schools cross country competition - years 3 to 6

The re-arranged schools cross country competition for children in years 3 to 6 will now take place on Saturday 21st March at Pencoed Comprehensive School.

Nut allergy information

Don't forget we strive to be a nut free school. Please do not send nut products into school in your child's packed lunch.

PTA Events

Oldcastle PTA are holding a Mother’s Day Bake Off on Friday 20th March from 3pm until 4.30pm in the school canteen (Behind the grass area on the yard). Prizes for the best homemade cakes! We will have children’s Mother’s Day crafts to keep children busy while you enjoy a cuppa and a cake. We’ll also have the children’s tuck shop and a raffle to raise money to refurbish our children’s school canteen. We would like to ask for donations of cakes; bought or home made. If home made please supply a list of ingredients. Please bring to the office on the morning of the sale.

Another date for your diary is Wednesday 1st April - The PTA are organising Easter Discos.

• Nursery 3.00 - 3.45,
• Reception 4.00 - 4.45,
• Year 1 5.00 - 5.45
• Year 2 and 3 6.00 - 6.45.

Huge thanks to Martha who will be providing the disco and party games. Martha will also judge an Easter bonnet parade so get your thinking caps on - or google Easter bonnets!! Prizes to be won. There will be teas and coffees for parents, and tuck shop and glitter tattoos for the children. We will be looking for parents to help out, please let the PTA know in person, on facebook or on the booking form if you are able to help. Please book your child a disco ticket online via the form below and pay £2.50 on the day. The year 4,5 and 6 disco will be held the week after the Easter holidays - details to be confirmed and passed on as soon as possible.

PTA Disco Booking Form

Thank you for your continued support.

Public Health Advice

You will have heard a lot of information about the Covid-19 coronavirus in the news recently. As a school we receive advice from Public Health Wales who are coordinating with Public Health England to ensure organisations work together to prevent any spread of the virus. The school has robust risk management procedures in place and we are confident that we have the necessary plans in place should we require to implement them.

At this time we do not have any plans to make changes to any of our planned school trips however we will continue to take advice from Public Health Wales and the Local Authority.

If you would like more advice or support please visit the Public Health Wales website. Coronavirus Update

Lost Property

We have an enormous amount of lost property yet again. If your child has lost something in school please come and have a look in our lost property collection to see if you can find it. We have items including water bottles, lunch boxes, coats, school uniform, p.e. kit and umbrellas! We hope we can reunite some items with their owners.

Collection Arrangements

Please can we remind parents to contact the office if there is a change to the collection arrangements for your child. Thank you for your co-operation.

Twitter

Don't forget we regularly use our Twitter account to let parents know what we have been up to in school.

There was no headteachers assembly this afternoon due to our showcase event.

Diary Dates

• Thursday 12th March - Reception trip to Green meadow Farm
• Monday 6th April to Friday 17th April - Easter holidays
• Monday 20th April - Back to school
• Monday 4th May - Inset Day
• Friday 8th May - Bank Holiday
• Monday 25th May to Friday 29th May - Half term
• Monday 1st June - Inset Day
• Tuesday 2nd June - Inset Day
• Tuesday 9th June to Saturday 13th June - Year 6 residential trip
• Friday 17th July - Term Ends
• Monday 20th July - Inset Day

Inset Days 2020

• Monday 4th May 2020
• Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd June 2020
• Monday 20th July 2020