Welcome to the weekly newsletter for Oldcastle Primary School. We hope you enjoy keeping up to date with our school activities.

Welcome back to school after the Christmas break, we hope you and your children enjoyed the break from school. We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a happy and healthy 2019.

As it is the start of the new year we are launching our new look newsletter. We hope you like the new look - please let us know if you have any comments by clicking on the email link at the bottom of the page.

Term Dates

We are now in the Spring Term for our school year. There are 7 weeks in this half term and we will break up for February half term at normal finish time on Friday 22nd February. School returns on Monday 4th March. Additional diary dates are included at the bottom of the newsletter.

Parents Drop in session

On Thursday 17th January we are holding a parents drop in session to provide parents with an idea of how we use Google for Education in Oldcastle. The informal drop in session is being organised to show you how we log onto chromebooks and other devices, and provide an overview of how we use Google. The session is being held from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. We hope you can attend and find out how Google for Education is revolutionising Oldcastle!

Second Hand Uniform Sale

We have a vast amount of second hand uniform and our PTA will be holding a sale of the second hand uniform at our Parent Drop In Session on Thursday 17th January between 2.30pm and 4.00pm. Please do try and pop in to have a look if anything is suitable for your child.

School Savings Club

Our school savings club started back this Wednesday and we had 59 savers saving over £620! Well done to those of you who saved this week. Savings Club will take place every Wednesday morning so please send your child into school with their savings book if they wish to save. It would be extremely helpful if you could complete the book with your child at home - all we really need you to complete is their name, membership number and how much they are saving. If you would like your child to join the school saving scheme please collect an application form from Reception or download from our website. Oldcastle Primary website

School Car Park

Please can we remind parents that access to the school car park is not allowed between the hours of 8.30am and 3.45pm.

ASD Parent Training workshop

Bridgend County Borough Council have asked us to circulate information regarding some ASD parent training workshops they will be holding. The workshops will be held at Bridgend YMCA on Angel Street and parents will need to book a place by emailing debra.mitchell@bridgend.gov.uk

Workshop 1 - Autism and Communication - Wednesday 23rd January 5.30pm to 9.30pm

Workshop 2 - Autism and Sensory Considerations - Wednesday 30th January 5.30pm to 9.30pm

Workshop 3 - Autism, Anger and Anxiety - Wednesday 6th February 5.30pm to 9.30pm

Workshop 4 - Autism and Behaviour that challenges - Wednesday 13th February 5.30pm to 9.30pm

Headteacher Award

The following children were presented with a Headteachers Award during assembly today. This weeks theme is Information Technology.

• Year 1 Mrs Morcom-Lewis - Matthew
• Year 1 Miss Mullins - Theo
• Year 2 Mrs Roberts - Dylan
• Year 2 Mrs Evans - Grace
• Year 3 Miss Minkowski - Tabitha
• Year 3 Miss Davies - Dean
• Year 4 Miss Jones - Tiegan
• Year 4 Miss Craven - Jacob
• Year 5 Mr Clements - Brooke
• Year 5 Miss James - Angelina
• Year 6 Mrs Coleman - James
• Year 6 Mrs Taylor-Jones - Hattie

Attendance of the Week

Class of the Week for the best attendance was awarded to 1M (99.2%) in Foundation Phase and 4J (98.7%) in Key Stage 2. Our whole school attendance target is 95.9% for the year. This week’s attendance was 96.6%.

Diary Dates

• Week beginning 14th January and 21st January - 4J swimming
• 17th January - Google for Education drop in session for parents 2.30pm to 4.30pm
• 17th January - Second hand uniform sale 2.30pm to 4.30pm
• From Tuesday 22nd January to Friday 1st February - 4C swimming
• PTA Meeting - Wednesday 23rd January 9am
• Week beginning 4th February - 5C swimming
• Week beginning 11th February - 5B swimming
• Week beginning 18th February - 6T swimming
• Half term - 25th February to 1st March
• Back to School - Monday 4th March
• Week beginning 4th March - 6C swimming

Inset Days 2019/20

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