Week 30 - Friday 10th May 2019
Week 30 - Friday 10th May 2019
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Welcome to our weekly newsletter.
Changes to the Welsh Curriculum
Oldcastle School was proud to see the release of further information relating to the New Curriculum for Wales. Our current curriculum dates to 1988. At Oldcastle we have updated and refined what we have taught but like many schools we recognise that technological developments have led to major changes in society and and our learners need different skills.
How will it be different?
The New Curriculum does not set out a detailed plan outlining exactly what schools should be teaching. It provides the overall "framework", setting out "what matters" to each of the Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs):
- Expressive Arts
- Health and Wellbeing
- Humanities, Science and Technology
- Languages Literacy and Communication
- Mathematics
- Numeracy.
At Oldcastle we will design and innovate within this new framework still giving our excellent teachers flexibility and creativity to deliver amazing and engaging learning. As a school we have been working on curriculum development for the last 4 years. Staff have undertaken project work with cluster and groups of schools and have contributed to work within the Science and Technology AoLE working with university partners.
There will also be changes to assessment. At the moment a school is divided up into Foundation Phase (ages three to seven) and then "key stages". This will become "progression steps" at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16. We will continue to undertake national reading and numeracy tests.
If you would like any further information this can be found on the Welsh Government Website.
Changes to PE Kit
This term we will be trial a new system for PE kit from nursery through to year 6. On the day your child's class has P.E. they will be allowed to wear their P.E. kit to school for the day. The aim is to increase the amount of activity time and make sure all children have their P.E. kit on the appropriate day. P.E. kit should consist of dark shorts / leggings / tracksuit and a white t-shirt. On top of the P.E. kit we recommend a school hoodie / jumper / cardigan, tracksuit and trainers. Please also remember that jewellery should not be worn for P.E - this includes earrings, necklaces, rings and hard headbands - and long hair should be tied back.
P.E. will be held on the following days for each year group:
- Nursery - Friday
- Reception - Monday
- Year 1 - Tuesday
- Year 2 - Thursday
- Year 3 - Friday
- Year 4 - Wednesday
- Year 5 - Tuesday
- Year 6 - Tuesday
Oldcastle Holiday Club
We are delighted to let you know that we are launching a children's holiday club this summer holidays. The holiday club will operate from Monday 22nd July to Friday 23rd August from 9am to 3.30pm. at a cost of £18 per day. We are pleased to offer add ons to the core time with a breakfast club from 8am to 9am at an additional cost of £4, and a late club pick up option upto 5.30pm for an additional cost of £7.50. Children from the age of 5 years to 12 years will be able to attend the club.
Children will be able to participate in a range of exciting sports, and arts and crafts activity sessions throughout the day provided by our qualified staff. The Club will operate in the main hall of the school and utilise other areas as required. Children will be provided with toast and fruit in the breakfast club and late club options. Children will need to bring a packed lunch and water to drink throughout the day. Please complete a booking form for each child.
Once your booking form has been received we will issue a Parent Pay invoice to you. Bookings and payment must be received by Friday 12th July. Discounts are available for sibling and weekly bookings.
Please contact the admin team on 01656 815790 or by email holidayclub@oldcastleprimary.co.uk if you have any questions.
To book a place please complete a copy of the Booking Form by clicking this link https://forms.gle/xyZoz9NNNj9gjBgK9 or by clicking on the link on our website https://bit.ly/2DKQFHa
Job Vacancy
We are currently recruiting for a Children's Activity Coordinator. More information is available on our website. Please follow this link. https://bit.ly/2Hkb9Jn Closing date is 14th May 2019.
Welsh National Tests
Children in years 2 to 6 have taken part in the Welsh National Tests on reading and reasoning this week. The National Procedural Test will take place over a number of dates: Year 5 - 21st May, Year 4 - 22nd May, Year 3- 23rd May, Year 6 - 3rd June, Year 2- 4th June.
Grounds afternoon
We are arranging a Grounds Afternoon on Friday 17th May 1pm to 5pm. We will have painting jobs, gardening and general tidying up in our grounds areas. We do hope you will be able to join us. We will be providing sausages and burgers as an incentive to come along and help - please let us know if you are able to help and would like food. https://forms.gle/dezMBAZowAuFZtUdA
Bridgend Show
We are delighted to let you know that the whole school will once again be attending the Bridgend Show. We will visit the show on Friday 12th July and enjoy a variety of activity sessions. Nursery and reception sports day will take place on this day in the main arena. We hope you will be able to join us and support our children as they provide entertainment throughout the day.
Eco Committee Initiative
Our Eco Committee have launched a new initiative this week allowing children to recycle crisp packets at school. Every year countless pieces of crisp packets end up in landfill and we are working with TerraCycle to put an end to this enormous loss of resources. The crisp packet recycling scheme allows us to recycle your crisp packets and prevent them from ending up in landfill. We will earn reward points when we send the empty packets to be recycled.
PTA
The PTA are busy planning a couple of events over the coming months, we hope you can support them. More details will be announced on each event shortly. If you are able to help out at any of the PTA events please let the office know or contact the PTA via their Facebook page.
- Monday 20th May - PTA clothing collection - bags have been sent home please bring these back to school by 9am on Monday 20th May.
- Monday 10th June - PTA Cake Sale after school
- Saturday 22nd June - PTA Summer Fete
- Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th July - School Disco
Nut free school
Reminder - as a school we strive to be 'nut free'. Please can we ask that food containing nuts is not included in children's lunch boxes. We have a number of children with an intolerance to nuts as well as a few children who have a severe allergy who may experience an anaphylactic shock as a result of coming into contact with nut products. Please can we ask that you consider the products being put into lunch boxes and check whether these items contain any form of nuts.
Headteacher Award
Headteacher Award
Headteacher Award
The following children were presented with a Headteachers Award during assembly today. This weeks theme is enthusiasm for welsh language.
- Reception Miss Walters - Olivia
- Reception Miss Williams - Luca
- Year 1 Mrs Morcom-Lewis - Daisy
- Year 1 Miss Mullins - Caleb
- Year 2 Mrs Roberts - Ella
- Year 2 Mrs Evans - Rosie
- Year 3 Miss Minkowski - Blair
- Year 3 Miss Davies - Summer
- Year 4 Miss Jones - Harri
- Year 4 Miss Craven - Evelyn
- Year 5 Mr McNally - Rhys
- Year 5 Miss James- Isabel
- Year 6 Mrs Coleman - Toby
- Year 6 Mrs Taylor-Jones - Nyah
Diary Dates
Diary Dates
Diary Dates
- Wednesday 15th May - Reception and Year 6 Class Photos
- Monday 20th May - PTA Clothing Collection
- Half Term - Monday 27th May to Friday 31st May
- Monday 3rd June - Back to School
- Monday 10th June - PTA Cake Sale
- Wednesday 12th June to Friday 14th June - Year 6 residential trip
- Wednesday 19th June - Class and team photos
- Saturday 22nd June - PTA Summer Fete
- Friday 5th July - Sports Day years 1 to 6
- Friday 12th July - whole school trip to Bridgend Show incorporating nursery and reception sports day
- Tuesday 16th July - Reception trip to Porthcawl
- Friday 19th July - School Term Ends
- Inset Day - Monday 22nd July 2019
Inset Days 2019/20
- Monday 4th November 2019
- Tuesday 5th November 2019
- Monday 1st and Tuesday 2nd June 2020
- Monday 20th July 2020
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