Week 20 - Friday 12th February 2021

It's half term!!

Well done to each and every one of our pupils, parents and school staff!! We made it to half term - we completely understand how challenging and difficult the current situation is so we all deserve a pat on the back and a huge 'Well Done'. Thank you for all the support we have received over the last school term.

Next week is half term and we hope that you all get the chance to relax and spend time away from schoolwork and devices.

Message from Mrs Littlewood

As we come to the end of our half term I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you:

Firstly to the pupils for all their hard work and dedication. We are so proud of how they have managed to continue working through this challenging time, joining our google meets and making us smile and laugh with their stories, pets, and dance moves.

Secondly, to the staff, who over the last few weeks have been asked to learn new skills, adapted their teaching, provide on-site provision and continue to motivate and teach the pupils in their class. Our admin staff have also worked around the clock to answer emails, assist parents with google and seesaw and be a listening ear to deal with any concerns. For all this, I am very grateful.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to say a big thank to all our parents. Your continued support in my first half term as acting head is very much appreciated, and together we have succeeded in making this time as manageable as possible. I am looking forward to seeing our Foundation Phase pupils return on the 22nd with the hope of seeing all our Key Stage 2 pupils soon.

I hope that everyone gets a rest over half term.

Best wishes

Mrs Littlewood

Foundation Phase Return to School

Children in Nursery to Year 2 will return to school on Monday 22nd February following the half term break. We will operate in class bubbles as before and implement our staggered start and finish times - this is detailed below.

We are extremely grateful for your support as parents and I know that you will continue to work with us to ensure the safety for everyone linked to Oldcastle as we start to return to school. The safety arrangements are very similar to those in place before Christmas and we have updated our school risk assessment in line with any new changes.

Please can we remind parents of the following:

• The school has a one-way system. Please enter the school through the side gate on St Marie Street. Foundation Phase children access their classes via the yard and parents must leave the school building via the nursery yard on South Street.

• Parents are requested to wear a mask unless they are exempt.

• Social distancing must be adhered to as much as possible.

• To keep numbers to a minimum, where possible only one member per family to bring and collect the children from school.

• Children must not bring bags into school, just a water bottle and lunch box if they are having sandwiches. (This also applies to children receiving on-site provision via critical workers).

• Breakfast club and after school club provision will not be provided at the current time

To ensure the safety of children and staff we would kindly like to remind parents not to mix with other families outside their bubble before and after school.

Pupils in years 3 to 6

Pupils in years 3 to 6 will continue to receive home learning following half term. We understand that the Welsh Government will be reviewing the return to school date for these pupils in due course.

Children of Critical Care workers will be able to continue applying for a place in the in-school provision and will continue to enter school via the Year 4 door (by main reception) and can access this door through the school car park.

Chromebooks - Nursery to Year 2

Following half term, our pupils in nursery to year 2 will return to school as previously advised. If you have borrowed a Chromebook from school these should be returned during the week of 22nd February.

In order to maintain social distancing, we will stagger the return to a year group each day.

• Monday 22nd February - Year 2

• Tuesday 23rd February - Year 1

• Wednesday 24th February - Reception

• Thursday 25th February - Nursery

The Chromebooks will need to be returned to main reception so that we can record the return of the numbered Chromebook.

Barney

Thank you everyone who took the time to name our new well-being dog. We received nearly 300 votes and 'Barney' won with 45.2% of the votes! Mrs Littlewood collected Barney on Tuesday and he has been making great progress settling in at home. He is learning his name, learning how to sit and next week will have a trip out in the car to get used to travelling to school! We hope to have Barney in school following half term so we can introduce him to children in school and also in the class Google Meet sessions in the mornings for pupils in years 3 to 6.

Project Week - Our planet today and tomorrow

This week all Oldcastle pupils have been taking part in a whole school focussed project week. The topic ‘Our planet today and tomorrow’ has been celebrated throughout the school and below are some of the activities that have taken place. We have put together a Google Site Website to recognise the hard work all our pupils and staff have put in to make the Project Week a success. Please take a look here - Project Week February 2021

Nursery - Children investigated how we recycle at home, took on practical recycling challenges around the house as well as a recycle treasure hunt. Children learnt how to be good citizens with the help of ‘Michael Recycle’. They were also encouraged to talk to adults about how they can be kinder to the planet. Through reading ‘Oliver’s Vegetables’, children learnt about what foods we can grow and what makes our planet so special.

Reception - In reception, children Investigated single-use plastics and the harmful effects they have on our environment. They also investigated the 5 R’s and what we can do to help the environment. Children completed a questionnaire to investigate what they and their families do to help the environment and were encouraged to ring family members and ask them the questions. By the end of the week, children are ‘eco-superheroes’ in their homes.

Year 1 - In Year 1, children explored the Fairytale Kingdom that has been spoiled by it’s thoughtless King. He sees the error of his ways and now needs to teach everyone who lives in his land. We will be helping him show different fairytale characters what sustainable development is and how each of them can live more sustainably. We’ll help them see what environmental issues face their land and how they can help solve them.

Year 2 - Children in year 2 learnt about caring for the environment. They were challenged to create a weather station and record the wind, presenting using a video like a weather forecaster. Children were tasked with an outdoor activity based on caring for animals in our environment as well as sorting items from their garden into man-made, natural and a mixture of both. The children’s end of week task will be inspired by Welsh artist Tim Pugh’s.

Year 3 - Year 3 investigated ‘Is Plastic a Problem?’. Children were encouraged to complete a number of activities which included; comparing statistics for the Bahamas and their local area, making an animal fact file of their choice, completing a litter survey, writing a letter or postcard to a friend about the Bahamas as well as design a ‘Keep Bridgend Tidy’ poster or a ‘Byddwch Yn Arwr’(Be a Hero ) Sustainability Superhero character.

Year 4 - Children in year 4 investigated and created a timeline of how our environment has changed in the last decade and considered what they can do to prevent future damage. Children looked at calculating differences in temperatures across the world and how they have and are still changing over time. In addition, children took part in an upcycling project with an item around the house, creating a set of ‘how-to’ instructions, documenting their upcycling project from before to after.

Year 5 - In year 5, children wrote a postcard imagining that they live in a different Biome, they investigated and calculated climate and weather differences, and comparing them to what we are used to in Bridgend. Children also consolidated their learning of fractions and percentages in the context of the wildlife and animals that live in biomes. In addition to this, year 5 created David Attenborough style TV Documentaries based on their Biomes.

Year 6 - Year 6 children focused on the life and works of David Attenborough, looking at the impact he has on people and the world around us. Children also developed their mathematical skills whilst taking part in an upcycling / recycling creative project; identifying the skills required and developed in a real-life context. In addition to these tasks, year 6 researched the effects of climate change on natural disasters and created a news report based on their findings.

Lovely news

We had a lovely response to a letter sent by our pupils in 5JJ this week. The children wrote a letter to the author Onjali Rauf after being inspired by the book that was included in the Well-being Pack. As an acknowledgement, the author sent back a video clip response. The children were overwhelmed and it has been so inspiring for our pupils to hear the responses. You can listen to the response here. Video response

Welsh Week

After half term we will be holding a Welsh week and provide children with the opportunity to take part in a range of welsh themed activities. We look forward to sharing these with pupils and parents from 22nd February.

Live P.E. Lesson Years 5 and 6

Brynteg will be offering another live P.E. lesson to pupils in years 5 and 6 on Tuesday 23rd February at 2pm. We hope our pupils enjoy it as much as the last session.

School reading

We have recently purchased a range of new reading books for the school funded by grant application funding and school budget. We are looking forward to our pupils choosing these new books when they return to school.

We have also invested in an online reading platform that pupils in years 1 to 6 will be able to access both in school and at home. The reading platform will be used by teachers who will be able to assign books to children as part of their learning. Children will also be able to access books based on their reading age / school age and read these both in school and at home. We will provide more information about how to access these books after half term.

Building development on Ewenny Road - School Competition

We have been contacted by Valley2Coast Housing Association to inform us of building work that will take place on the corner of Ewenny Road and St Marie Street. The association are developing 7 single bedroom flats on the site of the building previously known as MPN Windows. The housing association are keen to inform local residents of the development and further information can be found on their website via this link Valleys2Coast

Poster Competition

As part of the development, Valleys2Coast are asking Oldcastle Primary pupils to get involved with a poster competition. The company would like to decorate the hoarding around the development with posters designed by pupils from the school. The top three posters will win a prize of shopping vouchers!

Posters should be A4 in size and be based on either of the following themes:

• Keeping safe on a building site

• My dream home of the future

Work is due to start on the site from the beginning of February and hoardings are likely to be erected in the springtime. If you would like to enter the competition please take a clear photo of your drawing or send a digital file to ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk by 22nd February 2021. (A great project over half term!)

Some websites that might be useful with information are:

https://www.ivorgoodsite.org.uk/

https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/ipc-early-years-all-about-me/ipc-early-years-all-about-me-construction-area/building-site-construction-area-all-about-me-early-years-age-3-5-ipc

Thrive

During the last school closure we shared with parents resources that are available through Thrive - social and emotional development for children. Thrive is used in Oldcastle Primary School as a tool to support and encourage the development of confident, curious, creative and capable children and young people who are open to learning and better equipped to deal with life’s ups and downs.

Please have a look at our website for further useful Thrive resources - Thrive

Inset Days

Inset days for the school year have been approved and these are:

• Monday 12th April 2021

• Monday 7th June 2021

• Monday 19th July 2021

• Tuesday 20th July 2021