Week 32 - Friday 28th May 2021

Once again thank you to all our parents, carers, pupils and staff for helping us enforce our Covid risk assessment and keeping our school community safe. We hope the sun continues to shine over the half term holiday and you get time to relax.

Monday 7th June is an INSET day - children return to school on Tuesday 8th June.

Message from Mrs Littlewood

As we approach the end of another half term and look towards the final part of our academic year, I wanted to write to you to say how much we appreciate your continued support, especially with all the current covid restrictions still in place. I look forward to a time in the autumn term when we can finally come together as a community to open our memory garden and recognise the commitment of everyone connected to the school.

During the next term, our main focus will be to continue to prepare the children for their transition move for September. This will include pupils having time with their new class teachers, information sharing of pupils progress, including their annual report and also ensuring that we have everything in place for September to continue to focus on attainment and well being. The pupils are also having a voice in these decisions. This week I had a letter from a year 5 class who suggested three things that would improve their wellbeing. I love that the children feel confident to voice their opinions and these suggestions will certainly be considered in our development plan.

I am so proud of all the pupils and how they have adapted to the changes that school brings. We know how much they have missed out and particularly around the social aspects of school. We feel this needs to be recognised, and we are delighted to announce that in partnership with our PTA we will be holding a Mad Hatters Tea Party during the school day on the 9th July in our yard. The children will be provided with food, entertainment, music and much more. As part of their classwork, next term pupils will make their own hats which they can wear on the day. Needless to say, we are very excited about it!

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

Kind regards

Mrs Littlewood

Mad Hatters Tea Party

As mentioned above in Mrs Littlewood's letter, we are so excited to let our children know that we will be holding a mad hatters tea party in July! The PTA and the school have decided to arrange a very special event for children following the difficult year they have experienced. Children will be creating hats in school to wear to the tea party and all children will be served a packed lunch on our yard (please pray for dry weather!). The PTA have arranged some special guests and we hope it will be a day to remember for all our pupils and staff. We feel it is important to give our children a treat at the end of term and we can't wait to share more details with parents.

School Assembly

In our virtual school assembly today Mrs Littlewood thanked Miss Jones' year 5 class for the lovely letter they had written to her. In the letter the children asked Mrs Littlewood to consider allowing all children more time to enjoy the outdoor space even more after half term specifically for lunch and outdoor learning. Mrs Littlewood was delighted to consider the suggestions and we look forward to introducing some changes in the final part of the summer term.

Mrs Littlewood asked all the children in the assembly to think of things that they consider would make school better - we can't wait to hear any further suggestions from our children!

During the assembly, each class provided an update of the learning they had completed over the past week. There has certainly been lots of exciting activities happening in all year groups!!

Fundraiser for Bridgend Bereavement Services

We are pleased to support a fundraising initiative for Bridgend Bereavement Support on Friday 25th June. Children may wear something yellow to show support for the charity and we will be accepting donations.

Barney

Barney had great fun watching year 6 in their PE session doing the yoga position - downward dog!! As you can see from this photo Barney is ready for half term! He has really enjoyed his first full term at Oldcastle and has been very busy visiting lots of different classroom and children. He's ready for a rest now over half term and will be looking forward to welcoming children back to school on Tuesday 8th June.

School Savings Club

Children in nursery, reception, year 1 and year 2 attended a virtual session today with the Designed to Smile dentist team who talked to the children about how to look after their teeth.

School Savings Club

School savings club took place again this week and we had lots of children saving money. Saving Club runs every Wednesday. If you would like to join please take a look at our website for more details. School Savings Club Information.

Healthy Eating Week

We will be celebrating Healthy Eating Week from 14th to 18th June and children will be learning about healthy food choices. More information will be shared with parents nearer the time.

Year 3 have been creative with their learning this week. On Thursday the chairs in the classroom went on strike to demand respect!! The children received a very distressing letter from the purple chairs and the children spent the morning debating the benefits of chairs! We hope they make amends with the chairs and give them the respect they deserve!

The children have also been using lego as part of their STEM learning.

Reception Pupils

As part of their culture day, Reception pupils looked at Welsh, Indian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and African cultures. As part of the Chinese culture, they created a Chinese dragon and performed a Chinese parade. It was a lovely display - da iawn reception!

Looking for mini beasts

Inset Days

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

• Monday 7th June 2021

• Monday 19th July 2021

• Tuesday 20th July 2021

We ask that you refresh yourself with the following information regarding Covid and inform us if your child is having a covid test - please call or email ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk

If your child is off school due to a member of your household having a Covid test please ensure that you let us know when you report their absence.

The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a high temperature

• a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours

• a loss or change to sense of smell or taste – this means they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

What to do if your child has symptoms. If your child has any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:

1.Get a test to check if they have coronavirus as soon as possible.

2.Stay at home and do not have visitors until you get the test result – only leave your home to have a test.

Anyone you live with, and anyone in your support bubble, must also stay at home until you get the result.

P.E. Lessons

P.E. lessons this term will take place on the following days. Children attending school should wear their P.E. kit to school on the day of their lesson.

• Nursery - Friday

• Reception - Thursday

• Year 1 - Monday

• Year 2 - Tuesday

• Year 3 - Wednesday

• Year 4 - Tuesday

• Year 5 - Friday

• Year 6 - Thursday

School Photographs

Our school photographer will be visiting on Tuesday 22nd June to take class photos. All school photos will be available to purchase online after 22nd June.

Inset days from September 2021

Inset days from September 2021 have been confirmed and are as follows:

• 2nd and 3rd September

• 1st November

• 18th February

• 25th April

• 20th June

Half term forest school leaflet