School Prospectus

South Street, Bridgend, CF31 3ED. Telephone : 01656 815790

Email : admin@oldcastleps.bridgend.cymru

Website : www.oldcastleprimary.co.uk

Oldcastle Primary School aims to inspire, motivate  and  educate 440 children from the age of 3 years to 11 years.  We are an ambitious school where learning underpins excellence, individuals are valued, achievements celebrated and where our pupils, staff and community are happy and safe and learn together through a lively and innovative curriculum.

Oldcastle is a vibrant, friendly community with an energetic and creative staff who are committed to providing a wonderful primary education for all our children.  We continually strive to create an excellent school, where individuals are valued, achievements celebrated and where children are happy and safe.  We believe all children deserve an excellent education.  All pupils and staff should want to come to school every day and take pride in moving their school forward. 

Our visions and values are at the core of everything we do. They underpin our teaching and learning and provide an environment that prepares our pupils as confident, happy citizens. We are an ambitious school where learning values underpin excellence, individuals are valued, achievements are celebrated and where our pupils, staff and school community are happy, safe and learn together through a lively and innovative curriculum.

At Oldcastle we: 

Inspire - Motivate - Educate

Our school vision will enable our learners to become:

• Ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives.

• Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work.

• Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

• Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

We will develop ambitious, capable learners who:

• Set themselves high standards and seek and enjoy challenge.

• Are building up a body of knowledge and have the skills to connect and apply that knowledge in different contexts.

• Are questioning and enjoy solving problems.

• Can communicate effectively in different forms and settings, using both Welsh and English.

• Can explain the ideas and concepts they are learning about.

• Can use number effectively in different contexts.

• Understand how to interpret data and apply mathematical concepts.

• Use digital technologies creatively to communicate, find and analyse information.

• Undertake research and evaluate critically what they find.

Our pupils will be ready to learn throughout their lives enterprising, creative contributors who:

• Connect and apply their knowledge and skills to create ideas and products.

• Think creatively to reframe and solve problems.

• Identify and grasp opportunities.

• Take measured risks.

• Lead and play different roles in teams effectively and responsibly.

• Express ideas and emotions through different media.

• Give of their energy and skills so that other people will benefit.

Pupils will be ready to play a full part in life and work ethical, informed citizens who:

• Find, evaluate and use evidence in forming views.

• Engage with contemporary issues based upon their knowledge and values.

• Understand and exercise their human and democratic responsibilities and rights.

• Understand and consider the impact of their actions when making choices and acting.

• Are knowledgeable about their culture, community, society and the world, now and in the past.

• Respect the needs and rights of others, as a member of a diverse society.

• Show their commitment to the sustainability of the planet.

We will nurture pupils to become citizens of Wales and the world healthy, confident individuals who:

• Have secure values and are establishing their spiritual and ethical beliefs.

• Are building their mental and emotional well-being by developing confidence, resilience and empathy.

• Apply knowledge about the impact of diet and exercise on physical and mental health in their daily lives.

• Know how to find the information and support to keep safe and well.

• Take part in physical activity.

• Take measured decisions about lifestyle and manage risk.

• Have the confidence to participate in performance.

• Form positive relationships based upon trust and mutual respect.

• Face and overcome challenges.

• Have the skills and knowledge to manage everyday life as independently as they can.

School Policies

School policies cover every aspect of school life.  Some of our most important policies are listed on our website. If you want to know our policy on something that is not listed,  please ask the school office.  School Policies

Admissions Policy

Oldcastle Primary School adopts the Bridgend County Borough Council Admissions Policy.  To view a copy of the policy please click here - Admissions Policy. All applications to school should be made via www.bridgend.gov.uk. 

School visits can be arranged via the School Office. 

Safeguarding

We recognise that high self-esteem, confidence, supportive friends and good lines of communication with a trusted adult helps to safeguard pupils. Therefore, at Oldcastle we establish and maintain a strong ethos and positive environment where pupils feel secure and are encouraged to talk. We ensure that all pupils know that there are adults in the school who they can approach if they are worried, feel unsafe or experiencing difficulty. 

The school has Designated Safeguarding Officers, who are also members of senior staff. The Designated Safeguarding Officers are responsible for Child Protection and Safeguarding. The Designated Safeguarding Officers can be found by clicking this document - Safeguarding Contacts. The school also has a designated governor who is responsible for Child Protection. 

A robust Safeguarding Policy is in place  at Oldcastle Primary School Safeguarding Policy

Charging Policy

All education during school hours is free. We do not charge for any activity undertaken as part of the curriculum on the school site. 

Where we require payment for trips and activities that are planned as part of the curriculum, we try our best to keep these costs to a minimum.  

A Charging Policy is in place for school trips and activities, music tuition and residential visits.

Attendance Policy

At Oldcastle Primary School we believe that every pupil is entitled to the highest standard of education. We are committed to providing an inspiring, engaging and accessible education for all of our pupils. 

We aim to celebrate achievement and it is widely recognised that regular attendance plays a vital part in enabling pupils to take advantage of the educational opportunities offered to them. 

Attendance is crucial to the continuity of learning experiences and therefore, effective learning. 

Our whole school attendance target is 95%.  Attendance Policy

Complaints Policy

We are committed to dealing effectively with complaints.  We aim to clarify any issues that you are not sure about. If possible we will put right any mistakes we have made and we will apologise.  

Our Complaints Policy supports this commitment and is a way in which you can be heard.  Complaints Policy 

Equal Opportunities Policy

At Oldcastle Primary School we value the individuality of all of our pupils and staff. We are committed to giving all our pupils every opportunity to achieve the highest of standards. 

Our curriculum content is tailored to meet the needs of every pupil within the classroom, taking into account prior knowledge and level of ability. 

Our staff are highly trained to deliver a range of approaches to learning and to scaffold learning to ensure that all pupils can achieve their potential. 

Additional Learning Needs

The Welsh Government is changing the way that children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) will be supported. The new system defines SEN as Additional Learning Needs (ALN). The new law for supporting children and young people with ALN will bring about several main changes that will make the process simpler and more transparent for all involved. 

As a school, we ensure the needs of all pupils are met through high-quality teaching and learning provision by Class Teachers and Learning Support Officers. In addition to this, pupils may also attend one to one sessions and small group sessions to provide tailored teaching that addresses individual needs.  

The ALN aims of the school:

• To meet the needs of all pupils through excellent teaching strategies, classroom organisation scaffolding and differentiation.

• To have a whole school 'Universal Provision' that addresses the needs of all pupils.

• To ensure that all pupils have access to a broad and balanced curriculum.

• To ensure that early identification of a pupil’s needs is made, wherever possible.

• To ensure that ALN pupils take as full a part as possible in all school activities.

• To adopt a 'person-centred practice' approach where the pupil, parents, school staff and outside support agencies are involved from the beginning, in planning actions and ways forward to support pupils with ALN.

• To ensure that parents are kept regularly informed of their child’s progress.

• To ensure that ALN pupils are involved, where practical, in decisions affecting their future ALN provision.

• To work in partnership with parents, pupils and other agencies e.g. Educational Psychologist, Speech Therapists, Social Workers, School Nurse etc.

The school's ALN Provision can be viewed on our website.

Oldcastle Primary School has a rich history having first opened its doors to pupils in 1912.  The school has developed into a vibrant environment with a perfect blend of old and new.  We are committed to enhancing the school environment and all classrooms boast large touch-screen whiteboards and modern tables and chairs. Across the school, pupils have individual access to iPads and Chromebooks to enhance learning. We are a 'Google for Education' school, which provides an efficient, effective and innovative learning system.

Recent investment in outdoor learning resources allows all of our pupils to experience broader learning opportunities throughout the curriculum.  In our school garden, we have an outdoor classroom - The Learning Lodge - an outdoor kitchen and a cob oven to engage pupils in outdoor learning, food technology and planting and growing our own vegetables. The outdoor environments around the school have been recently refurbished with brand-new outdoor equipment, including mud kitchens, chalkboards and weaving boards.

In addition to the high-quality outdoor provision, we also have a 4D room and Wizefloor. The 4D room has been installed to provide engaging lessons, with the added bonus of light, sound, smell and movement. Pupils are able to take a 'virtual' trip to the moon, a walk along a Victorian street or a swim under the ocean. The Wizefloor enables teachers to create interactive content that encourages pupils to participate fully with their learning. 

Another recent investment in our school is the installation of a bespoke, state-of-the-art Radio Station. Following a competition in school, the Radio Station was named ‘Oldcastle Sounds’.  The purpose-built facility is designed to be utilised by all pupils, from Nursery to Year 6, to develop speaking and listening skills, collaborative work and to bring the school community together. Oldcastle Sounds allows pupils to understand how professional sound and recording equipment works and to develop their knowledge of digital media. 'Radio Champions' have volunteered from a selection of Years 4 and 5 pupils. These 'Radio Champions' are tasked with developing a schedule for Oldcastle Sounds, choosing music and developing exciting show content.  The best thing about Oldcastle Sounds is that all 440 pupils in the school from Nursery to Year 6 can listen to the radio show within their classrooms and in the school yard as it is broadcast throughout the school. 

Over the past year, we have introduced our much-loved Enrichment sessions. Pupils engage in a range of activities, which the curriculum would not traditionally offer. Activities include sewing, outdoor adventure, karate, yoga, orienteering, team games, cooking and playing musical instruments. 

“A school’s curriculum is everything a learner experiences in pursuit of the four purposes. It is not simply what we teach, but how we teach and crucially, why we teach it.” 

Welsh Government

At Oldcastle Primary School we believe that every pupil should have the opportunity to access an enriching curriculum that challenges, inspires and excites them. We believe that every pupil should access opportunities to unlock lifelong learning, knowledge and skills that will enable them to become successful, happy human beings. 

We have designed an inspirational curriculum that allows every pupil to participate fully in their learning. Through rigorous, coherent and progressive sequences of lessons, our pupils gain a detailed knowledge and understanding of Wales and the world, exploring both the past and the present day. 

The Curriculum for Wales

The Curriculum for Wales has been introduced across all areas of Wales, following a review by Professor Graham Donaldson. The curriculum review suggested a purpose-led, progression-based curriculum with a local context to embed real-life, authentic learning experiences.  The Curriculum for Wales runs along a 3 years - 16 years continuum. 

What are the Four Purposes?

The Curriculum for Wales is a purpose-led curriculum, which means that we consider the purpose of education rather than focusing only on what content must be learned. The Four Purposes of the Curriculum for Wales are to support our pupils to become:

• Ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives.

• Enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work.

• Ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

• Healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Subjects within the curriculum have been combined into six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs). These six areas are: 

• Expressive Arts

• Health & Wellbeing

• Humanities

• Literacy Language and Communication

• Mathematics

• Science & Technology

There are three cross-curricular skill elements of the Curriculum for Wales: 

• Literacy - Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening

• Numeracy

• Digital Competence

Mandatory elements of the curriculum should be taught across Areas of Learning Experiences within lessons. The mandatory elements of the curriculum are: 

• Values and Ethics

• Relationships and Sexuality Education

• Diversity

• Careers

• Human and Children’s Rights

Progression

The progression reference points for the Curriculum for Wales are identified as Progression Steps. As a rough guide, Progression Step 1 will be covered at 5 years old, Progression Step 2 at 8 years old, Progression Step 3 at 11 years old, Progression Step 4 at 14 years old and Progression Step 5 at 16 years old. Progression is based on stage, not age and pupils will make progress at different rates. 

All forms of assessment should inform teaching and learning and ensure that misconceptions are identified and addressed and progress is made. Formative assessment, that is assessment for learning, is embedded within all classroom learning environments, such as the use of questioning, discussions, written work and peer and self-assessment.

More information on the Curriculum for Wales is available on our website.  Curriculum for Wales

For further information on our School Curriculum please click here.  School Curriculum

Careers Education

The New Curriculum for Wales states that from the age of 3, careers and work-related experiences should inspire learners to:

• develop an understanding of the purpose of work in life, both for themselves and for society as a whole

• become increasingly aware of the range of opportunities available to them, broadening their horizons

• develop the attitudes and behaviours required to overcome barriers to employability, career management and lifelong learning

• appreciate the increasing range of opportunities in the workplace where an ability to communicate in Welsh is important

• explore opportunities through a variety of meaningful experiences in learning, work and entrepreneurship

• develop resilience and the ability to be adaptable in response to the challenges, choices and responsibilities of work and life

We delighted to run a very successful Careers Week for our pupils in 2023.

School Uniform

We take pride in our school. Wearing our school uniform helps our pupils to develop a sense of pride in being a member of the Oldcastle School community.

Pupils may wear the following school uniform:

• Grey trousers, skirt or pinafore dress;

• Red or white polo shirts;

• Blue jumpers, cardigans or hoodies;

• In the Summer months, grey shorts or blue check dresses may be worn.

(Clothing items emblazoned with the school logo are available to purchase locally if you wish but are not required)

Pupils may wear dark blue, grey or black socks or tights.  White socks may be worn in the Summer. 

Dark-coloured school shoes should be worn.  

Boots, backless sandals or trainers are discouraged (trainers may be worn for PE and sports activities).

PE Kit

Oldcastle Primary School's PE uniform is dark shorts, a white t-shirt and black plimsolls or trainers.  

Tracksuits may be worn in the winter months.  

Rugby and Netball kits will be provided to pupils in the rugby and netball teams.

Expectations

Pupils are expected to dress neatly and appropriately.  

We encourage long hair to be tied back to avoid injury and patterns shaved onto the head are considered inappropriate for school. Jewellery must not be worn to school.  If your child has pierced ears, small studs are permitted but must be removed or covered with micro-pore tape for PE. 

Nail varnish, false nails or transfers should not be worn to school.

Please label items of your child's school uniform, coat, bag, lunchbox and bottle with their first name and class. 

School Security

The school gates accessed via St Marie Street and the car park gates accessed via South Street are locked at 09:00. They are re-opened at 14:50.  Access to the school building during the school day is through the pedestrian gate on South Street into the Main Office. 

All staff and visitors are expected to sign in at the Main Office and the internal doors are coded to ensure that the school is as safe as possible. 

There are a number of bike and scooter racks around the school so that pupils can store their equipment safely. 

Health and Well-Being

Oldcastle Primary School promotes the physical health and development, mental health, emotional and social well-being of all of its pupils, staff and school community. At the forefront of Oldcastle’s 'Health and Well-being' curriculum is the priority to support all pupils and staff to understand and appreciate how all components of the health and well-being curriculum are interconnected. Pupils and staff are encouraged to recognise that good health and well-being are important to enable successful learning and live fulfilling lives. Health and well-being permeates all aspects of school life through a whole-school approach.

At Oldcastle Primary School, we know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

Our Family Engagement Officer - Mrs Diehl - is on hand during the school day to support the emotional well-being of pupils and parents. We are fortunate to also have Well-being Champions who work at Oldcastle; they are Mr Murdoch and Mrs Morris. Along with Mrs Loughran and Mrs Diehl, they have undergone rigorous training in emotional and mental health identification, support and referrals. 

Barney - Our School Dog

We are delighted to have a school well-being dog at Oldcastle Primary School.  Barney is a beautiful Golden Retriever who arrived at Oldcastle in February 2021. He is a 'Working Dog' and has been trained by a professional dog trainer, along with a number of Oldcastle staff, to ensure his behaviour in school is exceptional.

There is much evidence that pupils who struggle with relationships or with managing their own emotions gain a great deal of calm from spending time with a pet. Pupils can benefit educationally and emotionally, increase their understanding of responsibility and develop empathy and nurturing skills through contact with a dog.   

Barney is always available to meet and greet pupils and parents in the morning and spends his day ensuring pupils are happy and settled in school.  

If you would like more information on Barney please follow this link or give us a call.  Barney Information

School Session Times 

School starts promptly at 08:50. Pupils should wait by their allocated door to meet their teacher. Pupils will then enter the school building where they will hang their bag and coat before the lessons begin. 

You will need to stay with your child until the teacher arrives to take them in to school. 

The school day finishes at 15:05 for Nursery to Year 2 and 15:10 for Year 3 to Year 6. 

The School Timetable

08:55 - 09:00 - Preparation for the day/ Morning Activity

09:00 - 09:15 - Morning Thoughts

09:15 - 10:15 - Maths

                 Outdoor Play - Staggered between 10:00-10:45 for 15 minutes per year group

10:15 - 10:45 - Snack and Milk (N-Y2)/ Helpwr Heddiw/ Reading

11:00 - 12:00 - Language, Literacy and Communication

12:00 - 12:20 - Tidy up/ Circle Time/ Reading/ Consolidation

                Lunch Time and Outdoor Play - Staggered between 11:30 - 12:40 until 12:50 - 13:20

• 11:30 - Nursery

• 12:00 to 13:00  - Reception to Year 2

• 12:20/12:40 to 13:00/13:20 - Year 3 to Year 6

12:50/13:20  - 15:00 - AoLE Session

15:05/15:10 - Home Time

Term Dates

Term dates for the forthcoming school years are published on our school website. We follow the Bridgend County Borough Council term dates.  Five INSET days are allocated throughout the school year to allow for professional training and development.  These are published on our school calendar on our school website BCBC Term Dates.

Breakfast Club 

Breakfast Club is offered to pupils in Reception to Year 6.  Breakfast Club opens at 08:30 and pupils must arrive and be registered in Breakfast Club by 08:40.  There is currently no charge for Breakfast Club. 

After School Club 

After School Club is available for pupils in Reception to Year 6 from 15:30 to 17:30. Pupils are collected from their classes and taken to after school club for a 15:10 start.  Each session is £8.00 per pupil per day. 

Late Club

A Late Club is also available for pupils in Reception to Year 6 until 15:45 at a cost of £2.50 per pupil per day.  

Bookings for Breakfast Club, After School Club and Late Club are essential and can be made via the School Office on a termly basis.

School Dinners 

Oldcastle Primary School is a ‘Healthy School’. 

Pupils may bring a snack of fruit into school to eat during their morning outdoor playtime.  We strive to be a 'nut free' school so please do not send cereal bars or nut bars into school and be aware of nut products within packed lunches.

Pupils have a choice of hot dinners or a packed lunch. Pupils eat hot, freshly cooked lunch in the canteen and packed lunches are eaten in the Main Hall.  

Pupils who bring packed lunches should be provided with healthy, balanced diets. We ask that you do not provide sweets, sugary drinks, chocolates or drinks in glass bottles or cans for your child. 

The local authority provides nutritionally balanced, freshly cooked food for £2.50 per day.  The school canteen is a nut-free zone. Menus are published and can be found on the BCBC website. Families who receive financial support may be eligible for free school meals. Please contact the School Office for further information.  The cost of dinners must be paid for in advance through the BCBC website.

Children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3  and Year 4 may receive free school meals as part of the Welsh Government policy to offer a school meal to every primary school child.  Working with schools and local authorities, the Welsh Government will plan and prepare the infrastructure needed for all primary aged pupils to receive free school meals by September 2024.   Welsh Government and Bridgend County Borough Council are committed to implementing this scheme quickly and ask for your patience as the catering team build capacity to ensure a successful phased implementation and work towards a whole school roll-out over the next three years.

Enrichment Programme

Every Friday afternoon, all pupils from Nursery to Year 6 take part in our exciting Enrichment Programme. 

The programme is designed to give pupils the opportunity to try new and varied activities that may not traditionally fit into the curriculum. Activities develop character, resilience and motivation and encourages pupils' to pursue wider goals.  It helps to teach life skills that benefit pupils beyond the classroom and can develop an appreciation for cultural and community issues, teamwork and social responsibility.  

Pupils take part in a variety of activities including knitting, sewing, orienteering, gardening, rugby, recorder and crafting. 

There are many more experiences we offer during Enrichment sessions and we are always on the lookout for community collaboration opportunities. Please let the School Office know if there is something that you can offer. 

Educational Visits

Visits, trips and activities play an essential role in our vision to provide our pupils with a range of experiences to broaden their opportunities. 

We regularly visit Newbridge Fields to take part in outdoor activities, orienteering, team games and nature walks. We have also visited museums, beaches and local nature reserves. The Rugby and Netball teams take part in regular matches with local schools.

During Year 6, pupils are offered the opportunity to attend a Residential Trip.  In recent years we have visited Culmington Manor to take part in outdoor, adventurous activities to build confidence, resilience and team working skills. 

Although we try our best to minimise the cost of trips and visits, there may be a charge towards the cost of transport and entry fees.

After School  Sports Activities

At Oldcastle Primary School, we currently offer the following after-school activities: Netball, Cricket, Rugby, Football, Creative Writing, Art and Tennis, . 

Booking is essential to join after-school activity clubs - please speak to the School Office for more information.

Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) 

RVE is a statutory requirement of the Curriculum for Wales and is mandatory for all learners ages 3 to 16. RVE forms part of the Humanities Area. This Area encompasses geography, history, religion, values and ethics, and business studies. These disciplines share many common themes, concepts and transferable skills whilst having their own discrete body of knowledge and skills. As a community of many faiths and none, we commit to respecting and learning from each other through our Religious Values and Education curriculum. 

Relationships and Sexual Education (RSE)

RSE is a statutory requirement in the Curriculum for Wales and is Mandatory for all pupils from the age of 3-16. Up until the end of primary school children will learn about the following as set out in the RSE Code:

• Developing empathy and kindness through positive interactions. 

• Promoting awareness that there are different types of families and relationships – and every one is unique.

• Learning how human beings change as they grow. 

• Recognising the importance of looking after yourself and personal hygiene. 

• Learning the right words for all body parts. 

• Knowing the benefits of asking for help and who to ask for help. 

• Realising that everyone has a right to privacy and understanding the general idea of consent in everyday dealings with others. 

• Being able to interact with others in a way that is fair and respectful to all.

Further information is available here.

Care Experienced Children (Looked after Children) 

At Oldcastle, we have a major role in ensuring Care Experienced Children can be healthy, stay safe, make progress and have a positive experience in school. Our approach to supporting the educational achievement of Care Experienced Children is based on the following principles:

• Promoting health and wellbeing

• Prioritising education

• Promoting attendance

• Having high expectations 

• Achieving stability and continuity

• Early intervention

• Promoting stability

If you have any questions concerning Care Experienced Children, please contact Mrs Littlewood. 

House Token Reward Scheme

We are delighted to share our brand new reward scheme. Every pupil and staff member at Oldcastle Primary School is assigned a House colour as part of our House Token Reward Scheme.

Pupils can earn house tokens by demonstrating positive behaviour, effort, kindness, community spirit and teamwork.  

We have four house colours - Ty Coch, Ty Glas, Ty Gwrydd and Ty Melyn.  Throughout each term, pupils and classes can collect 'tokens' that will then be collated as a whole school and rewards will be given to all houses at the end of each half term. Pupils come together to decide on a first, second, third and fourth place reward. 

Previous rewards have included breakfast with the Headteacher, taking Barney for a walk, a Just Dance disco and parachute games in the yard. 

Assemblies 

We hold regular whole-school assemblies to celebrate our school successes.  These are held virtually at the current time with classes sharing their token success, the work they have been completing and any news from the week. 

Pupil Voice

Pupil voice is integral to our school development and decision making, and we are delighted to share the roles of Junior Leaders, House Captains and Pupil Voice Champions within Oldcastle.

• Junior Leaders

We have appointed four Junior Leaders; two from Year Five and two from Year Six who will form part of the decision-making process alongside the school’s Senior Leadership Team.  As part of the role of Junior Leader, pupils must have an excellent understanding of the vision and values of Oldcastle Primary School, as these underpin everything that we do.

• House Captains 

A House Captain is responsible for collecting the house tokens and will work with class teachers to organise and plan events.  A key job for the house captains is to motivate and support fellow house members, inspiring pupils by displaying positive attitudes and behaviours.  House captains are elected from pupils in Year 2 and Year 6.

• Pupil Voice Champions

Pupil Voice Champions are elected from Year 2 to Year 6 and work with the Junior Leaders to ensure that ideas, questions, concerns and issues are discussed within SLT meetings.  Pupils will discuss areas of focus with their class and gain the class perspective.

• Radio Champions

Pupils from Year 4 and Year 5 are selected to be Radio Champions and drive forward Oldcastle Sounds scheduling, promotion and content.

Family Engagement Officer

A Family Engagement Officer is employed to strengthen links between the school, families and the wider community.  The role is to offer support to parents, carers and families with any issues that you may have in relation to supporting your child either at school or at home.  

We feel passionate that the time spent in school should be a positive one for both pupils and their families and a big part of that is to develop effective communication between school and home. 

Parent - Teacher Association

All parents are welcome to join PTA meetings when they begin their journey with our school community.  The PTA organise various events throughout the year, including whole-school celebrations, pupil discos, parent events and other activities.  

These events raise money for equipment that might otherwise not be available to the school. We are extremely grateful for all of the work that our PTA does and welcome new members to the group. 

School Governors

School Governors play an important role in school life to lead, support and improve.  They act as an advocate between parents, the local community and the school. 

Governors are impartial and make decisions that seek to improve the school. There are a number of Parent Governors as well as Community, Local Authority and Staff Governors. 

A full list of governors including the name and contact details of the Chair of Governors can be found on the school website in the 'Governors' section.

Every year, the School Governors produce an Annual Report to Parents 

School Community Forum

We are proud to announce the creation of a School Community Forum. This forum is made up of members of our school community with a vested interest in our school. The forum invites members such as parents, grandparents and family members. The group aims to meet every half term to discuss school-based improvements and developments. 

If you are interested in joining our School Community Forum, please speak to the School Office. We welcome new members. 

We are keen to ensure that our school community are kept up-to-date with news and events at Oldcastle Primary School. Ways in which we communicate with our community include:

The School App

As a school, we use a communication app to provide up to date information to parents.  You will be able to receive App messages regarding your child's class once you have registered your account.  The school will send a system generated text message to you once your child starts school. 

Email Communication and Telephone

We will also send emails directly to you via our website and use this method to communicate, where appropriate.  We require up-to-date telephone contact numbers so that we can contact you directly about your child on a day to day basis. 

Parent Pay

Payments for school trips and other school activities will be made through a 'Parent Pay' account.  Registration details will be sent home once your child starts school.

School Website

Our school website contains a vast amount of information regarding our school.  Forms can be downloaded or completed online.  

Twitter and Facebook Pages

We regularly update our Twitter account and Facebook Page with interesting and exciting activities that happen in school.  Please follow us on

• Twitter - @oldcastleschool

• Facebook - Oldcastle Primary School

 Weekly Newsletter

A digital newsletter is issued weekly via email, school app and our website.  The newsletter provides an update to parents on activities and news about Oldcastle Primary School as well as important diary dates.

Data Protection

Oldcastle Primary School place a high value of importance on information security and are fully committed to Data Protection. Further information on our GDPR Policy can be found on our website.

To find out more about Team Oldcastle please view our staffing structure on our website.  

Team Oldcastle

Please contact us on 01656 815790 or by email admin@oldcastleps.bridgend.cymru if you would like more information on our amazing school.