Friday 10th May - Cake Sale to raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Charity

We will be holding a cake sale after school on Friday 10th May and we invite parents and carers to come along.  All money raised will be donated to Marie Curie Cancer charity in memory of Miss Julia Williams.    Everyone is able to attend the cake sale after school and we hope you can join us and show support.  We will be accepting cake donations on the morning of the Friday - please pop these into the main office.

Our year 5 pupils have been working with Mrs Littlewood and the year 5 staff to decide how we can commemorate Miss Williams and raise funds for the charity that helped Miss Williams.  We will provide further details to parents once the details are confirmed.

Inset Days 2024/25

Inset Days have been approved by School Governors for 2024/25 and they are as follows:

• Monday 2nd September 2024

• Friday 6th December 2024

• Monday 17th February 2025

• Friday 11th April 2025

• Monday 2nd June 2025

• Monday 21st July 2025

Community Room - Official Opening

Today, we held an event to officially open our community room.  Thank you to the parents who popped in to enjoy a cuppa and find out more about our community room.  We do encourage parents and carers to pop in and help themselves to a cuppa and meet with other parents.  We were grateful to the PTA for helping out with the refreshments this morning and providing Welsh cakes, biscuits and toast! Definitely a lovely treat on a Friday.  Please do use the space to meet up with other parents and carers.

Food Pantry

Our food pantry has been relocated to our Community Room in school.  This allows parents to come in and choose items you would use rather than be provided with food .  The food that has been donated by Baobab Bach is surplus food provided by supermarkets.  The tinned and dry goods are well within use by date and are simply items that the supermarkets no longer require.  Please do pop in and look at our community room and the food pantry - all we ask is that you bring your own bag for life.  For £5 you can choose 15 items from the shelves.  Below is an idea of the type of items available.  

Break time snacks

Please can we remind parents that break time snacks should be fruit. Thank you for your support

Years 1 to 6 Sports Day

The years 1 to 6 sports day will be held on Friday 17th May in the Athletics Track in Newbridge Fields.

Children in years 1 to 3 will complete their events in the morning and years 4 to 6 in the afternoon.  

The timings for the day are as follows:

• 9.30am to 12pm - Years 1, 2 and 3 events - Children will return to school for lunch.

• 12.30pm to 3pm - Years 4, 5 and 6 - Children will need to bring sandwiches on this day.

The PTA will be providing refreshments on the day.  

Nursery and Reception Sports Day

Nursery and Reception sports day is now confirmed for Friday 24th May in the afternoon.  The event will take place in Heronsbridge School.  Please ensure that all children attend school with a bottle of water, a hat and sun cream applied.   We will walk the children to Heronsbridge at 12.30pm and we are hoping parents / grandparents can walk with your child.  If this is not possible please let us know.

Children may leave with parents / carers at the end of the event which will finish by 2.45pm.

The PTA will be providing refreshments on the day.  If you are able to help out please get in touch.  The PTA will also be hoping for cake donations for the event.  If you are able to donate a cake please bring into the main office at school drop off (9am), homemade cakes will require a list of ingredients included.  Thank you for your support.

Cross Country Competition and Presentation - Years 3 to 6

The final cross country competition of the school year will take place on Saturday 18th May at Bryntirion Comprehensive School.  Races start at 10am so please arrive at 9.30am.  Following the races there will be a presentation ceremony.

We hope to see our years 3 to 6 pupils at the event.

Year 6 Annie production - an update from the pupils

This week all the main roles have been practising their parts.  The set builders are continuing to make the props including candles for the chandaliers in Daddy Warbucks mansion.  The marketing team are working on flyers, and our digital team are busy perfecting their storyboards.

School Attendance

Attendance at school is important. Our whole school target for attendance is 95%.  This week's attendance was 92.1%.

Reminder - if your child is off school please ensure that you notify us by 9.30am.  

Throughout the year we will implement the following values each month.

• September - Determination and Perseverance

• October - Respect and Responsibility

• November - Friendship and forgiveness 

• December - Compassion and Hope  / Understanding and Patience

• January - Community and Service 

• February - Co-operation and being a good citizen within society

• March - Learning and Effort

• April - Showing gratitude

• May - Care and Generosity

• June - Honesty and trust

• July - Taking and managing risks

Year 3 have been busy this week  - they have made human bar charts and used Skittles (not eating!) to create tally charts and graphs in statistics.  Da iawn blwyddyn 3!

Year 5 took part in an outdoor learning walk to Newbridge Fields and enjoyed a trip to Sony UK in Pencoed to learn about digital competency.

Cymraeg yn Dosbarth 1L Sawl ? How many ? 

This week Year 2 have been exploring how to measure length. They have been estimating and using tape measures, rulers and trundle wheels, to measure accurately. The children used QR codes to find out where they had to go and measure in the Year 2 yard and recorded their results on Seesaw. They have also been finding out about The Titanic as part of their historical work, through drawing, construction and newspaper reports.  

Fantastic Fundraising

We are very proud of Maya and Chloe from year 5 who used their inset day to sell cupcakes and raise money for the Marie Curie Cancer Charity fund that is set up for Miss Williams.  Well done girls for raising £30.

Year 2 have done some amazing dragon pictures today.

Baby and Toddler Group

Don't forget  we run a baby and toddler group every Wednesday morning during term time from 9am to 11am.  Baby and Toddler Group 

We love seeing the babies and toddlers coming each week to the Toddler Group - over the last couple of weeks the children and parents have been very creative!

Inset Days 2023/24

Inset Days have been approved by Governors for 2023/24 and they are as follows:

• Monday 4th September 2023

• Friday 22nd December 2023

• Monday 19th February 2024

• Friday 22nd March 2024

• Thursday 2nd May 2024

• Monday 22nd July 2024

Friday 17th May - Years 1 to 6 Sports Days

Friday 24th May - Nursery and Reception Sports Day (Afternoon)

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 - Thursday

• Reception -  Thursday

• Year 1 - Wednesday

• Year 2 - Monday

• Year 3 - Thursday

• Year 4 - Tuesday

• Year 5 - Wednesday

• Year 6 - Monday

At Oldcastle, we are proud of each other and ourselves. We nurture all of our community so that we grow as confident, responsible and happy people. Oldcastle school is more than just learning.

• We try hard for each other

• We act responsibly

• We treat people how we’d like to be treated

• We work as a team

• We trust and respect each other

• We listen and learn together

• We share knowledge and experience

Together we make the difference

Together we shape innovative experiences 

More information on our values and visions can be found on our website.  Visions and Values

In the event that you have a concern regarding a child please follow this procedure:

• During school hours please contact Mrs Ceri Littlewood, safeguarding lead at Oldcastle Primary School.

• Out of school hours please  contact  the  out of hours Emergency Duty Team Tel No 01443743665

More information on Safeguarding at Oldcastle can be found on our website. 

Contact details

Please ensure we have up to date contact details for you to ensure you keep up to date with school news and we are able to contact you during the school day if required.  You can either email us with change of details (ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk) or complete the change of details form.