Thank you for your support over the past week and ensuring children did not return to school following any sickness or diarrhoea.  We are still in contact with Environmental Health and following their advice.  We have a small number of cases throughout the  school and we ask that parents adhere to the 48 hour rule.

Welsh Coffee Morning

We would like to invite parents to a coffee morning on Monday 16th October at 9.10am to find out how we teach welsh in school.  Some of our children will be chatting to parents and informing you what they are learning in welsh. 

Pupil Voice

A huge thank you to all the pupils who applied for one of the Pupil Voice roles.  It has been a fantastic couple of days listening to our pupils explain why they love Oldcastle and want to be part of Oldcastle's Pupil Voice team.  Yesterday was a tense afternoon; all our houses got together and listened to the House Captain pledges.  We were incredibly proud of each and every one of them who put forward their videos. After the voting, we can announce that the following House Captains were chosen:

Ty Melin

Rosie and Esmay

Ty Coch

Viktorija and Sofia 

Ty Gwyrdd

Leila and Isla

Ty Glas 

Darcey and Matthew

Unfortunately, due to the sickness bug, not all Class Reps have been able to present to their class, we have extended their deadline to next week and they will be announced in our Whole School celebration next Friday. 

Discovery Week - Monday 23rd October to Friday 27th October

We are excited to launch our Discovery Week from 23rd to 27th October.  Discovery week is about igniting curiosity and inspiring creativity within Science and Technology. Throughout the week, pupils will have the opportunity to participate in a range of interactive and engaging activities and experiments. 

Each year group will have a specific focus and an outcome to achieve at the end of the week. We invite parents into the big hall at the end of the day on Friday 27th October to view the completed work. 

Please read our timetable below and find out if your child's year group will require any donations to help with their projects.

Parents Evening Appointments

Parents evening appointments for reception to year 6 have been sent to parents this week, if you have not received please get in touch with us. 

Appointments will take place week beginning 23rd October.

Nursery parents will be invited into school to view children's work and have an opportunity to chat with Mrs Evans. 

Schools Cross Country Competition Year 3 to 6

Well done to all children who represented the school at the Schools Cross Country competition last Saturday.  We were really impressed with the number of children who took part in the races.

School Attendance

Attendance at school is important. Our whole school target for attendance is 95%.

School Vacancies

We have vacancies for Learning Support Officers and Lunchtime Supervisors.  Please click here for more information.

Dinner Money

Payment for school dinners should be made via the Bridgend Council website.  Please ensure your child's account has funds at least 48 hours before they require a school dinner.

School Swimming

Year 5 will be completing school swimming in the coming weeks.  5R will swim for one week from 16th October and 5P will swim from 23rd October. Children will require a swimming costume, towel and goggles.

Toys

Please can we ask that children do not bring their own toys into school.  Any toys which do appear will be collected and returned to carers at the end of the day.

Individual Class Photos

Individual class photos are being taken on Wednesday 18th October.  Children should attend school in uniform.

Year 5 request

At Oldcastle Primary School, we have been studying Democracy and Parliament as part of our Year 5 focus. We have learned all about having a voice that our voice can change our future. With this in mind we have been assigned a project to make improvements to our school. Our group focus is the Outdoor area and we propose to change  the look of our school by painting murals on our sheds and walls of our school . We feel we need to  make this school improvement because children think that the walls are grey and dull and because we do not have any green spaces, the yard is boring.   

We wondered if you were able to donate some paint, brushes, rollers and dust sheets so then we can lower the budget of our school. 

If you are able to help us, please email year 5 at ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk and tell us what you are able to donate. 

We would appreciate it very much if you are able to support us with the changes we want to make to improve the look of our school  for the future .

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

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

Nut Free School

Please can we remind parents that we strive to be a nut free school as we have a number of pupils who have a severe allergy to nuts.  

This includes nut products such as peanut butter and nutella. 

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.  

PTA Fundraiser - Personalised Christmas Cards

Your child will have come home with a template this week to order personalised Christmas products. This template can be used to create a design for personalised Christmas cards, mugs, bags etc. Please help your child to create a festive design on the template.  

·       Make sure your design is within the borders.

·       Use bright colours, paint, felt tips, crayons and coloured card.

·       Don't use glitter, 3D objects (pom poms etc), Sellotape, staples, glossy or metallic paper.

·       All designs must be PORTRAIT, not landscape.

·       Write your child's name and class in block CAPITALS at the top of the template in the space provided.

Please return templates to school by Friday 20th October. 

You will then receive a personalised order form displaying your child's design and how it will appear on the cards. There will be full instructions on how to order cards, mugs and tea towels etc online. 

More information can be found at https://www.classfundraising.co.uk/. 

Please help the PTA raise funds and support this fundraising project.

We love to hear about all of the exciting achievements of our pupils during out of school activities. Please share any successes with us at ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk and include a photograph and details of the achievement to be included in future newsletters. 

Keep Mi Sessions

Some Reception families have taken part in our Keep Mi sessions this week.  The project supports learning and play at home and provides families with a range of resources to use at home.  We were delighted to receive these photos to show how the boxes are being used at home.

Nursery this week

Nursery have been making the most of the dry autumn weather.  We collected conkers, leaves and pine cones.  We made faces.

Year 2

This week Year 2 have been learning how to use the mud kitchen properly and have also made some bug hotels. We’re hoping lots of mini beasts will come and visit.  

Year 5

Year 5 have enjoyed nature walks for their outdoor learning over the last few weeks with Mr Murdoch.  Looks great fun!

Shocktober Training

Thank you to our lovely visitors earlier this week who talked to our years 4 and 5 pupils about lifesaving skills.  We are very grateful and we were very impressed with the questions form our pupils!    

Enrichment

Girls Football 

• 16th October to 20th October - 5R Swimming

• 18th October - Individual Class Photos

• 23rd October to 27th October - 5P Swimming

• 30th October to 3rd November - October Half Term

• 6th November to  10th November - 6I Swimming

• 13th November to 17th November - 6M Swimming

• 15th November - Governors Annual Report to Parents Meeting 5.30pm

• 4th to 6th December - Year 6 Residential Tripto Culmington Manor

• 21st December to 8th January - Christmas Holiday

Parents Evenings are planned for week beginning 23rd October 2023 and 11th March 2024.

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

• Monday 3rd June 2024

• Monday 22nd July 2024

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

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.