Sports Day years 1 to 6

We were so sorry to cancel our sports day for years 1 to 6 today.  We were so looking forward to the day and we know how much hard work staff and children had put into the day.  We understand that parents and carers will have been so disappointed that we cancelled the event today but we hope you understand our reasons for cancelling.  It is particularly frustrating given the recent spell of good weather we have had.  We have been able to rearrange another date to allow the children to take part in a sports day. 

The revised date is Wednesday 12th July

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.

Please ensure that all children attend school with a bottle of water, a hat and sun cream applied.

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.

Bump Up Day

We were delighted to announce our class structure from September 2023.  Last year we amended our class names to the initials from OLDCASTLE PRIMARY SCHOOL and this year the class will continue to use the same letter from this year.  For instance, 2A will become 3A.

Today, children have met their new class teacher for September on our ‘Bump Up Day’.  Children and staff all met in the main hall for Mrs Littlewood to announce who their new class teacher will be from September.  There is always lots of excitement during the announcement of the new class teacher and this year was no different.

Our teachers are preparing a welcome video to introduce themselves to parents and you may find this a useful reminder to your child as we approach the start of the school year. We aim to share these videos with parents next week where teachers will introduce themselves to parents. In certain circumstances, the new class teacher was not in school today however we hope these videos will be a useful tool for parents and children.

Nursery parents have also been emailed with details of your child's class teacher - if you have not received the email please get in touch.

To view our Staffing Structure for September 2023 please follow this link.  Staffing Structure September 2023

Barney decided to join the assembly this morning as he was excited to find out who will be teaching the different classes in September!

Sports Day - Nursery and Reception

Nursery and Reception sports day is now confirmed for Thursday 6th July 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 12.20pm 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.

School Reports

School reports will be sent home to parents next week on Friday.  These will be given to parents / grandparents who collect children at the end of the school day.  If your child is going home with another child the report will not be sent home.  Reports not collected today may be collected from the office.

House Rewards

Our reward token boxes in main recpetion were so full today that we had to empty them and start counting the tokens!  We won't be announcing the results just yet though - children are still able to collect tokens for a few weeks before we announce the results towards the end of term in time for an end of term reward!! 

Book Look - Invitation to parents

We are delighted to offer parents the opportunity to come into school to view your child's fantastic work. On Thursday 13th July we will hold a Parent Book Look where your child will be able to share all of their exciting learning with you.  Staff will not be available on this night as we would like the children to lead the event. Members of the leadership team will be on hand should you have any questions throughout.   The school will be open from 3.15pm to 4.45pm.

We hope to hold other events similar to this throughout the year so don't worry if you can't make this one.

Universal Free School Meals

Children in Reception, Years 1 and Years 2 are provided with  universal free school meals as part of a Welsh Government initiative.  The year groups are provided with a hot school dinner, if requested, on a daily basis.  When these year groups are on a school trip the provision will be a packed lunch and we ask that parents complete a Google form to confirm if they require a packed lunch provided by the school or if they will provide their own packed lunch.  If your child is in one of these year groups and on a school trip please look out for an email to confirm if you require a packed lunch for your child.  Please get in touch if you would like further information.

Criw Cymraeg 

This week, we have been preparing for our Bronze Award Verification. 

We have been so impressed with the extra effort children and staff have been putting into their Welsh language use in the last few weeks. 

Bendigedig! 

Gair yr wythnos - Word of the week:

Gwrandwech

Listen

Brawddeg yr wythnos - Phrase of the week:  

Wyt ti eisiau…? 

Do you want…?

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. 

Congratulations to our yr 3/4 girls winning the Tennis Wales South Wales Regional Finals this week in Cardiff. Our year 3/4 boys were also runners up! Delighted to see our past pupil Toby at the competition too. We are very proud of you all - Sam M, Aled, Henry W, Heidi, Sophie, Sofia and Bettie.

Thank you to all the parents that transported children to the venue.

Well done to our year 5 boys for winning the Tennis Wales South Wales Regional Finals today in Cardiff.  We are very proud of Harri, Louis, Lewis and Dan.!  

Thank you to all the parents that transported children to the venue.

Reception have been busy this week with story sequencing.

Year 1 have been busy making stick puppets from the Welsh legend ‘Gwion and Ceridwen’. It has been wonderful to see how creative they are. 

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.  

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. 

The PTA are busy organising Oldcastle Rocks again this year.  Save the date Saturday 8th July 2pm to 6pm!  The PTA have lots of exciting artists and activities planned along with a BBQ and bar.  Here's a taster of what will be on offer.........

We have been asked to share the following information with parents.

Autism Friendly Swimming lessons

• children aged 4+

• Ynysawdre Swimming Pool

• 4 day programme

• Monday 7th August - Thursday 10th August.

• 30 minute slots which will be allocated (9:30; 10:00; 10:30; 11:00). Please note that if you would like to request a specific time, while we cannot guarantee, we will endeavour to accommodate you.

• Concessionary rate of £20.50

• Lessons will be taught by specially trained swimming teachers in small groups.

To apply, please complete and return the registration form no later than Monday 3rd July.

Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first serve basis. Registrations will be closed when capacity has been reached. If you have previously registered with us, we kindly ask you to re-register).

The registration form can be completed via the following link - https://forms.gle/skRhJiUvf9jLTcxT9

We encourage the use of google forms for registration, but if you would prefer to register via printing, completing and emailing a PDF version, then please let us know at autism-swim@haloleisure.org.uk.

Diary Dates

3rd July - Year 5 trip to the Senedd

5th July - Year 6 to Porthcawl Pavilion

6th July - Year 2 trip to Porthcawl Museum and Lifeboat Station

6th July - Nursery and Reception Sports Day

7th July - School Reports sent home

8th July - Oldcastle Rocks 

13th July - Book Look for parents

Inset Days 2022 / 23

Inset days for the remainder of the school year

• Monday 24th July 2023

Term Dates - all term dates are available to view on our website

• School year finishes on Friday 21st July

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

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. 

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