Welcome to week 10 of the school year. This year is flying by and children have been busy this week. We have plenty of photos towards the end of the newsletter please take a look.

Today in assembly we recognised the amazing achievement of one our staff members.  Mrs Strachan has worked at Oldcastle Primary School for 40 years! Mrs Strachan started working at Oldcastle on her 19th birthday and today we were delighted to present her with some flowers and chocolate cake in recognition of her long service. 

Diolch Mrs Strachan for your commitment to Oldcastle Primary School. 

Children in Need

Thank you to everyone that supported Children in Need today. It was lovely to see so many children in their own clothes today.  We are delighted to let you know that we raised £321.20  Thank you for your support. 

Remembrance

On Saturday, some of our pupils were honoured to take part in the Bridgend Town Council Family Remembrance Parade and Harry from 6 laid a Wreath at the War Memorial.  Thank you to all the children and families who came to represent Oldcastle Primary School.  

At 11am on the 11th November, the whole school came together to remember and complete a minute's silence.  Ava from year 6 read the poem 'For the Fallen'.

Anti Bullying Week

This week was Anti Bullying Week  and our pupils participated in a series of engaging activities and thoughtful discussions, focusing on our November values Friendship and Forgiveness.  On Wednesday, we explored the importance of kindness, empathy, and mutual respect with particular activities planned associated with World Kindness Day. 

Cost of the School Day Survey

Thank you to the parents who have completed this survey, we are very grateful to receive such valuable feedback.  The survey is still open if you are able to complete.

At Oldcastle Primary School, we want to make sure that all children are able to make the most of the school day and that no child misses out on anything. We are working closely with our cluster schools to develop a comprehensive strategy to ensure support for all families amid the rising cost of living. Our commitment to equity of provision will enhance the learning and well-being of every learner within our community.

We are asking for your opinion on school costs and your answers to this survey will help us check whether school costs are causing any concerns for our families and children and see whether there is anything that we can do to help out.

Your voice is really important and we want to hear from as many parents and carers as possible. We promise to listen to what’s been said and take action where it’s needed.  All information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Please complete the following google form by Monday 18th November 2024.

Cost of the School Day Survey

Thank you for your support.

Governors Report to Parent

The school governors would like to invite parents to a meet the governors event on Wednesday 20th  November at 6pm in the main hall.  Parents will have the opportunity to discuss the Governors Annual Report to Parents.

Governors Annual Report to Parents 23/24

PTA Event - Christmas Wreath Making

A Christmas Wreath making workshop organised by Oldcastle Primary PTA will be held on Tuesday 26th November.  Places are limited (35 people) and booking is essential. Participants need to bring gardening gloves and small gardening secateurs or sharp scissors if possible.

The workshop will take place in the main school hall from 6pm to 8pm and will cost £40.  The £40 will include all materials needed to make your wreath, hot drinks and festive treats.

Payments must be made by 22nd November to guarantee a place.  Cash payment should be taken into the school office in an envelope clearly marked with your name and PTA Wreath Making.

Christmas Wreath Making Booking Form

Christmas Concerts

Christmas concerts will take place on the following days and times.  There will be two performances per year group and parents / carers will be able to apply for up to 2 tickets for each performance.  Tickets will be £1 per person and payment can be made in cash on the door at the time of the concert.  Due to health and safety reasons, we are limited in the number of people we can seat in the main hall so numbers will be strictly monitored based around the applications received via this form.

Please complete the Google form below to reserve your tickets for the performances you wish to attend.

Dates and Google Form for Tickets

Nursery

• Monday 9th December 9.30am and Monday 9th December 2pm

• Nursery Ticket Application Form

Reception

• Tuesday 10th December 9.30am and Tuesday 10th December 2pm

• Reception Ticket Application Form

Year 1

• Wednesday 11th December 2pm and Thursday 12th December 9.30am

• Year 1 Ticket Application Form

Year 2

• Friday 13th 9.30am and Friday 13th 2pm

• Year 2 Ticket Application Form

Year 3

• Tuesday 17th December 9.30am and Tuesday 17th December 2pm

• Year 3 Ticket Allocation Form

Year 4

• Monday 16th December 9.30am and Monday 16th December 2pm

• Year 4 Ticket Allocation Form

Year 5

• Wednesday 18th December 9.30am and Wednesday 18th December 2pm

• Year 5 Ticket Allocation Form

Year 6

• Thursday 19th December 9.30am and Thursday 19th December 2pm

• Year 6 Ticket Allocation Form

Christmas Concert Raffle

The PTA are asking for donations to create colourful Christmas hampers for each Christmas Concert Performance.

Please could each child donate an item based on the below colours for each class.  Donations can be whatever you wish in that colour such as, chocolates, sweets, smellies, candles, tea, coffee, drinks, biscuits or novelty items etc. 

Please hand donations to the office. The deadline for donations is Friday 1st of December.

Many thanks for your continued support.

Christmas Tree – School Cash Back Scheme

If you are trimming up this weekend, please remember that Ty Cerrig Christmas Teee Farm in  Bonvilston, CF5 6TR, currently have a scheme where our school can earn money. The scheme enables participating schools to receive money back from your tree purchase - simply select our school from the drop down in the appointment menu or mention our school name when you pay at the farm to earn cash back for Oldcastle school.

Please see the website for more information.

https://www.tycerrigchristmastrees.co.uk/

Christmas Tree Funding

We are thrilled to announce that we hope to decorate our school hall with a real Christmas tree again this year, but we need your help! We are kindly requesting donations towards the purchase of a real Christmas tree to help us create a Christmassy atmosphere for our pupils, staff, and visitors in the lead up to Christmas.

If you would like to donate towards a real Christmas tree please let us know via ask@oldcastleprimary.co.uk. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated and will help us bring the magic of the season to our school.

Alternatively if you are a local business who would like to sponsor a Christmas tree or Christmas activities in school please do get in touch with Sara Peters at the school.. By sponsoring a tree, you can have your name or business logo displayed, showcasing your support for our school.

We are excited to celebrate the festive season with our school community and are grateful for your continued support. If you have any questions or would like to discuss these opportunities further, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

We are very grateful to the following for sponsoring our Christmas Tree.

Food Pantry

Don't forget to visit the food pantry and tell your friends and family about the selection of items available.  Our food pantry is stocked with some lovely items. Pop in  and fill a bag for £5. Surplus food gets delivered to school every Tuesday but parents may visit the pantry on any day. 

On occasion we are also receiving some bakery items from Asda as part of our Fairshare allocation.  When we do we will have these items available on a Friday and are free of charge.  

Attendance

We are committed to promoting good attendance at school and have a target of whole school attendance of 95%.  This week's attendance was 94.4%.

• September - Respect and Responsibility 

• October - Compassion and Hope 

• November - Friendship and Forgiveness 

• December - Understanding and Patience

• January - Determination and Perseverance

• February - Honesty and Trust 

• March -Learning and Effort 

• April - Community and Service 

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

• June- Showing Gratitude and Care and Generosity

• 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.  

Please let us know of any pupil successes outside of school.

Bridgend Town Centre Christmas Event - Saturday 23rd November  1.30pm – 5pm

The festive season begins in Bridgend Town Centre with an annual Christmas event. Come along with your family and friends to enjoy festive music, family activities and a visit from Santa himself!

Elf School opens at 1.30pm Learn how to be one of Santa’s helpers in our Elf School. Come as yourself – leave as an Elf!

Festive Entertainment Stage

Phil Hoyles from Bridge FM and Zack Franks will be introducing performances throughout the afternoon including:

• Spark Drummers

• The Snow Sisters

• Bridgend Rock Choir

• Bridgend Youth Theatre

• Oldcastle School Choir

Christmas Parade

A parade led by SPARK! Drummers and featuring Santa, The Grinch and Naughty Elves will leave Carnegie House at 4.30pm making its way to the Christmas Tree for the Switch On.

Meet the Grinch!

The Grinch enjoyed last year’s event so much, he cannot wait to return to Bridgend this year to see you all again. He will be making appearances throughout the afternoon, come and find him and see what mischief he makes!

Also Enjoy

• Christmas Side Stalls

• Giant Snow Globes

• Eleri’s Welshcakes

Santa’s Grotto  at Carnegie House!

The grotto will be open on the following Saturday’s from 10am-3pm: 23rd Nov - 30th Nov - 7th Dec & 14th Dec

Children will meet Santa, choose a quality gift and you can take your own photos.

Santa‘s Grotto is run by The Lions Club of Bridgend in Carnegie House and is supported by Bridgend Town Council. All proceeds of the Christmas Grotto will be distributed to local charities by the Lions Club of Bridgend.

Tickets cost £8 per child and bookings can be made in advance at www.bridgendlions.org.uk

The Bridgend Town Centre Christmas Light Switch on event is organised by Bridgend Town Council and supported by:

- Bridgend County Borough Council 

- Rhiw Shopping Centre

- Bridgend Traders Against Crime

For further information about this event please contact carnegiehouse@bridgend.gov.uk

Sadie and Franks

We have been supplied with the following information which may be of interest to you.  Please contact Sadie and Franks if you would like further information. 

Circuit Training Class in Oldcastle Primary - pop along on a Monday evening or view the information on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/lizandtonyclass 

• 20th November at 6pm - Meet the Governors

• 4th December - Panto Trip Years 1 to 6

• 4th December - Nursery and Reception Christmas show for children

• 6th December - Inset Day

• 12th December - Christmas Dinner Day

• 20th December - Last day of term

• 20th December to 5th January - Christmas Holiday

The next Parents Evenings meetings are planned for week beginning 24th March 2025.

Inset Days 2024/25

• Monday 2nd September 2024

• Friday 6th December 2024

• Friday 21st February 2025

• Friday 11th April 2025

• Monday 2nd June 2025

• Monday 21st July 2025

Health and Wellbeing / PE Days

• Nursery - Thursday

• Reception -  Wednesday

• Year 1 - Monday

• Year 2 - Tuesday

• Year 3 - Friday

• Year 4 - Friday

• Year 5 - Friday

• Year 6 - Friday

This week in the nursery we have had lots of fun making potions in the mud kitchen and playing in the sand.  We had to put on the red overalls and wellies first!  We have also been exploring Numicon shapes and we painted our Diva lamps they are very colourful. 

We all chose what we would like to be in our Christmas concert and have started to learn the new songs that we will sing.

Da Iawn Reception. You have made some lovely hearts to give to your friends on #WorldKindnessDay 

Reception has been measuring this week and making use of the outdoor space.

Year 1 have been exploring symmetry in the outdoor environment and using tessellation shapes to make a larger shape or picture! 

Year 1 pebble painting and cooking today

This week in our LAP session, we read the book ‘Rainbow Fish’, written by Marcus Pfister, a lovely story about sharing.  The children and their grown-ups had fun creating their very own CD Rainbow Fish and painting using celery sticks to print the scales.  Mrs Diehl was very impressed with all the children’s work and their lovely singing of the rainbow song in welsh - Da iawn!   

4S enjoyed tennis on Friday for their PE lesson.

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.