During assembly today Miss Hodgson launched the school values for April and explained to the children how Community and Service are important to all of us.  This is the information we discussed in assembly which parents might find useful.

Community is all about the people around us—our families, friends, and neighbours.  A community is a word for a group of people who have things in common. They might live in the same area, go to the same school, do the same activities or have similar backgrounds.

Service is how we help each other.  Together, they create a strong bond that makes our world a better place. 

Community and service are incredibly important because they help us build connections and support one another. When we serve, we not only help others but also create a sense of belonging and teamwork. By embracing our school’s vision to Inspire, Motivate, and Educate, we can encourage each other to take action and make a difference in our world, no matter how small. 

As a school, this month, we will explore how being part of a community and serving one another helps us live out these values.

Lost Property

We have a huge amount of lost property in school once again.  Please take time to look at the rails in main reception when you attend parents evening next week.  Lost property will donated to charity shops if not collected.

Careers Week - Please share with any contacts you may have

In June we will be holding our fourth Careers Week where we will invite visitors into school to tell us all about their job.  We launched Careers Week in 2022 and were overwhelmed with the support we received and the children absolutely loved learning about different career options.

Our aim is to inspire and educate our children and enthuse them about the array of different jobs that can be done.  We are hoping that we can encourage our community to get involved in our Careers Week by coming along to school and talking or demonstrating what you do in your job.  If you cannot visit but are able to support us in another way, for instance a pre recorded session or other support, please let us know via the Google Form below. We are looking for a range of different job roles to enthuse our children and this is the type of information we think would be useful :

• Explain what your job is and what your day-to-day responsibilities.

• How long have you worked in this job?

• What do you love the most about your job?

• When did you decide you wanted to work in this job role?

• Did you have to do any training for your job role?

• Was there something you learnt/did at school or someone that inspired you to pursue this line of work?

• Practical display - ie show something about your job or do a display, for instance, flower arranging - florist

We are looking for a wide variety of career / job options that will inspire our children.  If you can help out please let us know by completing and submitting this form.

Careers Week Google Form

If you require further information please get in touch with Sara Peters, Grants, Media and Health and Safety Manager on 01656 815790.

Attend to Achieve

As you know, improving school attendance is a priority for us in Oldcastle, just as it is across BCBC and Wales.  After Easter we will send out to all parents the Attend to Achieve Letter for your child's attendance for this term. These are factual and based upon the attendance levels of your child.  For more information on our Attendance Procedures please click here - School Attendance.

Weekly 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 95.4%.

VE Day - Celebrations at Oldcastle Primary School - Reminder to fill in the form below 

As we approach a significant milestone in our nation's history, we are delighted to let parents know about an upcoming celebration at our school. On Thursday, 8th May 2025, we will commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, marking eight decades of peace since the end of World War II in Europe. This momentous occasion provides us with a unique opportunity to reflect on our past, celebrate our present, and instil in our pupils a deep appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Oldcastle Primary has planned a day of celebrations with a street party held within the school grounds, where our pupils will have the chance to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of that historic day.

We are encouraging all pupils and staff to embrace the spirit of the occasion by dressing up as in outfits from the 1940’s - ie simple dresses, shorts, dungarees, dai caps etc. We will provide examples to parents in the coming weeks but there are lots of simple outfit choices. Throughout the day, pupils will be treated to a variety of entertainment and activities, all designed to recreate the sense of community and shared joy that characterised the original celebrations.

Our whole school will come together at lunchtime to enjoy a free packed lunch that will be provided by our catering team. Please let us know what packed lunch your child will be requiring on the day by completing this google form. Please complete by 8th April.

VE Day Packed Lunch Order Form

To mark the occasion, we will be holding a flag-raising ceremony at the main entrance of the school at 9 a.m. We extend a warm invitation to all parents and carers to join us for this poignant moment, as we pay tribute to those who fought for our freedom and reflect on the enduring peace that followed.

VE Day 80 is more than just a historical commemoration; it is a powerful reminder of the resilience, unity, and hope that have defined our nation for generations. By involving our pupils in these celebrations, we aim to foster a sense of continuity with the past and inspire them to carry forward the values of peace and community that have been so hard-won.

We are looking forward to coming together as a school community to honour our history, and celebrate our present.

Forthcoming PTA events

• Friday 9th May - PTA Disco.  Tickets are £2.50 each. PTA Disco Registration Form

• Saturday 5th July - Oldcastle Rocks. Always a highlight in our school year as we bring the community together to enjoy some fantastic music and entertainment.

Take a look at the PTA Facebook page to keep up to date with events. Oldcastle Primary PTA Facebook Page 

Food Pantry Affordable Food Options

Our community pantry offers a selection of 15 food items for just £5. This enables families to stock up on essential groceries without breaking the bank. We believe in making wholesome food accessible to all, aligning with our commitment to the well-being and development of our pupils and their families.

Fostering Community Connections

The community pantry not only provides practical support but also serves as a hub for social interaction and community building. Parents and carers are encouraged to visit the pantry, not only to shop but also to connect with fellow members of the Oldcastle family. By bringing people together we hope to strengthen the bonds within our school community.

The community pantry provides an opportunity for our pupils, parents, and staff to contribute to the well-being of those in need, fostering a sense of empathy and social consciousness. Through this initiative, we aim to instil in our pupils the values of compassion, kindness, and community engagement.

We invite all parents and carers to visit our community pantry and take advantage of this valuable resource. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of our families.

Sports Days

Sports Day for children in years 1 to 6 will be held on Friday 16th 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.   

Sports Day for children in nursery and reception is still to be confirmed and we will let parents know the date soon.

House Colour t-shirts

The PTA have an arrangement with a local company who are able to provide sports day t-shirts at a reasonable price and will provide a 10% donation to the PTA from all sales.  If you would like to buy a house colour t-shirt please follow this link.  Parents may, of course, buy T-shirts from any supplier.

House Colour T-shirts - Euroschools

We are also looking to add hoodies to the website.  We will let you know when these are added.

Parents Evening - Week beginning 7th April 2025

Parents evening will take place next week.  Please use the main entrance to school and you will be directed to your child's classroom for the appointment.  Here's a reminder of the relevant days for each class:   

• Nursery - Monday and Tuesday

• Reception I - Monday and Tuesday

• Reception M - Monday and Tuesday

• 1H - Monday and Tuesday 

• 1Y - Monday and Tuesday

• 2O - Monday and Wednesday

• 2L -  Monday and Wednesday

• 3C - Monday and Wednesday

• 3D - Tuesday and Wednesday

• 4A - Monday and Tuesday

• 4S - Monday and Tuesday

• 5T - Tuesday and Wednesday

• 5E - Tuesday and Wednesday

• 6P - Monday and Tuesday

• 6R - Tuesday and Wednesday

After School Club and Late Club Prices Increase from 1st September 2025

The following information has been emailed to all users of the after school and late club facility. Following a review of our Afterschool and Late Club provision, we find it necessary to make some adjustments to our pricing structure. The increase in fees is due to increases in our operating costs and will allow us to continue to offer the service you expect both now and into the future.

Prices will increase from 1st of September 2025 

• Afterschool Club will increase to £9.00 per session

• Late Club will increase to £2.50 per session

We thank you for your ongoing support and trust that these changes will help us to continue providing you with the service.  Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

• 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.  

Rugby Tournament

Well done to our rugby players who played well in the WSRU tournament today in Llandovery. We lost to a strong team in the semi finals.  However,  we are incredibly proud of the boys.  To come in the top 4 in Wales is a superb achievement! A massive thank you to the parents who travelled the long distance to take children. Today we congratulated the boys in our whole school assembly. #TeamOldcastle 

Swimming Success

Lottie and Maisie have been successful yet again in a swimming competition. These girls have accumulated a huge number of medals! Well done, girls, on your success.

Squash News

The Squash Wales U13 team played at the  England Squash Intercounty finals last weekend in Sheffield. Losing only to the overall winners the team achieved a well deserved third place.  Heidi from year 5 is a member of the team who are now competing in the 5 Nations Squash championship in Nantes, France.   

• Week beginning 7th April - Parents Evening

• Friday 11th April - Inset Day

• Monday 14th April - Easter holiday begins

• Monday 28th  April - Term Starts

• Monday 5th May - Bank Holiday

• Thursday 8th May - VE Day Celebrations

• Friday 9th May - PTA Disco

• Friday 16th May - Sports Day Years 1 to 6

• Monday 26th May to Friday 30th May - Half Term

• Monday 2nd June - Inset Day

• Tuesday 10th June - Class and Team Photos

• Saturday 5th July - Oldcastle Rocks

• Friday 18th July Term Ends

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

Reception Plant Videos

Our Reception children have been working super hard learning about plants and how they are grown. They have created some fantastic videos to show what they have learnt. We hope you enjoy.

Barney loves his time in school but equally loves his walks after school! 

Year 3 Newsround I Movies

Children in year 3 have been working really hard on developing their imovie skills by producing a short newsround segment about Pompeii - their book in LLC. Children had to work together to create various important aspects for their imovie. Some of which included, producing a detailed script, identifying camera angles, learning about the different job roles in filming and also filming their imovie. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have.

Year 3 Newsround Movies

Year 2 Ocean Meets Sky I Movies

Children in year 2 have been working really hard on developing their stop-motion skills by producing a short stop-motion film based on Ocean Meets Sky - their book in LLC. Children had to work together to create various important aspects for their stopmotion. Some of which included, producing a script, using colour mixing to create a backdrop, creating characters, learning how to use the stop-motion app and filming their stop motion with voiceovers. We hope you enjoy them as much as we have.

Year 2 Ocean Meets Sky iMovies                  Year 2 Ocean Meets Sky IMovies

Year 6 End of Term Production

Very excited to announce that our year 6 end of year production this year will be Grease …. Over the next few weeks we will be announcing individual cast members. This week we have announced who will be playing the parts of Patty, Rizzo, Kenickie and Frenchy. 

Enrichment

Year 5 enjoyed football,  circuits, ball skills and badminton in the Recreation centre today.

This week in Nursery

This week in Nursery we have been investigating push and pull.  We investigated what would happen if we pushed something gently and punched something hard.  We cleverly predicted that things don’t go very far when they’re pushed gently.  We also thought about how we could move a heavy box, we tied a rope to the box and pulled it, we found that it was so much easier to move.  We have also had lots of fun in the mud kitchen and have been chalking on the floor outside.  

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.