Estyn Inspection

As you are aware we wrote to you earlier this week to let you know that Estyn notified us that our school will be undergoing an inspection from Monday, 21st October, to Wednesday, 23rd October. Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales, and its role is to ensure that schools provide a high standard of education for all pupils. 

Estyn Survey for Parents

As part of the inspection process, Estyn invites parents to share their views on the school by completing a questionnaire. We would be very grateful if all parents could take the time to fill this out. 

The questionnaire can be accessed directly via this link https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/Y6TM7P/. Your feedback is invaluable and will help ensure the inspectors get a full picture of our school community.

Estyn Meeting for Parents

Additionally, Estyn will hold a parent meeting on Monday, 21st October, at 3:30 p.m. in the school hall. All parents are welcome to attend, and this will be a great opportunity for you to meet the inspectors and share your thoughts in person.

Below is a Parents and Carers Guide to Estyn Inspections.

Coffee and Chat Morning

Thank you to everyone that attended our coffee and chat morning on Thursday.   It was lovely to see parents and carers.

World Mental Health Day

On World Mental Health Day we reminded staff, pupils and parents that it's good to talk.  Below are a few suggestions to help start a conversation about wellbeing and mental health.  Please remember that staff are always on hand to talk to you - look out for us on the yard in the morning or afternoon.

School Improvement Plan

Our School Improvement Plan is available to view on our school website but here's a reminder to parents of our Priorities for this year and our 3 year targets 

Food Pantry

Our food pantry has been stocked with some lovely items this week. 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.  Here's a little video to tempt you in. We have also been able to gain funding to purchase a large chiller fridge and hope to offer chilled products soon.

On ocassion 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.  

Parents Evening

Parent Evening appointments have been emailed to parents this week.  Please check your emails from notifications@oldcastleprimary.co.uk and click on the link to book an appointment with your child's class teacher. 

Appointments will take place in the week beginning 4th November 2024.

Individual Child Photos

The individual child photos will be taken by Tempest Photography on Wednesday 16th October in school. Links to purchase the photos directly from Tempest will be sent home to parents.

Schools Cross Country  - Years 3 to 6

Well done to all the children who took part in the schools cross country event last Saturday.  We are very grateful to the parents for taking the children - we are very proud of their efforts.  

The next cross country events will be held on:

• 19th October - Brynteg School

• 16th November

Volunteer Army

We are very grateful to the parents and local residents who have offered to volunteer with the school.  We have a range of volunteering opportunities available and we would love to hear from you if you can help out in any way. 

As a thank you for volunteering, we can provide you with Tempo Time Credits.  You will be awarded 1 time credit for every hour that you volunteer with us. Time credits can be used against a variety of things - for instance, a behind-the-scenes tour of BBC Wales, The Royal Mint, rugby games and much more.  

If you are interested in volunteering with us please complete the Google Form - Volunteer Army.

Junior Leaders

Our year 5 junior leaders are  settling into their new roles in school being supported by Ava and Harry from year 6. 

School Reading

Parents may find this information on phonics useful.

Reading Phonics Guide

Saying Phonics 

Panto Trip - Years 1 to 6

Parents in years 1 to 6 have been emailed details about our panto trip this year.  Children will be watching Cinderella in the Princess Royal Theatre in Port Talbot. The trip is £12.50 and payment should be made via Parent Pay by 31st October.  Please check your Parent Pay account for details of the trip and how to pay.

Christmas Card Competition

We have been invited to take part in the annual Chris Elmore (MP) Christmas Card competition.  Templates have been sent home with children.  If you have not received one please get in touch with us. 

The lucky winner will have their design showcased to businesses, politicians and community groups.  There is a prize for first, second and third place.  The theme is ‘A Welsh Christmas’. The closing date is Tuesday, 5th November 2024. Please ensure all entries are returned to school by this date. 

Templates will be sent home with children this week to allow them to prepare their designs. Here are some top tips:

• Don’t use glitter as it cannot be reproduced by the printers.

• Don’t make your card too dark.

• 3D cards can’t be reproduced by the printer.

• Make it simple – sometimes less is more.

• If you are drawing a character, make sure he/she fills the space.

• Use bright colours; try not to leave some of the space without colour unless it’s white for snow.

• Stick to the template – it’s important for the printer that the size is the size on the template

• Please keep your design in a landscape format

University Students

As a school, we collaborate with several education establishments to provide opportunities for students as part of their journey to become teachers or learning support officers. We currently have students from the University of South Wales, Bridgend College, and Brynteg Comprehensive. We will also shortly have students from Swansea University. Students are included in our Team Oldcastle and will be involved in the classroom environment.

Brynteg Open Evening

Brynteg Comprehensive School will be holding an open evening on Thursday 24th October for parents and pupils in years 5 and 6.  The evening will start at 4pm.

PTA Disco

The PTA disco last Friday was a great success and we are very grateful to the PTA and parent helpers who ensured the event went smoothly.  We are delighted to let you know the PTA made a profit of £578.90 from the event.  

Thank you for your support!

Netball Festival

Well done to our netball team who played really well in a netball festival in St Clare's today. The team won 3 games anddrew the last one.  Thank you to all the parents for helping out today we really appreciate it.

Game 1 - 12- 0 against Coity Player of the Match Amelia

Game 2 - 9-0 St Clares Player of the Match - Henry D

Game 3 - 5-0 Newton - Player of the Match - Lily T

Game 4 - 4-4 Pen y Fai Player of the Match Sophie S

Keith Grice Rugby Tournament

Well done to our rugby team who were joint winners in the Keith Grice Rugby tournament today.  Some great rugby played. We are very grateful for the support of the parents who supported us today.  

This week in Nursery

This week in the nursery we have been very busy!  We have been using sand, flour and shaving foam to create patterns and develop our fine motor skills.  We have had lots of fun creating shape monsters and painting autumn trees.  We have also been practising our number skills.

Flu Vaccine

The school nursing team will be in school on Thursday 24th October to administer the flu nasal spray to children in Reception to Year 6.  Parents will receive a consent form with your child today, please return this to school as soon as possible.  Please return the completed and signed form even if you do not want your child to have the vaccine.  The nursing team will only administer the vaccine to children where consent has been provided by the parent. 

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 94.7%.

Sickness

Please can we remind parents that children should stay off school for 48 hours following their last episode of sickness and diarrhoea. 

Jewellery

Please can children only wear studs as earrings and not hoop earrings.  Children do not need to wear jewellery to school and we ask that bracelets, rings and other jewellery are not worn to school.

School Photos

Don't forget to scroll to the end of the newsletter to view photos from the week.

• 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.  

Well done to Julian from Reception who came third in his cycling club race last weekend.

Toddler Group

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. 

• 16th October - Individual Child Photos

• 24th October - Flu Vaccine Reception to Year 6 children

• 28th October to 3rd November - October Half Term

• 20th December to 5th January - Christmas Holiday

Parents Evenings are planned for week beginning 4th November and 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

PE Days

• Nursery - Thursday

• Reception -  Wednesday

• Year 1 - Monday

• Year 2 - Tuesday

• Year 3 - Monday

• Year 4 - Wednesday

• Year 5 - Thursday

• Year 6 - Tuesday

Enrichment

Year 1 Tie Dying

Year 1 doing Stop Motion today

Language and Play Session

In our LAP session this week we read David Walliams, 'There's a Snake in my School'.  The children had some fun making their own pythons out of paper plates, using a rolling pin covered in bubble wrap and green paint to create a snake skin effect.  They also made lovely snakes out of pipe cleaners and beads.  The pupils and their grown ups also went on a fact-finding hunt about snakes.  Did you know that there are around 3500 different species of snake around the world and are found on every continent except Antarctica? 

Year 1 loved learning about the Romans this week

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.