It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the halfway point of the school year, time is certainly flying in my first year back!

We are always striving to ensure that every child truly enjoys their time here, and the activities highlighted in this newsletter show just how rich and varied their school experience is. From football and table tennis to the many other learning opportunities taking place each day, our children benefit from purposeful lessons and a wide range of enrichment activities both during and beyond the school day.

Following the feedback we received from families in October, we have once again reviewed how we share information about your child’s progress. During the forthcoming parents’ evening, all parents and carers will have the chance to look through their children’s work, discuss progress with the class teacher, and receive an interim written report. This report will outline next steps and provide clear suggestions on how you can support your child at home.

As we look ahead to the second half of the year, we’re excited about the opportunities still to come, from new learning themes and enrichment activities to whole-school events that will bring our community together once again. We look forward to sharing these moments with you and celebrating the continued progress and achievements of all our children.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Dr. Sarjeant

Being in school every day really helps children get the very best from their time with us. Each day offers new learning experiences, chances to build and strengthen friendships, and opportunities to feel fully involved in their class community. Regular attendance also supports children in developing the routines and confidence that help them grow as independent, lifelong learners. Beyond the classroom, our extra‑curricular activities and after‑school clubs give pupils additional opportunities to explore interests, meet children from other classes, and connect with a wider range of staff. Together, these daily experiences play an important role in supporting your child’s wellbeing, social development and overall enjoyment of school.

Getting to school on time

• Learning starts promptly at 9:00am every morning.

• When a child arrives late, they miss vital learning such as literacy and maths.

• Arriving late disrupts lessons and can make children feel unsettled when classmates have already begun learning.

• Please support us in helping your child achieve their full potential by ensuring they are in school every day, on time, ready to learn.

Morning Arrival Times

• 8:50am–9:00am – Gates open. Children arriving during this time are on time.

• After 9:00am but before 9:30am – Children receive a late mark.

• After 9:30am – Registers close. Children receive a late mark and this counts as an absence for the whole morning session.

Every Minute Matters

Even small amounts of lateness add up to significant lost learning time across a school year. Please see the table below for further information:

family learning - Funky Phonics 

Our FUNKY PHONICS programme has been a great success with 48 of our Reception's parents/carers attending the programme last week. Thank you to all those who came to learn about how their children are taught phonics, and how to support their learning at home. The children enjoyed working with their adult to complete phonics tasks together. We look forward to seeing the impact of all the hard work that is being completed at home over the next six weeks. 

January 24th 2026: International Day of Education

International day of education commemorates the acknowledgement and reinforcement of ‘Education’ being a basic need of every individual.'

For more information please click on the link below:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/education-day 

• Tuesday 10th February - Safer Internet Day

• Thursday 26th February- St David’s Day Celebrations Nursery to Year 2

• Friday 27th February (March 1st is Sunday) - St David’s Day Celebrations Y3 - Y6

• Thursday 5th March  - World Book Day - pupils are invited to dress as their favourite book character 

• Wednesday 11th - Friday 13th March- Year 6 Residential to Liddington 

• Friday 20th March - World Down Syndrome Day - we wear our boldest and brightest, most eye-catching socks. 

It’s our way of saying, “Listen up, the Down syndrome community has something to say!”

• Friday 27th March (last day of term) - Easter Bonnet Parade & Raffle - more details to follow

• May - National Testing Y2-6

• Monday 6th to Wednesday 8th July  - Year 5 Residential to Llangrannog

• Wednesday 15th July - Billy Gardiner Assembly

• Thursday 16th July - Year 6 Leavers Assembly

• Inset Days:

• Monday 20th July 2026 

*1 further date to be allocated 

Safeguarding

• At Pencoed Primary School, we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all children. If you have a concern about the safety or well-being of a child, please report this immediately to either Dr S. Sarjeant, Mr A. Raymond, Mrs K. Maund or Mrs A. Brennan (Designated Safeguarding Leads).  In addition, advice can be sought from Mrs A. Williams, Designated Governor for Safeguarding.

• If you are a parent or a visitor to the school and you are worried about the safety or well-being of a child or family please ask to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Leads or a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

• Please access our child protection and safeguarding policy here - https://www.pencoedprimary.co.uk/school-policies-1/ 

Contact Us

Please let us know if you have any comments regarding the contents of this newsletter or any other matter relating to Pencoed Primary School. All issues will be dealt with in the strictest confidence. If you would prefer to make a personal appointment, please do not hesitate to contact us:

• Email: admin@pencoedps.bridgend.cymru

• School contact email: contact@pencoedprimary.co.uk

• Phone: 01656 815730