26th June 2024

Dear Parents/Carers, 

I hope that you are all well and starting to feel like summer has finally arrived. 

The examination season has now finished and we turn our attention towards end of term activities, transition and planning for the new Academic Year. It was a real pleasure to visit our three main partner primary schools this week with Mrs Coles and Mr Canavan ahead of the transition events this week. We are hosting a welcome evening for the new Year 7 Parents on Wednesday 26th June. Thank you to the RCCS PTA for providing refreshments at this event and continuing their outstanding support for the school. On Thursday 27th June, we will be welcoming all of the new Year 7 cohort into school for the annual Transition Day. As always, we will provide a warm welcome to the new members of our Risca CCS family.

On another note, a number of students have enjoyed a residential educational experience recently. Firstly, Miss John led a Year 7 overnight trip to St. David’s. The pupils had a highly positive learning experience and visited the world famous Cathedral. Secondly, Mrs Hutchison led a foreign residential trip to Normandy in which the pupils visited Bayeux and the nearby D-Day landing beaches. They laid a wreath at a local war cemetery on behalf of the School Community, commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the landings and sacrifice made by so many.

As communicated recently, Estyn visited the school in their first termly monitoring visit. They visited lessons and sampled the work in a range of pupils' books. In addition, they held meetings with school leaders and a group of pupils. We will hold a parental forum in school on Tuesday 2nd July at 4.30pm. I will provide a summary of the report and offer the opportunity for parents to ask questions about the inspection. Please contact the school reception or send a Class Charts message if you would like to attend the forum.

I was pleased to read the following comments in the brief report from Estyn:

“Since the appointment of the current headteacher in September 2023, the pace of change in leadership has increased substantially. This has included a strategic restructure of the senior leadership team to ensure clear lines of responsibility for key improvement priorities. This has ensured that teachers and leaders are beginning to be held to account for the quality of their work. This has contributed well to changing the culture and ethos of the school.”

“Governors are developing in their role as critical friends. They are informed suitably, are supportive of the school and are beginning to have a more realistic view of what the school needs to improve.”

“Since last term, the school has sensibly increased the capacity of leadership to address this recommendation. Senior leaders now have a generally accurate picture of teaching at the school and which specific aspects need addressing most urgently. Leaders have collaborated well to develop the ‘Risca Learning Charter’.

“In most lessons, teachers have positive working relationships with their pupils. Many demonstrate sound subject knowledge and manage pupils’ behaviour well. They establish and maintain clear classroom routines.”

This is a good start for us and we have a lot of hard work to do to reach our full potential. However, as a school community we have turned the corner and we are now moving forward. We will continue to make the changes required and work with everyone to ensure that our school is the best it can be.

Finally, I need to update you in relation to changes to the staff team here at the school. Mr John and Mrs Weston are retiring after serving the school community with distinction for many years. We wish them a long and happy retirement. Miss Watkins, Mr Alley, Mr Morse, Mr Harris and Miss Figgures are also leaving us at the end of the term to pursue new professional opportunities elsewhere. We thank all of them for their service and commitment to providing the best education for our young people at RCCS. Our very best wishes go to all of the staff who are leaving us this summer. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

From September 2024, we are also delighted to be welcoming a range of new teachers to the school after a thorough and robust recruitment process. The following staff will be joining us:

Mr J. Tiernan (Expressive Arts)

Mrs S. Scott (Technology)

Mrs L. Davies (Maths)

Mr. S. Dell (Maths)

Miss A. Trotman (English)

Mr. T. Hinton (Humanities)

Mr. J. Powell (Humanities)

Mrs B. Bawler (Digital Technology) is returning to the school following her secondment to the Welsh Government.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Yours sincerely,

Martin Hulland

Headteacher

A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM MR KENDALL

Tuesday 6th June 2023

Hello everyone,

I hope you are keeping well. Just a very quick update from me to confirm that I had the operation on 25th May and came out of hospital five days later. Recovery and recuperation is going to take quite some time so I am not able to commit to any return to school at this point, though I am keen to see the pupils and my colleagues again before the end of term if I possibly can.

I want to pay tribute to the NHS. The care and treatment I received throughout has been outstanding. As a school we have a number of former pupils who now work in the health service, and many parents and carers do as well, and I know some current students may pursue a career in this area. You have my utmost gratitude and respect.

Take care,

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

Tuesday 6th June 2023

UPDATE FROM THE ACTING HEADTEACHER

19th May 2023

It is difficult to believe that a week has passed since I last sat down to compose the weekly message. Things are moving quickly now, with only a week until the final half term break of the school year and exam season is in full flow. I would like to pass on my thanks to all of the staff that enable the exams to run so smoothly. We have a small army of people who are involved in this process; invigilators, teaching assistants providing support, the caretaker arranging the rooms and of course our exams officer, Mrs Pinheiro, who manages the whole process. It really is a team effort.

I'd like to clarify the position with Y11. There is no official 'last day' for them. We have had our shirt signing and final Y11 assembly (an emotional event!) and the pupils are required to attend school when they have lessons for which they still have examinations - and these lessons can make all the difference. Other lessons can be used for revision in school if transport is a problem. Pupils also need to attend when they have an exam, obviously, and they need to be on time, in uniform, and well prepared! Timetables have already been issued and you can find a copy on our Qualifications page HERE.  

Sticking with the exams, I need to remind pupils and parents that all electronic devices must be switched off and left in pupils' bags during exams. Most of us rely on our mobile phones these days, but it is always heartbreaking for us when a pupil is found to have a mobile phone, or other device, on their person while sitting an exam, as we are duty bound to report it - and this often leads to exam papers being cancelled. Please double check before all exams. 

More widely across the school, the entries for the Spirited Arts competition are coming in fast - and it's not too late to get your entries in to the RE department. 

We've also had a good week for our rugby teams, with the Y9 girls performing well in a multi-school tournament and the Y10 boys racking up a big win. 

Best regards,

Jamie Oliver

Acting Head Teacher/ Prifathro Dros Dro

19th May 2023

UPDATE FROM THE ACTING HEADTEACHER

12th May 2023

As you will be aware from Mr Kendall's previous message, I am currently looking after the school in his absence until our new headteacher, Mr Hulland, starts with us in September. I am really looking forward to working with the Risca community to support our pupils over the next few months - and in particular our Y11 pupils who have their exams starting today and will be leaving us soon to continue their journeys. We also have 'real' exams for pupils in Y10, so it really is an important time for our senior pupils.

I visited Mr Kendall in hospital earlier in the week. He wanted me to thank you for your kind messages and to tell you that he is being very well looked after prior to his operation. He was especially keen to pass on his best wishes and to say good luck to our pupils and their families for the upcoming GCSE exams. 

The exams timetable is available on the 'Qualifications' page of this website and there is a range of exam related information and links to revision resources on the 'Learning' page.

Best regards,

Jamie Oliver

Acting Head Teacher/ Prifathro Dros Dro

12th May 2023

A PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM MR KENDALL

To our pupils, parents and carers, and the wider RCCS community

Hello everyone,

I want to make you all aware that I have recently had some challenging health issues and that I am going to be off school with immediate effect for an operation, after which the recovery period is liable to be quite lengthy. Mr Oliver will be the acting headteacher in my absence, and the LEA will be providing extra support to the school which will be in safe hands.

Of course this is not what I had expected in my last term before retirement. My colleagues here have been aware for some time and they have been incredibly supportive, as have governors and LEA colleagues and I would like to express my gratitude to them as this has made a huge difference to me.

Thank you for your understanding. 

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

3rd May 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 24

28th April 2023

Today is the last day for one of our teaching assistants, Mike Bender, who is retiring after many years working at the school. Mike joined RCCS after a long career in industry and he has had a huge impact on the lives of many young people. He has worked as a learning coach and most recently in the area of numeracy, but the support he has given has gone well beyond the academic. Mike has not been well these last few weeks, and his stoicism during this period of illness has been remarkable and inspirational. We wish him many happy years of retirement and thank him for the outstanding service he has given. He is also celebrating his birthday today, so "Happy Birthday, Mike!"

As you know, next Monday is a Bank Holiday. The school is also closed to pupils on Tuesday as it is a training day for staff and we are taking the opportunity to visit other schools and educational institutions. This is always an effective way of improving our practice and we are grateful to all those colleagues who are hosting.

Exams are already underway for Y11, and they will be coming thick and fast over the next few weeks. To balance this out, they do have the Prom to look forward to when all is over! Can I remind you the exam timetable is in the Qualifications section and there is advice and guidance about exams in both the Pupil and Parent sections of this website.

The new curriculum has been in place for Y7 since September and we have been evaluating how things have been going through a number of activities including, of course, getting feedback from the pupils themselves. So far it is a positive picture, and plans are well in hand for Y8 for the new school year.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

28th April 2023

 WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 23

21st April 2023

I hope everyone had a relaxing Easter break. The term ahead is a long one, so let me start by giving you some key dates. We have two Bank Holiday Mondays coming up soon, on May 1st and also on May 8th which is an extra one for the coronation. We also have two more teacher training days scheduled for this term when no pupils should be in school: Tuesday May 2nd and Friday 30th June. Half term is the week beginning Monday May 29th and the last day of term is Friday 21st July. This is a crucial term for Y11 and you can see the GCSE timetable on the Qualifications Section of our website. For those with pupils in Y6 joining us next September, the Parents' Evening is on June 28th and the children will spend the day in school on the 29th.

March was a very wet month, but now the weather has improved the redecoration of the exterior of the school has resumed and it is already looking a lot smarter. Those of you with long memories will remember the original bare blocks; these were painted some years ago in an orange/peach colour, but we are now going for a two tone approach, with charcoal grey at the base and a light beige for the top half. I tweeted a picture of progress so far earlier in the week.

The summer term is always a good one for sport and we are lucky to have great facilities outside as well as indoors. We are still having issues with dog fouling on the playing fields however, and continue to work with the local authority as this creates a serious health hazard.

I thought I would mention something which is not linked to school, but I am not sure how widely publicised it has been. There's going to be a national test of the UK’s new Emergency Alerts system on Sunday 23 April at 3pm. The test alert will be sent to most mobile phones across the UK and your devices will make a distinct, siren-like sound for up to 10 seconds, including phones switched to silent mode. The Emergency Alert is a UK government service that will warn you if there’s a danger to life nearby, such as in the event of a major flooding incident. The test is scheduled for 3pm but the broadcast window may be active until 4pm (phones will only receive the alert once during this time. Phones will also vibrate and display a message about the test. It is posible this may cause anxiety for elderly or vulnerable people, and it may be that some may want to ensure their phone is turned off. You can find out more on the government website here. 

My assembly- one of my last- this week was about empathy and values. As the hall was out of use this was pre-recorded and you can access the presentation below.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

21st April 2023

 WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 22

24th March 2023

This is the final message this term as we break up for Easter next Friday. It's been a busy few weeks and I hope people enjoy a good break when it comes. Y11 need to set some time aside for revision over the fortnight, however, as the exams are now looming. There is quite a lot of guidance in the pupil section of this website and parents can access a support guide HERE.  The examination timetable has already been published and you can find a copy under the qualifications tab. 

I hope people will be able to join the Walkies for Autism we mentioned last week, it's taking place this Sunday at Cwmcarn Forest, 10.45 start. This is the first event to mark Autism Acceptance Week and there are other things going on, including special assemblies, over the next five days

Yesterday was Covid Reflection Day and we held a minute of silence to remember all those we lost during the Covid pandemic, to reflect on how our school worked so hard throughout those difficult times, and to mark the work of the NHS and other key workers, both then and now.

Can I please ask parents to support in ensuring their children come to school on time? They should arrive anytime after 8.35, but need to be in their homerooms by 8.50. I know there have been some unavoidable issues with a service bus which we do understand. Can I also take the opportunity to remind you of the school uniform. We have a very straightforward uniform code, and our uniform meets all Welsh Government criteria. You can access the uniform list HERE

A number of our pupils attended the Disability Six Nations Rugby Festival at Ystrad Mynach on Thursday. Everyone had a great time! Thanks to all the staff involved both from RCCS and at the event itself.

Finally I am delighted to confirm that a new head teacher has been appointed! Mr Martin Hulland will take up his appointment in September, and I am looking forward to catching up with him next term.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

24th March 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 21

17th March 2023

As the industrial action was called off we have had a full week in school. On Tuesday evening we held the parents' evening for Y7, and this was very well attended. Thanks to all who came in, the vast majority heard good news about the progress of their child!

Yesterday and today the Governors have been running the selection process for the new headteacher and we will soon know who will be taking over in September- exciting times!

There have been lots of sporting events taking place recently. The best way of keeping up with these is on Twitter, especially if you follow @RCCS_MrsPerry and @RCCS_Rugby. I am so pleased how this aspect of the school's work has developed over recent years as we get back on our feet after the Covid pandemic. It's also good to see former pupils being selected to play for teams, from local up to national level.

We are organising another walk to raise funds for our Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) Centre. The Walkies for Autism takes place on Sunday 26th March. It's World Autism Acceptance week starting on the 27th (the week after next) and Mrs D Howells will be doing special assemblies to explain more about Autism. We are very proud to host the Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) Centre here, they do an amazing job and pupils make outstanding progress.

Finally a reminder that term ends on Friday 31st March and the summer term begins on Monday April 17th. You can see the school calendar overview HERE.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

17th March 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 20

10th March 2023

I'd like to thank the community for their understanding in terms of the school closure this week. We do try to get the information out as early as we can, and it is nice to know this is appreciated. We are hoping that's it now  for the year, as someone said to me, 'the last snow day of your career!' I think over the fourteen years I have been here we have had about 15-20 snow days, usually one-offs, but one year I think we were closed for three or  four days in a row. Richard our caretaker always does a good job keeping paths and driveways salted or gritted.

We held the Y10 parents' evening last night, and yesterday too the pupils had their English Literature results and there were some really good performance, so well done everyone!

The interviews for the new head teacher are taking place next week. This is- quite rightly- the only appointment we make in the school that I do not get involved with, so I wish the panel and the candidates all the best with the process and I look forward to seeing who will be the lucky person who gets what I consider to be the best job ever!

Our safeguarding lead, Mr Canavan, has made me aware of some useful resources that parents may want to check out, on the Hwb website. This collection of guides provides parents and carers with key information about the most popular social media and gaming apps children and young people are using today. The guides include a detailed overview of the app, outlining the age rating and key terminology. They also highlight the risks each app poses to young people and give detailed instructions on how to enable parental controls and safety settings. This guide can also help parents and carers have a conversation with their child about a sensitive issue. You can follow the link HERE.

FInally, many congratulations to one of our school engagement officers , Shelly Reader, who gave birth to a beautiful girl, Lottie, earlier this week. Mother and baby are both doing very well!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

10th March 2023

UPDATE: Thursday 9th March 2023    6.30 am

SCHOOL OPEN

I can confirm that school will be OPEN today for all those able to get here safely. School transport will be running as usual. Please take extra care on your journey and when on site, and wear appropriate footwear. 

The Y10 Parents' Evening will take place later today as arranged.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

9th March 2023 

UPDATE: Wednesday 8th March 2023    7.05 am

Following a risk assessment, the school will be closed today due to the conditions on site and in our area following the overnight snow, and in light of the forecast which suggests more is on the way later in the day. Please check back for further updates. Pupils can access work through our online learning arrangements here.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

8th March 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 19

3rd March 2023

We were all deeply saddened to learn of the death of our colleague, Cath Parton, over the half term. Cath had worked here as a teaching assistant for many years and she was a much respected member of our community. She made a huge impact on the children she supported, and many lives have been improved and enriched by her guidance and help over the years. Cath had a keen sense of humour, and it was inevitable given her surname 'Parton' that she was affectionately known by many here as 'Dolly' after the Country and Western singer, something I think she also found rather amusing! Our thoughts are of course with her family and friends at this very sad time.

As you know, school was closed to pupils on Thursday. I need to advise you that this is likely to be the case too on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March as industrial action is also scheduled for these dates, but I will ensure you are kept up to date if there are any changes.

We have two parents' evenings coming up, Y10 on Thursday 9th and Y7 on Tuesday 14th. I hope you are able to attend if you have children in these year groups.

Over the next couple of weeks we are conducting a teaching and learning review in our school. This will involve watching each other's lessons and sharing strategies for improvement, talking with pupils and looking at their work, and also talking with staff. These reviews are an important part of our work here at RCCS and are used to inform our practice moving forward.

On Wednesday we were visited by a moderator who was here to look at the practical performance of our GCSE PE students. I understand this went very well- congratulations to all involved.

We are seeking to appoint someone as an HLTA to help support some of our more vulnerable pupils. Please see under the vacancy tab on this website for more information.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

3rd March 2023

UPDATE FROM THE HEADTEACHER

16th February 2023

ADVANCE NOTICE OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION

2nd March 2023: School closed to pupils

You may have seen in the media that on Thursday 2nd March a number of teachers and other school staff across Wales are taking industrial action in the form of a strike. Following a risk assessment and consultation with the Chair of Governors I have decided that the school will be closed to pupils on this day as we will not be in a position to open safely given the numbers of people who will be involved. Students can find links to various learning resources on this website.

Should any change occur between now and this date, which is the Thursday after half term, I will of course let you know. 

Please be aware that similar action has been planned for the 15th and 16th March, and at the moment it looks likely the same arrangements will be in place on those days as on the 2nd March

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

16th February 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 17

3rd February 2023

It was lovely  to welcome a group of prospective candidates for the headship to RCCS on Tuesday. This was an opportunity for them to have a good look around the school and to pose any questions they wanted to governors and senior staff. The selection process has been extended, and the governors are hoping to have the appointment completed now in March.

We held our Options Evening on Tuesday. This was a successful event but a very busy one and the hall was not big enough to accommodate everyone. Going forward we are, I think, going to have to do what many other schools do and limit attendance at such events to the pupil and one parent or carer. All information about options can be found in the Curriculum section of this website.

We have been spending quite a bit of time in Y7 classes, looking at Y7 books, and talking with the pupils. Broadly speaking I am very pleased with what we have learnt through this process. Overall  they are reporting a very positive experience in and out of lessons, and the progress we are seeing in classes is pleasing. They are a credit to their former schools. Remember, this is the first group experiencing the new curriculum and feedback we've had on this aspect of our work has been good.

Yesterday afternoon we held a meeting of the Governors' Standards Committee. This group scrutinises school performance, not just the data but other evidence as well, and plays an important part in our quality assurance processes.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

3rd February 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 16

27th January 2023

We contacted parents on Thursday with an important message about the school closure to pupils on Wednesday next week. If you missed it please scroll down to the yellow section below. I felt it was important to share this information as soon as possible rather than wait for today's weekly message. I am now also able to confirm that families whose children are entitled to free school meals will receive a voucher for that day.

On Tuesday next week we are holding the Year Nine options evening. I would encourage all Y9 parents and pupils to attend if possible, to help them make informed choices about their options for next year.

This week the Science Faculty organised a visit by a Y4 medical student from Cardiff University  who spoke with some of our senior pupils who are interested in working in this sector in the future. This was very well received and being able to talk to someone going through the training was very helpful indeed. Next week they have organised some workshops on Energy with Y9 which should be really interesting.

There was some vandalism in one of the girls' toilets on Wednesday. This is being investigated and those responsible will be held to account. I understand there was some concern in the community that there may have been asbestos in the damaged ceiling tiles but I can confirm this is not the case; indeed these facilities were only refurbished quite recently. The school takes this very seriously; not only is there a cost implication for repairs which needs to be paid from the school's limited budget, but it reduces the facilities available to pupils whilst these repairs are affected. Pupils who vandalise the school site in any way or anyone who gets involved with such behaviour can expect to be excluded for a fixed term, or even permanently, and parents or carers may be asked to contribute to the cost of making good any damage.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

27th January 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 15

20th January 2023

We woke up to snow showers on Wednesday but thanks to the great efforts of our caretaker, Richard, the site was safe and we were able to open as usual as we have for the rest of this  week.

You may have heard news of strike action by teachers in Wales. I am not yet certain of the implications of this for RCCS but as soon as I am able to I shall let you know so you can make any necessary arrangements. 

On Thursday an engineer working on the fire alarm system inadvertently set it off. We used this as an opportunity for an unprepared fire practice and I am pleased to say the building was evacuated in a timely and efficient way.

I have written before about social media accounts. The school has an officlal Facebook page, a YouTube channel, and a Twitter account. Some staff also have school Twitter accounts. We don't use any other websites apart form these and this, our official school one.  Clearly it is possible to set up fake accounts on all these platforms, and on others such as Instagram and TikTok. These  can be harmless, but they can also be harmful, and in any event it is against the law to impersonate a person or an organisation. It is usually fairly obvious when these fake accounts surface, as they do from time to time, and when the school is aware of any serious inappropriate or malicious post, then action is taken, and on a small number of occasions the Police are involved. Parents can access a useful guide to TikTok here. We do a lot of work in school in terms of internet safety and appropriate use, but we also rely heavily on parents to monitor their children.

Good luck to Year Eleven who are embarking on their ten week GCSE Art project. This forms 40% of their final grade so needs to be be taken seriously! All parents should have received details in a letter this week.

All the teacher training days have now been allocated. If you printed off a copy of the calendar earlier in the year the 2nd May may not have been added at that point (it's the day after the Bank Holiday.) You can access the final version here.

We held a very positive meeting of the Finance Committee of the Governing Body yesterday, and we have a full Governors' meeting on Monday next week at which we will be sharing our progress against the current school action plan.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

20th January 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 14

13th January 2023

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good Christmas break. Term began on Monday 9th January, and it's going to be a busy one.

On Tuesday we welcomed Y9 parents to school to meet with their child's teachers. This is an important time for these pupils as they will soon be making choices about their options for the next couple of years. You can find all the information you need regarding this process under the curriculum tab on this website.

Well done to Year Ten who took a GCSE exam in English Literature on Wednesday. They and their teachers have worked hard on this and I hope they are rewarded when the results come out later in the year.

We are going to extend the deadline for Parent Governor application until the end of this month, so if you are interested please have a look in the Governors' section which you can access here.

Rugby continues to go from strength to strength at RCCS following the appointment of our Hub officer last year, and I know this is also having an impact in the community which is great to know. Bad luck to Y11 boys who lost the semi-final to Lewis Pengam on Wednesday, I heard it was an excellent and well fought game.  Unfortunately the year ten game yesterday had to be called off due to a waterlogged pitch. If you follow @RCCS_Rugby on Twitter you can access lots of information about upcoming training and fixtures, as well as viewing photos and videos of some of the action!

The weather has been awful almost all week, but it has been a good test for the new roof which I am happy to say has held up well!

Finally, I can confirm that the arrangements for the appointment of the next headteacher are underway and the Governors are hoping to complete the selection process by the end of this month.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro 

13th January 2023

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 13

16th December 2022

Term ends on Thursday 22nd December- one of the latests dates I can remember for this to happen! This will be a non-uniform day and people are invited to wear Christmas jumpers if they wish. The new term starts on Monday January 9th- this will be a timetable week two.

Caerphilly have asked me to let you know that there has been an error on the Free School Meal Holiday Payment letters.  You will notice that the claim deadline is 5th December 2022, however this is incorrect, and claims can be made until 31st January 2023.  Should you have any issues with your claim, please email fsmholidaypayments@caerphilly.gov.uk or call 01443 864055, and provide them with your name, address and the post office you took your letter to.

Y10 are taking their GCSE English Literature GCSE exam on 11th January, the Wednesday of the week we come back. The English department has been working hard to get them ready for this, and it's worth 35% of the final grade so some revision in the final week of the holiday would be advisable!

As you know the Christmas Concert had to be cancelled as a live event, but a video was made instead. Well done to all staff and pupils involved. The video should be available early next week.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff in school who have ensured we have remained open in spite of very heavy absence. On a couple of occasions we have been close to having to send a year group home. We have also been lucky to secure supply teachers who have also done a great job. Thank you all!

My Christmas assembly for next week is in video format as the hall is unavailable due to exams. It's based on the carol Good King Wenceslas and you can find the link below.

There will be no update next week, so it just remains for me to wish you and your families, for the last time as retirement approaches next summer, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

December 16th 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 12

We had a very useful meeting of the Governing Body on Monday looking at the updated school action plans. We now have two vacancies for parent governors, so if you are interested please look in the Governors Section for further information and complete the nomination form you can download from there.

We're getting towards the end of term- it's extraordinary how quickly time has gone. We have just two weeks left, and our last day in school this year is Thursday 22nd December. This will be a non-uniform day and people are encouraged to wear Christmas jumpers if they want to. The new term will begin on Monday 9th January.

Don't forget it's the Christmas Concert here in school on the 14th December at 6pm. Rehearsals have been going ahead this week, and everyone is looking forward to it!

Advance notice that the Y9 parents' evening is on January 10th. You'll get notification and you'll be able to start booking via the dedicated website on 13th December. 

Caerphilly have issued the term dates for  2024/25. These don't include the training days etc but I though they might be useful to you for planning ahead:-

Start of Autumn Term 2024 - 2nd September 2024

Start of Autumn Half Term 2024 – 28th October 2024

End of Autumn Half Term 2024 – 1st November 2024

End of Autumn Term 2024 – 20th December 2024

Start of Spring Term 2025 – 6th January 2025

Start of Spring Half Term 2025 – 24th February 2025

End of Spring Half Term 2025 – 28th February 2025

End of Spring Term 2025 – 11th April 2025

Start of Summer Term 2025 – 28th April 2025

Start of Summer Half Term 2025 – 26th May 2025

End of Summer Half Term 2025 – 30th May 2025

End of Summer Term 2025 – 21st July 2025

The written mock exams for Y11 start next week- don't forget you can get information and timetables under the qualifications tab on this website. Good luck to everyone!

John Kendall, 

Head Teacher / Prifathro

9th December 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 11

2nd December 2022

The Welsh Government is currently reviewing its guidance on school attendance and is keen to include the views of parents and carers in this work. Working with Parentkind, they would like to hear from any parents and carers with a child who currently has, or has previously had issues with poor attendance so that they can better support young people. Please click HERE to get involved.

Exams start with practicals for Y11 next week, and then the written exams follow after that. Other assessments are already underway. You can find all the information you need about the timetable and revision sessions under the QUALIFICATIONS section on this website, and useful guidance about how to tackle exams in the PUPILS section. Good luck to all of you!

The coronavirus seems to be quite virulent at the moment and I tested positive myself earlier in the week, so I have been away from school. It is quite debilitating. There is also quite a bit of 'flu about, and attendance in school has been quite low. Yet again, it has been difficult for us to get supply staff to cover teacher illness, and in an extreme case we may need to ask some students to work from home. If this is necessary, or if the school has to be closed due to snow, for example, work can be accessed from the LEARNING section on this website.

As you know, the Estyn reports were published on Monday and I hope you have had a chance to read them. If you have any questions about anything mentioned, please get in touch with us.

I am looking forward to the Christmas Concert! This is being held on the 14th December at the school, and all are welcome. Thanks to Mrs Pearce who is organising this, and good luck to all those performing.

John Kendall, 

Head Teacher / Prifathro

2nd December 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 10

25th November 2022

Today those who want to will have the opportunity to watch the World Cup game against Iran. After the draw with the USA on Monday this looks like it is a must win game. There is then one final game  against England next Tuesday which does not take place in school time, and subsequent matches are in the evenings or at weekends, I believe, so should not affect lessons.

Well done to all pupils who put together shoe boxes full of things for the Operation Christmas Child charity organized by the RE department. I'd also like to congratulate the pupils who were selected to be RE ambassadors. They have a key role to play in this area of the school

The Estyn report for the school following September's visit will be published on Monday, and this now includes a summary for parents and carers. This will be made available on our website together with the full report under the Estyn tab. There are  a number of recommendations which we will be working on over the next months. Indeed, we have already started to address some of the issues mentioned as we had identified these areas before the visit. We will keep you updated on our progress. 

It was great to see several of last year's leavers at a celebration event on Wednesday evening. They and their families were heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and showed great resilience to achieve what they did during their time at RCCS, culminating in some very pleasing examination results. We are very proud of them.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

25th November 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 09

18th November 2022

On Monday we had a visit from a former pupil who is now working as a barrister. She spoke to pupils in Y10 and 11 who are considering following a career in the law. It was a really interesting discussion and she even let some of them try on the wig and gown! Having ex pupils return like this is brilliant and I hope we can start doing more of this again as we used to before Covid struck.

Well done to the Y11 who set up a Scare Maze in the Drama Room this week! It was just too late for Halloween but it still proved remarkably popular and scary, as well as being a useful fund-raiser for Prom!

As well as watching the World Cup game v Iran in school next Friday we have also designated this a non-uniform  day so pupils can show their support for Wales by wearing red, a football shirt or maybe even a bucket hat. I know many in our community have concerns over human rights in Qatar and in Iran, and they can express their support too, for example to support LGBTQ rights by wearing rainbow colours. With so many watching the game across the country I hope the broadband holds up.

Pupils from the ASC Centre have been visiting Coleg Gwent to look at Y12 courses there and also at possible career opportunities. The links we have with the college are very strong and this definitely helps make these transition events even better. I know staff were also pleased to see some familiar faces there, former RCCS pupils now studying at Crosskeys!

It seems likely the painting of the exterior of the school may need to be put on hold until the Spring. This is unfortunate, but it will be done before the summer, and the building will look so much better when it is finished.

Well done to Evie and Tommy from Year Eight who did so well at the Armistice Service last week, and to all our pupils involved in other events over the remembrance weekend

Mock exams are soon to be upon us for Y11. This time last year and in the preceding year there was a huge amount of uncertainty due to the pandemic, but things are much more settled and certain this year. Homeroom tutors will be guiding the pupils through revision advice and teachers are working hard to prepare them for the papers. The exam timetable will be made available through the classcharts app and you can access more revision help here.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

18th November 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 08

11th November 2022

It was good to see everyone back safe and well after the Halloween/Bonfire Night week. I hope you all had a good break and feel refreshed for the second half of term

This week I have been holding assemblies on the theme of Remembrance. This is a subject I feel strongly about as I believe this is a very important tradition which we must maintain. We will be holding a two minute silence at 11.00 am today, and later I will be attending the Armistice service at the Moriah Church with Mrs Madden and some Year Eight pupils who will be reading poetry. I will be sharing stories from the logbooks we have in school, in which former headteachers recorded things connected with school, and the ones I will be talking about relate to the first world war.

Did you see all the coverage we got during half term on the TV, radio, and in the newspapers? Miss Johnston tweeted an inspirational speech made by Louis, one of her pupils in Y7, which was part of an activity they were doing based on the rousing speech Michael Sheen made to the Welsh men's football team. Well, Michael himself saw the tweet and retweeted it with a lovely comment! Last time I looked it had well over 50,000 views ! You can see it here!

Talking of the World Cup, we are planning on letting those pupils who wish to do so watch the one game that is on during school time, it's against Iran on Friday 25th November at 10.00 am. Obviously we will make alternative arrangements for those who don't want to see the game.

Next week we have a parents' evening for Y8. Invitations have already gone out. We have gone back to holding these in person as we feel this is more effective and it is also the preferred approach according to our parental surveys.

Finally we have sent emails to parents of last year's leavers inviting them to a Celebration Evening on Wednesday 23rd November at 5pm. If for some reason you did not receive an invite please get in touch with us as we are keen to see as many of you as possible!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

11th November 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 07

21st October 2022

Although Covid has sadly not gone away we are no longer under the restrictions which curtailed our activities last year, and the Y11 Geography field trip took place last week. This was a great success, enjoyed by all, and an important part of the course, so I was really pleased to hear it had gone so well.

Most people will be aware of the great increase in rugby activity here following the appointment of a WRU Hub officer. This has been so good to see. The pitches are getting lots more use, but unfortunately this has highlighted an issue with dog walkers allowing their dogs to foul the playing fields. Most are very sensible and always tidy up afterwards, but there must be a small number who do not. If you have any information about this please let us know. Meanwhile we are trying to sort out additional signage and waste bins to be installed.

The School Parliament will be sitting for the first time shortly and I hope to be able to share their views in an update after the break.

We currently have vacancies in the school which may be of interest to people in our wider community. We are looking to appoint a Laboratory Technician (this is a re-advertisement) and an Admin Assistant. You can find further information on the vacancies page.

There will be no update next week as it is half-term; remember the Friday is a training day, so no pupils in school that day. Please take care over Halloween and Bonfire Night and we will see everyone back here safe and well on Monday 7th November.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 06

14th October 2022

One of our newest extra-curricular clubs is the Board Games Club run by drama teacher Miss Grist. I heard some great news earlier this week that three Year Nine had managed to get the school into the "Warhammer Alliance" program and in the process had secured about £100 of equipment! Anyone interested in joining the club should go along to the drama studio on Tuesdays after school- all welcome.

Congratulations to Y9 student Mollie Edwards who has won this year's Spirited Arts Competition! This is run nationwide by the National Association of Teachers of Religious Education, and Miss John encouraged her to enter.  There were over 3,000 applicants and she was one of five, who won in her category. She created a stunning art piece on equality, prejudice and discrimination.  Click here to see her awesome work. The colours and design are amazing and the message is such an important one. Well done Mollie!

We have taken quite a hit with staff absence recently due in part to a resurgence of Covid. I need to tell you that it is possible we may have to limit pupil attendance if this gets worse as we may not have anough staff to cover all classes. We will always try to give you notice and work is provided online for pupils if they are unable to come to school.

Finally a reminder that half term begins for pupils at 3.00pm on Thursday 27th October as the Friday is a training day for staff. Term resumes on Monday 7th November, by which time I am hoping all the site work will be completed.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

14th October 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 05

7th October 2022

Next week we have our first parents’ meeting of the year, which is for Y11, on Thursday evening. It will be a face to face meeting rather than online, and I hope as many parents as possible are able to attend to receive an update on their child’s progress and advice about how they can make improvements. You should already have received information about this. Other parents' evenings are scheduled throughout the year, and you can see the full timetable here. Y11 attended a Careers Fair on Thursday which I know many found useful.

We are planning to welcome our Y11 from last year to join us here in school to celebrate their success in last year’s exams. The date for this is provisionally set for Wednesday 23rd November at 5pm, and we hope as many people as possible will be able to attend. It will be great to see you again! You will receive more information later this month or in early November but please keep the date free if you can!

All schools are working hard to get attendance as good as it can be. Please see this letter from Dr Paul Warren, the strategic lead for school improvement in CCBC.

We have delayed our Open Evening for new parents this year to the Spring due to the extensive work taking place on the school site. More information will follow in the new year.

Two years ago I shared with my senior colleagues that it was my intention to retire when I reached my sixtieth birthday in August 2023. Last December I also shared this with the senior governors and senior officers of the LEA. I had planned to confirm this in December of this year and to let the community know in January 2023. The recent inspection has quite rightly left us with some  recommendations and work to do, which will certainly not be completed by August of next year. Altering my plans and remaining beyond August to see things through was my immediate reaction as a professional: in some ways it seemed the right thing to do. 

However, one can never be certain of when things will be done to one’s full satisfaction, and I can also certainly see advantages in new blood coming into the school to support the improvement journey. I have therefore decided to stick with my original decision, and I shall be retiring in August after fourteen years at Risca. Most of the children in the school today were not even born when I took on this role in a community that has become very special to me.  

I have decided to make this decision known early, so a recruitment process can begin, and an appointment made. This will allow for a smooth transition from me to my successor, and it may even allow us the opportunity to work together for a short while prior to my leaving. Before then I want to assure you that my professional focus remains totally on our school, and specifically on tackling the useful recommendations from HMI Estyn, to ensure the school is left in the best possible place for the new headteacher to work with you all to secure and celebrate the improvement we all want. 

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

7th October 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 04

30th September 2022

Just a brief message this week, which has been a busy one with visitors from Estyn in school. Today it the last day they are with us but we will not be able to share their report until late November when it is published. I'd like to thank them and everyone who was involved in the activities this week. It has been a productive and useful experience and we are looking forward to addressing the recommendations we have received.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

30th September 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 03

23rd September 2022

I have been visiting a number of lessons this week, especially in Y7, and it is good to see how well they have settled into their new school. I have also been to 'homeroom' sessions. 'Homeroom' is what we call registration, as this part of the day is much more than signing in, and the tutors do much more that just take a register. On Thursday when I visited the pupils were doing a meditation activity and were really well engaged

Mr Lloyd is in charge of the School Parliament and we will soon be holding the first meeting after the elections. This is an important group which provides the governors and leaders of the school with useful information from the student body. The feedback they provide ranges from which charities we should support this year, to the school uniform, to the curriculum. Key players in this group are the prefects. They also have special responsibilities looking after and mentoring the Y7, and I am grateful to them for their input and support in this area.

I'd like to remind parents that the correct place for dropping off and collecting pupils is by the Leisure Centre and not at the front of the school. We have a high profile staff presence at the start and the end of the day, but while people continue to park on double yellow lines by the entrance, the risk of accident is still high. Enforcement officers will be in the vicinity so I would urge people to respect the correct procedures.

Pupils from the ASC and ALN departments of the school took part in a disability rugby event on Thursday of this week and had a great time. You can see some of the pictures on Twitter. I can also report the first win of the season for our new Y7 team- well done all of you!

We have visitors from Estyn in next week as you know, and we are looking forward to sharing the progress we have made, and to talking through our school priorities for this year- you can see an overview of those under the 'Parents and Carers' tab here.

Next week is the last week at RCCS for Mr Bold, our science lab technician. Damien is one of those staff members who work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure teachers can deliver the lessons they want, and I'd like to thank him for all he has done and to wish him well for the future.

Finally a further update on the roofing! This job is nearing completion and the scaffolding should be down within the next couple of weeks.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

23rd September 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 02

16th September 2022

Monday will be a Bank Holiday in the UK, and schools, including ours, will be closed, in order to mark the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. This will be an historic occasion and I would urge pupils to watch the proceedings on TV if they can. The Queen's association with our school is well known. Flags have been flying at half mast here; they will be raised again after the funeral.

We completed a successful practice evacuation of the school on Tuesday. This was completed in a very good time and in an orderly manner, and the pupils must be commended for this, as some of the routes out have been adjusted to make allowances for the building work.

We are hoping to increase the number of extra-curricular visits we organise during the new academic year now that the restrictions of Covid have, at least for now, been lifted. Please could we ask parents and carers to complete this form so we can be sure we have the appropriate permissions? It will only take a minute. Thanks.

Work continues on the roof of the school. I can tell you that we have also had new fire doors fitted inside, and other refurbishments have also been completed in a couple of water damaged classrooms and in R3, our assembly room.

Our first rugby fixture, Y8 v Blackwood CS took place yesterday. The boys and girls played really well and there was a good few people who came out to watch. Every one of the twenty strong squad got on, and there were some outstanding performances. We lost by a converted try in the end. On Tuesday Miss Edmunds took a group of girls to watch the Wales women's open training session and they really enjoyed that. The best way of keeping up with rugby and other sport is to follow the dedicated twitter feed, @RCCS_Rugby. All the RCCS PE teachers also have Twitter accounts and they are very good at providing updates on a regular basis about team and individual successes and events.

Another very active Twitter account is run by Mrs D Howells who is the head of our Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) Centre, and you can see all her updates at @RCCS_ASC. The ASC allotment has produced some great vegetables over the summer including some of the most enormous pumpkins I have ever seen!

Finally I hope you are aware we will have a visit from Estyn, the school inspection service, in the week beginning Monday 26th September. You can find more information HERE. This was sent to all parents and carers earlier in the week. Many of our visitors are HMI, and I was reflecting that whilst we were the first comprehensive school in Wales to be opened by the Queen, we will now be the first to be inspected by His Majesty's inspectors.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

16th September 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 01

9th September 2022

This was my thirty-fifth start to a school year as a teacher and my fourteenth as head teacher of our school and I think it was the most anxious one I have known! As most of you know, we are having some important work done on the roof of the school. I don't need to bore you with details but there have been one or two problems along the way- no one's fault I hasten to add. The contractors have been excellent in trying to sort things out, and we were open to Year Seven on Monday, using the Technology Building only. On Monday night we had a terrific thunderstorm but the roof held up and we were able to open to everyone, which was a great relief.

You may have seen from a previous post that the GCSE results achieved by our Y11 were really good this year, and I was so pleased for them as they have had such a disrupted time due to the coronavirus. Let's hope this year we are able to function without restraints caused by this.

I want to thank parents and carers for how they have supported the return to school, or in the case of our new pupils, the start of a new chapter in their education. Attendance, punctuality and uniform are three aspects of school life that are very much a joint effort between us, and so far I have been very pleased, so thank you for your support. We are proud of our uniform which is gender neutral and importantly logo-free, and therefore affordable. You may have seen articles in the media about the issue of costly school uniforms. I am so pleased our community decided to take the approach we did a few years ago. If anyone has any problems providing the right uniform please get in touch and we will do our best to help. 

Our new rugby hub office Mr Allen held the first training session for Y7 on Thursday and I went down to see how they were getting on. I was very impressed! We are looking to develop rugby for girls and boys at RCCS and the appointment of this new post is an important part of that plan.

For those not familiar with the school we provide an update every Friday in term time to the community and we post it on Twitter and Facebook as well as sending a link to parents and carers via text message. Please note we can rarely respond to messages and DMs sent on social media, so we ask you use email if you have any concerns. The new school address is riscacomprehensive@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk and your message can then be forwarded to the appropriate person.

JohnKendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

9th September 2022.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE START OF TERM, SEPTEMBER 2022.

Friday 2nd September: Staff Training Day. School open but no pupils in school

Monday 5th September: Y7 ONLY. Please arrive at school between 8.35 and 8.45 and you will be directed where to go. Please see Mr Kendall's welcome video below

Tuesday 6th September: ALL SCHOOL IN. Please arrive at school between 8.35 and 8.45

GCSE RESULTS 2022

Many congratulations to our students on your GCSE results and the other qualifications you have gained this year! As you know, you were the first group to have taken examinations since Covid hit us; the way you managed this and handled the situation was superb and I am so pleased you have been rewarded with the success you deserve! This reflects your hard work during your time at RCCS and indeed at your Primary school before that, not just your final two years which of course have been very challenging. Your resilience and positive attitude certainly paid off.  Your teachers are delighted and I want to thank them and all the staff at our school for their dedication and hard work: it has been well rewarded!

 I hope all of you are now in a position to pursue the next stage of your education, an apprenticeship, or work. 

Y11 results which were not collected today have been posted home. Y10 results will be given out at the start of term.

On behalf of everyone at RCCS I would like to wish all our leavers the very best for the future. Keep in touch, stay safe. We are hoping to host a celebration of your achievement later in the year, so I hope to see you then.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

Thursday 25th August 2022

GCSE Results

These can be collected from school on Thursday 25th August from 9.30 am. Please note they will be distributed from the PA so please access through the door near the Leisure Centre and if coming by car, park in one of the Leisure Centre car parks.

Refurbishment work is still going on in the school and you should not attempt to enter the school through the main reception.

Good luck to all those collecting results. We will be there to help as needed.

John Kendall, 19.8.22

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 33

15th July 2022

We welcomed new staff to school for a special induction day on Tuesday. Dr O'Keeffe and Mrs Brown are joining us in Science, Miss Williams in Expressive Arts, Mr McMahon in IT, and Mrs Purnell in English. I am also pleased to confirm we have appointed a new Technology teacher, Miss Morgan. Joining the team too are three teaching assistants, Mrs Jenkins, Mr Carter, and Miss R Lewis, and our new WRU rugby hub officer, Mr Allen. An exciting year ahead!

 Leaving us this year are two of our scientists, Mrs Baskerville and Mr Hare. They have done a great job in developing Science across the school and have engaged fully with extra curricular activities such as rocket club and Lego. Both have earned well-deserved promotions in other schools. Ms Bish, our Head of Technology, is also leaving after many years work at RCCS. She has overseen the transformation of the curriculum in her area and been a committed, diligent and well-respected teacher. Mr Cousins who has been working as a TA is leaving to pursue a teacher training course, inspired I hope by his time here with us! Finally, we are also saying goodbye to our longest serving member of staff, Mrs Newnes. Her career here started as a dinner lady under the very first head, Mr McKie, but for the last few years she has been working tirelessly in our ASC Centre. All of these colleagues have fully lived up to our school motto, 'making the difference' and whether retiring or moving on to an exciting new job we wish them all the very best for the future.

We held Sports Day in school on Wednesday. There was a great atmosphere, and lots of competition! The support the pupils gave each other was amazing and it was great to see participation from a number of staff, too! The results will be shared in a video presentation from Mrs Perry, with presentations in assemblies next week. Miss Grist has also prepared a video which I am looking forward to sharing!

I can confirm the roof is being replaced in the main school building over the summer holidays. This is a very big job and we need to start now in order to try to ensure all is ready for next term. The car park has already been partly cordoned off and the scaffolding will be going up this weekend; I can assure the community that all usual safety measures will be put in place.

I am sure you will have seen the Amber weather warning in place from Sunday to Tuesday in our area due to the extreme heat. External temperatures in the thirties can mean some of our classrooms hit temperatures in excess of forty degrees and can become unusable. We are putting in place some changes to allow us to avoid having to use these places during the latter part of the school day. We are also adding an additional break in the afternoon. Please ensure your child has a water bottle, and sunscreen and a hat if they are going outside or walking to and from school. If the weather warning is upgraded to Red, or if we receive different guidance from the Welsh Government, local authority, or NHS, we will of course let you know.

I am looking forward to assemblies next week, during which I will be presenting a number of certificates and awards. These will be held in the Sports Hall as it is much cooler than the usual room, R3.

We will very shortly be updating our curriculum page with the plans for the year ahead, and we will contact you next week when this is available.

This is the last full update for the year. I would like to finish by thanking everyone for their support over the last year, pupils, staff, parents and carers, and the wider community. I hope you all have a great summer holiday and I am looking forward to seeing you back on Tuesday, 6th September and seeing our new pupils here on Monday 5th. 

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

July 15th 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 32

7th July 2022

We had our last Governors' meeting on Monday, and it was good to be able to share the progress the school has made over the year. The Governors' Report to parents has now been published and you can find it under the Governors' tab on this website. I am grateful to all the Governors for the support and challenge they bring to the school. We are lucky to have a full group and no vacancies, and on Wednesday I was able to show some new members of the team around the school. 

There was a very successful Art trip to Llantarnam Grange on Wednesday and I know the Y10 GCSE group got a lot from it. Also that day some of our senior girls were involved in the national school athletics finals in Aberdare. At the time of writing I do not know the final outcome but I do know there were some excellent individual performances from our pupils.

On Tuesday evening we had our first face to face parents' evening for quite a while- it was with Y10. There were lots of good news stories, but one or two people will need to focus a little more sharply on the exams next year!

On Monday the headteachers of the Risca Cluster (us, Ty SIgn, Ty Isaf, Risca Primary and Waunfawr) gave a presentation to senior education colleagues in our area. We were pleased to be asked to share what we do together, and I think it was well received!

Yesterday Mr Mock went down to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff with some pupils as part of a WRU minecraft competition. I am delighted to confirm that we won the progression step 4 and 5 category! A very big well done to all those involved.

There are some changes to the school leadership next year. Miss Rouillé  will be Wellbeing Leader for Year 7 and Mr Knott will be in charge of Year 9. Mr Canavan has already taken over as Pastoral Support and Safeguarding officer. Mr Huggett will be Lead Teacher for Design Technology, and Mrs Pearce will be the Lead Teacher for Numeracy. Next week I will share with you the names of our staff to whom we will be saying a fond farewell, and those who will be joining us in September. 

It's hot and it's getting hotter! We have had notice of extremely warm weather on the way. We have therefore decided that PE kit may be worn by pupils from next Monday, 11th July, in place of the normal uniform. If pupils prefer to wear uniform (this includes black school shorts as an option, remember) they will not be required to wear ties. They should not mix and match the uniform with the PE kit; it's either PE kit, or standard uniform. This relaxation of the uniform code applies until further notice as the hot weather is set to last. 

Next week we have Sports Day on the 13th, so on that day all pupils must wear PE kit. We've not had a sports day for two years so we're looking forward to it very much!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 31

1st July 2022

It has been a busy week. On Tuesday I visited our cluster primary schools with Mrs Coles and Miss Rouillé, who will be the Wellbeing Leader for Y7 next year. We took questions from the Y6 pupils. Then on Wednesday evening we welcomed parents and carers to the school to have a look around. The number of people who came up far exceeded what we were expecting! I have to say we had considered possibly limiting this session to one parent/carer only per pupil, but as a community school that did not seem the right thing to do. With hindsight, perhaps we should have done that, or organised things differently, and we will learn from this moving forward. I think the fact we were not able to hold Open Evenings over the last couple of years had a big impact on numbers attending. Thanks to everyone who came, though, and sorry if you did not get to see all you wanted. If you would like another visit please get in touch and we will organise something for you. Year Six then spent the day with us yesterday and everyone seemed to settle in quickly! Mrs Coles will be visiting Primary Schools to collect the completed forms next week. You can find key information in the parent/carer section of this website and contact details if you need to get in touch

The Year Eleven Prom took place later on Wednesday evening and was a great success. The pupils all looked incredible, and everyone had a really good time. Thanks to Mr Huggett and the Y 11 team for organising this. 

Today, Friday, is a Professional Learning (PL) day for staff, so no pupils are in school. We received notification earlier this week that there will be an extra PL Day next year. We will look at where this is best placed in our calendar and let you know when this has been decided.

The new team of prefects was announced on Monday and they were given duties almost immediately, helping with the Y6 evening and transition day yesterday which they did admirably well.

Well done to our girls senior athletics team who came second in the county finals and have now qualified for the national finals in Aberdare next Wednesday. This is a fantastic achievement! Good luck next week!

I have been made aware of a programme by which parents of pupils on Free School Meals and certain other benefits can get water bills reduced. You can find out more by visiting their website, dwrcymru.com/HelpWIthBills

I have also been told of some community support for those looking for free employment training. Help is offered through the Risca Hub and you can attend at Risca Library every Thursday between 11.00 and 13.00. You can see more information here.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

July 1st 2022

PREFECTS FOR 2022\23

The following pupils have been appointed as prefects with immediate effect:

Head Girl: Una Grant

Head Boy: Charlie Edwards

Deputy Head Girl: Nia Godwin

Deputy Head Boy: Vincenzo Ambrosi

These senior prefects will head up four teams of prefects:-

School Parliament and Student Voice 

Charlie Edwards, Callie Jones, Isaac Wilmore, Madison Williams

Wellbeing and Mental Health

Una Grant, Amelia Radu, Jersie Howell-Jones, Georgina Bull

Fund raising and Charities

Nia Godwin, Millie Huskings, Elizabeth Allen

Transition and Student Mentoring

Vincenzo Ambrosi, Harri Blakemore, Scarlett Godfrey, Tyler Hurrell, Libby Gingell

All sixteen prefects should report to Room R3 at  1.15pm on Tuesday, 28th June.

Congratulations to all those appointed!

John Kendall. Head Teacher, June 27th 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 30

24th June 2022

The GCSE exams are over! I'd like to thank the staff who have worked so hard to support these students through the challenging years of their secondary education, you have been amazing. I'd like to thank the parents and carers who have been so supportive of their children and the school during these disrupted years. But most of all I'd like to thank the pupils themselves who have been outstanding. Their resilience and commitment has been superb and I am sure this will be duly rewarded when the results come out. They can now relax and look forward to their Prom next week.

As well as the prom we have  a busy week with an evening for Y6 parents followed by the transition day- back again after a two year suspension due to Covid! If you are a new parent you can find out more on our transition website. 

A reminder that next Friday 1st July is a Staff Professional Learning Day when we will be working on the new curriculum. No pupils should be in school. We then have just three weeks until the summer holidays!

Sports leaders have been visiting Primary Schools to support with events. This is an important part of our cluster work and colleagues have been generous in their praise for our students. Yesterday Mr Oliver and I interviewed candidate to be senior students/prefects, and the standard was extremely high; we hope to announce the team next week.

A group of students is visiting Crosskeys College for a day next week looking at coding drones! This sounds really interesting, and I am sure they will enjoy it!

I'd like to clarify the situation with regard to uniform in the hot weather. In normal circumstances when it gets warm the standard uniform should be worn, but do remember this includes black school shorts as an option rather than long trousers or skirt if this is preferred. These can in fact be worn all year round, but they must be plain black. When we get notification from the Met Office of extreme heat, we will text parents to say that PE kit may be worn all day, just as we did last Friday.

John Kendall

Prifathro/Head Teacher

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 29

17th June 2022

Communication with parents is so much easier now! When I started teaching in the 1980s we were reliant on the post or on pupils taking messages home and for one reason or another these did not always get seen, especially if it was bad news! Many a letter remained crumpled at the bottom of a school bag! We have been able to use our text messaging service to alert parents to an issue on the way to school on Monday, and then yesterday we contacted everyone about the extreme weather we are expecting later today. As temperatures are cooling down over the weekend please ensure everyone is back in normal uniform on Monday.

We rarely use the post at all, and we have also avoided printing expensive glossy documents for a long time now as the internet is so readily accessible. This has saved the school a good deal of money over the years. Using Twitter to celebrate success has also been a very cost effective way of sharing things. Did you know RCCS was the first school to actively use this platform back in 2009?

Last week I shared the calendar overview with you. Today I can also share other important dates such as parents' evenings (which we expect to be in person) and reports for 2022/23- you can access that here. All this sort of information is kept in the Parents and Carers section of our website.

For the last few years we have been involved in the School of Hard Knocks programme. We have been very pleased with how this has gone, but funding has changed and this will not be happening next year.  I would like to thank all those who came in to support this; they have helped make a difference in the lives of many of ours students.

Mrs Summers took her Y10 Food group to Crosskeys College yesterday for a special hospitality day. They worked with staff and students at the college making, and then serving, Italian dishes.  It was a very successful event, Our links with the college remain very strong in a number of areas.

Our Year Eight rugby team is playing in a CSSA final today! Good luck to them and I hope to be able to post an update here later on. It's an early KO at 9.45 am so hopefully they will avoid the intense heat later in the day.

UPDATE: Unfortunately the opposition were unable to field a team, so RCCS were declared the winners! Well done all of you! 

We have a number of vacancies at RCCS. I mentioned two teaching assistant posts last week, and we have another one now for a specific literacy support role. There is also a brand new post advertised. We are working in partnership with the Welsh Rugby Union and are looking to appoint a hub officer. All information can be found under the vacancies tab on this website. This is a very exciting community project and I will share more in a later post.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

17.06.22

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 28

10th June 2022

Time has gone by so quickly it is hard to believe we are now in the last half term of the academic year! Already though, our thoughts have turned to next year's planning. Please click here to access the overview for 2022/23. You will see term will start for most pupils on Tuesday, 6th September, but for Y7 only on the Monday 5th. You will also I am sure note how near to Christmas the term goes this year! The professional learning days (training days for staff) have been added though these could potentially change. We have worked closely with the local primary schools to ensure that as far as possible these are the same across the cluster, and I think at least three of the five will be, but do check with your younger children's schools to be sure. Later this month we'll give you the dates and times for parents' evenings and when reports will be issued.

It's not only Y11 who have been doing GCSE exams, as Y10 have also been sitting some papers. Results will be issued on Thursday August 25th and this year we will return to having results collected at school for those who wish to do so. More information will follow

There are a number of staff changes due for September. We don't share the names of staff leaving until later in the term, but I know some people have seen adverts and drawn conclusions! We currently have two vacancies for teaching assistants which may interest people in our community. You can access the job advert here. This half term we have welcomed Miss Grist who is covering Mrs Parkinson, drama, while she is on maternity leave.

If you have a child in Y6 you will shortly receive an email directing you to an update on the transition activities at the end of the month. You can find the link here on the dedicated cluster website. We are looking forward to meeting our new pupils soon!

Finally we are looking for anyone who may be able to support on our school allotment. A small area needs to be be prepared for planting and a rotavator would make this job a lot easier! If you would be able to help with this, or know of someone who might be, please get in touch with Mrs Howells. Thanks.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 27

20th May 2022

Just a brief update this week...

Our Y9 boys played the final of the Caerphilly Schools Football Cup on Monday. It seems all big games are ending up in penalties these days and this was no exception. I am delighted to confirm that we came out on top! This is the first CSSA trophy we have won for a little while, partly due to the suspension of games during Covid, so everyone was absolutely delighted! Very well done to the team and all involved in supporting the coaching, you can see a great post match picture on this tweet!

Exams are now well underway and seem to be going well for most people. There is always the chance that an exam may go badly for someone, however, and I wrote a blog about this a few years ago which I have now recorded as a short clip, so if anyone needs some encouragement and advice after a particularly challenging paper, please check this out.

There will be no update next Friday as it is the start of half term break. Next half term will be a busy one as always, not least as we begin to get ready for the new school year ahead. Later in June we will be providing you with the calendar overview and key dates for 2022/23, and we will also be publishing information on the new curriculum.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 26

13th May 2022

GCSE exams start in earnest next week and we would like to wish our candidates all the very best. More information, including the timetable, is available on our qualifications page.

Mr Coombes and I have attended meetings this week with senior colleagues from our feeder primary schools. These have been very useful in terms of curriculum planning and it has been great to see how joined up our thinking and ideas are. We completed a survey of Y6 parents recently and comments from this are being factored in to our work on curriculum, and we are also planning further pupil voice activities.

On Wednesday Mrs Roberts from the Risca branch of Cancer Research UK came in to present certificates to a group of Y10 who have raised money as part of their Welsh Bac project work. Very well done to them! Can I take this opportunity to remind Y10 that applications for prefect positions need to be in by next Friday?

We have now rescheduled the Y10 Parents' Evening to the afternoon/evening of Tuesday, July 5th. More information will be sent to parents nearer the time, but I can confirm it will be a face to face in school event.

Congratulations to the Y9 boys' football team who won their CSSA semi-final against a strong Lewis Pengam team this morning! They will now play St Martin's in the final on Monday.

On Monday next week we have a Governors' meeting. We are fortunate in that we have a full Governing Body. There are no vacancies since two new Y7 parents filled the positions advertised some time ago. The annual report to parents will be published later in the year.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 25

6th May 2022

There was an Expressive Arts Trip to see 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' in Cardiff which was a great success this week. It is so good to see these visits back on after they were suspended due to Covid. We are now broadly functioning as we were before the pandemic struck- you probably heard the announcement from Welsh Government earlier in the week. However, we are still being made aware of the occasional positive test result and we would ask you still to let us know and to follow the isolation guidance.

Visits into school are also back on, and today we are welcoming Chris Evans, our local MP, into school after a postponement of almost two years!

I'd like to clarify the position with Y11. There is no official 'last day' for them. We will set aside some social time for shirt signing on Friday 27th May which is the last day before half term. After this they still need to attend school when they have lessons for which they still have examinations, and these lessons can make all the difference. Other lessons can be used for revision in school if transport is a problem. Pupils also need to attend when they have an exam, obviously, and they need to be on time, in uniform, and well prepared! Timetables have already been issued and you can find a copy on our Qualifications page HERE. I have recorded an assembly for them with advice and encouragement on revision and exams, and parents can also access that here if they wish.

Assemblies for the other year groups have also been recorded (this is what we have been doing to avoid using the school hall. This was originally due to Covid, but we are still doing this as the hall is being used for exams; the videos are shown in home rooms.) The focus for these assemblies is the danger of fire-setting and wild swimming. I am sure you remember the devastation on the mountain this time last year, and we do not want to see that again, nor do we want to hear of tragic accidents at the reservoir or in the canal. 

If you are looking for information about the school this website is the place to come. When we did the recent survey a large majority of people found it helpful. I know parents get a link to this page via text and social media most Fridays, but please do be aware of all the other information here too under the various tabs. The Parents' section has all the dates and parents' evenings etc, and the new days for next year will be added shortly after half term. For new parents there is the Transition page and also our new Cluster Website

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 24

29th April 2022

The summer term began on Monday and it was good to see a higher level of attendance than last term's average. I don't think we can say that Covid is over, nor predict what is around the corner, but there is certainly a different feeling now, and we are expecting further updates from Welsh Government with regard to risk assessments. We are fully expecting to be able to have a Prom for Y11, to have a face to face Parents' Evening for Y10 at some point after half term and to welcome parents and Y6 pupils to visit the school as I mentioned in my letter last month.

As many of you know sports fixtures are back at schools as well, and I went down to watch the Y8 football team on Thursday. Not the result that we would have wanted but the important thing is we are playing again, and the team put in a really good effort.

The dog walk before the Easter break was very successful- thanks to everyone who came along to support, and to the organisers, Mr and Mrs Rutter.

Next week is a shorter one for pupils, as not only do we have the Bank Holiday on Monday, but Tuesday is a training day for staff, so pupils will not return until the Wednesday. You can access the calendar overview here. This is also a short half term as it ends on May 27th.

I'm going to be looking for a new team of prefects/senior students shortly, so Y10 please consider whether this might be something you'd be interested in applying for!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 23

 1st April 2022

Just a brief update this week.

PARENTAL SURVEY

I have provided feedback on the recent parental survey in the short video below. Thanks to everyone who completed this, we have found it very useful. 

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

We still expect everyone to follow the guidance which advises people to stay away from work/school if they test positive, pending two negative LFD tests taken on consecutive days on the fifth and sixth days. Tests can still be collected from school

Nothing more this week other than a reminder of Sunday's dog walk, and to confirm that term ends on Friday 8th April. There will be no further update now until the new term, unless of course I need to make you aware of any urgent news. We start back on Monday 25th April.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 22

25th March 2022

The number of pupils and staff off school due to a positive Covid test has risen quite dramatically recently. Pupils' attendance has been around about the 80% mark this month and we have a number of staff unwell. However, we have so far been able to keep all year groups in school, and I really hope this will remain the case.

Y11 are working hard in the build up to their exams. All need to attend school until half term in the summer. After that they need only attend the days they have exams or on the days they have lessons in examination subjects. There are a number of after school revision sessions taking place and I am indebted to the staff for the extra work they are doing in this regard.

Today I have written to our  new Y6 parents- some of whom are of course also current parents. I'm providing details of a couple of transition events, and also asking them to complete a survey about the curriculum, as we are launching the new curriculum for Y7 in September 2022 and we want to be able to consider the views of our community. You can find more in the Transition section of this website

Talking of surveys, many thanks to all those who took the trouble to complete the parental one last week. We have some really useful information and I will be providing feedback in next week's update

We held a minute of silence on Wednesday, Covid Memorial Day, when we paused to remember those we had lost, and those who still grieve or who remain affected by this terrible pandemic.

Next week is Autism Awareness week and we'll be marking that here in the school. Also we have a dog walk planned for Sunday 3rd April in Cwmcarn- why not come along? See the poster below.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 21

18th March 2022

We would be very grateful if parents could take a few minutes to complete this short survey. Your opinion is very important to us, and I'd like to thank you in advance for doing this. We will also send reminders out over the next couple of weeks. Please note you do not need to sign in to google to complete this survey. If you'd rather read on and come back to the survey later, there's also a link at the end of this update.

On Wednesday lots of us wore a hat to school to help raise awareness of young carers. There was a great variety of headgear to be seen on both staff and students! The topic has been discussed widely in the school, and I know people in general are much more aware of the responsibilities many of our pupils have at home.

Our PE Department has been busy and I have an update from them!

Tuesday 15th March

Year 9 A and B netball teams took to the court for the first time since the pandemic struck against Blackwood. We had convincing wins in both games; both Miss Edmunds and Mrs Perry are extremely proud of their performances. B team won 8-2 and A team won 8-2.  Seren y Gem: Maisie Baston (A Team) and Ellie Holvey (B Team)

Year 7/8 Rugby Cup Game lost 5 tries to 1 against Heolddu. Opposition teachers were VERY complimentary of Will Taylor Year 10 who refereed the game exceptionally well for his Welsh Bacc community hours. Seren y Gem: Cai Caesar

Year 9 Football beat Heolddu 8-1. Seren y Gem: Ciaran Bleakley with a hat trick.

Wednesday 16th March

Yr 8 Football v Ebbw Fawr (Rearranged friendly) A loss against a strong opposition. Seren y Gem: Jack Jefferies scoring 2 goals.

Representative honours

Many congratulations to Vinni Ambrossi Yr 10 who has been selected for England in the U16 indoor cricket tournament in Dubai later this month.

Sport Caerphilly

Mr Knott is leading on  a Y9 Health and Wellbeing project that has over 31 girls inducted into the gym and taking part in fitness classes on a Monday and Thursday after school. In return the girls have a 3 month free membership to the gym.

Yr 7 FitBit Project: Miss Lewis and Mrs Coles from the ALN department have organised a project with Sport Caerphilly. It was golf last week, it's Dragons rugby this week, and a variety of activities  are on the way over the coming weeks. These activities are taking place in their PE lessons.

Thanks to Team PE for this update and for all they are doing- together with colleagues from outside the immediate department- to promote sport and health & fitness at RCCS

Don't forget to do  the survey if you have a minute- the link is below. Thank you very much.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

18.03.22

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 20

11th March 2022

We were very sorry to have to postpone the Y10 parents' evening this week due to problems with our internet connection in school. The Y7 meeting on 17th March will still go ahead as planned as these seem to have been resolved. The Y10 session will be rescheduled in the summer term and we hope this will run as a face to face meeting in school- more information will follow.

We are still getting notifications of positive C-19 tests from staff and pupils; indeed this has risen slightly of late. Covid has not been in the news much for obvious reasons but it has not yet gone away. Restrictions are due to be lifted however, and as well as having in-person parents' evenings back as mentioned above we also expect to see school trips, assemblies (which have all been online for a long time now), and other events back on the school agenda very soon.

Many thanks to all who have donated things for the Ukraine appeal. We have been taking loads down to a distribution centre. We are still collecting, so please help if you can.

We now have written confirmation that the Prom will take place at Bryn Meadows on 29th June 2022. Please note the school cannot be held responsible if this needs to be cancelled due to, for example, a resurge in Covid and new rules being put in place. More information will be passed on to Y11.

If your child walks to school please can you remind them that they need to be alert near the roads. A combination of lack of awareness, perhaps brought about by long periods at home and less traffic on the roads during the lockdowns, together with the habit many have of looking at their phones as they walk (not an issue limited to just teenagers!) has caused many to be less than vigilant. We will also be mentioning this in school, of course.

I hope you are all now familiar with the Class Charts app which we use at RCCS at the moment? We're planning on using it even more, as it is a very effective way of communicating. Please check it regularly. The link is here. If you don't have an account or if you have any questions please get in touch with your child's Wellbeing Leader.

Talking of which, Mr Hare has been looking after Y7 in Mr Lloyd's absence and I'd like to thank him and the Y7 team for all they are doing. We're going to be having another look at the groupings as we go into the summer term as we have got to know the pupils better, but of course we'll keep parents up to speed with any changes.

A reminder that we are raising awareness of young carers on Wednesday and we are inviting everyone to wear a hat that day to show this! 

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

Y10 PARENTS' EVENING UPDATE 08.03.22

We have been experiencing a number of issues with the internet in school and we are unable to guarantee connectivity for the Y10 parents' evening on Wednesday 9th March. We are therefore going to postpone this until the summer term when we hope to be able to hold the event in person at the school. More information and a date will follow in due course. If you have any urgent concerns please contact teachers directly, as usual. We apologise for the short notice.

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 19

4th March 2022

The tragic situation in the Ukraine is uppermost in our thoughts at the moment, and as a school we are happy to be a hub for donations to support. Any items from those listed below can be dropped off at the school and we will ensure they get to where they need to be. For those who prefer to donate with money, we suggest the British Red Cross is a suitable charity and you can find the link here

ITEMS NEEDED: sanitary products, personal hygiene products, nappies, blankets and sleeping bags, dressings, bandages, non-prescription medication, dry food (tins and packets), toys.

As part of our professional learning day just before half term we continued to look at how we are developing the curriculum at RCCS and with our primary colleagues. There's a useful guide on the new curriculum provided by Welsh Government and you can access that here, and you can find lots more under the curriculum tab on this website. We are also developing a website with staff in the Primary Schools where we can share transition information and our curriculum plans; this is still under construction.

Miss Johnston organised a quiz for World Book Day yesterday for KS3 homeroom groups. In a closely fought context 9RJ came out as winners with an incredible score of 35/42, with7MH and 7JH very close behind. Well done to them and to everyone who had a go or who helped record extracts for the quiz.

I can provide more information on the Prom for Y11 this year. We have a venue, the Bryn Meadows Golf and Country Club and a NEW provisional date of 29th June.  I am very hopeful this will be able to go ahead, but please do not make definite plans until all is confirmed.

The local authority, CCBC, have introduced an ID card for all young carers and you can find more information by following this link. We have application forms in school, available from reception. Mr Oliver will be sharing more information in assemblies next week

In the weeks leading up to half term we conducted a review of the school, visiting lessons, and talking to staff and students. These have been very challenging times for all of us. Covid has been casting a shadow for two years, but it does seem this is finally having less of an impact on our day to day lives. The review provides us with very useful information which will inform how we work moving forward but one thing that came across clearly was the strength of the relationships between staff and students and the community feel to the school. This was  so important during the height of the pandemic and remains so as we move forward.

21st March 2022 will be a historic moment for children and their rights in Wales. From that day on, physically punishing children will be illegal in Wales. We want to help protect children and their rights, to give them the best start in life. As a parent, here’s what you need to know about the change in law.

John Kendall, Prifathro / Head Teacher

4th March 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 18

11th February 2022

Just a very brief update from me to remind you that this half term ends on Thursday of next week for pupils, and the term will resume on Monday 28th February. Also a reminder that the final day of this half term is a non-uniform day organised by Welsh Bac students raising funds for Dementia UK and the Risca Food Bank.

The next weekly message from me will be on Friday 4th March, unless of course there is a need for an update before then.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

11th February 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 17

4th February 2022

It's February already which for many people means the start of the Six Nations tournaments! It also means half-term cannot be too far away, and in fact we just have two week left in school before that short break. This is a good time to mention the possibility of changes to the school year which are being considered by the Welsh Government. Is the current structure of term times and holidays right in our country, or does it need to be changed? Is the summer holiday too long? Should we set term times and not have to fit in with Easter changing every year? There is currently consultation with the workforce and I am sure this will be extended to pupils and parents shortly.

The last day of this half term is on Thursday 17th February, and the School Parliament has agreed this should be a fundraising, charity non-uniform day. The organisation of this will be down to Welsh Bac students who have this as part of their project.

We are organising Leavers' Hoodies for our Y11 again this year, and you can find out more in this letter from Mr Huggett. These are a great way of remembering your final year, and they'll have the names of all the year group on the back.

Our sports teams have been playing fixtures again! Follow Mr Knott (@RCCS_Mr KnottPE) and Mrs Perry (@RCCS_MrsPerry) on Twitter for  the latest updates. There'll be a report on how we have been getting on in next week's update.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

4th February 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 16

28th January 2022

We had a very useful Governors' Meeting earlier in the week looking at the new Alternative Learning Needs (ALN) Code. You can read more about this important new piece of legislation here.  Next week we have a meeting of the Standards Committee, when we will be looking at current Y11 predictions, and presenting our strategy to raise standards in numeracy, particularly in light of time lost due to the pandemic.

A quick update on the Covid  situation. Face coverings should still be worn in school, and we advise all staff and pupils to take  a LFD test three times a week. The period of isolation has now been reduced to five days, and long as there is a negative test result on Day 5, and another on the morning of Day 6 you can return to school that day. Please keep us informed of all Covid related issues using the dedicated confidential@riscacom.net email address.

The Mental Health Ambassadors are looking for new pupils to join the team and promote positive mental health. The team's main objective is to raise awareness of mental health and encourage young people to talk about mental health and to be aware of, and access, available support services. Anyone is welcome. We’re looking for pupils from Year 7 up to Year 10. Just tell us about how you think you can make a difference and what you believe needs to be done within school for positive mental health. To sign up please contact the Year 11 Ambassadors via email, MHA@riscacom.net

We are hoping to be able to have a Leavers' Prom again this year. We can't be certain yet, but a committee has been convened to make provisional plans. We'll keep Y11 up to date over the next couple of months- and we'll keep our fingers crossed that this can happen.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

28th January 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 15

21st January 2022

LEGO CLUB

Mr Hare, who runs Lego Club, has an update for us!

Lego Club have been preparing for the regional Lego League Tournament. This year the theme was “Cargo Connect” learning about how material and cargo is moved around. Students have been working on building, coding and researching their robot since September.  At the competition on Wednesday, the judges were impressed with the students' presentation, research and design of the robot. The students said that it was “an amazing opportunity and challenge.”  They enjoyed learning to make presentations, coding and researching their personal project the “Hyper drone.” They did incredibly well, and it's been great to see them start from scratch, picking up new skills and learning to work together.  For a group of students to pick up the skills needed for the competition required a lot of work after school and at home.  They won the "Rising Star Award,"  awarded to the team that judges felt have made the most progress. 

Well done to everyone involved and thanks to Mr Hare for organising everything. Winning that award was very special.

YEAR NINE OPTIONS

The process of choosing subjects for Key Stage 4 is underway, and you will be able to find further information on the Year 9  Page from Monday 24th January- there is already a presentation that you can view on there. If you have any queries or questions regarding options, please email y9options@riscacom.net.

GOVERNORS / ALN Code

We have a Governors' Meeting on Monday when we will be exploring further the new ALN code and its implications for our school. You may remember this was officially launched here at RCCS when the then Ministers for Education (Kirsty Williams) and Health and Social Services (Vaughan Gething) visited and met staff and pupils. You can read more about this important new piece of legislation here. We have a strong team managing alternative learning needs here. Mrs Coles is our ALN co-ordinator and Miss Lewis is the deputy, while Mrs Howells manages our ASC Centre. You can get in touch with them via email and their contact details can be found here.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

21st January 2022

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 15

14th January 2022

I’d like to start by making you aware of the Winter Fuel Support Scheme. If CCBC residents are in receipt of working-age benefits such as Income support, Income Related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit, Income Based Job Seeker’s Allowance or Working Tax Credits then they may be eligible to receive £100 to help with the cost of energy bills. Residents can apply by visiting the council’s website: Caerphilly - Caerphilly County Borough. All applications must be submitted by 18 February 2022 and payments will be made from January 2022 until 31 March 2022.

Y11 took autumn assessment exams just before Christmas. We have been handing these back and going over the content as well as talking with the students about their experience of taking exams after such a long gap without them. It is a broadly positive picture. This is very pleasing as although it is not yet certain, I expect examinations will indeed be back in the summer term and we need to ensure they get the best preparation possible. 

Covid related absence has not been as high as we had expected and we have not yet had to take any decisions to send classes home. It is still too early to say, but I think we can be hopeful that things are improving at last across the country. The whole school attendance figure is currently around 86% which is higher than the averages we were seeing last term. We are still advising LFD tests are taken regularly (see previous posts) and the new batch of tests we have are slightly different in that they require two nasal swabs rather than having to swab the back of the throat, which has been an unpleasant experience for many.

Year Nine are in the process of choosing options, and a presentation will shortly also be shared with parents to explain what choices are available to them in Year Ten and Eleven. There is a good range of courses to choose from.

The new School Parliament- formerly called the School Council, a group of elected students who represent their peers- will be meeting shortly and they'll be looking at the uniform policy. If there are any changes suggested these would of course be shared with parents as well for their opinion. 

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

UPDATE FROM THE HEAD (WM14)

5th January 2022

Further to my update on 2nd January (see below) I can now provide further details with regard to the start of the new term.

All pupils should return to school at the normal time tomorrow, Thursday 6th January unless:

• They have coronavirus symptoms* (high temperature, new continuous cough and/or loss of taste or smell) in which case they should book a PCR test as soon as possible

• They are waiting for the results of a test

• They have tested positive and are in isolation

Please keep us informed of any such situation by using the confidential@riscacom.net email

Pupils and staff should take an LFD test prior to returning. It is recommended these tests are done three times a week, and we would suggest Sunday night/Monday morning, Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, and Thursday night/Friday morning. We will provide more tests for pupils when they return. This week please test tonight (Wednesday) or first thing tomorrow morning.

If a pupil has been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive, including someone who lives in the same home, he/she may attend school, but will need to return a negative LFD test result every day for 7 days or until 10 days since the last contact with the person who tested positive for COVID-19, if this is earlier.

We will be following the same timetable and school times as we did before Christmas. Pupils and staff should wear a face covering in the school buildings and keep movement around school to a minimum. They should use the entrance designated for their year group on arrival in the morning.

Now, as I am sure you are aware, one of the concerns all schools have is the possiblity that a large number of staff may be off at some point and this means we are unable to run the school safely. Should this be the case, we may need to ask certain pupils to work from home for a period of time, and we will try to provide you with as much notice as possible. We will do all we can to avoid this, of course, and keep any time away from school to a minimum. 

If pupils need to work from home, work will be provided, and we will be reminding them how to access this when we see them this week. We'll provide you with further information if and when this becomes necessary. If pupils are at home because they are unwell we would not expect them to be working, but we would expect them to catch up on their return. You can find more information about working from home in our learning section

As a school we feel well prepared to manage any situation from having a full school with face to face learning to another lockdown, and anything in between. Let's hope the first scenario continues to prevail.

Thank you, as always, for your support. 

John Kendall

Prifathro/ Head Teacher

*SOURCE: Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

PLEASE SEE THIS UPDATE FROM THE CCBC CHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER

UPDATE FROM THE HEAD

2nd January 2022

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! I hope you had a good Christmas and I hope you and your family are well.

As you will be aware from my final message last term (see below) I can confirm term starts for pupils on Thursday 6th January. There will be a further update from me on Wednesday, 5th January, which will include information about any changes we have made to our operating practice at RCCS, but I think it is safe to assume that we will be starting at the usual time on Thursday (timetable week 1),  that your child will be expected to have a face covering unless medically exempt, and that he/she should have taken a LFD test which has returned a negative result.

Meanwhile, please inform the school using the confidential@riscacom.net email address of any positive tests and/or if your child is isolating and unable to attend school. Thanks.

John Kendall

02.01.22

UPDATE FROM THE HEAD

16th December

I have today received notification from Welsh Government that the start of term for pupils will be delayed across Wales until Thursday 6th January in order to provide schools with time to plan for the new term. The situation with the coronavirus remains very volatile, so these days will allow us to review our risk assessment, make any necessary adjustments, and prepare accordingly. I will get back to you with an update and further information as soon as I can.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

16.12.21

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 13

10th December 2021

This will be the last scheduled update of the year, as we break up on Thursday 16th at 3pm. I would like to start by thanking the school community for their support at what remains a very difficult time. Parents and carers have been excellent at keeping us informed of covid test results and have followed the guidelines carefully. The number of positives at the moment remains very low compared to the early part of the term, but we are aware there could be a rise in the new year when or if the new variant takes hold. I am also grateful to parents who have supported the uniform code and been sure their children attend school punctually; the number of uniform issues has greatly reduced and nearly everyone is in school on time with very few exceptions.

There have been lots of donations to the Foodbank already and these are being taken down to Risca regularly. Don't forget it's Christmas Jumper day here on the 16th and donations to this worthy cause are welcomed.

I have been really impressed by the way Y11 have been approaching the autumn assessments this month, and I am looking forward to seeing the results and analysis in the new year.

Please see this update from CCBC's chief education officer, Keri Cole, to all parents and carers with children at schools in the borough.

It remains for me to wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and best wishes for what we must hope will be a better year in 2022. Term begins on Tuesday 4th January at the normal time.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

10.12.21

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 12

3rd December 2021

You will have seen from the update on Tuesday that face coverings should now be worn in secondary school buildings when physical distancing cannot be maintained. This change came about because of concerns about the new omicron variant of the coronavirus. The other change announced this week was that anyone who tests positive with omicron, and all their contacts, will need to self isolate for ten days. The full extent of the impact of this new variant remains to be seen, but clearly this could have serious implications for schools, especially in terms of the potential number of children who need to SI at home should a positive test be recorded. I don't think we will know much more until after Christmas, and there has at the time of writing been no case of omicron in our area. As always, my commitment is to keep you informed through these weekly updates and at other times as needed. At present pupil attendance continues to be stable.

The last day of term is Thursday 16th December and this will be a Christmas Jumper/non-uniform day. We would ask everyone to either bring in a donation to the foodbank, or a pound to go towards this organisation. I know they need tinned food, uht milk, coffee and jam at the moment. Talking of uniform we have been very pleased with the compliance this term and several visitors have commented on it recently. It seems ages since we had a non-uniform day! I am looking forward to seeing the Christmas jumpers (and, I suspect, hats etc!) There will be a prize for the best one.

Y11 have been doing autumn assessments and these continue for the next couple of weeks.  Whatever happens with exams in the summer, these are important, and we will be looking at the results closely in January.

Finally, another reminder that we have two vacancies for Parent Governors. If you would be interested in joining this group, please check under the Governors tab. This is a very important part of RCCS; the governors provide support and challenge to the school and we have a very strong and experienced team in place. The atmosphere at meetings is business-like but not overly formal, and all new governors would be offered training and support.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

UPDATE FROM THE HEAD, Tuesday 30th November 2021

You may have seen the Welsh Government has strengthened measures to mitigate the effects of coronavirus in schools following the identification of the new omicron variant, and all staff and learners in Welsh secondary schools, colleges and universities should now wear face coverings (FCs) while indoors where physical distancing cannot be maintained. This should come into effect as soon as possible. We will be alerting pupils to this new guidance today and from tomorrow we will be giving regular reminders. 

Please ensure your child comes into school with a clean FC each day. Thank you.

The new WG guidance can be viewed here.

John Kendall, Head Teacher

30-11-21

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 11

26th November 2021

Year Eleven are preparing for their December exams which start very soon. The big majority of them are engaging well. We are trying to give them plenty of guidance on taking exams as they have not done them for so long due the the pandemic. You can find more information under the Qualifications tab. It seems likely that exams will go ahead in the summer, but it is still not certain and we are preparing for all eventualities

Can I remind you that we are looking to appoint two parent governors? You can find out more information HERE.

Finally, a reminder that the last day of term is Thursday 16th December, and the new term will begin on Tuesday 4th January. There's a parents' evening (online) for Y9 coming up on the 12th January.

John Kendall,

Head Teacher /Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 10

19th November 2021

Let's start with news from our Humanities Faculty. Last week our GCSE Geography group had a field trip, the first one for some time. They did not go far, just to the new Jubilee Park estate in Rogerstone, but it was good to see students engaged in learning outside the classroom again, and they were involved in a very relevant task. Thanks to Mr John and Miss Howells for organising this.

The Expressive Arts Faculty are busy organising the Christmas Concert, which will be a video this year. Our GCSE music students also had a trip out this week, in their case this was to Crosskeys College to benefit from some of the amazing facilities they have there, and to work with their foundation degree students. Mrs Pearce was really pleased with how things went, in spite of some frustrations over the transport which were quickly resolved thank to our office team!

On Monday the School Parliament had an initial meeting and the new team is up and running! Mr Williams is in charge of this group this year, which has replaced the old School Council. I also had a meeting with the prefects on Tuesday. It has been harder to consult with the student body recently other than by surveys, so it is good to get these face to face meetings back on track. More on this in later updates.

On Wednesday we were visited by two Estyn HMI inspectors to look at how we are managing the new ALN (additional learning needs) reforms and the new curriculum. This was a very positive and useful day; they were impressed by what we are doing and gave us some helpful advice on how we can develop things further

Also on Wednesday we held a Y8 Parents' Evening on line. I realise there are still a few teething problems, but for most people all went well. Later in the year we will be evaluating how we manage these events, and will be asking parents as well as teachers about how they find the online experience.

We have two vacancies for Parent Governors. If you would be interested in joining this group, please check under the Governors tab. This is a very important part of RCCS; the governors provide support and challenge to the school and we have a very strong and experienced team in place. Meetings are held five times a year, and there are also additional committee meetings. The atmosphere is business-like but not overly formal, and all new governors would be offered training and support.

As a follow up to last week's message, you may find this guide to social media helpful. Here you can find out more about Instagram, Snapchat, Monkey, Fortnite, CoD, and a number of other platforms, programs and games you may or may not have heard of, or be familiar with. Definitely worth a look.

Finally I can confirm that there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of positive coronavirus test results in our community, and school attendance is now back nearer the 90% mark. However we cannot be complacent and need to keep taking sensible precautions. It would be foolish to assume we have 'turned a corner'; we need to wait and see how things pan out over the weeks leading up to Christmas. Thanks, as always, for your support with this. The community has been brilliant at keeping us informed and following all the protocols.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher 19.11.21

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 9

12th November 2021

Only a short update this week but I would urge you to read this communication from the local authority concerning TikTok. There have been a number of videos posted falsely linked to schools across Wales and the UK, including in Caerphilly and Newport, in some cases showing offensive, abusive or illegal content. We welcome the firm view taken by CCBC outlined in the letter, and will take all necessary actions against those who post, share or promote such materials about any members of our community on any social media platform, or who masquerade falsely as an official account. This would be up to and including formal legal action and, in the case of current pupils, permanent exclusion from school.

Our school has official accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. 

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/RiscaCCS

TWITTER: www.twitter.com/RiscaCCS

YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/RiscaCCS

The school does not have a TikTok account, nor are there any staff accounts on this platform.

Please note a small number of  false social media/TikTok accounts purporting to be linked to our school are currently being investigated.

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 8

5th November 2021

Face coverings

You are aware that so far this term we have encouraged the wearing of face coverings in the building. Due to the prevalence of Covid in the area, this guidance is changing in all CCBC secondary schools, and now everyone is strongly advised to wear a face covering inside school buildings at all times when social distancing cannot be maintained. Please ensure your child comes to school each day with a clean face covering. We do have a small supply in school but we would appreciate if families could support this by providing a face covering themselves.

Isolation

I advised you in an additional message on Monday that if anyone in a household has Covid symptoms or has tested positive, then everyone living in that home must self isolate and get a PCR test as soon as possible. Only if that is negative can they return to school. Please keep us informed using the dedicated confidential@riscacom.net email address.

Bonfire Night

I hope everyone stays safe over the Bonfire weekend. Please watch out for pets who will probably not enjoy the sounds and lights of fireworks as much as some of us do.

Remembrance

My assembly for next week is on the theme of Remembrance. Sadly there will be no service in the Moriah Church this year, but we will be observing the two minute silence at 11am on Thursday. During the assembly I look at the entries in the old school logbooks for November 1918 and uncover an interesting comparison to the situation we are in today. The assembly will also be available on our YouTube channel next week.

Parents' Evenings

These are being held online this year. The Y8 event is on Wednesday 17th November and more information will be with you shortly. You can find the full programme of parents' evenings under the Parents and Carers tab on this website.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

UPDATE NOVEMBER 1st 2021

Please note that rules regarding isolation have changed. If anyone in a household has Covid symptoms or has tested positive, then everyone living in that home must self isolate and get a PCR test as soon as possible. Only if that is negative can they return to school. Please keep us informed using the dedicated confidential@riscacom.net email address.

Take care,

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 7

15th October 2021

My thoughts are beginning to turn to Christmas! Well, to be exact, more to our Christmas Concert, the preparations for which are underway. Anyone interested in being involved needs to get in touch with Mrs Pearce, Head of Music, and you can email her here. It is open to contributions from music, drama,  art... or indeed anything creative arts based.  The deadline for entries is Monday 22 November 2021, but please don't leave it until the last minute. The concert is going to be a video rather than a live event, and I am looking forward to it already!

Attendance remains around the 70% mark for pupils, due to numbers self isolating, and staff absence is much higher than we would normally expect for the same reasons. Please continue to follow the guidance as mentioned in previous updates.

Nothing else this week, other than to remind everyone that the last day of this half term for pupils is Thursday, October 21st. Friday is a staff training day. Term resumes for all of us on Monday 1st November. I'll let you know of any urgent information as necessary, but the next regular update will be on Friday 5th November. 

Please take care over Halloween and the bonfire night weekend.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

On Thursday a Careers Convention was held here at the Leisure Centre. There was a real buzz in Y11 about this, and it was great to see all the opportunities available, in post-16 education, apprenticeships, and full time employment.

There was an update about examinations next summer from Qualifications Wales earlier this week and you can find out more in the Qualifications section on this site. We'll make sure pupils are always kept up to date with things, especially Year 11.

Take care and stay safe, everyone.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head 

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 5

1st October 2021

Let's not start with Covid-19 issues for once , though we will need to return to this later. 

We're now four weeks into the term and everyone has settled back in, or, in the case of Y7, settled into their new school. We had no new teaching staff this year, which I think is a first since I've been here. Uniform and punctuality has been generally very good, and this is down to the strong partnerships we have with you as parents, so thank you for your support. My biggest concern remains the parking out at the front of school. Can I urge you to collect and drop off in the designated zone by the Leisure Centre or by our ASC/ALN Department if you have a special arrangement? This is well managed and policed by staff, and is the safe place. We are expecting enforcement officers to attend school soon and we do not want any of our families to be in trouble because they are unaware of the correct protocols.

It's so good to see extra-curricular activities coming back and the after school sports clubs have had a really good uptake. Well done to everyone who is taking the opportunity to get involved, and thank you to the teachers who are taking the time to run the sessions. We've only had one fixture against another school, a girls' football game which I'm delighted to say we won, but I think inter-school fixtures will now go back on hold for a while due to high C-19 numbers. It was great to see four of our boys representing the Islwyn district in the U15s rugby this week, and some of our teachers went along to watch the game which was a convincing win for our district. 

And it's not just sports! Other clubs are also either up and running or starting next week, including the RCCS favourite, Minecraft, with Miss Jones and Mr Mock, following our success in reaching the national finals of the competition run jointly with the WRU last term. And our famous Rocket Club with Mrs Baskerville-Jones took off again (sorry for the pun!) on Wednesday evening. I know there will be more opportunities coming, so keep an eye out for more information and get involved if you can.

Instrumental music lessons have been running for a while now, and I know the Expressive Arts Department are planning for a Christmas concert, though this may need to be an online or pre-recorded on-screen event. Whilst I think we would all love to see our pupils performing once again in the church, I think we all realise that we need to be prudent, and we have all developed many IT skills which now mean that setting up something like this is no longer the challenge it would have seemed a few years ago

Which takes us back to the virus, because it is indeed that which is still likely to prevent us from being able to have a live attended concert and all the other things we'd like to. We are feeling the effects of the continuing rise in the number of positive cases in the area. I am really grateful to everyone for their diligence in keeping us informed and I try to respond personally to each message that comes to us via the confidential email address. When pupils are having to isolate they are able to access work online and you can find out more on our Learning page.  We also have an increasing number of staff affected, and if this continues it is possible we may need to consider working in a different way, but as I have said to you I will always keep you informed of any changes, and for the moment it is business as usual: attend school unless you have had a positive test and been told to self isolate and also stay away if you have symptoms (see below); test at least twice a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, and more if you are identified as a close contact; take all the usual precautions in terms of hand sanitising and wearing a face covering inside buildings when moving around.

Take care and stay safe, everyone.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head 

COVID UPDATE FROM THE ANEURIN BEVAN UNIVERSITY HEALTH BOARD

Did you know the symptoms of Covid-19 have widened? They now include a cough, high temperature, loss or change to smell or taste, fatigue, muscle and body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhoea. It's important to rule out Covid-19 by booking in for a quick and free PCR test at one of our many mobile testing units. Relying on a lateral flow test when you have any of these symptoms could lead to a false result. To book a test, please call 119 or book a test via https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

SOURCE: ABUHB Facebook Page

 WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 4

24th September 2021

A brief update only today to share this message I have received about C-19 vaccinations for secondary aged children:-

"You will receive information from the local health board about when and where your child can get vaccinated. Children will either be invited to mass vaccination centre or, if the vaccine is to be administered in a school setting, then the process will be slightly different and a letter will be sent out to parents. If there is a dispute between a child and the parent about consent, Welsh Government has advised that there will be a process in place to resolve these issues.

For more information please check the WG website:

https://gov.wales/covid-19-vaccination-12-15-year-olds"

We continue to receive notification of positive cases in school. If your child is identified by us as a close contact of a positive case, you will be alerted  by text to this message. However, we all need to continue to be vigilant. Please continue to take the LFD (lateral flow device) tests on Wednesday and Sunday evenings, and ensure your child stays away from school if s/he shows symptoms. Use the confidential@riscacom.net email for any Covid related issues or to report tests results.

 John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

 WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 3

17th September 2021

FREE SCHOOL MEALS

Parents are now able to apply for FSMs via the CCBC website and the automated service will send you email updates on the progress and result of your application. Here is the link to access the online form: - Caerphilly - Free school meals. If you need any assistance with this please let us know.

SMART PHONE APPS

The NSPCC has alerted us all to a number of apps some children have been accessing across the UK. They have a dedicated website called Net Aware which you can access here, and there was a useful article in the Western Mail recently which you can read here.

PARENTS' EVENINGS

We're planning to revert to  having parents meet with subject teachers again this year, but to continue to use the online meeting platform. You can see the full list of parents' evenings and reporting dates here. The first meeting is coming up soon, and it's Y11 on 14th October. Parents will be provided with full joining instructions nearer the time.

COVID-19 UPDATE

We have had more cases of C-19 brought to our attention. Pupils and staff who test postive must of course self-isolate. Pupils and staff who are identified as contacts of positive cases do not need to self isolate under the current guidance, but they will be sent a link to this guidance. Just a reminder that you must use the confidential@riscacom.net email address to inform us of any results, and that we are advising that LFD tests be taken every Wednesday and Sunday evening.

'FLU JABS

Your child will be given a letter and consent form to bring home today connected with 'flu jabs. You can find out more about vaccination against influenza here.  This was planned well before any announcement was made about C-19 jabs, and is not connected with that. I have not yet received any information about how the coronavirus vaccination will be rolled out. 

DROP OFF AND COLLECTION OF PUPILS

Please remember that the correct drop off and collection point for pupils is by the Leisure Centre. Some parents persist in parking in the road by the pedestrian exit and this is not only causing congestion, it is potentially very hazardous. It is also illegal. Thank you to all the parents who use the correct zone. This is now managed by staff on traffic duty and runs much more smoothly than it did a couple of years ago. We are expecting Civil Enforcement Officers to visit over the next few weeks to support the school in keeping our children safe.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 2

10th September 2021

It's been great to have our pupils back in school, and the new Y7 are settling in very well! 

I want to start by thanking parents and carers for ensuring their children have been attending in proper uniform. You must have got fed up with all the reminders last term about how our approach would be different, but we are very pleased nearly every has been immaculate in their attire. In the handful of cases where issues remain, we are already in touch and I am sure we can sort these out very soon. Punctuality, too, has been very good, and we will expect that to continue.

Pupils have got into the swing of our new operating systems well. They are now moving around the school rather than staying in their bubble classrooms. The canteen has been busy, especially for the KS3 lunch break, but everybody has been served in time. 

I must apologise for the disruption to our phone service at the start of the week. This has now been sorted out.

Can I remind you that if a positive covid case is identified in school there is no longer a need for everyone in the class or year group to self isolate. It will be up to TTP to decide to what extent, if any, contacts need to self isolate and we will work with them to support this process and inform anyone affected. If you are identified as a contact you will be directed to this guidance via a text message. I would urge everyone to take a LFD test on Wednesday and Sunday evenings as a precaution. I'd also like to remind you that if a student or member of staff shows symptoms they should remain at home and book a test as soon as possible. I cannot predict the future any more than anyone else can, but I think it is inevitable we will see more positive cases as time passes. Remember to use our dedicated email, confidential@riscacom.net, for any Covid related issues,

Please remember that the correct drop off and collection point for pupils is by the Leisure Centre. Some parents persist in parking in the road by the pedestrian exit and this is not only causing congestion, it is potentially very hazardous. It is also illegal. Thank you to all the parents who use the correct zone. This is now managed by staff on traffic duty and runs much more smoothly than it did a couple of years ago.

We have two job opportunities in the school, one for an IT Technician and one for a Cover Supervisor. Further information can be found on the vacancies section of this website.

Have a good weekend.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 1

3rd September 2021

I hope you have had a good summer holiday and feel refreshed and ready for the new year ahead. First of all, let me confirm the start dates for pupils next week:

Y7: Monday 6th September

Y8: Tuesday 7th September

Y9,10,11: Wednesday 8th September

We are having Y7 and Y8 in first so we can make sure they are familiar with the layout of the school, as Y7 are, of course, new to Risca, and Y8 were in a limited area during their first year at RCCS due to the ‘bubbles.’

You can access an overview of the calendar for the year HERE.

Pupils should arrive by 8.40 in time for an 8.50 start. We are still using different entrances for each year group and you can find out where yours is, and see the drop off zones for pupils coming by bus and car HERE. There will be staff on duty to oversee the start and finish of each day. The school day now ends at 3.00pm.

Buses will be running but it seems they are still on last year's timetable at the moment. I am following this up with the Authority and will try to ensure the times are better suited to the start time we have gone back to after last year's changes.

Pupils should be in the correct uniform. Last year, given the circumstances, we took a more lenient view, but from September we will be following up any issues so we ask for your co-operation wth us on this from day one. You can find the school uniform list HERE.

The situation with C-19 remains very volatile as I am sure you are aware. Students and staff are advised to take a LFD test twice each week, on Wednesday and Sunday evenings. If this is positive they need to stay off school and have a PCR test as soon as possible. Anyone who has symptoms must stay off  school and get a test. You may want to do the LFD test on the evening before you start school rather than Wednesday this week. Pupils in Y8-11 should have test kits from last term, though pupils in Y7 will not. Don't worry, we will give these out when you're here and you can start next week. All the information you need for doing the tests can be found with the instuctions that come with the kits. Can you please also check the latest update on self-isolation requirements from Welsh Government which you can find here, as this has changed quite considerably since last July. Welsh Government have also produced specific guidance on arrangements for school aged children which you can find here. Any matters related to absence due to Covid-related issues should be reported on the dedicated email address, confidential@riscacom.net 

In terms of the day-to-day running of the school we have, as you know, reverted to the 'normal' school times. We are also going to have pupils go to the specialist teaching rooms rather than remain in a bubble all the time, and the canteen will be open as normal. We are advising everyone to wear a face covering when moving around the school, and they must be worn on school transport, but they will not be required outside the buildings or while sitting in classrooms. Other than that we will be operating pretty much the same as we did last year and pupils will be reminded of all this on their first day in school.

I'd like to finish by wishing everyone a successful new school year. Please be aware that things may change as we go through it, depending on the situation with the virus. My commitment to you is to make sure you are always kept informed through these regular updates.

John Kendall

Head Teacher/ Prifathro

Important Information about the PDG Access Grant from CCBC

Welsh Government have announced that thee Pupil Development Grant Access will continue to be extended to additional school years for the financial year 2021/22. All families who are currently eligible for free school meals and entering Reception, Year 1, 3, and 5 in Primary Schools in September 2021 will receive a rate of £125. For Year 7 in Secondary Schools a rate of £200, and years 8, 9, 10 & 11 in Secondary Schools the rate is £125. For learners in a special school, special needs resource base or pupil referral unit and are aged 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15. Funding for looked-after children is available in every school year. (No application process required as direct payment will be made to the eligible families). For 2020-21 Welsh Government amended the terms and conditions of the grant to allow families to use the funding to assist with purchasing laptops or tablets to help children when learning from home, Welsh Government will continue to apply this amendment for 2021-22. However they advise families to contact their child’s school/setting to discuss loaning equipment before purchasing.

31st August, 2021

A message for our new pupils from the headteacher…

We have nearly 130 new pupils joining us this year, mainly in Y7 of course. I have already met most of you when I visited your Primary school in July, and I am looking forward to seeing you again on Monday 6th September, your first day at RCCS! How are you feeling about starting with us?

I’m just feeling really nervous…!

Of course you are- and so is everyone else! It is a normal reaction however old you are, and it will be the same when you go to college or university or start a new job! Before you know it the nerves will disappear!

 I have no idea where to go next Monday!

OK, as long as you know where the school is…! Once you get here there will be people to help you and show you where to go. School starts at 8.50 am so be sure to be here before then, any time from about 8.30 would be great. You can look at this map of the school if you want to check where your year group entrance is.

 I just know I am going to get lost!

Very unlikely, we are not so big and you will be shown where to go. Keep your wits about you and you can’t go wrong! If you do, ask for help.

 I don’t know anyone at RCCS.

But in a few days you will! What an opportunity to make new friends!

 What do I do for food?

If you’re not yet on the system we’ll get you registered on Monday if you have school dinners. Or you can bring in your own food.

 I’m worried I might find the work too difficult…

Let the teachers worry about that. We need to make sure the work challenges you but also that you can achieve. You will never be in trouble for not being able to do something you have tried to do. (It will also be a problem if you find the work too easy!)

 I’m not sure I have all the right uniform/kit?

You can find the uniform list by scrolling down, but any minor issues can be sorted out in the first week or so. Remember to bring a school bag with basic equipment like pens and pencils.

 I am worried I won’t be with my friends from my old school.

For homeroom (that’s what we call registration and tutor time) you will probably be with some old friends. Where you are in most lessons depends on other things, not who your friends are! Your timetable may change in the first few weeks anyway as we get to know you.

What about Covid related things?

There'll be an update for everyone later this week. You'll be advised to wear a face covering when moving around the school buildings, so you can bring your own if you like; we will provide you with one if needed

Have a look at the my tips for Y7 on Twitter @RiscaCCS_Head or check out the rest of the school website to find out more- you can even find links to a video on YouTube that we made to show you round the school. I’m really looking forward to seeing you on Monday, and on that day you will be the only pupils in school.

FOR ALL PUPILS JOINING OR RETURNING IN SEPTEMBER

START DAYS

Y7: Monday 6th September

Y8: Tuesday 7th September

Y9,10,11: Wednesday 8th September

Here are four useful documents in readiness for the year ahead:-

• School Calendar Overview, 2021/22

• School Uniform List

• Parents' evenings and pupil reports, 2021/22

• Pupil entrances, 8.40-8.50

Please also see below for an important update from Caerphilly CBC about the PDG access grant. 

Important Information about the PDG Access Grant from CCBC

Welsh Government have announced that the PDG-A (Pupil Development Grant Access) will continue to be extended to additional school years for the financial year 2021/22.

• All families who are currently eligible for free school meals and entering Reception, Year 1, 3, and 5 in Primary Schools in September 2021 will receive a rate of £125

• For Year 7 in Secondary Schools a rate of £200, and years 8, 9, 10 & 11 in Secondary Schools the rate is £125

• For learners in a special school, special needs resource base or pupil referral unit and are aged 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 or 15

• Funding for looked-after children is available in every school year. (No application process required as direct payment will be made to the eligible families)

For 2020-21 Welsh Government amended the terms and conditions of the grant to allow families to use the funding to assist with purchasing laptops or tablets to help children when learning from home, Welsh Government will continue to apply this amendment for 2021-22. However they advise families to contact their child’s school/setting to discuss loaning equipment before purchasing.

Thursday 12th August

GCSE RESULTS 2021

Many congratulations to our Y11 students on your GCSE results and the other qualifications you have gained this year! 

This has been a difficult time for all of us, but this must not detract from the success you have achieved. This reflects your hard work during the last five years of your time at RCCS and indeed at your Primary school before that, not just your final two years which of course have been like no other. Your resilience and positive attitude certainly paid off.  Your teachers are delighted and I want to thank them and all the staff at our school for their dedication and hard work: it has been well rewarded!

 I hope all of you are now in a position to pursue the next stage of your education, an apprenticeship, or work. If you do not receive your results via email this morning (they should be with you at or soon after 8.30 am) or if you need advice please contact us at results2021@riscacom.net and we will get back to you as soon as we can. We are always your school and will be here to support you if and when you need it. The emailed results will be followed up with paper copies in the post.

I hope you will be able to reflect on your whole time here, not just on the final, strange, months. I know how disappointed many of you were that we had no Prom but I hope you have many great memories of RCCS, in and out of the classroom. On behalf of everyone at the school I would like to wish you all the very best for the future. Keep in touch, stay safe. We are hoping to host a celebration of your achievement later in the year, so I hope to see you then.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD No 38

16th July 2021

Here's my final message of the school year, a chance for me to say "thank you" to our parents and carers, to our staff, and to our pupils, and to share the names of the prizewinners (which you can also see below) for the academic year. Term ends on Tuesday, 20th July at 2.15 pm.

AWARD WINNERS, JULY 2021

UPDATE TUESDAY 6th JULY 2021 

Please read this important message from our Chief Education Officer which I fully endorse. Thank you for your continuing support. There will be a further update from me on Friday as usual.

John Kendall

Prifathro / Head Teacher

You will no doubt have seen recent media reports about increasing numbers of positive coronavirus cases in schools across the area. It is clear that coronavirus has not gone away and remains a real risk to us all.

Firstly, I would like to thank all those who are doing their bit to control the spread of coronavirus in our community. 

Self isolation plays a key role in reducing the spread and you will know that we must follow guidance and ask  pupils to isolate for a period of 10 days if they are in affected ‘bubbles’.

We fully acknowledge that self isolation can be frustrating for young people, particularly for those who are not displaying symptoms, but it is imperative that we all follow these rules and isolate at home for a period of 10 days if asked to do so.

If we are to reduce the chances of further disruption to our pupils’ education, it is imperative that everybody follows this guidance closely

Please continue to monitor your child for symptoms of COVID-19:

·         A new continuous cough and/or

·         High temperature (37.8oC or above) and/or

·         Loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell.

·         Headache, sore throat or runny nose.

Children displaying any of the above symptoms should not attend school. We would also wish to advise parents of the wider symptoms which the Delta variant can present, including; hay fever like symptoms; diarrhoea and/or an upset stomach.

We kindly request that parents are hyper-vigilant for any of these conditions and request that if your child presents with any they book a PCR test immediately.

Keri Cole

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER No 36

25th June, 2021

Firstly a reminder to those claiming on the PDG access grant that the deadline for claims is next Wednesday, 30th June. You can find out more about this grant here. We are awaiting information from Welsh Government with regards to the eligibility year groups for September 2021.  We assume that the eligibility will revert back to the original year groups of Reception and Year 3 in Primary, and Year 7 and 10 in Secondary until we have received the confirmed year groups.  The process of application is planned to be available from 1st August 2021, and will be an on-line form which can be accessed via the Caerphilly Website. Further information regarding this will be published on the Caerphilly website mid-July 2021. 

Next week we have two staff training days, on the Thursday and Friday, so there should be no pupils in school on those two days.

This week we have held various transition events for our new pupils and parents, including visits to the Primary schools and an online event for new parents last night. We have made a video which we hope will be useful and you can view this on our YouTube channel or on the dedicated transition section of this website.

Can I remind you that as from September our expectations of uniform will move up a gear? You are aware we have taken what we consider to be a more liberal approach during the pandemic. The uniform list can be accessed here. Thank you for your support with this.

Uniform of course came up as a question at the Y6 parents' event. Other questions focussed on how we will be operating next year. I cannot be absolutely certain but I am hopeful we will be able to have students moving around the school to the specialist areas for all their lessons next year, and you know already we will be going back to the pre-pandemic day times, with a start at 8.50 am (be here from 8.40 am please) and a finish at 3.00 pm. We'll also hope to have the canteen fully operational. I will always make sure you are kept informed with updates on this website.

I am sure we are all hoping for a big win against Denmark this weekend. Come on, Wales!

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER No 35

18th June, 2021

Year Eleven, and some Year Ten, receive provisional GCSE results today. Please note if you have any issues with this you need to contact the school and Mr Coombes will be your first point of contact. You can find more information in the Qualifications section of this website. As these are provisional CDGs it is not appropriate for me to comment at this stage, but I am looking forward to doing so on the official results day in August!

Next week is a busy one with meetings in our Primary feeder schools and an online meeting for new parents on Thursday, which I am looking forward to very much. Anyone who has not received information about this should email transition@riscacom.net as soon as possible.

Earlier this week I enjoyed visiting some classes in Y8 and I was very impressed with what I saw in the lessons. We are still working under a fairly stringent Risk Assessment which means we are not able to do everything we want in terms of groupings, for example, but I was really pleased to see the students back in the art room, IT room, and drama studio as part of my 'learning walk'- and the pupils themselves were also clearly glad to be using these specialist rooms again!

At the time of writing we have still not yet had to ask a group to work at home since we all came back in March, but this still remains a possibility. Remember any positive tests or Covid related issues need to be reported using the dedicated email confidential@riscacom.net If you require additional testing kits please get in touch.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

Thanks for this great write-up, Ferne, I am glad you all had a good day.

I am pleased to confirm, that Charlotte Thorne,  Jack McIntyre and Mia Garkut from Y10 have been appointed as prefects for the rest of this term. Congratulations to them! We have already had our first meeting. We may be looking to increase the team from September, so if you're in Y11 next term, keep an eye out for another advert!

At the time of writing we have still not yet had to ask a group to work at home since we all came back in March, but this still remains a possibility. Remember any positive tests or Covid related issues need to be reported using the dedicated email confidential@riscacom.net If you require additional testing kits please get in touch.

Finally Caerphilly CBC are consulting on possible new cycling/walking routes in or area and wold like to hear local opinion. Please click HERE for more information,

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER No 33

28th May, 2021

Next week is half term, and a good time to remind you of dates for the rest of the school year. We have two more staff training days when the school will be closed to pupils, on 1st and 2nd July.  On the 29th and 30th June we will be running online parents' evenings for Y7-10. For those of you with children in Y6, we are visiting  primary schools on 24th and 25th June and we'll be hosting an online event on June 24th  for parents.

This has been the last day in school for most of our Y11. I have already shared how impressed I have been with them, which I shared in this tweet earlier in the week. I'd also like to thank the staff who have been so supportive of all our pupils, but particularly in the context of the work they have done with Y11. Check on the Qualifications page for information regarding results this year.

Whilst we have been lucky and at the time of writing have had no reported cases of  coronavirus in school, we remain very cautious in our approach, as we are very keen to avoid having to send pupils home in the event of a positive Covid test. This is why we are still keeping pupils in bubbles after half term.  Nevertheless, they will be able to access practical facilities, including Science labs, Technology workshops and Expressive Arts rooms, as the fact the Y11 have gone gives us more space to manage this under the risk assessment. As the term moves on we may be able to make further changes, though events such as our end of term trips, celebration assemblies and sports awards will not be able to happen, we hope to be able to organise a Sports Day- probably on a year group basis.

 With regard to September we are planning two timetable scenarios, one which has pupils moving to different parts of the school, and one which keeps them in bubbles as we do now. We are hopeful to be able to revert to the former. In any event the school day will go back to its pre-Covid day times, with a prompt start at 8.50 and an end at 3pm. You can access the draft calendar overview for next year HERE.

As mentioned last week we are having a crackdown on punctuality and uniform and this will be in earnest from straight after half term, so thanks for your support with this.

I hope everyone has a great week and that the sun stays out for us after all the bad weather we've had recently.

John Kendall

Head Teacher / Prifathro

WEEKLY MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER No 32

21st May, 2021