February 2016 Newsletter

Annwyl Rhieni,

Dear Parents,

This term is flying by and we can hardly believe we are already half way through February and at the end of the first half! The children have continued to work hard and have had a variety of experiences and opportunities to develop their skills within a creative learning environment. As you are aware, each class has been working on a different project allowing contextualised learning to take place. Here is an update of some of the recent events in school.

Holocaust Memorial Service

On Wednesday January 27^th I took two Year 5 and two Year 6 children to the Holocaust Memorial Service at St. Woolos Cathedral. It was a very poignant service attended by Head Teachers, Councillors, LA Officers and children from across the authority. I was so proud of the four children I took. Not only was their behaviour exemplary, but they demonstrated an understanding of why we were there and what the service was about. Well done children!

Year 5 visit to the Jampod in Duffryn High

Year 5 spent a morning at Duffryn High School experimenting with music making in the Jampod. The children had a fantastic time. Well done everyone!

Pupil Voice

Representatives from our School Council and Eco Committee attended our governors’ meeting to give presentations about the projects they have been undertaking and their plans for future projects. The children designed their own PowerPoint presentations and spoke with confidence and enthusiasm in front of the Governing Body. The governors were hugely impressed! Well done everyone and thank you to Mrs Munslow and Miss Mears who lead these groups in school.

Criw Cymrag Good Practice Meeting

Yesterday evening we hosted a ‘good practice meeting’ to share the work of our Criw Cymraeg.  Mrs Logan and Criw Cymraeg gave a presentation to visiting staff, from schools across Newport, to share the excellent work our Criw Cymraeg do. We were joined by staff from Clytha Primary School who were sharing the good practice in their school. A BIG THANK YOU and well done to Criw Cymraeg and Mrs Logan.

PTA

A BIG THANK YOU to the PTA for organising and running the cinema nights for FP and KS2 over the past two weeks. The children thoroughly enjoyed them! The next PTA event will be a car boot sale on Sunday 20^th March (details to follow). A Ladies Night will be held on Friday 15^th April. Further details will be sent out nearer the time.

Come as you are day

Earlier on this term, representatives from the ‘Sandra Jones Centre’ came to school to talk to the children in assembly about their organisation and how we can help. The Sandra Jones Centre is a home for orphans, abandoned babies and children in crisis in Zimbabwe. The money raised from our ‘come as you are day’ today will be hugely appreciated and will be put towards medicines, clothes or education. Thank you for your support.

Webinar

Last Monday we hosted a live webinar with the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland.  We were fortunate enough to be able to host the event as a result of being part of the Super Ambassadors scheme. The Year 6 children thoroughly enjoyed meeting Sally Holland and taking part in the webinar. This event has been a fantastic opportunity for the children to further develop their understanding of the UNCRC, raising the children’s awareness of their own rights and the rights of others. Our Super Ambassadors, Freya Chicken and Conor Foster will continue to promote the UNCRC through whole school assemblies and working with pupils in school.  Further details can be found on the Super Ambassadors website www.superambassadors.org.uk and on our school UNCRC website page.

School Of The Week

Yesterday we were featured in the South Wales Argus as ‘school of the week’. A photographer came to school last week to look around and take photographs. You can find the article on the Argus website www.southwalesargus.co.uk.

 Eisteddfod

The first week back after half term, week beginning 22^nd February, will be our designated Welsh culture and heritage week in school. Our Eisteddfod to celebrate St. David’s Day, will be held the following week, on Tuesday March 1^st.

On the day of the Eisteddfod the children can come to school wearing Welsh National costume or National costume from their country of origin.  Each year group will be given a theme and the children are to produce one item following that theme. They can either: paint, collage, draw, make a model, cook or write about their theme. The themes for each year group are:

Reception       –      Dragons

Year 1            –       Welsh costume

Year 2           –       Daffodils

Year 3           –       Welsh castles

Year 4           –       Welsh food

Year 5           –       Welsh history and heritage

Year 6           –       Welsh art and artists

The entries should be brought into school on Monday 29^th February. Children should invent a nom – de – plume to label their work with. Work will be judged throughout the week.

World Book Day

We will be celebrating World Book Day on Thursday 3^rd March with a special assembly, a book writing competition and a fancy dress competition. The children will be given booklets to write in (or they can use their own version). The children should use these to produce their own book, either fiction or non – fiction, with illustrations. Staff will be judging the books and there will be prizes for content and presentation. The children can also come to school on World Book Day dressed as a character from a book. Once again there will be prizes for the best costumes!

Attendance and Punctuality

As you are aware, we regularly monitor whole school, year group and individual pupil’s attendance. It is vital that children are in school every day and are on time so that they can achieve their full potential.  We are concerned that a number of children are coming to school late and therefore missing vital learning opportunities at the beginning of the day. It is vital that children are in school and ready to learn by 9am. Attendance figures for last term and this term so far are as follows. Well done to Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 on achieving above 97% last term and to Year 4 for having excellent attendance so far this term!

Year Group	Autumn Term 2015	Spring Term 2016 – so far!
Reception	95.31%	93.06%
Year 1	95.80%	98.51%
Year 2	98.24%	98.89%
Year 3	96.97%	97.50%
Year 4	97.06%	99.11%
Year 5	97.21%	97.78%
Year 6	97.30%	96.67%
Whole School Average	96.83%	97.36%

Dinner Money Reminder

Dinner money and orders have to be in school on Monday mornings to order dinners for the following week. Dinners for week beginning 29^th February must be ordered on Monday 22^nd February. Please can cash and menus be brought in envelopes and if you are paying by cheque please attach the cheque to the menu order. Thank you!

Mrs Evans

As you are aware, Mrs Evans has not been in school for some time due to long term illness. After 25 years at Glasllwch she has now decided that the time has come for her to retire. Mrs Evans has been a loyal and committed member of staff as well as a dear friend to many staff and parents at school. She will certainly be missed by all of us. Mrs Evans will be in school for a farewell celebration with staff ond governors at 4pm on Friday 4^th March. I will be asking her to arrive at 3.15pm if any parents wish to see her to pass on their best wishes. We will also be having a collection to buy a gift from parents and pupils. If you wish to contribute please send money in to the office in a sealed envelope with Mrs Evans name on it.

Thank you for all your support again this half term. We value the partnership we have between home and school. It is vital if children are to flourish and to reach their full potential.

Yours sincerely,

C.M.Jackson