Netball Tournament
Well done to our netball team who represented us at the first tournament of the year! Not only did they play brilliantly, they were complemented for their excellent manners and kindness. We're all very proud of them!
Wales Restorative Practices Partnership (WRAP) Launch
Thank you to everyone who came yesterday. We'd appreciate your feedback - please can you spare a couple of minutes to tell us what you thought? Form linked here.
WRAP are supporting the Islwyn Cluster of Schools to develop a consistency of approach to building and maintaining positive relationships within the school community. This project is funded by the LA and we are the second cluster in Caerphilly to receive this training and support. Benefits seen in other schools that have adopted this approach include:
Positive relationships and sense of community with learners, staff, families and agencies
Reduced conflicts using a consistent approach by all
Reduced exclusions
Improved attendance and attainment
As well as the launch for parents WRAP led assemblies for the children yesterday, met with the school council and delivered training to our Teaching Assistants. we have already had a whole school INSET session with them in September and staff are taking part in a rolling programme of 3 day training with cluster colleagues (this will be over the next two years). Our training was incredibly complementary about our children and staff yesterday. He has worked in a lot of schools but made a point of commenting on the warm relationships that we already have in Pontllanfraith.
Attendance
Our first round of Callio Attendance Letters go out today. These are sent regularly throughout the year and alert you to your child's attendance if it is below 95%. Our website gives some general information about our Attendance Procedures, but as this is the first round of letters this year we have also put together a more detailed information sheet that addresses many of the queries we have had previously. Please see here. Remember, these letters go out without exception and no offence is intended. Please read the information sheet if you have any queries. A separate, personal email will go to those who parents that we wish to meet with.
Parent Forum
Thank you to our small but helpful group of parents who are meeting with us half termly. Yesterday we discussed the feedback from parents we received following parents evenings, our attendance procedures and the school website. If you would be interested in joining the forum, please contact Mrs Tucker: TuckerJ58@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk
The questionnaire for feedback following parents' evening is still open to allow parents of Dosbarth Melyn to complete it, but you haven't already done so, the link is here.
Antibullying week, No Boundaries & Odd Socks Day (Monday)
We will begin Antibullying week by wearing odd socks on Monday. Odd Socks Day is designed to be fun! It’s an opportunity to encourage people to express themselves and celebrate their individuality and what makes us all unique!
No Boundaries will also be visiting us on Monday to deliver workshops about anti-racism and migration. We last hosted No Boundaries in the summer of 2022 and can't wait to invite them back. Their sessions are engaging and thought provoking and will be a perfect start to Antibullying week.
Remembrance Day 2023
Mrs Tucker and Mrs Reeve, with some of our pupils, will be laying a wreath on behalf of the school at the Pontllanfraith service on Saturday afternoon. If you'd like to join them, the service will be at the War Memorial at 1pm. We will also be holding a special assembly for the children on Thursday 16th with representatives from the British Legion.
Christmas Concerts
Whilst the dates reserved for concerts already appear on the website calendar there are a few logistics to sort out before we confirm which concerts on which days - hopefully we'll be able to announce that next week.
Snow
We really hope there will be no disruption this year. However, a reminder that our procedures appear on our school website: here. On the website page is a linked document with even greater detail about how decisions are made. Please remember that we will send out messages if the school is closed as early as possible. If we do not send out a message by 8am at the very latest (and it would be really unusual circumstances for it to be that late), then you can assume school is open.