Learn, believe, achieve together
Dysgwch, credwch, cyflawnwch gyda’ch gilydd
Croeso i Bawb i'n Cylchlythyr Haf
Welcome All to our Summer Newsletter
We have another busy term ahead and I am pleased to start the term with the publication of our recent Estyn Report. I am extremely pleased with the results and I am proud the inspectors recognised the dedication, acknowledging the positive relationships between staff and pupils. The report truly reflects the experiences and the quality of education we provide for all the pupils in our school.
As a school we are thrilled that the inspectors also highlighted the effective practice in our foundation and early years along with our approach to well-being, in particuler the 'Quiet Place' programme. Most importantly at the heart of the report are our amazing pupils, who are a credit to Venerable Edward Morgan School.
I would like to thank you, our supportive families, who work alongside us to create a happy caring and inclusive school.
Please take time to read the report.
Mrs R Langley - Headteacher
Transition
During the summer term the focus will be on preparing pupils for the different transitions to take place in the future.
The Year 6 pupils will be taking part in transition activities with their prospective secondary schools.
Transition Days at High Schools
- Connahs Quay High School :-
- 25th to 27th June 2025
- St Richard Gwyn High School :-
- 25th to 26th June 2025
- Hawarden High School :-
- 26th to 27th June 2025
- Elfed High School :-
- 27th June 2025
Year 2 pupils will be preparing for the move to year 3 during our transition week and our youngest learners will be getting ready to experience full time school.
Please check the important dates for more information on transition.
Uniform
Our Uniform Supplier is:
- Address: Monkhouse (Forresters), 14/16 New Street, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1NZ
- Tel no: 01352 756636
- email address: mold@monkhouse.com
Thank you to our parents for ensuring our pupils are in the correct and proper uniform. As the children grow and new uniform is required, please see points below which should help you when ordering.
- You can view our uniform in store
- Do not leave it too late to order as some items may take a while to arrive (especially when ordering for the new academic year)
- Click here for a direct link to the Monkhouse website and our uniform page
- The website can also be accessed by going to: Monkhouse.com, and clicking on 'Find my School' in the top search bar, the school can be found by choosing the letter V or by keying in Venerable Edward Morgan
- Click and collect to the school is set up and this service is totally FREE. Included with every order are FREE return labels, parcels will be handed to the children to bring home with them
- The website will also give all the opening times, address, phone number, email address etc, in the summer they open on Sundays as well, there is loads more information on there to help you
We ask that all children wear the uniform and encourage them to maintain a good standard of clean and tidy dress in school. The uniform is designed to be practical, maintainable and good value for money. Parents are asked to ensure that all items are labelled clearly with their child’s name.
For safety reasons we ask that the children do not wear jewellery in school
Children can come to school in PE kit on PE days (Sky-Blue PE T-Shirt & Black Shorts - on colder days leggings and jogging bottoms & sweatshirt / tracksuits are advisable) for pupils in KS2 this is a Tuesday, for pupils in KS1 this is a Monday. Trainers can be worn on these days. It is important that children are properly dressed for physical activity.
All children are expected to wear black school shoes and not trainers.
Attendance
We want every child who comes to Venerable Edward Morgan to be happy and feel like they belong to our school family. In order to achieve this pupils need to attend school as often as they can.
Poor attendance can have a negative impact on your child’s self-esteem and friendship groups. Poor attendance will also have a negative impact on your child’s progress through the curriculum. They can’t make achievements against this curriculum if they are not here.
So …Why does every day attendance matter?
Well… here is some data to highlight the impact poor attendance can have
- Half a day off in a week = 90% attendance
- 1 day off in a week = 80% attendance
- One and a half days off in a week = 70% attendance
- 2 days off in a week = 60% attendance
However, we do understand that there are times when attendance is not possible. We put these into 2 categories. Authorised and unauthorised.
Authorised Absence
If your child is unwell we would expect you to make the judgement as to whether they would be well enough to attend school. Please let school know on the first morning of any absence so school can record the correct attendance mark promptly. If they are unable to attend school then they will have an “I” recorded to signify they are off ill. We can also give a recording of “M” for a medical appointment. However, we kindly ask, where possible, that all medical and dental appointment are made after school hours or during school holidays. We would expect, again where possible, pupils to be able to come to school before and after their appointments.
We do like to help where ever possible and so if your child has more than 10 days (20 sessions) absence the school may contact you to see if there is anything we can do as a school to help you.
Unauthorised Absence
If a child does not attend school and we do not receive notification as to why from either a phone call or letter, then it shall be recorded as unauthorised. Late after registration is also counted as an unauthorised absence, if no reason is provided. Any incident of 10 sessions missed through unauthorised absence will be investigated by the school and may result in a referral to the education inclusion team.
Request for Leave of Absence
It is possible to request leave for your child for a special occasion or holiday
The decision as to whether the absence can be authorised lies solely with the head teacher. Parents do not have an automatic right to withdraw pupils from school during the school term for a holiday. The head teacher will make the decision and may include the following contributory factors:
- Time of year
- Length of time
- Overall percentage of attendance
- Impact on the child's learning
You are able to request up to 10 days absence which must be done where possible at least 28 days before the period of leave. The head teacher will then assess each case on its own merits and report back to you detailing as to the reasons why the request has been approved, or indeed, unapproved.
There are other circumstances where absence may be approved, some of which will not affect attendance, such as Educational and/or residential visits, educated off site etc…
Click the button below to download the Leave of Absence Form
Punctuality
Being on time for school is another way you can support your child being ‘School Ready’. For some children arriving late when the class routine has started can be very unsettling and can have an impact on the rest of the day. Children really hate being late for school. It can make them anxious and upset about attending school. If you have problems in getting your child to school on time you must let the head teacher know as soon as possible.
Our school gates open at 8:45am and the bell rings to signal the start of the school day at 8:55am. It is advisable to have your child in school for 8:45am. If you need to drop your child off earlier we have a breakfast club which starts at 8:15am and pupils in Reception to Year 6 are able to attend. Please ask in the office how to book. Lateness can add up to a lot of lost learning.
I hope this helps you understand why attendance and punctuality is so important to us at Venerable Edward Morgan – but more importantly why it is important for your children
Holiday Dates 2024/2025
Summer Term 2025
- 28th April 2025 - Staff Training - School closed to pupils
- 29th April 2025 - School opens after Easter Holiday
- 5th May 2025 - May Day Bank Holiday - School closed
- 23rd May 2025 - School closes for May Half Term Holiday
- 2nd June 2025 - Staff Training - School closed to pupils
- 3rd June 2025 - School opens after May Half Term Holiday
- 18th July 2025 - School closes for Summer Holiday
- 21st July 2025 - Staff Training - School closed to pupils
Inset Days 2024/2025
- 28th April 2025
- 2nd June 2025
- 21st July 2025
Holiday Dates 2025/2026
Autumn Term 2025
- 1st September 2025 - Staff Training - School closed to pupils
- 2nd September 2025 - Staff Training - school closed to pupils
- 3rd September 2025 - School opens for the New Academic Year 25/26 for pupils in Years Reception to Year 6
- 8th September 2025 - School opens for the New Academic Year 25/26 for pupils in Nursery
- 23rd October 2025 - School closes for October Half Term Holiday
- 24th October 2025 - Staff Training - school closed to pupils
- 3rd November 2025 - School opens after October Half Term Holiday
- 19th December 2025 - School closes for the Christmas Holidays
Spring Term 2026
- 5th January 2026 - Staff Training - school closed to pupils
- 6th January 2026 - School opens after the Christmas Holidays - Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
- 13th February 2026 - School closes for February Half Term Holiday
- 23rd February 2026 - School opens after February Half Term Holiday
- 27th March 2026 - School closes for the Easter Holidays
Summer Term 2026
- 13th April 2026 - Staff Training - school closed to pupils
- 14th April 2026 - School opens after the Easter Holidays
- 4th May 2026 - Spring Bank Holiday - School closed
- 22nd May 2026 - School closes for May Half Term Holiday
- 1st June 2026 - School opens after May Half Term Holiday
- 17th July 2026 - School closes for the Summer Holidays
- 20th July 2026 - Staff Training - school closed to pupils
Inset Days 2025/2026
- 1st September 2025
- 2nd September 2025
- 24th October 2025
- 5th January 2026
- 13th April 2026
- 20th July 2026
Important Dates / Events coming up
APRIL 2025
- 28th - Staff Training Day - School closed to pupils
- 29th - School opens after Easter Holiday
MAY 2025
- 5th - Spring Bank Holiday - School Closed
- 8th - School Ambassadors take part in VE Day
- 9th - Dosbarth Maple Class Assembly - 10am - Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
- 16th - Dosbarth Ash Class Assembly - 10am - Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
- 23rd - 'Show & Share' Morning (8:55-9:15am)
- 23rd - School closes for May Half Term
- 24th at 11am - First Confession at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Connahs Quay
JUNE 2025
- 2nd - Staff Training Day - School closed to pupils
- 3rd - School opens after May Half Term
- 6th - Closing date for 'The Margaret and Roy Swinnerton' Literacy Prize - Our own 500-word creative writing competition - more details below
- 10th - SPORTS Day - Foundation Phase and Early Years (Nursery to Year 2) - 9am to 11am
- 12th - SPORTS Day - Keystage 2 (Years 3 to 6) - 9am to 11am
- 17th - Year 6 Leavers Mass - St Winefriede's Well, Holywell
- 20th - Dosbarth Willow Class Assembly - 10am - Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
- 23rd - Full School Governors Summer Meeting - 6pm
- 25th to 27th - Connahs Quay High School - Transition Days
- 25th to 26th - St Richard Gwyn High School - Transition Days
- 26th to 27th - Hawarden High School - Transition Days
- 27th - Elfed High School - Transition Day
- 29th at 11am - First Communion at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Connahs Quay
JULY 2025
- 1st - Year 3 / 4 'AmaSing' Concert - at Chester Cathedral
- 4th - Dosbarth Cherry Class Assembly - 10am - Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
- 4th - End of Year Reports go home
- 7th - Parents informed of pupils new classes for Academic Year 2025 / 2026
- 9th - 'Moving Up' Morning - All pupils spend the morning in their new classes
- 9th - Meet the Teacher Night - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
- 10th - Year 6 'Pizza' Party - 6pm to 8pm
- 11th - Whole School End of Year Mass
- 16th - Year 6 Leavers Assembly - 10am - Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
- 17th - Generation Rock Concert
- 18th - School Closes for the Summer Holidays
- 21st - Staff Training Day - School closed to pupils
Class Assembly Dates
Class assemblies for the Academic Year 2024/2025 will take place on Friday Mornings at 10am
Parents, Carers and Grandparents are welcome!
DATES
- 9th May 2025 - Dosbarth Maple
- 16th May 2025 - Dosbarth Ash
Infant Assemblies
- 20th June 2025 - Dosbarth Willow
- 4th July 2025 - Dosbarth Cherry
Year 6 Leavers Assembly
Wednesday - 16th July 2025 - 10am
School Communication
Hello, we know how important it is for parents to feel well informed and in touch with the school. We have listened to what parents would like and tried hard to put in place lots of ways that school can communicate with parents to help you stay up to date. Below are just some of the ways we can communicate with you and we are always open to further suggestions. Here at VEM School we try to communicate with our parents / carers in a simple and easy to use method, saving on paper and making accessing information regarding events and activities at the school as easy as clicking a couple of buttons.
We also have an online system to enable parents / carers to pay for Trips, book School Meals etc. For you to login / register on these apps / systems the school requires an up to date Mobile number and E-Mail address from at least one parent / carer in the family.
TOP TIP!!
Keeping your child’s school records up to date with the latest telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, makes contacting you or giving you the latest news very easy. So, please pass your current Mobile and E-Mail address on to the office and remember to update any changes when they occur.
Where can I find Information?
VEM has many ways for you to view our calendar, read news, find our latest newsletters, see what the choices are for school dinners, view several documents, homework, transition, links to useful sites and our booking system and much more.
- School Website
- School Newsletters
- School Gateway App
- Our Schools App
- Parentmail
- Parents Evening System
- Letters
- Seesaw
School Gateway is a great way to pay for all those trips and other school events etc with just a few clicks on your phone. Also, you can Pre-Order your Meals through this App, allowing you to order your Child’s School Meals in advance. PLEASE NOTE School Meals CANNOT be ordered on the day, they MUST be ordered in ADVANCE.
TOP TIP!!
Please ensure you have enabled push notifications for this APP; as vital messages relating to consents and payments may be missed if disabled. Also, check regularly the messages section of School Gateway found at the bottom of the home page for messages relating to your child’s payments or consents.
Our Schools App - one our favourites!
Our Schools App is a great source of information, with its calendar and regular news articles, you can keep informed on what is going on. You will be sent reminders of upcoming events, and when changes are made to items already placed on the calendar as well as new entries. You can also find contact details on the app as well as links (under Info) to other important places such as Breakfast /FUN Club Booking System, Social Media, School Meals etc. You can view recent Newsletters / Letters under the Documents section of the App.
TOP TIP!!
Make sure you change the settings within this app to alert you to the latest information and remind you of events coming up.
Parentmail
Through Parentmail we can send text and emails to all parents as a quick way to remind or inform you of anything that may be urgently happening. Please download this to your phone so you can access any incoming texts / e-mails.
TOP TIP!!
Due to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) it is your responsibility to keep your details up to date on Parentmail, the school office CANNOT do this for you.
Parents Evening System
This is our Progress Evening, Breakfast Club, Fun Club and After School Activity Booking system. It is easy to use and all you need to do is enter your details, e-mail address, and child’s name and date of birth to book yourself or child on any sessions or a slot for Progress Evenings.
Social Media Platforms Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
TOP TIP!!
Please give school consent to use photos and/or first name of your child on these platforms. As all these platforms are public pages due to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) we cannot place your child’s photo and/or first name on any of these platforms without your permission. You also have the right to remove this permission at any time but must be done in writing either by e-mail to emmail@hwbcymru.net or by letter.
Letters from School
Sometimes especially when a reply is needed, you will still receive paper communication from school. Letters will be given out in class for things like trips. Most of our information is supported via our website and Ourschoolsapp. Payment for trips can be paid for through the School Gateway where you can confirm your consent and inform us of any special medical, dietary needs as well as any emergency contact appropriate for the day of the trip.
TOP TIP!!
Go through your child’s bag daily to see what is lurking inside! Also, check our website and school app regularly in case things have changed!
Seesaw
This is sorted through your child's class teacher who can provide you with a QR Code to access the App.
Homework
JUNIORS
A Reminder to pupils in the Juniors to complete your weekly homework to support your learning
INFANTS
For further details on Infants Homework please click the button below.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact your childs class teacher - however please try these frequently asked questions out first.
Extra Curricular Activities
Does your child want to become a Rock Star?
No previous musical experience necessary - you choose the instrument you want your child to learn - 30 minute lessons - Rock Students work towards a termly Rock Concert for school and parents - Places available - Sign up and find out more by clicking the button below.
Dodgeball
Mr Kelly's Dodgeball sessions are continuing on Tuesday 6th May 2025 from 3:15-4:15pm
Payments can be made via cash, cheque (payable to PG Kelly) or online please e-mail Pg.kelly7@hotmail.co.uk
For further details please click the button below.
Up Next Competition Time!
The Margaret and Roy Swinnerton Literacy Prize
500 -word creative writing competition
We are once again launching ‘The Margaret and Roy Swinnerton Literacy Prize’, a creative writing competition that pupils from Year 1 to Year 6 can enter.
We are extremely grateful to Mr Kelvin Swinnteron (a past pupil of Edward Morgan) who sponsors this prize in honour of his parents, Margaret and Roy Swinnerton, who both had connections to Edward Morgan in the past.
It’s very simple. All pupils have to do to enter is write an original story or poem, no more than 500 words in length, on the given theme.
This year the theme is ‘Heroes’
We want you to write a piece of creative writing or a poem about your hero.
Heroes can be real people or fictional characters. It could be a sports player, a book character, a famous person from history or someone in your family, even a pet.
The stories and poems will be judged anonymously without regard for grammar, punctuation or spelling. We just want to read some creative writing about the person you admire. They can be handwritten or typed.
The important thing is to let your imagination go wild!
The entries will be judged in 3 age groups:
- Year 1 and 2
- Year 3 and 4
- Year 5 and 6
There will be a first and second prize in each age groups and an overall winner.
- 1st prize - £30 plus a prize
- 2nd prize - £15 plus a prize
The overall winner will have their name placed on the 'The Margaret and Roy Swinnerton Literacy Prize' shield.
The closing date for the competition is Friday 6th June 2025. Judging will take place shortly after.
Pob lwc Pawb
DIOLCH PAWB!!
We would like to take this opprtunity to thank you all for your help in Fundraising last term for both School and CAFOD.
Easter Bingo
£645
Wow! What an amazing amount that is!
Thank you to all of our 'Friends of VEM' who helped in anyway they could at our annual Easter Bingo, it was much appreciated.
Scholastic Book Fair
£165
Thank you to all Parents, Carers, Grandparents, Pupils who purchased books from our Book Fair before Easter. You can all give yourselves a pat on the back as school now has £165 to spend on books for the school and pupils.
CAFOD Big Lent Walk to help fight Global Poverty
OVER £1000
A HUGE thank you for all the Sponsors and Donations we received for this Event. It was a perfect day and all the pupils enjoyed their walk around our community. You should all be very proud of what we have achieved as this will significantly help fight Global Poverty.
Learn, believe, achieve together
Dysgwch, credwch, cyflawnwch gyda’ch gilydd