Llansannor & Llanharry C/W Primary School

Dear all at home,

What an action-packed half term that has gone by in a blink! I wanted to take a moment to share some updates and reflections with our wonderful school community. First, I want to be open about the fact that this has been a challenging time for me personally. During these moments, I've been incredibly fortunate to have the support of our amazing staff team. I particularly want to thank the members of our Senior Leadership Team who have been absolutely fantastic in supporting me through this period. Despite the challenges, there's so much to celebrate. We've had so many fantastic learning opportunities for our pupils this half term. Our team has worked hard to create engaging and meaningful experiences that help our pupils grow, learn, and develop. Looking ahead, I wanted to make sure all parents are informed about some upcoming events. Please keep a look out for further information about our parent meetings. All dates are available on the school website and calendar. I encourage everyone to check these resources to stay up to date with what's happening at Llansannor. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in our pupils' education.

Love and Prayers,

Mrs Davies

Please remember to order your school dinner! This can be booked up to two weeks in advance on ParentPay.

Additionally, if you have booked a school dinner and your decide to send your child with a packed lunch, please could you cancel the order to avoid food wastage.

Our pupils from Llansannor & Llanharry CiW Primary School, alongside Llangan Primary School, embarked on an incredible journey to London's O2 Arena to participate in the Young Voices Choir concert. This wasn't just any ordinary school trip. We're proud to have been part of the largest children's choir concerts in the world, bringing together primary schools from across the UK in a truly electrifying experience. The event was spectacular, with pupils describing it as breathtaking, life-changing, and incredible. The very long bus journey might have seemed daunting, but every mile was absolutely worth it. Our pupils got to be part of something truly special - a massive celebration of music, teamwork, and young talent. I want to extend a big "Diolch yn Fawr" to Mrs Miller, Ms Pelech, Mrs Jones, and Miss Jones. These dedicated staff members gave up their personal time to ensure our pupils could have this remarkable experience. Their commitment to providing extraordinary opportunities for our pupils is truly commendable. Watching our pupils shine on such a big stage fills me with immense pride. These are the moments that make teaching and leading a school so rewarding.

This term, we had a fantastic trip to Caerphilly Castle! Our pupils embarked on an incredible learning adventure that brought history to life in the most exciting way. We explored the castle grounds and learned all about its rich history, diving deep into the fascinating world of mediaeval life. The children discovered so much about the castle - from the different weapons that were used to how these incredible structures were built. They learned about who lived in the castle and the important roles people played in medieval society. One of the most memorable moments was watching the children try on costumes and climb the winding steps - even navigating the dark areas with no light! Their enthusiasm was infectious, and their curiosity knew no bounds. They were incredibly engaged throughout the entire day, asking questions and soaking up every bit of historical knowledge. These kinds of experiences are so important in bringing learning to life and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Seeing our pupils so excited about history and eager to learn is truly wonderful.

Our Blwyddyn 5 & 6 pupils recently enjoyed an educational visit to Big Pit National Coal Museum, where they experienced Wales' mining history up close. This hands-on trip brought their classroom learning to life, helping them understand the challenges miners faced and the importance of teamwork and resilience. We are proud of our pupils’ curiosity and enthusiasm throughout the day!

Pupils at Llansannor have been focusing on developing our Habits of Mind, which are crucial skills that help our pupils become more effective and resilient learners. Our team has been working closely with pupils to embed these important learning strategies across all areas of our curriculum. These habits help our pupils think more deeply, approach challenges with confidence, and develop a growth mindset that will support them throughout their educational journey. The Habits of Mind are about teaching our pupils how to think, not just what to think. We're helping them develop skills like persistence, managing impulsivity, and thinking flexibly. These aren't just academic skills - they're life skills that will help our pupils become more confident and capable individuals. We'll continue to embed these habits throughout our school, supporting our pupils to develop the skills they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom. It's an ongoing journey, and we're committed to helping every pupil reach their full potential.

A huge thank you from the Eco-Committee to everyone who donated clothes for our Rags to Riches collection! Your contributions help raise funds for our school, support a variety of projects, and give clothes a second life instead of letting them go to waste. By taking part, we are showing ambition and initiative as capable learners, thinking creatively as enterprising contributors, making ethical choices as informed citizens, and caring for your own wellbeing and the planet as healthy, confident individuals. Diolch yn Fawr!

Written by Chloe Jones: Criw Cymraeg are busy preparing to be assessed for the Gold Siarter Iaith Award. I will be explaining why we want to achieve the Gold Award at Llansannor, what we need do to and what we have been doing to achieve the award. In the last Criw Cymraeg meeting, we discussed and colour coded how well we think we were doing with each target for the gold award.  Red - we really need to work on this Yellow/Orange - good but could be better Green - doing amazing and practically perfect! What we noticed whilst assessing these targets we had a lots of green some yellow/orange and a few red. For us to be able to win the award we aim to get as many green as we can. Criw Cymreag are busy making sure the teachers and the children are speaking Welsh. We have created playlists for assemblies, posters for the dinner hall and we will be welcoming children into assembly using Welsh phrases. Remember to keep an eye on Class Dojo and in Llanharri Spar for the phrases you can practise with your children. Let's celebrate our language and help us achieve the gold award.    

Our incredible runners braved the elements during the Urdd Cross Country running event - rain, wind, and mud couldn't stop them from giving their all. I want to take a moment to celebrate these young athletes who showed such determination and spirit. Running through challenging conditions takes real courage, and our pupils demonstrated exactly that. They pushed through the muddy terrain, faced the gusty winds, and kept moving forward. A special thank you goes out to our parents who supported their children by bringing them to the event. Your encouragement makes such a difference, and we're grateful for your commitment to our school community. Seeing our pupils challenge themselves, support each other, and embrace the experience fills me with pride. These are the moments that build character, resilience, and team spirit. Proud of you all...

The Healthy Schools pupil voice group are keen to carry on running. We have recently teamed with Park Run Primary to promote running. We will soon be announcing a Junior Park run date where we aim to see as many pupils take part in running for Llansannor!

The year 5 and 6 Netball team represented Llansannor in their first Netball tournament. The tournament took place in House of Sport Cardiff. We are particularly proud of the team who worked hard in training sessions, often giving up lunch time. The girls really developed as a team during many fast paced matches. A wonderful experience and we look forward to more matches soon.

Our faith journey continues to be an important part of our school life. We're committed to exploring and nurturing the spiritual growth of our pupils, helping them understand and develop their understanding of faith and values. We've been making great progress with our iSing pop resources. These materials are providing engaging and interactive learning experiences for our pupils, supporting their educational development in creative ways. Additionally, we've recently introduced the No Outsiders assembly resources. These materials are designed to challenge thoughts and promote understanding, encouraging our pupils to think critically and develop empathy. It's an important step in helping our young learners understand diversity and respect for all. These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to providing a rich, supportive, and thought-provoking learning environment for our pupils.

From fairtrade to creating creative justice artwork, pupils and staff at Llansannor & Llanharry CiW Primary School have been working hard to take their place as global citizens. As a result we are thrilled to announce we have achieved Bronze Award status in Christian Aid Cymru’s Global Neighbours scheme, in recognition of its initiatives to encourage children to think of others throughout the world. The International development agency Christian Aid and The Church in Wales joined forces to launch Global Neighbours Cymru – or Cymdogion Byd-Eang. The accreditation programme celebrates schools which are helping pupils learn about global poverty and the Christian responsibility to tackle it, as well as giving them the tools to play a confident part in creating a fairer world. Rebecca Elliott, Christian Aid Wales Youth and Education Officer, said: “It’s wonderful to see how staff and pupils at Llansannor have taken this to heart and are seeking to tackle injustice.” 

Our school Senedd has been busy working hard and making real changes in our school community. This half term, our pupil groups met to review their current action plans and set some brilliant new goals for the upcoming term. It's always inspiring to see our pupils taking such an active role in shaping their school experience. Our learning leaders have focused on World Book Day. They are actively planning activities to make this a memorable and exciting event for everyone in our school. They're thinking creatively about how to bring reading to life and engage all our pupils. Another exciting project our Worship Leaders have taken on is commissioning artwork for our school walls. This is a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to help transform our learning environment and showcase their creativity. These initiatives show how committed our pupils are to making a difference. They're not just learning in our school - they're actively helping to shape it. Their enthusiasm and initiative continue to impress me, and I'm proud of how they're developing leadership skills and taking ownership of their school experience. It's wonderful to see our pupils so engaged and passionate about their school community. Their ideas and energy are truly making a difference.

Written by the Learning Leaders - The Learner Leaders are busy organising World Book Day. This year, the theme is reading for pleasure. Because of this we are going to spend some time reading together. We will mix the classes to share a love of reading. Children can dress up as a character from a book that they enjoy. We hope this will be a day full of fun activities and a celebration of the joy of reading for pleasure.

We are thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievement of our year 6 pupils at Llansannor who have emerged as winners in the recent Cluster Schools Maths Challenge! Their dedication, problem-solving skills, and teamwork have set a fantastic example for all. This success reflects the hard work of our pupils and the support from our wonderful teachers and families. Ardderchog Pawb!

We've been focusing on maintaining high standards across our school community, and I'd like to remind everyone about our uniform guidelines. Our pupils look their best when they're dressed smartly and appropriately for learning. I'd like to clarify a few key points about our school dress code. We expect all pupils to wear our school uniform consistently. This helps create a sense of unity and pride in our school. Additionally, we ask that pupils do not wear makeup to school. Regarding jewellery, we have a clear policy. Pupils are permitted to wear earrings, but these should be stud earrings only. This ensures safety and maintains a neat appearance during school activities. Children should not wear bracelets and necklaces to school. These guidelines might seem simple, but they play an important role in creating a focused and professional learning environment. By following these expectations, our pupils demonstrate respect for themselves and our school community. We appreciate your continued support in helping us maintain these standards. Working together, we can ensure that every pupil feels comfortable, confident, and ready to learn.

I wanted to take a moment to talk about something really important to us at Llansannor: attendance. Good attendance isn't just about being in school - it's about making sure every pupil has the best chance to learn and grow. When pupils are consistently present, they build stronger connections with their classmates and teachers, and they don't miss out on crucial learning moments. We've been looking closely at our attendance figures, and we want to work together with families to support every pupil in being here regularly. Every day counts, and even small improvements can make a big difference to a pupil's educational journey. We understand that sometimes circumstances make attendance challenging. If you're experiencing any difficulties that are affecting your child's ability to come to school, please reach out to us. We're here to support you and find solutions. Thank you for your continued support in helping our school community stay strong and connected.