Newsletter 23.1.26

www.pontllanfraithprimary.co.uk

Achieve, Believe, Care

Estyn Interim Visit Last week we were visited by Estyn for our interim visit. Interim visits are a new feature of the latest inspection framework and provide inspectors with an opportunity to support schools mid‑cycle. They focus on reviewing progress against a previous recommendation and looking at self‑evaluation processes. For us, the focus was the development of our Curriculum for Wales implementation. Inspectors visited classes during the morning so they could see teaching and talk to pupils, so we moved our usual afternoon sessions to the morning. They then spent the afternoon looking at books and speaking with staff. We are unable to share any formal information at this stage, but we wanted to update you that we found the visit to be a positive experience. Inspectors described the children as “a delight”—although that won’t appear in the official feedback as behaviour was not an area being reviewed! Coding Club A quick reminder that Miss Rooke’s Coding Club will be moving to Tuesdays from next week (instead of Wednesdays). Cluster Netball League Well done to our netball team who visited Islwyn High on Wednesday to play matches against cluster schools. Thank you to parents who supported with transport. We are very grateful to Islwyn High for hosting both netball and football cluster tournaments. Their support gives our children valuable opportunities to take part in competitive matches without any additional cost to the school. Parent Forum Parent Forum will meet with Mrs Tucker on Wednesday afternoon next week at 2:30pm. We really appreciate the parents who attend regularly—your input helps us better understand current ‘hot topics’ and discuss future improvements. We would love to welcome more parents to join us. The Forum provides a chance to talk through school policy and procedures in ways that simply aren’t possible in a newsletter. If you are interested in attending, please contact Mrs Tucker at TuckerJ58@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk. Parking A polite reminder to park legally and safely. We have received another complaint from a neighbour on Penmaen Road, and we have also noticed some nursery parents parking on the double yellow lines opposite the school at pick‑up time. We have also been asked to highlight the difficulties faced by parents and taxi drivers accessing our satellite class via the lane. The lane has no pavement and is the only safe route for pedestrians unable to use the steps. Please avoid using the lane for parking or turning. Internet Safety This week there were incidents in Dosbarth Glass and Dosbarth Porffor where some children deliberately attempted to access inappropriate online content, including unsuitable games and inappropriate search terms. Where the LA’s filters allow material through, we always report this so sites can be blocked. However, we occasionally find that children are actively trying to bypass these protections. I spoke to both classes about the importance of trust when using digital devices and the risks associated with attempting to access inappropriate material. Miss Wills and Mr Davies asked pupils to re‑sign the Internet Safety Agreement. Some parents were contacted directly where individual involvement was confirmed, though we believe more children may have been involved. We ask for your support in reinforcing these messages at home and recommend that online access is monitored regularly. Spotlight on Policy & Procedure: Uniform A few polite reminders about our uniform expectations:

• Hoodies (including red ones) should not be worn in class. We have a good supply of second‑hand jumpers—please email if you would like any.
• Only a watch and stud earrings may be worn. Earrings must be removed for PE.
• Make‑up is not permitted.
• We prefer children to wear black trainers so they are ready for physical activity at any time. If not worn daily, please ensure a pair is kept in school.
• Water bottles should be sent in daily (sports‑style top, water only, not too large).
• Children should not bring toys or personal stationery. Items used to support anxiety or potential neurodiverse needs must be agreed in advance with the class teacher.