Gwersyllt CP

Ukraine appeal

The local church have asked us to support the appeal below.

https://teams4u.com/ukraine-appeal/www.teams4u.com/donate

Please see the link above for information on what is accepted. It also provides the address of where to take the packages. Alternatively, the school are happy to receive boxed donations which we will take weekly to the industrial estate.

The option to donate money is also available on the site.

Many thanks

Pre ordering dinners

We are having a number of late arrivals who have not pre ordered their dinners for the day ahead. Can we kindly request that this is done when possible. If the pupil orders in the classroom when arriving on time, it is manageable. However, it can take a great deal of time up when the pupil(s) arrive at the front reception and are required to order there meal when signing in late.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation.

Lastly we have some visiotors in our school. I am not talking about the Snowy Owls pupils.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Phew! As I mentioned in the newsletter today – What a busy week.

Plenty going on through out the week from St David’s day to World book day and beyond. The pupils have looked great and the creative work was fantastic.

Rather than use words, I will let the photos do the talking.

Class 3 also had the pleasure of a school trip to Rhyl

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Over the past 24 hours I have had a number of communications regarding current world events and the pupils being made aware of them during Newsround. These conversations and emails have fallen on both sides of the argument, one being that it is vital that pupils are informed and aware of world events given them both the knowledge and power to understand, reflect and act on events. The other side is that these are upsetting news stories, which, for many reasons (the past 2 years being one) parents are conscious of not bringing to the forefront of their children’s minds on a daily basis. As a school we understand both sides.

Newsround has always been a child friendly, sensitive introduction to current events offering an entry point for children of a broad age range. We have watched it for a few years now and hope to do so soon. At the moment though, we have decided not to show the programme in our KS2 classes.

However, our feeling is that current information pupils may be hearing is potentially worrying and upsetting and how much the pupils know is up to individual parents. To that end I have provided a link to the daily Newsround feed (usually a 5 minute update) that parents can watch and show the pupils should they wish to.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/news/watch_newsround

Staff will continue to answer pupil questions factually and sensitively, should these questions arise.

Thank you for all your communication and understanding on this matter.

Mr J Moore

Dear Parent/Guardian,  

For the final message of this half term I wish to update you on the processes that are changing for the pupils return on 28^th February 2022.  

My apologies for all the information below.  

It has been confirmed to us that start and finish times of schools are to return to normal.   

Start times  

This means that all the classes start times will revert to 8.50 as they were prior to Christmas. As was the case then, the doors will open at 8.40 to allow 10 minutes for pupils to arrive at school and enter the classrooms.  

Unlike this year, the pupils will be using the school lockers again and not always entering directly into their classrooms.   

Barn Owls and Snowy owls will remain the same and enter by their cloakrooms. There will be a member of staff to direct them at the door.  

Year 1 and 2 (Kestrels and Harriers) will enter at the same point as they have this year opposite the home bargains gate.  

Classes 1,2 and 4 (Mrs Moore, Mr Edwards and Mr McAteer) will enter at the old school entrance.  

Classes 3 and 5 (Miss Roberts and Mrs Jones) will enter at the front most entrance on the front yard.  

Don’t worry though a member of staff will be on these entrances to help should need be. 

Finish times  

Barn Owls and Snowy Owls will exit by the same class doors (Barn Owls at 11.20am and Snowy Owls at 3pm)  

Year 1 and 2 will exit via the doors they entered at 3pm  

All KS2 classes will continue to exit via the same doors they do currently (this may change upon removal of the Harris fencing at the side. 

Playmates  

Playmates will continue to enter and exit through the front Reception  

Little Chicks  

Little Chicks are to be picked up at 2.50pm at Barn Owls entrance.  

Breakfast Club  

The use of breakfast club will remain unchanged. 

Other changes  

As things stand we will continue with class bubbles to prevent over spread of Covid19 and the absence it causes. However, we will review this after a number of weeks in line with changing guidelines. We will communicate any changes prior to them happening. 

Kind regards Mr J Moore

Dear Parents/Guardians,

My sincere apologies for the short notice today. The news came to us via email at 2.40pm.

As you are already aware, due to severe weather warnings, the site is closed to all (pupils and staff) tomorrow and will reopen on Monday 28th February. Their will be work for pupils to complete at home, either paper based or online, and teachers will be available via the normal communication methods between 9 am and 3pm.

There will be a further message up tomorrow regarding any changes around school start and finish times after half term.

I hope tomorrow is a false warning and everyone remains safe.

Kind regards,

Mr J Moore

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The end of our penultimate week for this half term. A while back I wrote to you regarding the success of our family learning team and the investors in families award. 

I am delighted to say that their success was recognised in the papers this week. Please use this link to have a look for yourselves.

https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/19907976.wrexham-school-awarded-diamond-standard/

As well as this,  you may have noticed the presence of the family learning team on the yard on Thursday. The Altogether kits are prepared and ready. You can request them from the following address- FamilyL5@hwbcymru.net

Have a lovely weekend and we will see the pupils for the final week on Monday

Today we were celebrating Dydd Miwsig Cymru or Welsh Music Day.

All the school were asked to wear red to celebrate this event (and they looked fabulous too).

The classes were asked to listen to a number of songs and to vote for their favourites, which will be announced next week.

Below are the songs that were voted on- please do have a listen and discuss them with your child or children. I know which one is my favourite.

The songs for classes to listen to and then vote for their favourite are as follows (band name in bold):

Gwilym – Cwin https://youtu.be/wAR5xPiur10

Yws Gwynedd – Drwy Dy Lygaid Di https://youtu.be/PADjnW0cndk

Serol Serol – Arwres https://youtu.be/w7JkRf74pZg

Fleur De Lys – Sbectol https://youtu.be/zphv_lcs9-g
Yr Eira – Llyncu Dwr https://youtu.be/svWnZmoL6DY

As ever, our Criw cymraeg made a great video to introduce the day in assembly.

IMPORTANT Change of training dates and end of term
My apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause. I am trying to get the information out as soon as possible.
As a cluster, and to align ourselves with the high school, we are altering the training days for the school. Instead of the training dates that were to be used on the 6th and 7th of January (which became planning days) the school will now be closed to pupils on 19th and 20th of July. We have also collectively made the decision to move the Jubilee day planned for the 6th June to the 18th of July. 

This means that school will close for summer break on Friday 15th July 2022.

For clarification school is closed to pupils on the following days

Friday 8th April 2022- Training day

Monday 25th April 2022- Training day

Friday 27th May 2022-Extra Curriculum day

Monday 18th July- Jubilee day

Tuesday 19th July – Training day

Wednesday 20th July – Training day

Attendance Policy
Just to make everyone aware the new county attendance policy has been put in place as of the new year. This means that the school can no longer authorise absences due to holiday.
As of the start of term the policy means that we will be sending out attendance letters after the following markers are hit.

• Once a pupil hits 10 sessions (2.6%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance Letter 1 to be sent.

• Once a pupil hits 16 sessions (4.2%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance letter 2 to be sent.  
• Once a pupil hits 22 sessions (5.79%) absence authorised or unauthorised a phone call is made to the parent/carer by a member of school staff to discuss the attendance concerns.
• Once a pupil hits 26 sessions (6.84%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance letter 3 to be sent. This requests medical proof for all future absences to be authorised.
• Once a pupils hits 26 sessions (6.84%) Unauthorised absence, a letter is sent arranging a meeting with the parent/carer, School representative and Education Social Worker for an attendance meeting to take place. Referral to ESW made to attend meeting. Consideration to be given to attendance improvement strategies, including the introduction of an Attendance Improvement Plan. 
• If attendance continues to deteriorate, consideration to be given to implementing legal action – FPN or Prosecution depending on attendance history, level of absence and past compliance. 

The policy has been created by county and put out in the vast majority of schools county wide. It can be viewed in full in the forms, policies and letters section of the website.

A while ago I wrote about the fantastic achievement of the school and in particular the Family Learning team (Mrs O’Toole and Miss Thomas) being awarded the Diamond award for investors in families.

I am delighted to say that it has been confirmed that we are the first school in North Wales to achieve this. Below is a copy of the report sent through.

IMPORTANT Change of training dates and end of term
My apologies for any inconvenience that this may cause. I am trying to get the information out as soon as possible.
As a cluster, and to align ourselves with the high school, we are altering the training days for the school. Instead of the training dates that were to be used on the 6th and 7th of January (which became planning days) the school will now be closed to pupils on 19th and 20th of July. We have also collectively made the decision to move the Jubilee day planned for the 6th June to the 18th of July. 
This means that school will close for summer break on Friday 15th July 2022.
For clarification school is closed to pupils on the following daysFriday 8th April 2022- Training dayMonday 25th April 2022- Training dayFriday 27th May 2022-Extra Curriculum dayMonday 18th July- Jubilee dayTuesday 19th July – Training dayWednesday 20th July – Training day

Attendance Policy
Just to make everyone aware the new county attendance policy has been put in place as of the new year. This means that the school can no longer authorise absences due to holiday.
As of the start of term the policy means that we will be sending out attendance letters after the following markers are hit.

• Once a pupil hits 10 sessions (2.6%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance Letter 1 to be sent.

• Once a pupil hits 16 sessions (4.2%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance letter 2 to be sent.  
• Once a pupil hits 22 sessions (5.79%) absence authorised or unauthorised a phone call is made to the parent/carer by a member of school staff to discuss the attendance concerns.
• Once a pupil hits 26 sessions (6.84%) absence whether authorised or unauthorised Attendance letter 3 to be sent. This requests medical proof for all future absences to be authorised.
• Once a pupils hits 26 sessions (6.84%) Unauthorised absence, a letter is sent arranging a meeting with the parent/carer, School representative and Education Social Worker for an attendance meeting to take place. Referral to ESW made to attend meeting. Consideration to be given to attendance improvement strategies, including the introduction of an Attendance Improvement Plan. 
• If attendance continues to deteriorate, consideration to be given to implementing legal action – FPN or Prosecution depending on attendance history, level of absence and past compliance. 

The policy has been created by county and put out in the vast majority of schools county wide. It can be viewed in full in the forms, policies and letters section of the website.

...And other stuff

Now for something a bit more fun.

Last week the Classteachers placed the new topics on the website. For a visual flavour of the plans and displays that are starting to go up please keep scrolling. As you may remember from previous posts, the school are trialling a pupil voice based planning in which the pupils have a great deal of say in what they learn. Below you will also see some of the planning carried out.