Gwersyllt CP

Dear Parents/Guardians,

I hope you had a pleasant couple of weeks and enjoyed the sunshine that finally arrived. It is a pleasure to have the pupils back with us in a busy but relatively short term.

This week is no exception, we have had bike training for some of our Year 6 pupils on Tuesday and Wednesday. Looking at biking skills and road safety. For more information on how Year 6 can now bring their bike to school please see this weeks Newsletter.

The staff were busy this week during the training day trying to sort out areas and the overall use of Jaxon’s Wood. All of the classteachers and many of the TA’s came in to work on the area, which looks greatly improved. There is still some work to go which we hope to complete over the course of the next few weeks. We also have a number of staff completing Forest school training to ensure we can use the facility as well and as much as possible.

A group of girls represent the school in a 5 a side football tournament on Wednesday (you may remember the boys went before Easter). As ever they represented the school fabulously and Mr McAteer was very impressed. They topped their group and went on to the later stages. Fantastic stuff.

Finally, and as mentioned in the Newsletter, we have put together our school manifesto (for want of a better word) it includes our vision alongside what opportunities and skills a pupil from Gwersyllt CP should have. This has been many months in the pipeline and has included ideas from staff, pupils, parents and governors. Thank you for all those that put forward suggestions.

We hope you all have a wonderful couple of weeks. As I mentioned in the newsletter, the pupils have been fantastic in an occasionally tricky term.

The website has been a quiet place over the last couple of weeks. My apologies for that. There has been no absence of activity going on.

I already mentioned the football tournament in which the pupils did so well. We have also had visits to the high school to look at the internal workings of the heart. A Fire engine has visited the school to the immense pleasure of our Year 1 and 2 pupils. We are starting to use the skills of our Year 6 pupils again to help peer learning, particularly in ICT.

But, as always the pictures paint a thousand words. So I will leave you with the below instead. Again, have a lovely break and we will see you for the summer term.

All at Gwersyllt CP

Positive Cases 

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Just a quick update regarding the change in guidance for those testing positive from Monday 28th March.

In terms of staff or pupils isolating if they test positive, whilst nobody will be legally obliged to self-isolate from 28^th March, this will move into guidance and Welsh Government have stated that they recommend a cautious approach, and strongly advise people to isolate when they are ill or test positive.  Welsh Government guidance for schools has not yet been updated.  Therefore, in the absence of updated guidance it is sensible that schools continue with the current approaches.  This includes the requirement that staff and pupils who are displaying any symptoms of illness or test positive to not come into school. 

We hope to receive guidance soon, and will communicate this to you as soon as possible. 

Many thanks,

Mr J Moore

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