Classes for next year will be announced on Friday 14/7/23 and all children will get an opportunity to meet their new teacher that morning. You will receive a text message on Friday afternoon to let you know which class your child has been allocated to.
I can now confirm that we will be moving to 6 classes for children Reception - Year 6 from September as we will have 180, possibly 179, pupils on roll on Friday 1/9/23. The only class that will not be a mixed age class will be Year 6 as there are exactly 30 pupils in the current Year 5.
Classes will be Dosbarth Coch, Mrs Reeve (Rec / Y1); Dosbarth Oren, Miss Williams (Y1/2); Dosbarth Melyn, Miss Rooke (Y2/3); Dosbarth Gwyrdd, Mr Davies (Y3/4); Dosbarth Glas, Miss Davies (Y4/5); Dosbarth Porffor, Miss Wills (Y6).
Miss Ferguson and Mrs Tucker will be covering teacher’s PPA and release for school improvement activity / professional learning (which will reduce, but not remove, the need for us to use supply agency staff) and classes will also be receiving weekly music lessons from local company, On the Beat, who have provided workshops in Samba and Animation to Years 4 & 5 this year as attendance rewards (the animation workshops were earlier this week and the children very much enjoyed them). We will continue to provide sessions from Cardiff City & Gateway Rugby in the same way as this year.
Sadly, we will be saying goodbye to Mr Herbert as we will be one less class, and wish him all the very best for his future career, having completed his first year as a teacher with us in his own 'old school'. I'm sure his class will make sure he has a very lovely last week of term.
Information about how we allocate classes was linked in our Newsletter 5/5/23 and both that newsletter and our policy for organisation and the mixed age classes information leaflet that was produced by CCBC a number of years ago is available on our school website: www.pontllanfraithprimary.co.uk
We know that this reorganisation can cause distress to children and parents and deeply regret that we have to do this. Class size rules and funding are determined by Welsh Government and my hands are tied. Parents who are unhappy are requested to read the following additional information, linked here, before contacting the school.
The Children's Laureate Wales, Connor Allen, will be visiting Years 5 & 6 on Friday 14/7/23 and Year 6 will have their session with him whilst the other children are meeting their new teacher. He will be reading from his debut collection of poems for children, Miracles, reciting his other poems, sharing his love of - and how he writes - poetry, as well as answering questions from pupils and staff. You can learn ,more about Conner here.
Your child will be coming home with their report on Friday 14/7/23. You will be emailed a link to a feedback form to let us know that it has been received and so that you can provide feedback. From 3pm on Tuesday 18/7/23 parents are welcome to come in to school to view their child's work from this term. Teachers will remain available to parents until 4pm. If you require a private meeting with any teacher please indicate this on the feedback form so that it can be arranged as we will be unable to accommodate this during the Tuesday session.
The Parent Forum will meet at 2pm on Tuesday 18/7/23. Reminder to members to let Mrs Tucker know if you will be attending.
Year 6 parents are reminded that children need to be in school by 8:15am tomorrow morning for the trip to Go Ape (doors will open at 8am). Previous information letters about end of Year activities for Year 6 are available on the school website in the News section.
Parents of Nursery children starting in Reception are reminded that there is a meeting for parents on Wednesday 19/7/23 at 4pm. If you are unable to attend, please let us know, as we will be informing parents at the meeting as to whether their children will attend mornings or afternoons in week 1 (starting Tuesday 5/9/23). Unless a child requires additional transition, it is anticipated that children will be full time from week 2 (Monday 11/9/23).
Our updated prospectus is now available on the school website and linked here.
A reminder of the school's uniform policy which is available on the school website - we would like to see all children in black joggers, leggings or shorts in September to support daily physical activity. Children should wear black shoes, preferably trainers, for the same reason. Trainers are required on days where PE is planned. Trainers should not have laces until your child can tie their own laces. We do not have a separate PE uniform, and children should wear red polo shirts to school.
Please note that the school's email address is PontllanfraithPrimary@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk - our address changed in September 2022 but messages sent to the old address have been diverted all year. This service will end at the end of term.
Finally, on Thursday 20/7/23 there will be a PTA disco between 4:30 and 6pm. Please register your child by 3:30pm Friday 14/7/23 using the form linked here.